#Branding Agency California

[sprakdesigns]

Here Are Some Quick Tips About Branding Agency

We're here to help with the list of branding advice from Branding Agency California since we know that branding your business may be a difficult and time-consuming process. We don't just purchase goods from a company; we do it because they provide a singular experience that no other brand can replicate. The majority of people consider logos and colors when discussing branding. However, branding encompasses more than simply familiarity. It has to do with the effect you have on a consumer and the message you convey. A company's ideals and work may all be inferred from the initial impression. The unexpected consequences of branding should be considered by business owners.

Define the fundamentals

Simply said, the first and most important need for creating and maintaining a strong brand image is defining what you want. This requirement can seem overly clear, yet occasionally businesses need to pay more attention to it. The project will fail badly if you have no idea whatsoever about the type of brand identity you want to create. You should have a basic knowledge of your core beliefs, your brand's goal, and the direction you want your image to go in. Naturally, the branding firm will help you communicate all the difficult things. 

Proficiency across channels

While you're looking over their portfolios, you should focus on one more little detail. In particular, branding is a comprehensive process that combines several PR, marketing, and advertising strategies. As a result, a top-notch branding firm needs to be able to manage branding and advertising initiatives across a variety of media. Effective branding requires versatility, and an agency needs to be aware of the unique characteristics of each channel they want to use. Behind these acts across several channels, there has to be a solid and consistent brand. If an agency has been successful in delivering this to past customers, it speaks to a deliberate, strategic, and comprehensive strategy. They benefit from it.

Think about what your customers will say

We've been involved in many new logo ideas, and I'm consistently amazed when the client is not taken into account. Usually, the business owner comes up with the name, tagline, and logo before they have even served one client. There will be a mismatch if you want a high-tech appearance and feel and are marketing to an earthy, wholesome audience. Your target market won't recognize your brand or logo. Prior to developing your brand to appeal to them, identify your target market.

Also read: Why Should You Hire a Brand Designer For Your Business

Build a powerful web presence as a goal

Having a website is the first step in developing a strong online presence. Any company, regardless of its size or sector, has to have a well-designed website. A website is also a vital part of your marketing plan since it demonstrates the legitimacy of your brand. After that, you may start utilizing powerful lead-generating solutions to increase brand recognition and website traffic.

Check out their branding

Along with looking at their portfolio, you should also visit the agencies' websites, social media accounts, and other self-promotional platforms. The characteristics of high work ethics and devotion include a quick and well-constructed website, consistent and well-written material, and an appealing visual identity across numerous platforms. Additionally, if they have a corporate blog, it may attest to their knowledge and proficiency. Furthermore, this frequently indicates that they are more than merely informed. But also willing to share this information with others, which may show their zeal and excitement.

Selecting the Branding Agency California is a crucial choice for your company. As a result, you must exercise caution, take your time, and do your research. Many factors need to be taken into account. So, make an effort to strike the ideal equilibrium between each of them. High-quality branding may make all the difference between a firm being somewhat successful and becoming well-known. Don't pass up the chance to profit from this truth.

In conclusion, when choosing a branding agency, it is important to consider your goals, budget, and the agency's process. A good agency will be able to provide you with a detailed plan and a portfolio of their previous work. Contact Sprak Design if you need assistance with your next project from a branding agency.

[creature-wizard]

So on the topic of whether it's better to refer to Kamala Harris by her first or last name, Politico published an article that's pretty interesting.

So the Harris campaign is deliberately leaning into using her first name:

Fans chanted “Kamala,” not “Harris,” when the vice president looked out into the crowd during her first rally last month as the Democrats’ likely nominee. She grasped the podium, grinning, pointing to supporters waving blue and white “KAMALA” signs passed out by her campaign.

It was branding by design. Within its first 48 hours, the Joe Biden-turned-Harris presidential campaign switched its social media channels from “Biden HQ” to “Kamala HQ.”

And:

And Harris knows the weight her name carries for women, for communities of color — the impact it has for them to see “Kamala” featured prominently in her campaigns. [Lateefah] Simon, who is running for Congress in California, thought about this aspect when she considered her own congressional run.

“I was like, ‘No, it’s not ‘Simon for Congress. It’s Lateefah for Congress.’ Kamala’s name has depth of meaning. It is an ethnic and cultural name. And it was given to her by her mother. Black people are more than our last names. Our last names don’t often tell the story of where we’re from and who we are,” Simon said.

And:

“It is a microaggression and a disrespect because you are refusing to call her by the name that her mama gave her, and that she chooses to be called. In that way, you are dismissing her, you are demeaning her, you are diminishing her and her own agency. It’s just disrespectful. But for her it’s — this is what my name is, call me by my name,” said Leah Daughtry, a longtime Harris ally and Democratic operative.

So, referring to Kamala Harris as "Kamala" isn't inherently disrespectful; if you support her, it's quite the opposite. She's encouraging people to use her first name, and using it can be a way to acknowledge and respect her ethnicity.

[spacefrontier]

Space Shuttle Challenger races off the pad during STS-51F/Spacelab 2. July 29, 1985.

During Challenger's ascent to orbit, both of center engine's two high-pressure fuel turbopump turbine discharge temperature sensors failed, causing a shutdown of the engine. This was the only in-flight failure of an RS-25 engine. The failure of the engine resulted in the only Abort to Orbit of the Space Shuttle program. The ATO led to the Shuttle being in a lower-than-planned orbital altitude, but the Spacelab mission was still able to proceed.

The primary module aboard the Shuttle was the European Space Agency-developed Spacelab. The main mission of STS-51F was to verify performance of Spacelab systems and its interfacing with the Shuttle, with additional experiments covering life sciences, plasma physics, astronomy, high-energy astrophysics, solar physics, atmospheric physics, and technology research.

The Plasma Diagnostics Package, at the end of the Remote Manipulator System, used to study natural plasma processes, orbiter-induced plasma processes, and beam plasma physics.

