tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56501147022969443272024-03-19T04:12:30.828+01:00Wellbeing With RosieA mixture of wellbeing posts, personal reflection and articles on various interests related to current affairs, public welfare and child development. It’s an evolutionary thing... Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-57852878708836273692019-07-02T23:35:00.002+02:002019-07-02T23:35:42.864+02:00Unleashed Creativity: The Digital Society School’s showcase<div style="color: #00918b; font-family: "Hoefler Text"; font-size: 48px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 4px;">
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<span style="color: #e32400; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 18pt;">The Digital Society School’s 2019 showcase was a show stopper! Fortunately, you’ve got all week to immerse yourself</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">On a sunny afternoon, along the windy Wibaustraat (home to the HvA Digital Media and Creative Industries), the doors to the Kohnstammhuis were thrown open to visitors: students and parents, staff and managers, and intrigued passerbys, were welcomed and ushered in by an extraordinary board spinning</span><span style="font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">student on the top steps.</span><span style="font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">Akin to a pizza thrower - which he assured me he was - his rotating red board spun OUTBURST. This was a suitable start to the experience that what was to follow: a student-centered, lively and fun, interactive showcase of the accomplishments and achievements of the 2019 Digital Society School student cohort.</span><span style="font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">The self-titled intrepid digital explorers were introduced by their new Dean of Faculty, Frank Kresin. He gave an enthusiastic speech celebrating achievements while paying homage to all those involved in creating such an event as well as the work that has gone on all year to reach this grande finale. What was stressed more than ever was the important of collaboration internally, between staff and students, but also externally, with parents, partnerships and businesses: “behind every students are several teachers, lecturers and mentors” and he did not want us to forget that. One of the lead course coordinators humbly described how his students were their “best asset” and suitably invited them to “tell our story”. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">Being a digital media event you’d expect nothing less than a full auditory, visual experience and we were not disappointed. The show opened with two skilled drummers performing over a loud techno beat. Stepping onto the stage - a purpose built white cat walk reaching from one end of the hall to the other and which was lit up with bright images and color - they entertained and lifted the rhythm of the place. Draped either side, in the windows and between the balustrades, were curtains continuously lit up with changing projections. Later these same areas were used to show videos, audio clips and to display the names of students and project titles. It was an ingenious piece of creative Media in action. Throughout the whole event, the staff and student alike were happy to let their hard work </span><span style="font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">do the talking.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">Quite literally, this happened when they wheeled (or rather led but the ‘hand’) onto center stage ‘Meray’. ‘She’ proudly and confidently - if we can attribute these personalities to a robot - presented herself to the stunned audience. Cracking jokes, in Dutch, and mocking the basic computers before her, using hand gestures and sort of ‘facial expressions’ it felt like glimpse of the future. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;"> It was equally impressive and terrifying. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JCoYR9rnl08QEJQqjSaP3-FPHWeelotcMfBRE43Jf6bcaUPiU2eH8s0ySiyoJzPL-XaT-nyE_75Mt15w3smr3Vcd_fk91sbEJiMhx1rbcpr3pa5E-3fleZgBP5BtUHGi1XvjU2FChMa7/s1600/DE959F78-BF02-4613-86F4-9257999AAF27.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1097" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JCoYR9rnl08QEJQqjSaP3-FPHWeelotcMfBRE43Jf6bcaUPiU2eH8s0ySiyoJzPL-XaT-nyE_75Mt15w3smr3Vcd_fk91sbEJiMhx1rbcpr3pa5E-3fleZgBP5BtUHGi1XvjU2FChMa7/s200/DE959F78-BF02-4613-86F4-9257999AAF27.jpeg" width="136" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">To conclude the catwalk, a flamenco dancer impressively swirled and spun her way around in an eye catching red, yellow and pink dress as part of a virtual reality project.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">There was a strong message: that the human centered interaction with technological and digital developments was key. To avoid the “dark future of cyber punk” or to counter act the fearful future of a compute takeover, course leaders and lecturers emphasized that students involved in this kind of learning were trailblazers at looking for solutions, rather than adding to the problems we are all too familiar with (climate change, energy, over consumption, mental and physical health, and much more). This is clearly reflected in the outcomes of student ambition and vision. