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The French under surveillance?

November 29, 2011 – 4:34 pm

by Lindsay Paterson WHAT’S HAPPENING According to Google’s latest Transparency Report, France is the country which asks for most information about its citizens’ online habits (LePoint.fr, 26 October 2011). In the first six months of 2011, France made 1,300 demands for information, or one per 34,500 internet users. The number of requests by France has […]

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Powering on: Tamil Nadu village to become energy self-sufficient

November 29, 2011 – 4:33 pm

by Aditi Krishnan WHAT’S HAPPENING While the rest of the state languishes under severe power cuts, Odunathurai in Mettupalyam, a small village in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, is all set to supply itself with free energy within the next five years. The villages panchayat (local grassroots self-government body), which has won the distinction of being the […]

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Coors cans, stadiums and deer heads: The groom’s cake gets personal

November 29, 2011 – 4:28 pm

by Nissa Hanna WHAT’S HAPPENING The humble groom’s cake is giving way to a wedding showstopper as today’s planning-involved grooms pick confectionery wonders that put the icing on their interests. Spongy, frosted golf clubs, barbecue grills, liquor bottles, football helmets and manly cuisine icons like burgers and hot dogs are springing up at receptions, rehearsal […]

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THE REAL CHINA

November 29, 2011 – 4:24 pm

by Michael T. McCune You’d be excused for not having a grip on the lifestyle of the average Chinese consumer. For one thing, mainstream business media devotes more energy to the luxury market, the ever-evolving technosphere and the global ambitions of Chinese companies. These are just easier stories to tell — ones anchored by brand […]

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Recycled plastic waste builds bridges in Wales

November 22, 2011 – 3:46 pm

by Rebecca de Vaux WHAT’S HAPPENING Europe’s first road bridge made from recycled plastic has been erected over the River Tweed in Wales (GreenWiseBusiness.co.uk, 21 October 2011). Created by Welsh startup Vertech Ltd, the 30-metre bridge was built using recycled thermoplastic technology and 500 tons of recycled plastic bottles. The eco-friendly bridge is rust-proof and […]

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Winnipeg newspaper opens café to connect with the community

November 22, 2011 – 3:43 pm

by Michelle Auer and Becky Sun WHAT’S HAPPENING The Winnipeg Free Press is giving the meaning of social media a new twist — a traditional one. Many businesses encourage comments and feedback via email, Facebook, Twitter and other electronic means, and so does this newspaper. But it has also opened its own café to encourage […]

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Theaters offer autism-friendly showings

November 22, 2011 – 3:40 pm

by Josh Kimball WHAT’S HAPPENING Sitting through a movie, a dinner or even taking a short jaunt to the mall can often pose a challenge to kids on the autism spectrum. And their parents? Even picnics can be no picnic. That’s why autism-touched families are happy to see the lights go up on Sensory Friendly […]

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THE BANK OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY

November 22, 2011 – 3:32 pm

by Gwyneth Holland, Sr. Editor, Europe If global news is anything to go by, Europe isn’t having its finest hour right now, with economies failing, nations backbiting and some consumers raging. But while the politicians bicker about fiscal responsibility and the eurozone dream, more European consumers are quietly finding ways to cope with straitened times. […]

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Iconowatch takes on the world: Insights from the US, Europe, India, and more

March 23, 2011 – 10:31 am

We wanted to send out a note to our blog readers trumpeting our recent Iconowatch redesign, and the global Iconoculture research and advisory expansion the new newsletter reflects. As you’ll probably note, we’ve re-imagined our weekly public newsletter, changing not only the look, but also the kinds of articles and information readers get. Until recently, […]

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Ecuador putting out the welcome mat to its expats

July 20, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr. WHAT’S HAPPENING Once the second fastest-growing Latino group in New York City, some Ecuadorians are either returning to their home country or giving the possibility serious consideration. And Ecuador is putting out the welcome mat, with financial incentives as a lure. Ecuador’s immigration agency, Senami, sees the recession as […]

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Gout makes an unwelcome comeback in overweight America

July 17, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Cree McCree WHAT’S HAPPENING Old-fashioned gout is back, and that’s not a good thing. Once the scourge of aristocrats bloated with fatty foods, the painful arthritis affliction is now stalking America’s overweight middle class. As many as six million Americans suffer from the disabling joint disease, which has doubled in incidence over the past […]

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Who walks away from an underwater mortgage?

July 16, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING A June 2009 academic study from the University of Chicago looks very closely at the factors which influence some Americans with negative equity to walk away from their homes, even if they could afford to continue making mortgage payments. The mathematical tipping point: The researchers found that homeowners whose negative […]

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Paper cut: House-Wear clothing is cut from an unusual cloth

July 15, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Nissa Hanna WHAT’S HAPPENING Paper or fabric? House-Wear chose the former as the material for its Paper Wear clothing collection. Artist Laura Sansone created the avant-garde label that uses Tyvek (yep, like the mailing envelopes) as the material for pants, dresses, jackets and some home accessories (Inhabitat.com 5.17.09). So, why Tyvek? It’s strong, soft […]

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WE ARE ALL FAT NOW

July 14, 2009 – 2:00 pm

by Josh Kimball The economy continues cascading. Unemployment’s ugly, retail sales are rank, the housing market is still homely. But there’s one reliable metric in America; one number that, year over year, keeps right on growing  — our waist size. Lost, as our attention focuses on more immediate events, is an unsettling phenomenon that isn’t […]

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Latino teens who retain home-country tendencies are happiest

July 13, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr. WHAT’S HAPPENING If you’re happy and you know it, say “¡Orale!” (Hooray). A study shows that bicultural teens who actively embrace their Latino culture, and whose parents become more involved in U.S. culture, are happier and healthier. The findings of a study by the University of North Carolina’s Latino […]

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