Perhaps the most publicized payload on STS-51F/Spacelab 2 was the Carbonated Beverage Dispenser Evaluation, which was an experiment in which both Coca-Cola and Pepsi tried to make their drinks available to astronauts using experimental dispensers. Ultimately, neither brand was the victor. Commander Fullerton remarked, "we had no desire to drain the cans."

Mission Specialist Tony England drinking a Coke during STS-51F.

STS-51F/Spacelab 2 crew. Astronauts C. Gordon Fullerton (kneeling center), mission commander; and Roy D. Bridges (kneeling right), pilot; are flanked by the payload specialists and mission specialists for the mission. Standing (left to right) are astronauts Anthony W. England, Karl J. Henize and Story Musgrave - all mission specialists; and payload specialist Loren Acton and John-David Bartoe.

STS-51F/Spacelab 2 spent 8 days on orbit, landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California on August 6, 1985.

NASA 1, 2, 4 LA Times CollectSpace 3

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Analysis: Of Mice and Men (Cultural References)

Bindle: A bag, sack, or carrying device.

Bindle Stiff: Hobo; transient who carries his belongings in a sack.

Bunk House: A sleeping quarters intended for use by multiple people.

Talcum Powder: Very similar in texture to baby powder, talcum powder was used mainly after bathing or shaving.

Apple Box: A box used for storage or as a stepstool capable of holding a person's weight.

Scourges: A widespread affliction, an epidemic illness or the consequence of some natural disaster, like fire, flood, or a migration of locusts.

Pants Rabbits: A sexually transmitted disease, known as pubic lice.

Graybacks: The equivalent of ticks or lice.

Liniment: A topical cream for the skin that helps with pain or rashes.

Jerkline Skinner: Lead driver of a team of mules

Stable Buck: A derogatory name for an African-American man who works in the stables.

Stetson Hat: A famous brand of hats, especially cowboy hats.

‍Swamper: A general assistant; handyman.

Murray and Ready: An employment agency, specializing in farm work.

Work Slips: Proof that people had been hired to do a job.

Cultivator: A farming tool used to stir and soften the soil either before or after planting.

Cesspool: A well or pit filled with drainage or sewage.

Slough: A muddy or marshy area.

Tart: A woman who tempts men or who is sexually promiscuous.

Buck Barley: To throw large bags of barley on a truck.

Lynch: To illegally execute a person, generally applied to the hanging and/or burning of African-Americans in the south.

Slug of Whiskey: Equivalent to a hip flask of whiskey.

Gut Ache: A stomach ache.

Airedale: A type of dog, specifically Terrier.

Pulp Magazine: During the 1920s-1950s, inexpensive fiction magazines. From 1950 on, the term also came to represent mass market paperbacks.

Luger: The Luger pistol was an expensive, high maintenance weapon manufactured and used primarily in the German army.

Euchre: A card game played in England, Canada, and some parts of the U.S.

Two Bits: Twenty-Five cents.

Rag Rug: Rugs created from rags that were tied together by knots.

Kewpie Doll: A particular style of doll, one that was usually won at carnivals.

Phonograph: The first device for recording and playing sound, most specifically music.

Parlor House: Could be considered a restaurant, but more often parlor houses were brothels.

Hutches: A form of furniture, very similar to a wardrobe.

Welter: A boxer (refers to welterweight, a weight class in boxing).

Nail keg: A wooden barrel that could usually hold 100 pounds or more inside.

Russian Hill: Affluent residential neighborhood in San Francisco, California.

Travels with a Donkey: Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes (1879), one of Robert Louis Stevenson's earliest published works.

Varro: Marcus Terentius Varro (116-29 B.C.E.), Roman scholar/author and horticulturist.

Velasquez's Cardinal: Seventeenth-century painting by Spanish painter Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez.

Zane Grey: American adventure novelist (1872-1939).

Source

[rjzimmerman]

I've been posting stories about this since I first started up on Tumblr years ago. Finally, sanity prevails, and the water thieves (i.e., corporations pretending to be responsible) are no longer allowed to steal water for nothing and sell it to us. No more Arrowhead Water from the Strawberry Creek in the San Bernardino National Forest in California. Excerpt from this LA Times story:

In a decision that could end a years-long battle over commercial extraction of water from public lands, the U.S. Forest Service has ordered the company that sells Arrowhead bottled water to shut down a pipeline and other infrastructure it uses to collect and transport water from springs in the San Bernardino Mountains.

The Forest Service notified BlueTriton Brands in a letter last month, saying its application for a new permit has been denied.

District Ranger Michael Nobles wrote in the July 26 letter that the company “must cease operations” in the San Bernardino National Forest and submit a plan for removing all its pipes and equipment from federal land.

The company has challenged the denial in court.

Environmental activists praised the decision.

“It’s a huge victory after 10 years,” said Amanda Frye, an activist who has campaigned against the taking of water from the forest. “I’m hoping that we can restore Strawberry Creek, have its springs flowing again, and get the habitat back.”

She and other opponents say BlueTriton’s operation has dramatically reduced creek flow and is causing significant environmental harm.

The Forest Service announced the decision one month after a local environmental group, Save Our Forest Assn., filed a lawsuit arguing the agency was illegally allowing the company to continue operating under a permit that was past its expiration date.

The company has denied that its use of water is harming the environment and has argued it should be allowed to continue piping water from the national forest.

BlueTriton Brands and its predecessors “have continuously operated under a series of special use permits for nearly a century,” the company said in an email.

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

Plant, you're just my best blogger. You're so intelligent and I always look forward to reading your nuanced and incisive takes.

I don't know if this question has been asked before. But why do you think Ari hasn't gotten any deals for Meg and what sort of deals do you think he has in mind for her? I'm wondering cos it's been over two months since she joined WME. Also, I keep wondering why they made such a big splash of announcing that she has signed with him. Is that how celebrities announce when they sign with a talent agency?

Lastly, do you think she and Serena have cooled off?

Thanks for the kind words!

First, as an anon pointed out, he may not be personally helping her out. It may be other agents, or she may not be a priority given the stile and all the other client dramas.