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">Their projects, which are on show all week, include: a ‘My Happy’ app, an app to encourage healthy living in kids, Xbox games like ‘Snail trail’ or others designed to support those with slower mobility or learning difficulties and ‘Terra’: a sci-fi planet building game designed to support brain damage recovery patients. You can have a chat with the robot or even take an immersive virtual reality parachute jump, called ‘Ramsey’.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">Without the external support, Frank Kresin reminded us in his opening stint, students would not be able to gain valuable real life work experience, research or gain insight into innovations. Because of these connections, students seems to be on point with their foci and what drives them. Thanks to the “internships, ‘flipped learning’ projects, business visits, research, guest speakers”, we were told these enable students to develop and channel projects like genuine business initiatives.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: HoeflerText-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">If you haven’t yet, make time to check the website: https://digitalsocietyschool.org/event/dss-program-during-outburst/ Sign up for an event and interact with the experiences. As they say on their website, “Celebrating the most outstanding work in fashion, digital interactive design, media, communication and ICT! Come and join us!” What are you waiting for?</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-5854489251049402762019-05-11T19:19:00.002+02:002019-05-11T19:19:44.996+02:00Dyslexia: the mind of the future?<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic;">Could discoveries made this century about neurological development at a pre-natal level be about to shed some light on the truth: how many of us live with a dyslexic brain and what this means for yesterday, today and the technological future we are pioneering our way into.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Researchers are currently offering important answers to life-long questions: years of studies are combining together and in doing so are developing our understanding of and knowledge about genetics, the brain and child development (and adulthood too). It is ground breaking. It has reached the point where they are able to prove ancient theories - from Adolf Kussmaul’s 1870 ‘congenital word-blindness’ or stretching back to Socrates’s initial concerns about the change from an oral culture to a literate one, in the fourth and fifth centuries BCE - right or wrong. It’s astonishing how close our ancestors’ predictions were. Through careful thought, examination of subjects and the most primitive forms of surgery, the earliest scientists, psychologists and doctors were able to make astoundingly insightful hypotheses about the psyche, the self and ultimately the minutiae of genes that make each and everyone of us unique. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">In order to appreciate fully the impact of these findings it is important we start at a shared understanding of the term dyslexia, and what it means for the brain and the individuals. Definitions of dyslexia have changed over time. In Maryanne Wolf’s fascinating book </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Proust and the Squid (2008) </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">she discusses the problems faced when trying to agree on one way to define it. The reason for this is that increasingly Science is uncovering new forms and strands. In her final chapter: ‘Genes, Gifts and Dyslexia’ she sums up Gerschwind’s thirteen conclusions that he and Orton agreed “should be incorporated into any explanation of dyslexia. Beginning with the genetic basis... and possible structural differences in brain organisation, this list went on to include remarkable spatial talents found in affected family members... an unexpected ability to read equally well upside down or in a mirror [like Leonardo Da Vinci]... dysgraphia; unusual speech, affect, and motor findings...(such as stuttering, ambidexterity, clumsiness, and emotional issues); slowness in the acquisition and development of speech and language systems”. What this allow us to do, as readers, is to gain insight into the truth: that dyslexia is not just about ‘reading and writing problems’. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lateral thinking - evidence of a dyslexic brain?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helveticaneue-bolditalic"; font-size: 14.00pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">It is about far more. And it could be in all of us.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Surrounded by systems and policies, whereby the rich get richer and poor get poorer, it may come as no surprise that reading encumbers society in much the same way. It is not equivocal that being able to or not being able to read can establish (from a very young age) the ease at which one will or will not be successful later in life. Scientifically, this is because in a reading brain the human brain’s ability to connect and integrate various sources of information is more developed: this is the literate brain. For those with a dyslexic brain set up, these same connections and the speed at which they are made is hindered, from pre-natal through to early adulthood. There is no doubt in the researchers minds that the development of the brain is very much a battle of nature vs nurture, and neglect: “the more children are read to, the more they understand all the language around them, and the more developed their vocabulary becomes” (Wolf) so the same can be said for the opposite. To summarize, in a literate society where everything is geared towards the reading brain, if you can read your life chances are increased. Take, for example, school assessments: a student’s success is determined by end of year, exam based tests. Most of these will be reading and writing focused.