Fast Fashion

 

Fast fashion became common because of cheaper, speedier manufacturing and shipping methods, an increase in consumers' appetite for up-to-the-minute styles, and the increase in consumer purchasing power—especially among young people—to indulge these instant-gratification desires. But, what is the true definition behind those terms? let's find out:

Fast fashion is a term used to describe the clothing industry's business model of replicating recent catwalk trends and high-fashion designs, mass-producing them at a low cost, and bringing them to retail stores quickly, while demand is at its highest. The term fast fashion is also used generically to describe the products of the fast fashion business model.

(Η γρήγορη μόδα είναι ένας όρος που χρησιμοποιείται για να περιγράψει το επιχειρηματικό μοντέλο της βιομηχανίας ένδυσης που αναπαράγει τις πρόσφατες τάσεις της πασαρέλας και τα σχέδια υψηλής μόδας, τη μαζική παραγωγή τους με χαμηλό κόστος και τη γρήγορη μεταφορά τους στα καταστήματα λιανικής).

 

Ultra-fast fashion is a term used to describe clothing that moves even faster than fast fashion. Ultra-fast fashion brands release new styles on a weekly or even daily basis. This lets customers stay up-to-date with the latest trends without spending much money.

(Η εξαιρετικά γρήγορη μόδα είναι ένας όρος που χρησιμοποιείται για να περιγράψει ρούχα που κινούνται ακόμη πιο γρήγορα από τη γρήγορη μόδα. Οι εξαιρετικά γρήγορες επωνυμίες μόδας κυκλοφορούν νέα στυλ σε εβδομαδιαία ή και καθημερινή βάση. Αυτό επιτρέπει στους πελάτες να παραμένουν ενημερωμένοι με τις τελευταίες τάσεις χωρίς να ξοδεύουν πολλά χρήματα.)

Dumping is a term used in the context of international trade. It's when a country or company exports a product at a price that is lower in the foreign importing market than the price in the exporter's domestic market. Because dumping typically involves substantial export volumes of a product, it often endangers the financial viability of the product's manufacturer or producer in the importing nation.

(To Ντάμπινγκ, ή αλλιώς "πώληση με ζημία" ή αλλιώς "αθέμιτος ανταγωνισμός" αναφέρεται στην πρακτική της πώλησης προϊόντων κάτω από την κανονική τιμή της αγοράς ή σε τιμές κατώτερες του κόστους παραγωγής, με σκοπό την εξάλειψη του ανταγωνισμού και την αδιαμφισβήτητη κυριαρχία μιας επιχείρησης σε μια αγορά.)

The benefits of fast fashion are clear: more consumer spending, more profits, and the consumer satisfaction of being able to participate in a trend almost immediately after they see it in magazines or on their favorite celebrities. There is a huge BUT though, this industry contributes to climate change, pesticide pollution, and enormous amounts of waste not to mention the exploitation of and danger to workers.

Common Internet Abbreviations

 What is an abbreviation?

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a written word or phrase. Abbreviations may be used to save space and time, to avoid repetition of long words and phrases, or simply to conform to conventional usage.

Here are the most common Internet abbreviations:

LOL: laugh out loud

OMG: Oh my God

ILY: I love you

LMAO: laughing my a** off

FBO: Facebook official (when on one's facebook profile it says "In A Relationship" and your significant other's name)

SFW: Safe for work (describes a web page, picture, video, or other content that is not inappropriate to view in a formal setting, such as a workplace).

ASL: Age/Sex/Location ( is an article of Internet slang used in instant messaging programs and in Internet chatrooms. It is used as a question to find out the age, sex (or gender), and general location of the person one is talking to).

AFAIK: As far as I know

IMHO: In my humble opinion

IRL: In real life

ISO: In search of

J/K: Just Kidding

POV: Point of view

RBTL: Read between the lines (look for or discover a meaning that is implied rather than explicitly stated).