Second, she’s a tough client to place. She’s a “royal,” but she doesn’t live as one or have the pedigree, so you can’t use her to sell that lifestyle the way you can use Beatrice Borromeo or Zara Tindall, or Charlotte Casiraghi. She was a California actress but not a very successful one, so you can’t sell her the way you can sell Aniston, Paltrow or Cameron Diaz. The royal and California brands don’t mix very well, which doesn’t help.

They seem to be trying to go the Diana route but let’s get real, she’s not Diana. Also the Diana brands have archival pics of Di wearing their pieces, so they don’t need a pseudo-Diana. They have the real thing!

She also killed a lot of her opportunities. I used to say she could do something like The View, but Archetypes proved she’s terrible at that. The elephant doc proves she’s terrible at voiceovers. The Netflix documentary about famous persons (sorry, I forgot the name) proved she can’t sell that format either. She didn’t my do any fashion events that give you credibility in that space, and her Vogue issue was a disaster. Plus, she’s hard to work with and kind of lazy. Plus, she has already burned several partners and employers (UN, Reitman’s, Suits, the royals, Spotify) in the past. That’s not a great track record.

That’s a tough client, and it’s a client who doesn’t my recognize her challenges. She thinks she should get Dior and Cartier which is completely unrealistic. WME can get her something, but it’s going to look a lot like a slightly upgraded version of her Suits life and that is not what she wants.

[tieflingkisser]

Dozens of deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police

At least 94 people died after they were given sedatives and restrained by police from 2012 through 2021, according to findings by the AP in collaboration with FRONTLINE (PBS) and the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism. That’s nearly 10% of the more than 1,000 deaths identified during the investigation of people subdued by police in ways that are not supposed to be fatal. About half of the 94 who died were Black, including [Demetrio] Jackson. Behind the racial disparity is a disputed medical condition called excited delirium, which fueled the rise of sedation outside hospitals. Critics say its purported symptoms, including “superhuman strength” and high pain tolerance, play into racist stereotypes about Black people and lead to biased decisions about who needs sedation.

[...]

Paramedics drugged some people who were not a threat to themselves or others, violating treatment guidelines. Medics often didn’t know whether other drugs or alcohol were in people’s systems, although some combinations cause serious side effects. Police officers sometimes improperly encouraged paramedics to give shots to suspects they were detaining. Responders occasionally joked about the medications’ power to knock their subjects out. “Night, night” is heard on videos before deaths in California, Tennessee and Florida. Emergency medical workers, “if they aren’t careful, can simply become an extension of the police’s handcuffs, of their weapons, of their nightsticks,” said Claire Zagorski, a paramedic and an addiction researcher at the University of Texas at Austin.

[...]

In Minneapolis, an oversight agency found the use of ketamine during police calls rose dramatically from 2012 through 2017 and body-camera video showed instances of officers appearing to pressure paramedics to use ketamine and joking about its power. The department told officers they could never “suggest or demand” the use of sedation. Facing criticism, Hennepin Healthcare halted a study examining the effectiveness of ketamine on agitated patients. The Food and Drug Administration later found the research failed to protect vulnerable, intoxicated people who had not given consent. By 2021, the American College of Emergency Physicians warned ketamine impacted breathing and the heart more than previously believed.

[...]

But the AP’s findings show risks of sedation go beyond ketamine, which was used in at least 19 cases. Roughly half of the 94 deaths documented by the AP came after the use of midazolam, which has long been known to heighten the risk of respiratory depression. Many came during police encounters in California, where ketamine is not widely used. Midazolam, a common pre-surgery drug known by the brand name Versed, is also part of a three-drug cocktail used in some states to execute prisoners. Other cases involved a range of other drugs, including the antipsychotic medications haloperidol and ziprasidone, which can cause irregular heartbeats.

[...]

Yet, over time, prominent medical groups and some experts pointed to overuse of sedation during police encounters and a disproportionate impact on Black people. Even supporters of the practice have acknowledged that the wrong patients at times have been injected. The deaths of Black men in police custody, including the 2020 killing of George Floyd, put pressure on the medical community to re-examine excited delirium. The ER doctors group in 2023 withdrew approval of the 2009 paper and said excited delirium shouldn’t be used in court testimony. Some doctors called that decision political and note the group still recognizes a similar condition — hyperactive delirium with severe agitation — that can be treated with sedation. But today no major medical association legitimizes excited delirium.

[...]

In more than a dozen cases reviewed by AP, police asked for or suggested the use of sedatives, calling into question whether medics were working for law enforcement or in patients’ interests. Officers often suggested their detainees had excited delirium.

[darkmaga-retard]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating toxic metals found in tampons after lawmakers raised safety concerns, senator Patty Murray announced on Thursday.

Sen. Murray said that the FDA initiated an independent review of the literature on the metals’ health effects in response to a letter she sent in July, which urged the FDA to examine the findings of a recent study concerning the heavy metals in tampons.

Theepochtimes.com reports: That study, published in the science journal Environmental International in August, found measurable concentrations of 16 metals—such as lead and arsenic—in tampon products made by 14 common brands.

“These are products millions of women are using on any given day, so it’s important we absolutely put to rest any concerns about their safety,” Murray said in a statement on Sept. 5.

Murray said the FDA has commissioned an independent contractor to undertake the literature review to assess any possible links between tampon use and adverse health effects.

The agency also initiated an internal lab study to determine the amount of metals that may be released by the products during normal use, the senator added.

More than half of Americans who menstruate use tampons. Women may use more than 7,400 tampons in their reproductive years, according to the study conducted by researchers from the University of California Berkeley, Columbia University, and Michigan State University.

[nanowrimo]

30 Covers, 30 Days 2023: Day 11

Representing day 11 is a page turner of a novel! Get it? Let's introduce Turning the Page by Jess King, a LGBTQ+ novel. This cover was designed by the amazing returning designer, Rachel Gogel!

Turning the Page

Ellie and Ryan meet when Ellie escapes her hometown for the small town she grew up in. The two women have seemingly nothing in common, but both have a passion for keeping Ellie's grandmother's bookstore alive. Romance blossoms between them as they get the bookstore back into fighting shape, but when family drama threatens the bookstore's longevity, the two women team up to prevent its closure.

