The Science Behind Why People Hate the Word ‘Moist’
You may think you detest the word ‘moist’ because of the way it sounds, but research indicates that that’s not the full story.
1970-01-01 08:00
Tourist filmed carving his girlfriend's name into Rome's Colosseum
Italy's culture minister is calling for a man to be "identified and sanctioned" after he was filmed allegedly carving his and his fiancée's names into the Colosseum in Rome.
1970-01-01 08:00
Lily Alllen steps-in to help anyone struggling with a post-Glastonbury comedown
More than 200,000 people went to Glastonbury this year, and a significant amount of them will be suffering crushing comedowns this week (from all that alcohol they’ve been drinking, obviously). But they need not worry, because Lily Allen has given her qualified medical opinion on the matter – and it’s pretty good advice. The 'Smile' and 'LDN' singer tweeted on 26 June: “Thoughts are with those starting their post Glastonbury comedowns today, YOU WILL GET THROUGH THIS." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “It will take somewhere between a week and month depending on your age and what exactly you may have consumed, but you will get through this.” She added in another post: “Start with a good fry up, some electrolytes, berocca, plenty of water and stay away from anything like Grey's Anatomy or The Notebook.” Twitter users were quick to thank the singer. One user said: “Thank you Lily, you got me and @MarisaMuramatsu through the early hours journey home.” Another added: “I’m still recovering from 1987 tbh.” And one other said: “Needed to see this. This car journey home, emotions are all over the gaff!” This year’s Glastonbury, which finished yesterday, saw headliners Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses and Sir Elton John play to vast crowds. While Allen was not on the lineup, her 2022 rendition of her hit 'F*** You' will still be fresh in the minds of fans, when she joined pop star Olivia Rodrigo on stage for a surprise appearance. Meanwhile, her 2009 song, 'Everyone’s At It', took a pop at people in the media and politics who are hypocritical about alcohol and drug use in wider society. The chorus goes: “Why can't we all, all just be honest / Admit to ourselves that everyone's on it / From grown politicians to young adolescents”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Influencers called out after promoting Shein factory in China
A group of influencers have come under fire after posting glowing videos from their paid trip to a factory owned by controversial fast fashion retailer Shein in Guangzhou, China. Shein, which has been previously accused of labour abuse and admitted to breaching rules around working hours, brought the group of six fashion influencers from the US to tour its “Innovation Factory”. Influencer and model Dani Carbonari was one of the influencers who went on the trip and posted a video tour on her social media last week. After facing criticism from her followers – of which she was more than 481k on Instagram and nearly 300k on TikTok – Carbonari appears to have deleted the post. In her original post, she wrote in her caption that the trip to Shein’s factory gave her the opportunity to see with her “own two eyes what the entire process of Shein clothing looks like from beginning to end”. “I feel more confident than ever with my partnership with Shein. There are so many companies not taking half the initiative Shein is. They are aware of every single rumour and instead of staying quiet they are fighting with all of their power to not only show us the truth but continue to improve and be the best they can possibly be,” the “confidence activist” continued. The video showed a brightly lit factory, with staff working in clean, dust-free conditions and automated bots that assisted with processing and packaging orders. The other influencers, Destene Sudduth, Aujene, Fernanda Stephany Campuzano, Kenya Freeman, and Marina Saavedra, also shared similarly glowing Instagram posts about their visit. Viewers have pointed out that the influencers appeared to use a “script” for their posts, as they involved similar language. In her post, Saavedra said: “Like many others, I’ve heard a lot of misinformation”, while Carbonari wrote: “You have to remember our country is filled with so much prejudice – we want to believe we’re the best and no one else can be better.” @shein_us Get a glimpse of the process of how your purchases are packaged directly from our facility and delivered to your doorstep. Watch as our partners discover the cutting-edge tech that streamlines our operations and receive a hands-on experience in packaging. Stay tuned to the #SHEIN101 series to learn more of what goes on behind the scenes at #SHEIN #SHEINOnTheRoad ♬ original sound - SHEINUS But viewers have pointed out that the influencers’ comments about the Shein factory they saw – one of 6,000 factories that the online retailer has, according to Time magazine – do not address the allegations that have been levelled over Shein’s labour and environmental impact. Channel 4 launched an investigation last year that involved an undercover worker filming inside two Shein factories in Guangzhou and found that workers receive a base salary of 4k yuan per month (approximately £434) to produce 500 pieces of clothing per day. The investigation also found that workers in both factories were working up to 18-hour days regularly and were only given one day off a month. Later, Shein said that after conducting an independent investigation, it found that employees indeed working longer hours than the local laws allowed. Shein found that staff at one factory were working up to 13-and-a-half hour days with two to three days off a month, while those at the second site worked up to 12-and-a-half hour days with no fixed structure for days off. It said that “while these are significantly less than claimed in the documentary, they are still higher than local regulations permit”. At the time, Shein vowed to invest US$15m (£11.8m) to improve standards at its supplier factories. On Twitter, one person wrote: “Shein is sending the influencer girlies to China to some (PR) ‘innovation’ factory where it looks pristine and super clean and the workers are having fun while sewing and the company saying they pay a ‘competitive’ wage lol.” Another said: “The funniest part of the Shein debacle to me is the influencers acting like they went undercover to investigate. You were invited, of course, it’s PR.” A third added: “Them Shein influencers getting cooked and Shein ain’t [sic] defending them. Meanwhile the girls are doing their best to explain to us why Shein ain’t too bad. It’s sad.” The Independent has contacted Shein, Carbonari, Sudduth, Aujene, Campunazo, Freeman and Saavedra for comment. Read More Give Greenpeace a chance: Art and activism join forces for Glastonbury’s campaign for the future Harry and Meghan’s ‘lack of productivity’ left Spotify and Netflix bosses ‘underwhelmed’, report says A woman stopped cleaning after her husband accused her of doing ‘nothing’. Then she filmed the results Princess Diana’s ‘black sheep’ jumper predicted to sell at auction for up to £70,000 The best onstage fashion at Glastonbury Glastonbury 2023: All the best fashion at the biggest UK festival of the year
1970-01-01 08:00
Here’s Why Confusing Diesel With Gas at the Pump Is a Problem
Depending on how much diesel you’ve poured into the tank, there’s a good to fair chance you will need a mechanic to drain your car’s fuel system.