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">And yet, the historical development of the spoken word being recorded (ultimately leading to a literate society) means we have been able to learn about where life began, through scientific and philosophical recordings and engravings and the survival of historical texts - “without words, without writing, and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity” (Hesse, Hermann). It is this ‘shared human quest for knowledge’ which has led us into the current technological age at high speed and perhaps with not much sense (especially if we might be creating the mechanical monster which could wipe out the human race). In a round about way, the development of a literate society (and the oppression of the dyslexic brain) could be viewed as less of a hindrance and more like an unavoidable, necessary evil for the progress of all human kind... or its demise.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">On a more cheerful note, there are in fact many advantages to having a dyslexic brain. Although these individuals may experience slower processing speeds, what is known as a “gap in time” or “asynchrony” (coined by Israeli psychologist Zvia Breznitz), as well as “naming speed” delays, they show stronger connections in other areas of their brain. Even though the “left angular gyrus” has been found by neuroscientists to be completely non-functioning in a dyslexic brain this is because they have a rearranged a brain, and use an “altogether different reading circuitry” (Wolf). A dyslexic brain is atypical - it is not our ‘typical reader brain’. However, Wolf goes on to explain that the “unusual reliance on the right hemisphere” and “bilateral use of pivotal frontal regions” means that they have strengths where the reading brain shows weakness: greater “creativity, pattern deduction and contextual skills”. Hence the answer to why so many architects, artists, designers and scientists are dyslexic. Their brains are better suited to those jobs. It’s the brain not the person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helveticaneue-bolditalic"; font-size: 14.00pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Socrate’s fears were well founded: the modern focus on a literate society being the ‘best’ society has oppressed the dyslexic brain and rendered it useless, while - simply - it is a brain we cannot do without.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Disappointingly and all too often, both historically and still in this modern age, children with dyslexia are told they are failing - at reading, writing and understanding. They are told that they are ‘behind’ where they should be, slower than their peers, and that they will amount to nothing unless they ‘catch up’. Does this sound familiar? It may not have happened to you but I am sure there is someone you know who has experienced this confidence and character crushing rhetoric. Yet some of the most profound and progressive achievements were made by those who had a dyslexic brain. To name two iconic leaders of revolutionary thinking: Albert Einstein, who did not speak until nearly three and was mediocre at subjects requiring memorizing, and Thomas Edison, who had poor health and struggled to read and yet had a mind fit for wonderful creations. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">The tragedy of dyslexia, Wolf writes, is that no one tells this to the children and they all too often live a life of humiliation. She calls for these new findings into dyslexia to result in intervention which “explicitly addresses every component system of reading intensively and imaginatively, until some level of automaticity and comprehension is attained”. Doesn’t it feel like it is time for society to take responsibility? Firstly by assisting - training teachers so they are able to help individuals better - and secondly by moving forward - the development of digitalisation and A.I. might well be the area where the dyslexia brain flourishes while the reading brain flounders. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helveticaneue-bolditalic"; font-size: 14.00pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">All children will need to be “bitextual” or “multitextual” readers - this is what the digital future will demand of us all.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Ray Kurzweil describes the future like so: “we have the confidence that we will have the data-gathering and computational tools needed by the 2020s to model and simulate the entire brain, which will make it possible to </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;">combine the principles of operation of human intelligence</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"> with the </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;">forms of intelligent information processing and inherent strength of machines</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">.” Simplified: human brains and machine brawn hybrid. He goes on, “...we will then be in a position to implement these powerful hybrid systems... that greatly </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;">exceed the capabilities of the human brain’s relatively fixed architecture.