About the Author

The author is currently keeping their identity a secret!

About the Designer

Rachel Gogel is a Parisian creative director, designer, educator, and speaker based in San Francisco, California. Currently, she runs her own independent consultancy practice as a solopreneur where her approach is informed by experiences both in-house and agency side. As a fractional design executive and queer leader, Rachel believes in fostering inclusive spaces that unlock human potential. Specifically, she is committed to designing teams that build brands — with a focus on culture and technology. Over the last fifteen years, Rachel has led major initiatives at GQ, The New York Times, Meta, Godfrey Dadich, Departures, Airbnb, and Dropbox. Beyond this, Rachel seeks to influence the next creative generation as a design educator at the California College of the Arts (CCA) and as the Women in Leadership & Design (WILD) Chair on the AIGA SF Board of Directors. She is also an avid public speaker, workshop facilitator, and mentor on ADPList and Talk To A Creative Director. All of these platforms amplify Rachel's commitment to supporting women- and nonbinary-led causes and addressing gender-based disparities in the design industry.

Rachel Gogel

she/her/hers

Independent Design Executive & Educator

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelgogel/

rachelgogel.com @rgogel (Threads, Instagram, X)

[magicaltrash]

It's time for the 5th annual Magical Trash Year-in-Review, where we take a look at trash cans at the Disney theme parks and resorts worldwide. Yes, it's a weird idea, but you are going to keep reading, right? (View previous Year-in-Reviews) Some may note that it's been a somewhat rocky year for the Mouse, but trash can activity has been strong. As we've seen in previous years, this year's additions were primarily driven by attraction openings, including Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disneyland, the opening of the World of Frozen in Hong Kong, and the arrival of the Zootopia in Shanghai. Unfortunately, we also saw the fastest introduction-to-removal can timeline with the closing of Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser - which had opened just a year earlier at Walt Disney World. Over the past year, MagicalTrash.com celebrated the 1,000 trash can photo milestone (only took 14 years!), while adding over 100 new entries. This was complimented by 1,600+ posts across social media networks, including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky. Posts were also added to Twitter/X, but frankly it's hard to continue supporting that platform due to its overall decline on many fronts (and I say that as someone who works in corporate social media professionally!). For 2023, Magical Trash tracked 16 substantial trash can design changes, a 14% increase vs. 2022's 14 tracked changes:

Added: 14

Historical Cans Added: 4

Updated: 0

Endangered: 0

Removed: 2

The US-based parks saw the most activity, with Disneyland Resort experiencing 6 changes, while Walt Disney World recorded 4 changes. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Disneyland Paris Resort both recorded 2 updates, and Shanghai Disney Resort saw 1 new addition. No notable changes were recorded for Tokyo Disney Resort or Disney Cruise Line.

Here's a detailed breakdown of updates:

ADDED New trash can designs that debuted in Disney theme parks over the past year

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (El CapiTOON Theater) - NEW Disneyland, Mickey’s Toontown With a movie theater setting, iconography is anchored by a popcorn bucket image with large “EC” letters.  

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (M.A.G.I.C.) - NEW Disneyland, Mickey’s Toontown Outside the attraction are cans associated with M.A.G.I.C. - short for the Municipal Agency of Garbage Identification and Collection. Now that's a group we want to join!  

World of Frozen (Arendelle Crest) - NEW - NEW Hong Kong Disneyland, World of Frozen The official crest of Arendelle features a crocus - a multi-color flowering bulb that typically blooms in the spring - and seen throughout the Frozen franchise.  

World of Frozen (Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs) - NEW Hong Kong Disneyland, World of Frozen Furthering the rugged forest theme of the family coaster, decorative Scandinavian folk art patterns are found throughout queue, with geometric shapes highlighted in red, green, and orange hues.  

Zootopia - NEW Shanghai Disneyland, Zootopia A surprising entry to Shanghai's bland trash can scene, green trash cans with zebra-like stripes on the lower portion combine with a city emblem.  

San Fransokyo Square - NEW Disney California Adventure, San Fransokyo Square The shoehorned Big Hero 6 retheme of DCA's Pacific Wharf gave us new cans that looked a lot like the old cans - but with bonus "SFS" branding. Ho hum.  

Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana - NEW Walt Disney World, Epcot, World Nature You can tell this is a modern Disney attraction because the name is an IP-laden paragraph. Lots of storytelling to explain "scenery."  

Parkside Market - NEW Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney Probably one of the more visually-stunning additions in 2023, Mickey Mouse + mid-century design. Simple concept, well-executed.  

The Villas at Disneyland Hotel - NEW Disneyland Resort, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel New DVC borrows much of its design from Aulani. Not ugly, but also not magical. Were these picked out of a catalog?  

Pixar Place Hotel - NEW Disneyland Resort, Pixar Place Hotel The retime of Disneyland's Paradise Pier Hotel features trash cans very similar in design to those implemented at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel. Maybe they got a 2-for-1 deal?  

Disneyland Paris Reusable Tableware Cans - NEW Disneyland Paris, Adventureland France's Anti-Waste and Circular Economy Law is focused on phasing out improper disposal of waste. Food service at the French parks has implemented reusable table settings, which has impacted trash can design.  

"Fantasyland 2" Backstage - NEW Disneyland Paris, Fantasyland A backstage can makes an appearance onstage as a support trash can from the “Fantasyland 2” zone, parked where everyone can see.  

Pym Test Kitchen Food Waste - NEW Disney California Adventure, Avengers Campus After debuting combination food waste trash cans in Tomorrowland around 2021, Disneyland expanded the practice to the Avengers Campus at DCA.  

Jollywood Nights Temporary Media Can - NEW Disney's Hollywood Studios, Grand Avenue Throw a sticker on an existing trash can and it's something new! Temporarily rethemed can at Disney's Hollywood Studios during a media event for Jollywood Nights holiday entertainment.  

HISTORICAL CANS ADDED Retro trash can designs that were unearthed by new research this year, but are no longer in use

MK Main Street (1974) - HISTORICAL ADDITION Magic Kingdom, Main Street U.S.A. Early years of the Magic Kingdom featured very detailed trash cans on Main Street U.S.A, often in multiple colors. Quite a contrast from the undecorated brown cans used in the 2000s.  