BTW: By the way

CTN: Can’t talk now

CYE: Check your email

dI: Download

ETA: Estimated time of arrival

FYI: For your information (It is often used in both personal and business correspondence to show that information is simply being shared and that no immediate action is required or expected).

gr8: Great

GTG: Got to go

OT: Off topic

PC: Personel computer

pls: Please

POS: Parent over shoulder

ppl: People

Txt: Text

BRB: Be Right Back

B4N: Bye for Now

TY: Thank you

w/e: Whatever

W8: Wait

XOXO: Hugs and kisses ( is an informal term used for expressing sincerity, faith, love, or good friendship at the end of a written letter, email or text).

Y: Why

Personal development retreats

 When the pandemic came, fear paralyzed the world. Borders and businesses closed. Loved ones fell ill, and some died. We were stuck at home (some of us still are) and in that isolation, we were forced to look inward. When that happens, the mind can’t help but wander. We tend to question our existence and wonder what we have done with our lives. Are we happy with our jobs, our relationships, and most importantly, ourselves?

When the world stopped, we were stripped of many privileges and forced to face reality without any distractions. Superficial living became less and less possible. We began to realize that gaining material wealth does not bring long-term happiness. In our isolation, we searched for answers and meaning and experienced an awakening of sorts. We had to face our own personal truths and how we fit into the world.

There’s no denying it; inner reflection has deepened our desire to resolve the many issues around us, and we long to reconnect with others. The need for community inspires us to seek like-minded people with whom we can share our thoughts and experiences, with whom we can discover and grow.

How does one go about finding that community?

The solution is retreats, and I’m going to tell you why. Let’s start with a definition.

Retreats are not vacations. Vacations provide a temporary escape from one’s life and don’t always resolve issues. Going on vacation to relieve mental distress may only add to it. If you’re mentally exhausted and then suddenly stop to decompress, psychological and physical distress can arise. Some people react to those sensations by seeking even more escapism such as drinking and keeping busy, only to return home more exhausted than they were before they left.

Retreats, on the other hand, are focused and transformational.

Let’s conclude that retreats are a form of wellness and group travel with a twist of relaxation and a drop of escapism, all while satisfying your urge to explore and providing you with a taste of your own personal truth. That may be a mouthful, but you get my point. They’re more purposeful than a vacation.

Examples of retreats:

1. At the new Chenot Molecular Lab at Chenot Palace Weggis in Switzerland, epigenetics has gone up a notch. New mRNA-based technology at the brand’s sleek flagship on Lake Lucerne analyses gene activity, determines biological aging and prescribes treatment via supplements, nutrition, stress control and lifestyle changes. Inflammation, oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance and the structural integrity of tissue are highlighted. It’s a modern approach, says Dr George Gaitanos, Chenot’s chief scientist and COO, “where health is defined as what is unseen”. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MM2K1r6yU8&ab_channel=ChenotGroup

2. Since Clinique La Prairie opened in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva in 1931, cellular therapy has been part of its DNA. Now the clinic is offering the ultimate anti-aging treatment: harvesting stem cells and reinjecting them into the face, neck and hands. It is, according to Dr Stéphane Smarrito, its co-creator, “the most effective anti-aging treatment in the world today”. Mini-liposuctions collect the fat, which is reused in micro-injections. The stem cells can be stored for up to 30 years and reused à la carte at any time. Clinique La Prairie keeps secret the number of people who have undergone this treatment, but it is scientifically proven to pep up skin trophicity, vascularisation and collagen. LB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7A0MZSjvk8&ab_channel=CliniqueLaPrairie

3. On an island associated with downward-facing dogs and shamanic healing rituals, Sanctuary at Bali’s forward-thinking Desa Potato Head takes wellbeing into an unmapped higher-tech zone. Developed with the sound-healing masters of Ubud’s Pyramids of Chi, this turbo-smart wellness hub sits at the crossroads of spirituality and science – beach-front ice baths, mood-lifting breathwork and sound therapies. None is more enlightening than Sistrum, a dark, cavernous room with six waterbeds that are straight out of a sci-fi film. In each 90-minute session, the beds deliver synchronised light and sound frequencies to induce a deeply meditative flow and higher consciousness. Sessions range from gentle relaxation to hypnotic high-intensity blasts to unleash creative energy. It all chimes with the hotel’s plant-based dining at Tanaman and sun salutations on its Tropical Brutalist-looking rooftop. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UweMLvkCXpI&ab_channel=POTATOHEADBALI

 

Linguistic Curiosities - "Long time no see"

How many times has the average person been greeted with the phrase "long time, no see" after running into an old acquaintance? My guess is plenty. But how and why did such a grammatically awkward phrase become a widely accepted part of American speech?

