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360 MAGAZINE is an award-winning international publishing on popular culture and design. We introduce avant trademarks to efficacious architects. We are a LGBTQIA2S+ friendly publication--officially recognized by the NGLCC. Our core demographic ranges from 19 to 39-year-old college-educated trendsetters within their respective international communities. The pages in this art book satisfy their strong interests including music, art, travel, auto, health, fashion, tech, philanthropy, design, food and entrepreneurship. It's an introspective digital/print/tablet portrait series, which encapsulates artists/brands/entities who embody the true essence of our publication- empowerment, equality, sensuality and most important of all, humanity within a global society.

NFL uniform rankings: which are the best and worst in the league?

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It’s fair to say that the NFL is still one of the major sports in America, with millions of fans following the action each season. This saw $9.5 billion in revenue made by the NFL in 2020 and each team in the league getting a slice of this to build with. With the 2020 season delivering all the usual thrills and spills (with an exciting Super Bowl game to top it off), it is still a sport that offers so much to fans.

It is not just watching the drama unfold that brings so many people to the NFL, though. Betting on this sport also draws many fans in to keep up with the action. The AGA estimated that the 2018 Superbowl drew almost $5 billion in bets – much of it illicit. Thankfully, 2021 is a different time, and sports betting is making its way to gradual nation-wide legalization, with many states already fully allowing it.

In terms of actually making a profit from your wagers, for many, the key to success is finding the best NFL picks and predictions to use in their betting. If you can make the correct calls, it really helps you get the most from sports betting in the long term.

Of course, it is also the individual teams that make the NFL what it is. While the players that each team fields count for a lot, smaller things, such as the uniform each team wears, are very important. A snazzy uniform can help attract fans and make them feel good about their team – as well as leading to more shirt sales! A poorly executed uniform, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect.

With the NFL in off-season until September, now is the perfect time to look at which teams come out best and worst in terms of stylish uniforms.

Best 3 NFL team uniforms – Packers, Saints and Rams

As it is always nice to look on the bright side of life, let’s start with the most fashionable NFL uniforms around. While teams are always rebranding and updating each off-season, these are the current top three:

First up are the Green Bay Packers. The green and gold shirt design is pure class and instantly recognizable. It has remained pretty much unchanged for a long time and this gives it a really classic feel. The flash of yellow on the sleeve edging gives it extra zip, while the all-yellow pants complement the shirt perfectly.

Second best would probably be the LA Rams. This might be slightly controversial, as they had a kit rebrand recently, which was not to everyone’s taste. For a lot of fans, though, it looks awesome and is a definite update on their old uniform! The all-blue shirts and pants give an elite vibe, while the tight fit of both gives players an almost video game-style outline.

Third place must go to the New Orleans Saints. All you really need to know is that their uniform brings together black, gold and white to stunning effect. The players helmets, in particular, work very well, as the gold color and white stripe help offset the black uniform itself. For the same reason, the gold player numbering also stands out well on the black shirts.

Bottom 3 NFL uniforms – Jets, Bengals and Falcons

While the previous teams have got it spot-on in terms of cool uniforms, these three have not. First up are the recently rebranded New York Jets. There is just something about this uniform that does not work, and it looks ugly. This is mainly down to the outdated feel and how the white lettering sits awkwardly on the shade of green that is used.

If the Jets uniform is boring, then the Bengals have almost the opposite problem – there is just too much going on! The orange helmets with black stripes are like a migraine-inducing magic eye picture, while the stripe of orange on the black pants does not work, either. Throw in a shade of orange on the shirt, which anyone would find hard to pull on, and you have a real disaster.

Last up are the Atlanta Falcons. They (like the Jets) recently rebranded but somehow managed to go backwards in terms of cool-looking uniforms. Whoever thought all white is a good look for the football field needs a serious eye test! The lettering and numbering on the uniform also looks like it has come from a Sega Mega Drive. All in all, it is a real no-no.

NFL uniforms are key to the game’s appeal

Although football is a sport, what the teams in the NFL wear really does matter. Just as you would only add the most stylish Italian fashion brands to your wardrobe, teams can only expect their uniform to be a hit if it looks great. Getting this right not only affects how the players feel when they wear their uniforms but also how the fans feel when they see them.

DAYLIGHT STUDIO

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Daylight Studio stands out as the future of fashion. Daylight is a fully equipped 13,000 square foot rental studio located in the vibrant Hudson Yards district. For twenty years it has been hosting photo and video shoots, seminars, castings, workshops, fashion shows, green screen rentals and virtual events.

Over the past year, Daylight has been working to bring you the future of fashion: virtual fashion show. Thanks to advanced technologies such as CGI, AI and Unreal Engine, the virtual fashion show halves your production time and inspires innovation beyond the catwalk.