Farmer's Market (Late-1980s/Early-1990s) - HISTORICAL ADDITION Epcot, Future World, The Land The famed umbrella tables at The Land found their shapes emulated via the trash cans, which were primarily brown with light tan arches represented on all sides.  

River Country (2010) - HISTORICAL ADDITION Walt Disney World, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground 9 years after the water park closed, remnants of the ‘Ol’ Swimmin’ Hole’ could still be spotted at Fort Wilderness.  

Mulholland Madness (2007) - HISTORICAL ADDITION Disney's California Adventure, Paradise Pier Tacky theme was on-point for DCA 1.0. This green can with road sign decal found a home in Paradise Pier.  

UPDATED Existing trash can designs that have been modified or revised in the past year

None for 2023  

ENDANGERED Trash can designs that still exist, but will most likely disappear in the future

None for 2023  

REMOVED Trash can designs that have been eliminated from use at Disney theme parks

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (Interior) - REMOVED Walt Disney World, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser The in-wall trash cans for the 100-cabin Corellian MPO-1400 model Galactic Starcruiser were in use for just 579 days.  

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (Terminal) - REMOVED Walt Disney World, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser You won't be needing to dispose of your garbage before boarding the MPO-1400 Star Cruiser Halcyon, as these cans will probably have a longer life than the hotel ever had.  

One massive disappointment in 2023 was Walt Disney World's opening of TRON Lightcycle / Run in the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland. Generic silver cans, thus reinforcing WDW's continual cheapening out on themed trash can design. Paul Pressler called and even he thinks you can do better.

Here at Magical Trash we celebrated our 14-year anniversary covering the world of Disney trash cans, which included keeping up with various salt shaker merchandise releases that showcase the iconic can shape. 6 new designs were released during festivals: The Dude with the Food (DCA Food & Wine 2023), Amazingly Sweet (DCA Food & Wine 2023), Groovy Garden Orange Bird (Epcot Flower & Garden 2023), Stuck on Imagination Figment (Epcot Flower & Garden 2023), Chef Mickey (Epcot Food & Wine 2023), and Spaceship Earth (Epcot Food & Wine 2023).

If you happened to be at Tokyo Disneyland, you could have picked up a mini figure version of a Tomorrowland trash can or a TDS trash can toy. In the U.S. you could pick up a shirt or water bottle with a recycling can image proclaiming that you "Love Our Disney Parks" -- Disneyland or WDW-specific versions. There was plenty of trash can auction action as well.

Thanks to everyone who contributed photos, visited MagicalTrash.com, and interacted with this weird hobby over the past year. You've put a smile on my face as we all follow this goofy passion. As it's impossible to be omnipresent at 12 theme parks and numerous resorts around the world, let us know what we've missed! Thanks for an interesting year, CanFans! - Steve Tanner, your Magical Trash host

[All photos used by permission.]

[zerosecurity]

Authentication Company's Credential Leak Exposes TikTok and Uber Users

An Israeli-based authentication company, AU10TIX, which serves high-profile clients such as Uber, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Fiverr, Coinbase, LinkedIn, and Saxo Bank, has inadvertently exposed a set of administration credentials online for over a year. This security lapse potentially allowed unauthorized access to sensitive user identity documents, including driving licenses.

The Growing Importance of User Authentication

As legislation increasingly requires websites and platforms—particularly gambling services, social networks, and adult content sites—to verify users' ages, the demand for authentication services has risen significantly. AU10TIX specializes in verifying user identities through the upload of official document photos.

Details of the Data Leak

A researcher discovered the exposed credentials and provided evidence to 404 Media. The compromised credentials granted access to a logging platform containing data about individuals who had uploaded documents to prove their identity. This information included: - Names - Dates of birth - Nationalities - Identification numbers - Types of uploaded documents (e.g., driver's licenses) - Links to images of the identity documents

Potential Source of the Breach

Investigations suggest that the likely source of the credential leak was an infostealer infecting a computer belonging to a Network Operations Center Manager at AU10TIX. This incident highlights the ongoing threat of stolen credentials, which have been implicated in recent high-profile breaches, such as those affecting Snowflake.

The Broader Implications of Data Breaches

The AU10TIX incident underscores several critical issues in cybersecurity: - The persistent threat of stolen credentials - The potential for breached data to be traded and sold multiple times - The role of data brokers in the information ecosystem The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) defines data brokers as businesses that indirectly buy and sell consumer information. With approximately 480 registered data brokers—and potentially many more operating under the radar—the scale of data trading is significant.

AU10TIX's Response

In a statement to 404 Media, AU10TIX acknowledged the incident: "While PII data was potentially accessible, based on our current findings, we see no evidence that such data has been exploited. Our customers' security is of the utmost importance, and they have been notified." The company also stated that it is no longer using the compromised system.

Protecting Yourself After a Data Breach

While users of affected brands await official statements, there are general steps individuals can take to protect themselves in the aftermath of a data breach: - Follow vendor-specific advice - Change passwords, using strong, unique combinations - Enable two-factor authentication (2FA), preferably using FIDO2-compliant hardware - Be cautious of phishing attempts impersonating the vendor - Avoid storing payment card details on websites - Consider setting up identity monitoring services Read the full article

[mariacallous]

A federal report published today found that Tesla’s Autopilot system was involved in at least 13 fatal crashes in which drivers misused the system in ways the automaker should have foreseen—and done more to prevent. Not only that, but the report called out Tesla as an “industry outlier” because its driver assistance features lacked some of the basic precautions taken by its competitors. Now regulators are questioning whether a Tesla Autopilot update designed to fix these basic design issues and prevent fatal incidents has gone far enough.

These fatal crashes killed 14 people and injured 49, according to data collected and published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal road-safety regulator in the US.

At least half of the 109 “frontal plane” crashes closely examined by government engineers—those in which a Tesla crashed into a vehicle or obstacle directly in its path—involved hazards visible five seconds or more before impact. That’s enough time that an attentive driver should have been able to prevent or at least avoid the worst of the impact, government engineers concluded.