The first time "long time, no see" appeared in print was in a 1900  novel, by William F. Drannan. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Drannan used the phrase to describe an encounter with a Native American he had previously met, "I knew he had recognized me. When we rode up to him he said: 'Good morning. Long time no see you,'."

The second widely accepted etymological explanation is that the phrase is a loan translation* from the Mandarin Chinese phrase "hǎojǐu bújiàn", which means exactly "long time, no see."

 

Sources: 1. wordreference.com  9/14/22

               2.npr.org 9/14/22

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Roly-poly'?

 

In modern-day language 'roly-poly' is most often used to refer to a short and stout person :

or roly-poly pudding:

However, there are other meanings:

1. A worthless person; a rascal.
2. Games which feature the rolling of a ball, especially roulette.
3. A plump person, especially a child.
4. A type of lively dance.
5. A steamed or baked pudding made from suet pastry and jam, formed into a roll,
6. Australian plants which form a ball and roll around in the wind, like tumble-weed.

7. A coil of hair.

 

8.An American bug that coils itself into a ball.

 

The first time that roly-poly is encountered in print, which we assume is the original meaning, is number one on the above list. Ben Jonson uses the expression in his poem Poetaster, 1602:

How now, good man slave? What, rowle powle? All rivalls, ras∣call? Why my Master, of worship, do'st heare? Are these thy best projects? Is this thy desseignes and thy discipline, to suffer knaves to bee competitors with commanders and gentlemen? Are wee paralells, rascall? Are wee paralells?

All of the early reference to roly-poly in print, which appear in several spellings, (Rowle Powle, rowle-powle, rowley powley, rowly powly) have a more specific meaning. A 'rowly powly' was not so much a worthless rascal but a buffoon with delusions of grandeur and who does not know his place.

It is possible that the term was coined as a reference to the actor William Rowley, who often played the part of a deluded clown. He played at Paul's playhouse, which was also called Powles. So, Rowley of Powles could have become Rowley Powley. That's speculation but the circumstantial evidence appears to support it.

The 'short stout person' meaning didn't emerge until the 19th century and doesn't appear to be connected with the earlier. The buffoon/rascal meaning of roly-poly had died out by the end of the 17th century and it's likely that later meanings were independently coined.

The first example of the later form of roly-poly is found in the London Magazine. November 1808:

The eye has its fire and consequence correspondent with the fierté belonging to a man of rank; the good-humoured rolly-polly which gave the appearance of twinkling stars to those organs, is no more.

The 'pudding' name came about soon afterwards. The first example I know of is in the English writer Isaac Hurlstone's novel Fatal Interview, 1835:

I have heard such puddings called blankets and sheets, and a hunting pudding; but commonly we call it a rolley polley.

 

Article on Activism

Read the following transcript regarding environmental news. Listen to the excerpt and later discuss the issues around activism: 

Greenpeace activists arrested: Russian coast guard threaten with knives and guns

A group of Greenpeace activists who were trying to board an oil rig in the RUSSIAN Arctic have been arrested.

25 protesters, including six Britons, were met with heavily armed Russian coastguards, who they say threatened them with knives and guns. The environmentalist group said the coastguards, who were also wearing balaclavas, stormed their ship, the Arctic Sunrise. The activists were trying to gain access to Gazprom Oil Rig which they believe is about to start drilling for oil but their protest ended shortly after the guards fired shots at them.