Daylight’s Virtual Fashion Show package includes venue, runway, models, hair and make-up, photo shoot, video shoot, social media announcement, and buyer’s list.

SNAP AND SHARE

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Black Salon and Barbershop Owners as Social Influencers

Wil Shelton, CEO and Founder of Wil Power Integrated Marketing

All marketers understand the importance of sharing images and messages with their online communities. But what if your online community doesn’t reflect enough diversity for African Americans to engage? African American salon and barbershop marketing can breathe life into a campaign and enable brands to piggyback on the connection Black barbers and hairstylists already have within their communities—including those that are online.

These cultural catalysts are considered to be taste-makers within the African American community because they are always the first to know about new trends, products, and sports or news information that matters to their customers. When they share an in-store promotion, their customers take it as a recommendation from a trusted source. And that’s when the word-of-mouth marketing really starts to take effect.

African American customers who happen to be in the shops are thrilled to be a part of this seemingly spontaneous, infused in-store experience, which turns another day at the salon into a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at the next big craze that’s about to blow up. In-store marketing means that not only do these customers get to be in the know before everyone else, they score some dope merch to prove it.

You can be sure they leave that salon or barbershop ready to get everyone they know excited, too. But in-store marketing activations don’t end there. Because African-American-owned salons and barbershops tend to have huge online followings on social media sites such as Instagram.

In fact, almost all Black salon and barbershop owners are savvy social media influencers and often have hundreds of thousands of social media followers. You can see why smart brands are competing for their recommendation. Even better, most African American barbers and salon owners are more sophisticated in non-traditional marketing than a lot of senior media planners and buyers. But this hasn’t happened by chance! They are entrepreneurs who have had to teach themselves how to promote their stores and being seen as on-trend is part of the allure.

Shop owners have a history of doing more with less. In short, out of a lack of resources, urban barbershop owners have had to be nimble and develop the skills to become their own Black marketing creatives, media planners, and strategists.

Barbers and stylists are engagement experts, and what they have accomplished can’t be devalued, because they have the power to monetize the culture and narratives in their shops and elevate the marketing strategies of the brands with which they choose to work. Even after COVID-19 hit, they have found ways to pivot and thrive.

African American men and women gather weekly to spend money on self-improvement and discuss what’s new. This culture predisposes them to the idea of receiving brand messaging from the chair. Even as social media has expanded the realm of influencers, barbers and hairstylists have maintained and, in most cases, built on their role as taste-makers to become the micro-influencer stars.

They’ve done it by leveraging their strong social-media engagement skills to develop an ever-widening circle of influence. This phenomenon is nothing new, but, interestingly, COVID-19 has put salon and barbershop owners in the spotlight, as people realize the critical role they play in their lives. This makes it more relevant than ever to leverage their influence to reach African American consumers.

About the Author

Wil Shelton is the CEO & Founder of Wil Power Integrated Marketing, a full-service agency offering traditional and digital marketing services to reach multicultural audiences in the beauty and grooming industries.

Benefits of Crossposting

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Vendoo is a minority-based company that specializes in full-time reselling experience to software development, and provides a unique perspective on how to solve the common inconveniences of the reselling experience. Black CMO, Josh Dzime-Assision says, “As resellers, we’re always looking for opportunities to increase our sales and expand our businesses, which is why crossposting has become an important part of the reselling process. Crossposting manually can be very repetitive and time consuming, so without a helpful tool to simplify the process, some resellers can be intimidated by the workload.” Please see his explanation below:

So, what exactly is crossposting?

For resellers, crossposting is the concept of posting an item on multiple marketplaces; by marketplaces I mean, places where buyers and sellers meet to exchange goods. There are plenty of marketplaces out there like Ebay, Poshmark, Mercari, Etsy, Grailed, Depop, Tradesy, Kidizen and many others.

What are the benefits of crossposting?

There are many benefits to crossposting, some of which include increasing your sales by giving your products more visibility across different types of audiences. Having your item listed for sale in numerous places gives each item more potential customers and the ability to sell faster. It’s also good to diversify your audience because each marketplace has its own user base and “niche”.

What is the downside of crossposting?

The downside of crossposting is that it takes up a lot of time, because instead of having to create one listing in one marketplace, you would need to enter the same photos and item information on multiple platforms. But you shouldn’t let this bring you down, because crossposting really does work! You can still take advantage of the benefits of crossposting by finding a software or tool to help you.

How can I start crossposting?

‍Before you start crossposting, there are a few important things to take into account which I have listed below.

• Know your demographics:

All the marketplaces out there have different audiences and are well known for the products you can find on them. For example, Etsy focuses on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies, whereas Grailed is the one-stop destination for buying, selling and exploring menswear. With this being said, it is important that you understand where your buyers are more likely to be!