In one such crash, a March 2023 incident in North Carolina, a Model Y traveling at highway speed struck a teenager while he was exiting a school bus. The teen was airlifted to a hospital to treat his serious injuries. The NHTSA concluded that “both the bus and the pedestrian would have been visible to an attentive driver and allowed the driver to avoid or minimize the severity of this crash.”

Government engineers wrote that, throughout their investigation, they “observed a trend of avoidable crashes involving hazards that would have been visible to an attentive driver.”

Tesla, which disbanded its public affairs department in 2021, did not respond to a request for comment.

Damningly, the report called Tesla “an industry outlier” in its approach to automated driving systems. Unlike other automotive companies, the report says, Tesla let Autopilot operate in situations it wasn’t designed to, and failed to pair it with a driver engagement system that required its users to pay attention to the road.

Regulators concluded that even the Autopilot product name was a problem, encouraging drivers to rely on the system rather than collaborate with it. Automotive competitors often use “assist,” “sense,” or “team” language, the report stated, specifically because these systems aren’t designed to fully drive themselves.

Last year, California state regulators accused Tesla of falsely advertising its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems, alleging that Tesla misled consumers into believing the cars could drive themselves. In a filing, Tesla said that the state’s failure to object to the Autopilot branding for years constituted an implicit approval of the carmaker’s advertising strategy.

The NHTSA’s investigation also concluded that, compared to competitors’ products, Autopilot was resistant when drivers tried to steer their vehicles themselves—a design, the agency wrote in its summary of an almost two-year investigation into Autopilot, that discourages drivers from participating in the work of driving.

A New Autopilot Probe

These crashes occurred before Tesla recalled and updated its Autopilot software via an over-the-air update earlier this year. But along with closing this investigation, regulators have also opened a fresh probe into whether the Tesla updates, pushed in February, did enough to prevent drivers from misusing Autopilot, from misunderstanding when the feature was actually in use, or from using it in places where it is not designed to operate.

The review comes after a Washington state driver last week said his Tesla Model S was on Autopilot—while he was using his phone—when the vehicle struck and killed a motorcyclist.

The agency will now also look into Tesla’s statements that drivers can opt in to parts of the recall fix, and are easily able to reverse parts of it.

According to Tesla, the post-recall fixes included stricter driver attentiveness requirements while using Autopilot, larger driver-monitoring alerts (“Please pay attention to the road”), and a suspension policy that restricts drivers’ use of the feature if the system finds they are using it improperly.

“Tesla should get serious about driver monitoring, and should limit its use to roads it’s built to work on, for crying out loud,” says Phil Koopman, an engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University whose research includes self-driving car safety. Without more serious intervention, Koopman says, a cycle of investigations and recalls could continue for years.

Car safety experts with the publication Consumer Reports found in February that Tesla’s recall fixes did not prevent Autopilot misuse.

The new probe comes at a bad time for the electric-auto maker, which is facing its worst sales and revenue growth numbers in years. Tesla also revealed in regulatory filings last fall that it faces an investigation by the US Department of Justice into its Autopilot feature and how it has represented the driving ranges of its battery-powered vehicles.

The timing is also exceedingly awkward for Tesla because it’s pushing even further into autonomy. On an earnings call with investors Tuesday, CEO Elon Musk seemed unperturbed by the company’s recent downturn, focusing instead on Tesla's work in autonomy and its plans to operate a fully autonomous ride-hail service. “Really, we should be thought of as an AI or robotics company,” he said. “If you value Tesla as just like an auto company … fundamentally, it's just the wrong framework.”

Musk has said the company will hold an unveiling event for a purpose-built Tesla robotaxi, called the Cybercab, in August. Just this week, Tesla slashed the price of its more advanced driver assistance feature, called Full Self-Driving, by a third, to $8,000. The company began offering car customers free 30-day trials of FSD last month. Now, its original, flagship automated feature is under new scrutiny.

[devoqdesignagency]

UI/UX Design Agency in the USA : Enhancing Digital Experiences

In today's digital age, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design play a critical role in the success of online businesses. As more companies realize the importance of providing intuitive and engaging digital experiences to their users, the demand for skilled UI/UX design agencies is on the rise. In the USA, particularly in California, a hub of technological innovation, UI/UX design agencies are helping businesses elevate their online presence and drive growth.

Importance of UI/UX Design for Businesses

UI/UX design is not just about making a website or app visually appealing; it's about creating an experience that delights and engages users. A well-designed user interface ensures that users can easily navigate a website or app and find the information they need. On the other hand, a good user experience design focuses on the emotional aspect of the interaction, ensuring that users have a positive impression of the brand.

What is a UI/UX Design Agency?

A UI/UX design agency is a company that specializes in creating user-friendly interfaces and experiences for websites, mobile apps, and other digital products. These agencies employ a team of designers, developers, and user experience experts who work together to create compelling digital experiences that meet the needs of both businesses and their users.

UI/UX Design Agency Services

UI/UX design agencies offer a range of services to help businesses improve their digital presence. These services may include user research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing. By employing a holistic approach to design, these agencies can create seamless and intuitive experiences that drive user engagement and satisfaction.

How to Choose the Right UI/UX Design Agency

Choosing the right UI/UX design agency is crucial for the success of your project. When selecting an agency, consider factors such as their portfolio, expertise, and client reviews. It's also important to ensure that the agency understands your business goals and can tailor their services to meet your specific needs.

Top UI/UX Design Agencies in the USA

The USA is home to many top-tier UI/UX design agencies that have earned a reputation for excellence in the field. Some of the leading agencies include IDEO, Frog Design, and us two. These agencies have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world and have a proven track record of delivering exceptional design solutions.

UI/UX Design Agency in California

California, with its vibrant tech scene, is a hotbed for UI/UX design agencies. Companies in California benefit from the state's innovative spirit and access to top talent. Some of the notable UI/UX design agencies in California include RNO1, Ramotion, and Clay. These agencies are known for their creative approach to design and their ability to deliver results that exceed client expectations.