1970-01-01 08:00
Fear vs. Phobia: What’s the Difference?
The definition of ‘phobia’ is similar to that of ‘fear’—but there’s a big difference in the threat level.
1970-01-01 08:00
Tenants say a 3-year ban on evictions kept them housed. Landlords say they're drowning in debt
Some landlords have gone without rental income for more than three years after Oakland, California, approved an eviction moratorium in March 2020
1970-01-01 08:00
Liz Weston: Safer ways to raid your retirement, if you have to
Generally, it’s best to leave the money in your retirement accounts safely tucked away
1970-01-01 08:00
Princess Diana’s ‘black sheep’ jumper predicted to sell at auction for up to £70,000
A jumper worn by Diana, Princess of Wales is predicted to sell at auction for up to £70,000. The famous red and white “black sheep” sweater, which had been lost for decades, is being offered at auction for the first time at Sotheby’s in New York on September 7. Diana first wore the woollen jumper – with its black and white sheep motif – to a polo match of her fiance, the then-prince of Wales, in June 1981. It was one of the first pieces designed by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne for their knitwear label Warm & Wonderful, and helped to catapult their brand into the public eye. They said: “Much to our amazement, the first we knew of Lady Diana Spencer wearing the sweater was when we saw her on the front page of one of the Sunday newspapers. “Her influence was impactful almost immediately thereafter, leading to a surge in sales and public awareness of our small label, for which we will be forever grateful.” A few weeks after its first appearance, the pair received an official letter from Buckingham Palace requesting either a repair or a replacement for the sweater as it had been damaged. They knitted a new sweater for the late princess, but the whereabouts of the original remained unknown until they rediscovered it in March this year in their attic, tucked away in a small box beside a cotton bedspread. Warm & Wonderful stopped producing the black sheep style in 1994, but it was reissued in 2020 as a collaboration with the brand Rowing Blazer. The actress Emma Corrin wore a replica of the sweater when she played Diana in the fourth season of Netflix’s The Crown in 2020. Meanwhile, a sweater of the same design is part of the permanent collection of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Sotheby’s is offering the original sweater as part of its inaugural Fashion Icons sale which will run during New York Fashion week from August 31 to September 13. The auction house holds the record for the most valuable Diana dress ever sold – an aubergine ball dress which was bought for 604,800 dollars (around £474,870) in January 2023. It also sold Diana’s Attallah Cross to Kim Kardashian in the Royal and Noble auction in London in January for £163,800. Speaking about the jumper, Sotheby’s global head of fashion and accessories Cynthia Houlton said: “This exceptional garment, meticulously preserved, carries the whispers of Princess Diana’s grace, charm, and her keen eye for fashion.” Read More Gongs, chanting and Celtic Shamanism: What I learnt from a day at the Glastonbury Healing Field A woman stopped cleaning after her husband accused her of doing ‘nothing’. Then she filmed the results Taylor Swift ‘declined Meghan Markle’s personal letter’ to appear on Archetypes Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
1970-01-01 08:00
This Limited-Edition ‘Disney Villainous’ Board Game Lets You Play As Ursula, Maleficent, and More Classic Villains
Longtime fans of the ‘Disney Villainous’ board game might consider this a collectible.
1970-01-01 08:00
10 Facts About James Baldwin’s ‘Giovanni’s Room’
James Baldwin's novel 'Giovanni’s Room' was rejected by editors and publishers before it was eventually released in 1956.
1970-01-01 08:00
Scientists see brains 'de-ageing' in people who adopt a popular diet
The biological age of our brains is a health factor that many people neglect – but as young people these days are expected to live longer than ever, it’s getting more and more important. It turns out that switching to a diet full of fresh vegetables and low in processed foods could do wonders for what’s going on up there, new research has found. According to a team of scientists from universities in Israel, Germany and the US, eating a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, seafood and whole grains can slow the signs of accelerated brain ageing which are typically seen in obese patients. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Scans taken after 18 months showed the participants’ brain age appeared almost nine months younger than expected, compared to estimates of their brain’s chronological age. The study involved imaging the brains of 102 people who were taking part in a larger clinical trial. Scans were taken at the beginning, and again after 18 months, along with tests of liver function, cholesterol levels and body weight. Groups ate one of three diets: a Meditterranean diet of nuts, fish and chicken instead of red meat, a similar diet but with a few added extras like green tea, or a diet based on healthy dietary guidelines. Brain age estimates were based on an algorithm that had been trained using brain scans from a separate group of nearly 300 people. People in the trial lost an average of about 2.3kg. For every 1 percent of body weight lost after following a set diet, the participants’ brains appeared about nine months younger than their chronological age. However, it is still unknown whether changes in brain age actually translates to improvements in brain function. "Our study highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including lower consumption of processed food, sweets, and beverages, in maintaining brain health," said neuroscientist Gidon Levakov of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. The study was published in eLife. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00