• Find out marketplaces fees and shipping costs:

‍This is always important to keep in mind as all marketplaces have different fees and shipping policies. For example for Poshmark for all sales under $15, Poshmark takes a flat commission of $2.95. You keep the rest. For sales of $15 or more, you keep 80% of your sale and Poshmark’s commission is 20%.

• Identify tools to help you optimize the crossposting process:

‍Yes! There are tools out there that can help you to easily crosspost on different marketplaces. Tools like Vendoo were created with the intent to make a seller’s life easier by saving time and allowing you to crosspost items to multiple marketplaces in a matter of minutes. With Vendoo you can also manage inventory, as well as delist and relist items with a few clicks. So depending on your budget and needs you might want to consider trying out a crossposting software! Or you can always work with a virtual assistant who can help you crosspost your inventory.

• Stay organized:

‍Make sure to track your inventory in a spreadsheet or even a notebook if you don’t have a software that allows you to do this. This is VERY important because it will help you keep track of what sold, on which marketplaces the item was listed on, how much it sold for, how much money you made from selling a specific product and much more!

Crossposting might not sound like an ideal task for someone looking to expand as it takes up some time, but I guarantee you that it is! If your business objective is to grow, there’s no better way to achieve this than by crossposting all your inventory.

For more information, please visit HERE.

About Vendoo

Vendoo is a minority-owned startup consisting of four young entrepreneurs from the Washington, DC area. Our CEO, Thomas Rivas, identified a void in the market and decided to create Vendoo while experiencing the usual pain points of trying to sell items on multiple marketplaces. After the team was assembled, we began building the software in 2017. Each team member has a different skill set, from full-time reselling experience to software development, and provides a unique perspective on how to solve the common inconveniences of the reselling experience.

INSPIRING THE BEST YOU

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Wellness Thought Leader/Podcaster of “Living Your Life Without Limits, Shannon Jackson, Reveals Tops Tips To Stay Well In 2021

2020 brought in a year of unprecedented loss and grief. The COVID-19 pandemic is not only epidemiological crisis, but also a psychological one that has provoked anxiety, stress, sadness, and pain. Although grief is a normal human emotion, it should be transitory– according to Los Angeles wellness thought leader, RN, philanthropist, and podcaster, Shannon Jackson. “2021 is the year for a turnaround. Maybe you are struggling to envision what your new season of good fortune can look like. You’ve been stuck in your present circumstances for so long that it’s hard to imagine life being any different, but I believe there is hope,” says Jackson.

Here are the entrepreneur’s top tips to help prepare for hope and a new chapter in 2021:

Take time for spiritual renewal and mental clarity: Take time daily for moments of solitude and mental clarity so you can focus on what’s important: your vision of a more fulfilling life. Step away from mental chaos when possible by finding a quiet place to collect your thoughts and eliminate emotional clutter. Sometimes you have to steal these moments for yourself, but TAKE them—these moments can set the stage for true growth.

Embrace change: Do a soul-searching assessment of your life. If you see circumstances holding you back from growth or productivity, embrace the idea of making necessary changes. Relationships, jobs, and even environments may be holding you from your true potential. If you recognize an area of your life that’s keeping you confined, be honest enough with yourself to move on.

Think outside the box: Step outside of pre-established boundaries, try a new approach, and consider how to approach old challenges from a new direction. Problems sometime look much smaller from a new perspective or direction. For example, if you struggle to overcome self-doubt, taking on a totally new project or learning a new skill may help.

Recognize and eliminate personal negativity: Replace fear, insecurities, and self-doubt with positive encouragement instead. You can be your own stumbling block if you’re not careful. Listen to your inner voice, recognize what damaging things that voice may be saying, and replace those sentiments with positives. For example, instead of telling yourself, “you’re too weak,” tell yourself instead, “you are incredibly strong.”

Stay Persistent: One of the definitions of the word persistent states, “continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action, in spite of difficulty or opposition.” My definition of persistence is stubbornness with a purpose. That’s right, you heard it here from me. Despite the challenges and obstacles you may face or maybe facing in life, you must be determined and steadfast in pursuing your goals. So here are a few tips to make sure you stay on course:

Keep your attention on the long-term plan: Give your vision, your goals, and your priorities unwavering attention. Avoid focusing on what’s in the past and don’t get sidetracked by current challenges. It’s much easier to get where you want to be when you have a clear view of where you’re going at all times. If something in your life has no place in your long-term vision, let it go.

Drop irrelevant emotional weight and adjust your focus: Avoid focusing on resentment, worry, fear, or anger as you transition into your new life and focus on your goals. Learn how to recognize the emotional weight that is holding you back. When you’ve pinpointed this baggage, pulling it out of your everyday life makes all the difference.

Prioritize your day according to what’s most important: Prioritize your everyday tasks by making the important things most worth your time and energy your priority, and eliminating distractions in the way. Weave small steps into your daily plans that will eventually help you align with your vision. For example, if you want to see yourself become more healthy and capable, choose healthier actions and accomplish something new today. Remember, good days become good weeks, good months, and great years.