Case Studies of Successful UI/UX Design Projects

To illustrate the impact of UI/UX design, we can look at some real-world examples of successful projects. For instance, Airbnb's redesign of its website and app led to a significant increase in user engagement and bookings. Similarly, the redesign of the Starbucks app resulted in a 40% increase in mobile orders. These case studies highlight the importance of investing in good design for business success.

Trends in UI/UX Design

UI/UX design is a constantly evolving field, with new trends and technologies emerging all the time. Some of the current trends in UI/UX design include dark mode, 3D elements, and micro-interactions. By staying abreast of these trends, UI/UX design agencies can create designs that feel fresh and modern.

Future of UI/UX Design

Looking ahead, the future of UI/UX design looks promising. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more immersive and interactive digital experiences. AI and machine learning are also likely to play a bigger role in UI/UX design, helping to personalize the user experience and streamline design processes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, UI/UX design is a critical aspect of modern business success. By investing in good design and working with a reputable UI/UX design agency, businesses can create digital experiences that delight users and drive growth. Whether you're in the USA or California, there are plenty of top-tier agencies ready to help you elevate your digital presence.

FAQs

What is the difference between UI and UX design? User interface (UI) design focuses on the visual elements of a digital product, such as layout, colors, and typography. User experience (UX) design, on the other hand, is concerned with the overall feel of the product and how users interact with it. How can UI/UX design benefit my business? UI/UX design can benefit your business by improving user satisfaction, increasing user engagement, and driving conversions. A well-designed digital product can also help enhance your brand image and credibility. How much does it cost to hire a UI/UX design agency? The cost of hiring a UI/UX design agency can vary depending on the scope of your project and the agency's expertise. It's best to get quotes from several agencies and compare their services and pricing before making a decision. What should I look for in a UI/UX design agency? When choosing a UI/UX design agency, look for a company with a strong portfolio, relevant experience, and positive client reviews. It's also important to ensure that the agency understands your business goals and can deliver results that align with your vision. How can I stay updated on the latest UI/UX design trends? To stay updated on the latest UI/UX design trends, consider following industry blogs, attending design conferences, and networking with other professionals in the field. Additionally, subscribing to design newsletters and joining online communities can help you stay informed.

[briamichellewrites]

5

Bria hired a team of a manager, live agent, publicist, music publisher, lawyer, and distributor. They would help build her career. Since she was eighteen, she had the right to give her opinions. She wanted to be an alternative rock. Not a pop star. They were a dime a dozen. She wanted to stand out against other artists. Did she want brand deals? Yes. She would make a great model because she was five feet, nine inches tall and very thin.

Though she was very healthy. Her thin body came from genetics and her diet. She wanted to try acting, as well as doing music and modelling. At her age, the sky was the limit. She could do whatever she put her mind to. Her measurements were taken, so they could be sent to modelling agencies. She was very excited about her future!

Mike was also excited about what she could do. He hoped one day he and his band would have the same success. Joe got used to her coming over. He enjoyed having her because she was fun to hang out with, even when he didn’t show it. Since she was Mike’s girl, he wasn’t going to try anything with her. She came over as usual with some excitement. Her mother was talking to her grandmother, who lived in Daytona Beach.

Back in the 1630s, her Italian immigrant grandfather married a woman from somewhere in Africa. She couldn’t remember what country she was from. They had a daughter together named, Mary Johnson. Mary was African Italian American. So, she was part African. What side of the family was that? Her mother’s. The family kept the woman and Mary a secret for hundreds of years.

The marriage was illegal and stigmatised. It wasn’t until 1940 that the secret was revealed. Her daughter got married and had children, who got married and had children…. Gradually, they lost their African DNA. That’s why she was white. She thought that was interesting. It was very interesting. Was Mary free or a slave? She was a slave who escaped to the north. Her grandfather took her in and hid her from slave catchers. They had their daughter and got married in secret.

He passed her off as a woman who helped him with household chores. She had the same duties as a slave, except she was paid.

“Yeah, I see what you mean. You’ll have to do research into who she was and her life. Your mother never knew that”, Mike asked.

“No, my grandmother is getting older. She has moments where she will remember something random from their family, like Uncle Henry owned a deli in New York City in the 1900s and he used to give lollipops to the neighbourhood children. Stuff like that. This was one of those moments.”

Yeah, that happened with older people. Especially as they lost more of their memories. Her grandmother was sixty-five years old and was still young. She had her mother when she was eighteen years old. It was right after the war during the baby boom. Her mother was twenty-five when she married her father. They had her five years later.

Joe did the math in his head. Her parents were very young. Only forty-seven years old. Yeah, they were. They were both still in medical school when they got pregnant. Their parents wanted them to place her for adoption because they were worried about their futures. But they fought against them and kept her. They juggled medical school with taking care of her. During the day, she stayed at a daycare provided by the school.

What school did they attend? The University of California. They did four years of undergraduate. Then, medical school, residency and fellowship programs before they officially became doctors. Plus internships. They both came from middle-class backgrounds.

Since it was right after the war, the country was picking itself back up. Her grandmother got a job at a factory as a receptionist. She had to work to provide for her baby, instead of being a stay-at-home mother. What about her grandfather? He left. She didn’t know where he was. It was suspected he had a mental illness. She wanted her daughter to go to college because she never got to. Her mother liked to joke about how her grandmother didn’t like her father right away.

Why not? She thought he was “boorish.” It took six months for him to win her over. Joe asked what boorish meant. It means someone rough and bad-mannered. He had never heard that before. It was a phrase older people use.

Our fathers are already giving their blessing

For our mothers to start planning our wedding

Your brother knew we would get together

Look at us now

Yes, we’re dating. Mike’s parents were THRILLED! That was a huge understatement! They loved Bria and they knew they would fall in love. No, he was not thinking about getting married. Not yet. He wanted to finish school and establish his career first. Maybe they would get married in the future. At the moment, they were having fun together. She let him know she was on birth control to prevent pregnancy. Good. He was not ready to be a father.