"We're here in the Russian Arctic taking action against the first Arctic oil platform to go into production which pose a huge threat to the fragile environment. Gazprom is known for its poor safety standards and we've seen Shell screw up in the Alaskan Arctic last year, and now these two reckless oil companies are teaming up. It's a disaster waiting to happen."

Moscow has accused the protesters of aggressive and provocative behavior and summoned the Dutch ambassador to discuss the issue as Greenpeace is based in the Netherlands.

Difficult words: rig (oil platform), balaclava (piece of cloth that covers your head and neck), reckless (not caring about possible dangerous situations), accuse (say that you think that somebody did something wrong), summon (order somebody to come somewhere).

Questions:

1.       Do extremist tactics push environmentalism forwards or backwards?    
2.       Is environmental activism power without accountability?
3.   Some people refer to extreme activists as eco-extremists or eco-terrorists. 
4.       Do you agree with them?
5.   "It's not the activists' job to find alternatives. Their job is just to draw            attention to the problems."  Do you agree with the above statement?

Vocabulary:

1.      Collective behavior: συνολική συμπεριφορά – των πολλών
2.       Contagion theory: (μετάδοση) μαζική ύπνωση συμπεριφορά
3.       Cultural diffusion: η διάχυση ιδεών από μια κουλτούρα στην άλλη
4.       Riot: εξέγερση

Further study article:

1.       http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6423061.stm
2.       http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8303381.stm
3.      http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8340537.stm

Practice article - Affluenza

    Affluenza is a social condition arising from the desire to be more wealthy and successful. It is arguably present in the United States, where the culture is one that prides itself on possessions and financial success. 

    Mainstream media outlets, such as television broadcasts, tend to show how pervasive the idea has become. Following, we will watch a few videos concerning the legal case of Ethan Couch. The case of a rich Texas teenager who received probation but no jail time after killing four people in a drunk driving car crash in June has sparked a new debate about money, power, and punishment after the teen's defense team argued he was the victim of "affluenza," or the failure of his wealthy parents to set boundaries.

      The Judge (Jean Boyd) sentenced Couch  to 10 years' probation instead of the 20-year prison sentence that prosecutors had asked for. Why was his sentence so lenient? Well, the trial psychologist G. Dick Miller claimed that Couch is himself a victim -- of "affluenza" , suggesting the teen's life could be turned around with treatment and no contact with his parents. Miller told the court the teen's parents should share part of the blame for the crash because they never set limits for the boy and gave him everything he wanted.

   'Affluenza': Is it real? A judge, at least in part, appears to have agreed.Couch was given no jail time, though he could face up to 10 years behind bars if he violates the terms of his probation. Prosecutors had asked for the maximum of 20 years.The judge's decision stunned victims' family members, who say they feel Couch basically got away with murder.

    "Let's face it. ... There needs to be some justice here," Eric Boyles, who lost his wife and daughter, told "Anderson Cooper .

     "On the night of June 15, his wife, Hollie Boyles, and daughter, Shelby, left their home to help Breanna Mitchell, whose SUV had broken down. Brian Jennings, a youth pastor, was driving past and also stopped to help.All four were killed when the teen's pickup plowed into the pedestrians on a road in Burleson, south of Fort Worth. Couch's vehicle also struck a parked car, which then slid into another vehicle headed in the opposite direction.Two people riding in the bed of the teen's pickup were tossed in the crash and severely injured. One is no longer able to move or talk because of a brain injury, while the other suffered internal injuries and broken bones.

     According to prosecutors, three hours after the crash, tests showed Couch had a blood alcohol content of 0.24, three times the legal limit.

    "There are absolutely no consequences for what occurred that day," said Boyles.

    "The primary message has to absolutely be that money and privilege can't buy justice in this country -- that it's not OK to drink and drive and kill four people ... and not have any consequences to that. That's not the American dream that we grew up to participate in.

    "Couch was sentenced by a juvenile judge Tuesday. Judge Jean Boyd told the court she would not release the teen to his parents, but would work to find Couch a long-term treatment facility.