Reinforce spiritual foundations: Achieving optimism, positivity, and self-esteem with a strong spiritual foundation is key to emotional clarity and peace of mind. Do what it takes to feed your spiritual soul–whether that is meditating, praying, or reading divinely inspired text. Nurture your own spirituality to ensure it delivers stable ground for you to live your best life.

Most importantly, practice self-affirmation daily: Affirm your worthiness, your value, and your power every day with the power of your own tongue. Remind yourself of your importance to the world, your career, your family, and yourself. Remember, no one sees the true value in you unless you see it in yourself first.

In addition to practicing ways to stay healthy during these challenging times, the wellness coach created a “Living Your Life Without Limits” (LYLWL) wellness box to help those affected by COVID. After answering the call of duty as an essential worker in Los Angeles, she completed a two-month tour-of-duty as a Covid nurse in New York. Here, she witnessed first-hand the pandemic’s effect on people from all walks of life. She especially noticed how the outbreak has challenged people’s mental wellness, and was inspired to create the Wellness Box.

Her professional and natural response was to put together her new LYLWL Wellness Box, serving as a specialty health-and-wellness support kit to share with your loved ones who wish to keep their wellness in check year round.

“We are elated to give people what they need most in 2021” states Jackson. “My Wellness Box is designed to give the individuals we love the tools they need to help keep their own physical health and emotional well-being in check, particularly during these stressful times.”

With a unique combined background as a certified life coach and a registered nurse, Jackson understands how intrinsic staying healthy is to quality of life. “Staying healthy is a foundational necessity for living your best life possible, without limits. One must be armed with physical well-being to overcome challenges, both emotional and physical in nature. The Wellness Box is full of important items–hand-picked and curated by me–to deliver the optimum essentials of what people need to monitor their wellness.”

The beautifully packaged floral patterned LYLWL Wellness Box is filled with items all individuals need to keep their health a central focus in their everyday life. For $49.97, customers benefit from this gift that is ideal for themselves, their family and friends. This special gift of wellness contains Jackson’s carefully sourced tools ideal for today’s health-focused climate, including:

Meditation Music: The ideal emotional fix, this meditation music is selected to encourage positive love, calm the mood, inspire positive feelings.

Scented Candle: Take a time-out for self-love to achieve mental clarity and allow the dancing flame and soothing fragrance of this candle to calm one’s thoughts, re-center, and re-focus.

A First Aid Kit: The ideal kit to help treat minor scrapes, cuts, and burns with all the necessities for this process.

Thermometer: Keep tabs on body temperature with this handy thermometer, which can signal many changes in one’s health.

Keep the Heart Beat Up | Blood Pressure Wristband and Magnet: Keep blood pressure levels in check with this convenient blood pressure wristband and companion magnet as daily reminders in case one feels especially stressed or winded.

LYLWL Wellness Journal and Ink Pen: Another Jackson inspired product, her LYLWL Wellness Journal is a mini self-help workshop in journal form helping to support and recognize self-awareness, gratitude for special moments, and staying on track for reaching personal goals.

Through Jackson’s weekly podcast, life-coaching skills, numerous hosted speaking appearances, and naturally inspiring energy, she has helped thousands of individuals to find clarity and reach their own levels of mastery in life. The LYLWL Wellness Box is another way for Jackson to extend her feel-good help into the lives of people who need her. Know anyone who could use some wellness, love, and “me time”? The LYLWL Wellness Box is available for purchase here.

Next to her new Wellness Box, Jackson also has her signature Feel-Good Shop offering message-inspired items for added shopping value.

For more information, visit Jackson’s website, which provides her podcast announcements, guidance for forward-thinking individuals, and valuable free resources.

Pull&Bear × LUNAY

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Pull&Bear Announces A March 5^th Launch Of

“Lu-lu Athletics Club” with LUNAY

The basketball-inspired capsule collection is the second drop of Pull&Bear’s collaboration with the Fast-Rising Latin Music Star

“Breakout Artist Lunay Showcases How Latinx Music Has Lent New Vision to Fashion”

–WWD (LUNAY Cover Feature)

The Past Week Has Also Seen LUNAY UnveilHis First Single of 2021,

“SIN ROPA” – From His Upcoming El Niño Project And Named As The Premiere Episode Performer For The Second Season Of HBO’s “Tiny Audience” Series

Pull&Bear and the singer Lunay will launch “Lu-Lu Athletics Club”, a basketball-inspired capsule collection, on Friday, March 5th. Continuing the brand’s devotion to the latest trends in music and fashion, this limited edition collection is the second drop of the collaboration with the new generation reggaeton star Lunay.

The first part was introduced in September and showed the brand’s consumers the Puerto Rican singer’s fashion vision.