He had forgotten to wear protection, so she took the Morning After pill at the doctor’s office. Her parents were very relaxed about her being sexually active. If she was, they just asked that she be careful. Since they were at the hospital a lot, they couldn’t control what she did. At eighteen years old, they couldn’t tell her what to do anymore because she was an adult.

The door would always be open for her to come in if she ever got in trouble or needed help. She confessed he was her first. Was she waiting for him? Maybe a little. That was cute. He loved being with her in bed. They made time to sneak over to her place to be together. She wasn’t innocent and he loved that about her. He was in love with every part of her. She was his best friend and she cheered him on. He laughed when he heard the song she wrote for him.

That sounded like their parents. He kissed her forehead. When her episode aired, they watched it with Joe. They couldn’t recognise her at first because of her costume and wig. She did a great job, though Mike was biased. Because of her cameo, she was receiving other opportunities. Her agent was sorting through them all. Brands wanted her to be the face of whatever they were selling.

She had the look to be a successful model. They were going to go over them during a meeting. She had the date and time written on a piece of paper at home. Her mother asked her if she would get an assistant. Yes, that sounded like a good idea. She had a one-track mind sometimes, like her father. Hers was due to her ADHD. She could be hyper-focused on something she was interested in while shutting everything else out. It drove her parents crazy.

She could spend hours on the piano. They had to get her to stop. Just so she could go to sleep. An assistant would help keep her organised.

“I’m going to get a kitten.”

“I thought you said kitchen. Never mind”, Mike said with a laugh.

“Dude, I already have that. I’m going to the animal shelter tomorrow afternoon.”

“You’re going to come home with every animal there”, he joked.

“I don’t think the county of LA would let me do that. They might put me in jail for animal hoarding or something.”

“What about a puppy? I would get a puppy.”

“You can get a puppy. I’ll get the kitten.”

He laughed. Maybe in the future, he would get a puppy. It was dinner time and they were hungry. They decided to go out somewhere close by. He grabbed his jacket, keys and wallet before following her downstairs. Joe already left to get something to eat, so he locked the door behind them.

@zoeykaytesmom @feelingsofaithless @alina-dixon

[hausofjyl]

❤꧁ღ⊱♥ Haus of JYL - JYL Records ♥⊱ღ꧂❤

"If JYL likes it, then I like it! JYL Exclusive!"

JYL Records, also known as The Haus of JYL or JYL Entertainment, is a fictional South Korean multinational entertainment agency. The company was established in 2010 by Jiyeon Lee, operating as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house. In August 2019, Hybe Corporation became a major shareholder however JYL still remains an independent label. As of date, artists under the agency include the groups Twist, Dizzy, and Statice.

JYL Records was founded on July 28, 2010, by Jiyeon Lee, who worked under JYP Entertainment as a former soloist turned creative director for various artists between 2000 and 2008. Jiyeon joined JYP Entertainment in 1999 as a soloist, however, she would eventually go on an indefinite hiatus due to having a passion for creative direction and talent management instead. Jiyeon would find herself working more behind the scenes and thus found herself being promoted to creative director and talent manager, leading to the image branding and talent acquisition of Rain, 2PM, and Wonder Girls.

As a former vocalist, Jiyeon would give vocal lessons to students, including children of her friends, who would often ask her to train their aspiring children. It wasn’t until Jiyeon would begin training a young Jeong Mina of Twist for five years that led to Jiyeon wanting to form a girl group. Wanting to form the biggest girl group in the world, Jiyeon began scouting for trainees silently until she would get enough to build her own agency in 2010. Between 2005-2010, Jiyeon would suggest Mina to train at JYP Entertainment and Big Hit Entertainment until JYL Records had a foundation to stand on.

Formation and Debut of Twist:

The formation of Twist began in 2005, when Jiyeon Lee began vocal training with Jeong Mina, prior to the label’s creation in 2010. Jiyeon was wildly impressed with Mina’s vocal potential, and eventually recruited Mina as a trainee for JYP Entertainment and BigHit Entertainment between 2006-2009 before transferring to JYL Records once the label was created. In 2012, Sohye was cast as a trainee by JYL Records via audition after Jiyeon scouted Sohye at a local beauty pageant in California. In 2012, Chaeyoung was cast through an audition after being spotted at a high school art exhibit. In 2015, Hyerim joined JYL Records although she won first place at a YG Entertainment audition. On May 5, JYL Records confirmed that the first group of the label will include four members and revealed its official name as Twist. According to Jiyeon Lee and the members of Twist, the group’s name emphasizes the many individual charms of the members and their abilities to put a twist and stylistic charm to anything they do. Twist debuted on September 1, 2016.

[darkmaga-retard]

By Olivia Murray

Anne Milgram, a former New Jersey attorney general and current Administrator at the Drug Enforcement Agency, went on CBS’s “Face the Nation” yesterday, revealing that “for the first time,” transnational drug cartels, namely the Sinaloa and Jalisco syndicates, were trafficking fentanyl under the guise of prescription medication. Per Milgram, via a report at Newsmax:

‘[F]or the first time, the cartels are hiding fentanyl in other drugs. ‘They’re making them look like real prescription medicines, which are all fentanyl and filler. And so this is just a dramatically changed landscape that we’ve now pivoted to address and take head on. … ‘[T]his is the cheapest drug we have ever faced. And the only limit on the amount of drugs that can be made are the chemicals that are being sourced by the cartels from China and essentially the reproduction, which again, costs pennies for these two cartels to make,’ she said.

Milgram’s revelation comes on the heels of the news that the state of California recently seized “2.2 million illicit cannabis packages” all with a forged state seal, and marketed in packaging that “resembled popular food and candy brands that could appeal to children,” like Twinkies and Sweet Tarts; according to the press release from Gavin Newsom’s office, the seizure is part of a mission to “deprive … transnational criminal organizations of illicit revenue” like those south of the border and beyond. For reference, much of the illicit imported marijuana in the U.S. comes from Mexico, and “Chinese criminal networks” are often behind illicit domestic growers.

Too bad we’ve got Chinese Communist Party friendlies in the White House instead of our tough-on-China guy!