This time, “Lu-Lu Athletics Club”, on which Lunay has closely collaborated, is the reflection of the archetypal basketball aesthetic of the 2000s.

The collection highlights colours such as lime green and blue and is made up of leading garments like the iconic varsity jacket, dungarees and basketball-inspired total look in blue and mesh fabric. Moreover, the “Lu-Lu” picture prints and graphics cover hoodies, short and long sleeve T-shirts, ombré T-shirt and jogging shorts twin sets and accessories.

As far as accessories go, you can also find classic basketball caps as well as wristbands, socks and trending garments like an ombré-effect lime green and blue bucket hat.

Beginning March 5^th, Check out the campaign at: www.pullandbear.com

https://press.pullandbear.com – @pullandbear

“Pull&Bear pulled out all the stops, collaborating with Reggaeton major player Lunay. The Puerto Rican artist’s stock is rapidly rising…already chock full of a slew of ‘new and breakout’ artist awards.” – Highsnobiety

“Aimed at younger audiences seeking the leading edge on trends… the collection has launched in collaboration with Latin music star Lunay” – HYPEBEAST

ABOUT PULL&BEAR

Pull&Bear was founded in 1991 with a clear international focus and intent to create fashion for young people who are connected to their surroundings, who avoid stereotypes and live and mix in their community. For these young people, Pull&Bear brings together the latest international trends and mixes them with street style and fashionable club influences, reinterpreting them to make comfortable, easy-to-wear garments, incorporating best practices when it comes to sustainability. Pull&Bear has evolved alongside its customers, and is always up-to-date with new technologies, social movements and the latest artistic and musical trends. The brand has a commercial network of more than 940 stores and sells online in more than 140 markets via www.pullandbear.com.

ABOUT THE INDITEX GROUP

Pull&Bear is part of the Inditex Group (Zara, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterqüe), one of the world’s largest fashion retailers with more than 7,300 stores in 96 markets, 50 of them with integrated platforms across physical and online stores, and global online stores reaching over 200 markets.

ABOUT LUNAY

While a large number of new Latin music artists are looking to continue the surge in global success of Reggaeton, Latin Trap and other Rhythmic music styles in Spanish, it has become clearly evident that Puerto Rico’s dynamic, still only 20, musical “wunderkind” (RS), LUNAY is the genre’s undisputed new generation superstar. After bursting into the playlists and video streams of fans across the world with “Soltera” and it’s soon to follow, and widely regarded ‘Song of Summer’ remix with Daddy Yankee and Bad Bunny, LUNAY’s credits were quickly boasting two #1 Latin Airplay singles, a rare #1 full album debut with the 14-track ‘ÉPICO,’ and over a Billion views quickly collected on YouTube. With the support of super-producers Chris Jedi, Gaby Music, and their Star Island label, Lunay’s rapid rise has already resulted in a trophy case full of breakthrough artist award recognition including: the 2019 LATIN AMA’S “NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR, 2019 BILLBOARD “ARTIST ON THE RISE” recognition, SPOTIFY TOP 3 “BREAKOUT ARTISTS OF YEAR, 2019 APPLE MUSIC “UP NEXT ARTIST” and FOUR PREMIOS JUVENTUD victories: “ON THE RISE ARTIST” & ”REMIX OF THE YEAR” (2019) and most recently “BREAKING THE INTERNET” & NEW GENERATION – MALE (2020). Following a few quiet months due to the Covid pandemic postponing a series of highly anticipated concert appearances, LUNAY resumed his ascent to the upper reaches of the genre with features alongside Lil Mosey and Jhay Cortez, and the standout single “Relaciones” – which Rolling Stone hailed as the week’s best new Latin music track upon its release. LUNAY’s visibility continued to grow across the Fall of 2020 with a WWD cover profile spotlighting his first fashion collaboration with Pull & Bear,” a nationally broadcast Halloween concert, and selection to Billboard’s prestigious “21 under 21” list of the music industry’s top young artists.

4 things you must know before spraying that disinfectant

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Photos of empty store shelves flooded Facebook and Instagram throughout the pandemic as consumers, desperate to protect themselves and their families, grabbed for any disinfectant in sight.

COVID-19 most commonly spreads person-to-person via respiratory droplets. These same droplets land on surfaces and survive for relatively long periods of time. We, in-turn touch these surfaces, and place personal items such as cell phones, toys, books, and bags on them. One of our greatest weapons in the fight against COVID and other infectious diseases is surface disinfectants.

Most multi-million and multi-billion-dollar chemical companies drive revenue by creating a plethora of cleaning, disinfecting, and air freshening products that are packaged and shipped to the end user.

Regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as antimicrobial pesticides, disinfectants are often thought to be wholly beneficial and relatively harmless. There is, however, a dirty little secret in disinfection: it’s rarely done properly. Proper use instructions vary widely and guidance from regulatory agencies surrounding their use is often contradictory.

So the question must be asked, are these products and the way we use them causing more harm than good?

Rayne Guest, founder and CEO of R-Water and a staunch advocate for safe cleaning protocols, shares four important things we need to know about the disinfecting products commonly found under our sinks. Through education, we can collectively adopt safer cleaning and disinfecting practices and avoid potentially life altering health issues from harmful common household disinfectants.

Pretty labels distract from the fine print. Ever notice streaks after cleaning or an allergy season that never seems to end? Consumers are urged to look beyond the pretty packaging and take a deeper dive into the Safety Data Sheet of the products you are reaching for. You will soon learn of ominous warnings you won’t want to ignore, including those related to your skin and lungs. The product Safety Data Sheets often requires that users don personal protective equipment which can include facemasks, gloves, and even “hooded chemical-resistant clothing.” However, slick EPA approved marketing lingo often includes phrases such as “smell the clean,” “controls allergens,” and “for a fresher home.”

Scents do not freshen the product. To give your disinfecting and cleaning products color, suds, and fragrances, companies add a sometimes-toxic slew of chemicals that frequently “fight” with the active ingredients that do the work. These fragrances can be dangerous for the user and have been linked to skin and eye irritations, headaches, and neurologic symptoms.

Spray and wipe is a myth. All disinfectants have a minimum contact time for achieving their claimed efficacy, and for the majority of them, it is 10 minutes – a task that is easier said than done. Most people simply spray and wipe, not realizing that they are not achieving proper disinfection. By not heeding the stated contact time, consumers are spending hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on disinfecting products every year to improperly disinfect and clean.

Cleaning is often not completed in one simple step. There is a right way, and a wrong way to use disinfectants. After an advised pre-clean step and required wet time, surfaces like kitchen counters and children’s toys generally need to be rinsed thoroughly with water to remove the harmful residues left behind.

Throughout the pandemic, disinfection has received attention like never before. However, extended exposure and incorrect use of common household disinfectants can result in dangerous health risks including eye irritation, headaches, neurologic symptoms, skin problems, and respiratory issues. Tragically, respiratory issues make a person more vulnerable to COVID-19.

As we continue to use disinfectants at a ferocious rate, we need to also focus on their proper use. Doing so ensures that we don’t turn one of the greatest weapons we have against infections disease against ourselves.

Rayne Guest was raised in the mountains of Idaho. She attended five universities while studying various fields including business, marine biology, and nutrition. She has spent time in Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, Brazil, Israel, Africa, among many others and is driven to do good by doing good in the world. As founder and CEO of R-Water, Rayne is developing patented cleaning and disinfecting technologies to further this cause, while unapologetically shaking up archaic industries.

What Are the 5 Love Languages? Discover Yours

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Expressing Love in the 5 Languages

People in relationships have different ways of showing their affection. The way someone shows love is often a sign of the way they would like to receive it. For instance, someone who likes writing romantic messages often expects to get the same.

Most people in relationships don’t have the same language. Knowing your love language as well as that of your partner can have many benefits. It helps you to explain what you consider most important for meeting your emotional needs.

Also, by understanding your partner’s language, you are better able to satisfy them emotionally.

What Are the Five Love Languages and What Does Love Language Mean?

The idea of love languages can be traced to the works of Gary Chapman, a professional marriage counselor. Based on his anecdotal research, Chapman discovered there are 5 basic emotional love languages. These are the five different ways through which people communicate and understand affection.

The most important thing is to learn how you can speak the love language preferred by your spouse. This will enhance your communication and strengthen your relationship.

Now that we have considered the love language meaning, let us delve deeper into the issue.

Explaining the Five Love Languages

When two people understand how to show affection according to their partner’s love language, they stand a better chance of enjoying a happier and stronger relationship.

On the contrary, when partners allow each other’s love tank to run dry, misunderstandings are bound to occur. In this case, online therapy can help save your relationship.

Here are the five languages to help you unlock profound levels of love.

Quality Time

As a love language, quality time means that period during which a person receives undivided attention in a way likely to make the relationship stronger. In this sense, quality time relates to being together, not distracted by technology or other people.

Your entire focus should be on your partner.

People who prefer this language of love understand that time spent together is important in making a person feel special and loved. To show affection to them, you need to intentionally set aside some time just to be together with your spouse.

The main challenge is that thanks to technology, spending quality time with those we love is becoming more difficult. Even when we are close to each other, numerous distractions make us be easily carried to somewhere else within cyberspace.

Being nearby without connectedness can leave our partners feeling alone and empty.

Here are some tips on how to show affection using this language of love:

Make eye contact when engaged in a conversation
Make use of active listening skills
Keep technology away when having time together
Take time to enjoy each other’s company, focusing on quality
Plan something to enjoy together
Create a routine of small ways to enjoy each other’s company
Be present

Words of Affirmation

Another category in the five languages of love is words of affirmation. People who prefer this love language want to see through words or text that they are cherished. It will be even better if you tell about the reasons behind your affection, too.

For instance, you can leave random written notes of love or voice messages. You could also create time to talk to the person directly, using sincere words showing kindness and affirmation.

If words of affirmation are not your preferred way to receive love but it’s your partner’s preferred love language, follow these steps to keep their love tank full:

Be empathetic and encouraging during conversations, consistently sharing sentiments
Express your admiration using words
Leave notes and written reminders expressing your affection
Send texts regularly when not together
Create and share a custom playlist, reminding your partner of your feelings
Tell your partner how good they make you feel

Receiving Gifts

Of the 5 love languages in relationships, receiving gifts remains one of the most misunderstood. Often, and unfairly, people who speak this language are considered frivolous, materialistic, or shallow.

However, this is not always the case since what matters to these people is the thought and care that goes towards selecting the gift, rather than the price tag.

Such a person feels appreciated, understood, and loved thought presenting the gifts. So, don’t rush to purchase a fancy dress just because it comes with a hefty price tag. The truly valuable gift is not prized because of the cost, but rather because of what it symbolizes.

Therefore, the secret lies in choosing something that your partner will interpret as signifying your affection. Consider gifting something that your partner has been asking for or would find useful.

Acts of Service

When it comes to intimate relationships, the language of acts of service means doing things that you know your spouse will enjoy. This could be as simple as feeding the dog, filling up their gas, preparing dinner for them, or watering their plants.

Acts of service as a love language mean that you give up your time and put effort, which can be demanding. However, if it is what is needed to spice up your relationship, the returns will be worth it.

Consider anything that you can do, which will ease the burden of responsibility on your partner. You can also ask them for ideas for those things they would like you to do for them to make their life easier.

If you have determined that your spouse prefers acts of service, then there are tips that you can use to make them feel loved.

Here are some tips to get you started:

Focus on those small things and details like what the person likes. How much sugar is in their coffee? What are their favorite programs?
Consider those routine tasks that your partner doesn’t like doing and help them
Pay attention to those acts that can be easily accommodated in your schedule
Choose acts that work to your strengths

Physical Touch

Although sex is an important aspect of romantic relationships, physical touch as a love language goes way beyond it.

Given the physical nature of this language, many people assume that it’s only intended for the satisfaction of sexual desires. In truth, physical touch is more related to making your partner feel seen and safe.

This love language can include hugs, holding hands, or even a pat on the back from time to time. Cuddling up when watching a movie can be a great way to show affection to someone who likes physical touch.

Yes, for certain couples, physical touch may not be possible because of distance. Maybe your partner traveled on a business trip or to study abroad. Or, you’re practicing a long distance relationship because of the lockdown.

In such a case, video chats can help you to remain close. You can also share personal items or synchronized experiences.

Important Takeaways

Here, we have presented information to help you discover your love language. Knowing the differences can have a great impact on how you relate with your partner, enhancing empathy and attention.

However, some challenges in relationships may not be solved just by understanding your partner’s love language alone.

If you are having some emotional problems in the relationship, consider getting counseling help. As an example, you may consider starting therapy on Calmerry. It’s a teletherapy platform that offers affordable and convenient access to licensed therapists and the support you need.

Take care of your partner, yourself, and your relationships. Give love and feel loved!

ASTON MARTIN COGNIZANT FORMULA ONE™ TEAM LAUNCHES THE AMR21

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Team launches first Aston Martin Grand Prix car in 61 years, in high-tech virtual live event watched by fans all over the world

The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team has today revealed to the world its 2021 Formula One World Championship competitor, the new AMR21, in a virtual live event.

One of the most anticipated Formula One car launches in recent years took place in The Vault, an immersive virtual experience that played host to the historic moment when Aston Martin unveiled its first Grand Prix car since the DBR5 which was raced by Roy Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant in the 1960 British Grand Prix.

The AMR21 was revealed in a striking green livery in recognition of the brand’s traditional racing colours, carrying prominent branding from title partner, Cognizant, the IT giant helping lead the team’s digital transformation journey towards future success.

The recent influx of new partners ensured that the AMR21 was presented with logos from a host of global brands alongside Cognizant, including Peroni, Crypto.com, SentinelOne, EPOS, NetApp, Girard-Perregaux and Replay. The long-standing support of BWT continues with the addition of a delicate magenta stripe down each side of the chassis. Ravenol, JCB, Bombardier and Pirelli all continue their partnerships into the new era.

Aston Martin Lagonda’s Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll, opened today’s event and welcomed fans, media, colleagues and partners who were enjoying the show virtually from all around the world. He was joined by Tobias Moers, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda; Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team; and, by video link, Brian Humphries, CEO of Cognizant, who all spoke of the great significance of seeing the Aston Martin name back on the Formula One grid.

The new driver pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll were also prominent in the presentation, as well as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team Technical Director, Andrew Green.

Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman, Aston Martin, commented:

“I have dreamed about this day for a very long time. I have always been a car guy, since I was a child. I have always loved racing, too. My first dream was to own a Formula One team. My second dream was to acquire a significant shareholding in Aston Martin Lagonda. Today is about the merging of those two dreams. So, as I say, today is all about dreams, and it shows that dreams really can come true, in the shape of our new AMR21.”

Sebastian Vettel, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team, said:

“Even though I have raced for four Formula One teams and for many years, starting a new season with a new team still gives me a sense of excitement.

“As a driver, I have always kept my eye on the competition and this team has consistently impressed me with what they have been able to do without the biggest of budgets. So, when Lawrence [Stroll] and Otmar [Szafnauer] approached me last year, and explained what their ambitions were, I was immediately very motivated to join the team.”

Lance Stroll, Driver, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team, added:

“This is such an exciting time of the year. The car launch is when everything starts to feel real again, especially this year with our new identity as Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team. The new name is exciting for everyone and there is a massive buzz around the factory.”

Now that the new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team car has been revealed to the world, tomorrow marks the exciting and much anticipated track debut of the AMR21, before it makes its journey to Bahrain for testing next week (March 12th-14th) ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28th.

Problem Gambling Awareness Month: Dealing with Unseen Demons

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By Adam Jablin

Transformational Life Coach and Recovery Mentor

Gambling addiction is real. Allow me to say that again– gambling addiction is a real thing. It’s not a lack of willpower. It’s an illness.

The medical community has four classifications to consider an illness a disease: it must be progressive, chronic, primary, and fatal. Gambling addiction fulfills all of the requirements.

You see, it’s an uncontrollable urge—a phenomenon of cravings that one gets from a “high”. It’s as normal and necessary as needing air for you and I.

Like a drug addict goes for a fix, or an alcoholic would thirst for that drink… the gambler chases the rush. That “rush” of dopamine is the same as a narcotic. Its an obsession of the mind that destroys families.

Those addicted are constantly increasing the amounts for the thrill. They lie and scam to get more money, jeopardizing their most important and sacred relationships. They’re always trying to win the money back, stop all together, or resort to low measures like stealing and other fraudulent behaviors to continue their addiction. When the feel restless, irritable and discontent, they use gambling as an escape from reality.

They may take it so far that it effects their physical health. Here is an excerpt from my book Lotsaholic: From A Sick To Sober Superman:

He lifted up his shirt and revealed a huge scar, from his upper belly across his chest and up into his armpit. “Three heart attacks. That’s how bad. I’m gonna die, kid, if I keep this up. That’s why I’ve been in here so long. I feel safe here.

I don’t trust myself out there, and I’m not ready to die.” As Tony reeled in his line, I noticed that he wasn’t wearing his fancy Rolex. Today he was wearing a simple Timex that carried the Caesars Palace logo.

“What’s with the new watch?”

He fiddled with his lure. “Tonight they take me outside for a Gamblers Anonymous meeting. Every time I go, I wear this watch. This is the most expensive watch I own. It cost me 1.5 million dollars. I gave Caesars my cash; they gave me a suite, champagne, and this beautiful watch. It’s my personal souvenir to remind me of how bad I get. It and the scar.” He bobbed his fishing rod up and down. “Say, you want to come with me tonight? I always go alone, but I sure would love the company.”

“Sure!” Where else will I get to experience a Gamblers Anonymous meeting with a former gangster?

The room was compact and dim. There was a small podium with a GA banner and about seventy old, wooden folding chairs. And the room was full. I enjoyed hearing Tony and the others share their stories. I realized how strong the high from winning is. On the wall opposite me was a giant banner listing the twelve steps of Gamblers Anonymous, which were almost identical to those of Alcoholics Anonymous, with just the slightest differences in wording.

Step 1: Admitted we were powerless over gambling—that our lives had become unmanageable. Next to the banner was a bulletin board that displayed meeting times for a list of various twelve-step programs, including Sexaholics Anonymous (SA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Overeaters Anonymous (OA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Co-Dependents Anonymous (coda), Heroin Anonymous (HA), and Al-Anon/Alateen, a group for friends and families of alcoholics. The list went on. It occurred to me that anybody in the world can use the basic approach of a twelve-step program to achieve freedom from addiction and greater connection to a higher power. I’d discovered a new world.

But there is help out there. Now, many treatment centers, like The Hanley Center and Future’s focus on gambling and treat it like any other addiction or mental illness. Gamblers Anonymous—the famous twelve-step community has had amazing results. The solution for these illnesses is truly spiritual. These obsessions lay in the mind. Once the spiritual malady is solved, the mind and body follow quickly. So, never lose hope.

There is a way out!