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">..” Machines will out grow human design and themselves, exceeding all human capabilities. No wonder there are fears of a redundant population (Yuval Noah Harari, 2018). In truth, the biological brain has not changed structurally in the 40,000 years since our ancestors were nonliterate humans. What chance would mere mortals have against artificial intelligence, which is developed to adapt and evolve and always find ways to better itself?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">As Sam Cooke sang, “times are gonna change, oh yes they are” and the romantic notions of George Eliot, that “reading changes our lives, and our lives change reading” are a thing of the past, in a literary sense. Learning to read, Wolf writes, is a wonderful thing that can go wrong for any number of reasons. In her wonderful, explorative book, she exemplifies the known numerous types of dyslexia, from reading and writing to speech and emotional issues. She examines the cause and effect - linguistically impoverished backgrounds and bilingual households, to finding the best intervention. Her verdict: dyslexic people are not dumb or failures.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">There are lessons to be learnt and, excitingly, prospects to be had. With the help of her sons and her experiences at the Center for Reading and Language Research, conversations and unraveling ideas, Wolf concludes that “dyslexia will turn out to be a stunning example of the strategies used by the brain to compensate: when it can’t perform a function one way, it rearranges itself to find another, literally.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helveticaneue-bolditalic"; font-size: 14.00pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">What came first - the brain or the function?</span><span style="font-family: "helveticaneue-bolditalic"; font-size: 18.00pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">In pre-literate times, the dyslexic brain thrived. In literate society it suffers. In a futuristic society of digital choice and the electronic transmission of knowledge, how will the brains compete? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">What will be lost to the reading brain if we replace these skills with highly developed computers or AI? In other words, what if we don’t </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">need</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"> to read (in the modern sense) in the future? And what will be gained by the dyslexic brain, in a digitalised, visual-auditory society? Undeniably, we needed to develop reading and writing skills and should be thankful to the ‘reading brain’ for getting us where we are today. However, will we need it in much the same way in years to come? Or will the brain evolve, yet again, to diversify its genetic set-up to form a brain capable to meet all our needs. My favourite quote Wolf uses in her book is this, and seems apt to be my final offering to you, a Viennese expression: “If two choices appear before you, there’s usually a third.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">More commonly than ever our lives are interrupted with ‘shock’ stories making us question the impact that technological advances are having on our lives. It’s not unusual for individuals to post photos, intimate or private things online and even parents, including Celebrities, seem to be posting photos of their children online - like Gwyneth Paltrow recently being outed by her daughter, Apple Paltrow, for sharing photos without her daughters consent. We seem to live our lives through our digital selves. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Concurrently, headlines report that huge companies are hit with shocking data protection failings. Thank goodness for the new GDPR laws (which feels better late than never). Everyday we are receiving alerts: through the digital bodily extension that is our phone, tablet or laptop. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Whether we choose to stop and reflect on this, the truth is that our lives are becoming increasingly digitally documented, monitored and influenced by the use of devices. But are we right to be scared of rapid new developments and what seems to be a growing dependency? And why are people up in arms about this new ‘digital drug’ to hit our high streets?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Karl Marx’s famous dictum, that religion is the “opium of the people”, was imitated in the 80s from those who held a fear of technological developments. In a research paper by Kern and Hainmueller (2007) they explore this idea and the use of media as an ‘Opium for the masses’ by drawing on evidence of World War Two: namely the “impact of West German television on political attitudes in communist East Germany.” </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">If we look back to the bygone era of radio sets and then the golden age of the television sets, people feared then that those ‘sets’ were the new “opium” for the masses. Parents in the 80s and 90s readily stuck their children down in front of the box for a little peace and quiet, to get on with some chores or to allow themselves two uninterrupted words with friends. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Following this, in the ‘modemified’ 2000s, it seemed like we were seeing a rise of internet addiction; popularity of computers and their progress towards something more affordable meant nearly every household had one. Now in the age of smart phones, there’s a new drug in town - social media and gaming addiction - and everyone is at it.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Unlike radio and television where there is an Ofcom legislated 9pm ‘watershed’ time, it is more difficult (but not impossible) to monitor what people can see on the internet at any time of the day. Parents use surveillance strategies or block their children’s devices: there is big money to be made and big money being made by companies selling ‘good parenting’ apps to enable this. However, despite their best efforts, it’s possible that this isn’t enough. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Parents (like any adult in a child’s life) are role models. If they are seen on their phones then the child themselves will want to use phones: use of digital devices becomes normalized from a much younger age and is perhaps something we haven’t prepared for (we certainly don’t have the answers for it). Andra Siiback, Professor of Media Studies from Tartu University, suggested in her presentation ‘Digital Parenting and the birth of the Datafied child’ at Utrecht University (2019), that parents are the “gatekeepers”. Are parents not the ones who can and should monitor their child’s life, online or otherwise? If so, it would make sense then that they have the rights and privacy of their child in mind? And so the responsibility would seem to fall on them, to set an example and to monitor their child’s digital activity?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">However, it seems like being a parent in the 21st century is never ending - a sort of ‘transcendent parenting’ (Siiback 2019): a timeless and relentless role, one which remains a thankless task. This focus on 24 hour online access and remote ‘technical mediation’ means that parents are rarely getting (or taking) time off. But what impact is this having on them? The parent-child relationships? Or even on the young people being directly affected by this? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Unsurprisingly research and news reports increasingly show that they (9-17year olds) are fed up! They feel constantly monitored and want their rights acknowledged and respected. Or else, they don’t have a clue to what extent their mobile lives are being tracked and tamed. If this is the society we are living in, perhaps we need to think about the purposes of surveillance, digital use and ultimately the impact this will have on families (and society) in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Of course, when things go wrong there’s a tendency to point the finger - but to whom should it point? The child - innocent? The parent - did their best: had controls in place? Social media platforms - who us? Currently social media platforms relinquish and accept </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic;">some</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;"> responsibility in equal measure. What is posted online can only be controlled so far, we are told, and there is the matter of ‘freedom of speech’. Has this Frankenstein’s monster got out of control? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Like the monster, it even has its own language. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Have you heard of - Big data? Every one of us, unknowingly, provide data to companies every minute of every day when we use our phones or the internet. These companies are then selling it on and/or using it to sell us ‘what we need’. It’s a commercialization dream.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">What about - The Datafied Child? Something of a contradiction, parents who later on in life want to ‘protect’ their children from the online world of monsters and wonders are the same parents who create their child’s online footprint. Even before the infant is adept at using a tablet (which, by the way, is happening at an increasingly younger age), let alone old enough to utter any sounds, new born ‘datafied’ babies are leaving their digital trace. In 2010 81% of children had an online identity. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Part way of explaining this is the modern phenomenon of ‘sharenting’. This is where parents seek support, solace and success from their peers by sharing photos and updates about their child/children online. This in turn is creating a generation of child “social shadows” (Leaver, 2015). Is it any wonder that their children continue this trend when they themselves become digitally active?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Despite the popularity of insta-babying there is a new wave of anti-sharenting: with fears of digital kidnapping and publicized catastrophic data hacks, parents are taking a stand. As the “digital native” in the parent-child relationship, they are taking a more “do as I do”, and “say as I say” approach; in a recent survey conducted in the UK, 71.3% of parents said they ‘do not like sharenting’ and are refusing to post any photos online. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Interestingly, there were some conflicting findings made from similar research in Estonia. It was uncovered that although parents </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic;">said</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;"> they didn’t like their children using digital devices, in interviews children claimed that the reality was different. Of the 9-17year olds interviewed, 41% said they were online for 2-3hours day while parents put this statistic as much lower. Furthermore, 97% children claim to be online everyday and adult online daily use has gone up from 69-95% (Livingstone 2015). Is someone getting it wrong? Or do we need to consider perspective and the foci that the different groups are taking?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Koning et al (Utrecht University, 2018) as part of the ongoing Dynamics of Youth project, conducted research into perspective in primary and secondary aged children and their parents. Research showed discrepancies between the ‘rules’ the parent perceived they were enforcing (e.g. no phones before bed, no phones to bed and no more than 3 hours online) versus the child’s take on things (basically, the opposite to what the parents said). Parents were shown to considerably underestimate the child’s internet use. This is similar to findings in research done on alcohol abuse. Koning et al. examined the ‘effective parenting’ techniques used and discovered more similarities with alcohol abuse: most notably an increase in the frequency of communication about the ‘abuse’ behavior (internet, alcohol or otherwise) had a negative effect on the child’s progress. In other words, it had a worsening impact: talk about it? Expect an increased use by the child.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">So would preventative measures work? According to Koning it’s a complicated issue. With 80% of parents surveyed initiating their child’s use of digital devices, and 60% not wanting to intervene when the child is using the device, we need to ask whether parents are the right and proper gatekeepers. Furthermore, with the rise of digital behavior in society in general and the swift and steady move towards A.I. (which we have been told will change the face of ‘work’ and ‘employability skills’) are any of us in any position to be limiting the use of digital technologies?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">As with any dependency, the digital world is no different: it can be an addiction, it is a place of fantasy and escapism. But increasingly, and this is something that terrifies me because I know so little about it, the digital world will become a place of reality (for some or all of us, eventually). Artificial but real. So surely it is about this that we need to be asking the questions - for ourselves, for the children and for the future of soceity.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-36180691325350599212019-02-28T20:23:00.001+01:002019-02-28T20:31:05.568+01:00Draft #2 A middle man is a middle man is a middle man...<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Academies. Built on promises, promises which ultimately concluded with: promises of a better education system for the UK. Promises of </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">better schools</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">. Promises of “No more failing schools”! No more mediocre! But what is really happening behind the closed doors of our local ‘Academised’ Community Colleges and Schools? </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Since 2000 and the coalition government, the goal was to replace underperforming and ‘failing’ schools by giving them more autonomy. What this meant was that school leaders were given a wad of cash to distribute how they saw fit... however, unlike the previously LA supported schools, they would have to generate income year on year, much like a business.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Parents were invited to welcome in the new age of academies. In deprived and desperate areas of the UK, the Government gave a golden carrot to Head teachers and gave them the power to be free from the Local Authority's (LA) ball and chain. Some official lines were: “Academies, operating in England, are publicly funded independent schools... Academies benefit from greater freedoms to help innovate and raise standards" and "These include freedom from local authority control, the ability to set their own pay and conditions for staff, freedom around the delivery of the curriculum and the ability to change the lengths of terms and school days” (1). </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Freedom equals innovation. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Freedom equals greater success.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The LAs, it was implied, are failing the school system, letting down our children by inadequate support and by wasting tax payers money. It was stressed that by giving Headteachers of Academies more power, over pay, conditions and curriculum, children would do better in school. Quite how this would work - the mechanics of the scheme - were (and still are) a grey area.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">However, freedom also equals responsibility.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Freedom from Government support.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Freedom from local authority support.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">And so, LA support teams were at risk of losing their jobs. And they did. Subsequently, the LA ‘businesses’ became privatized and some staff saved their jobs. Others moved onto pastures new.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This left Academies having to pay separately, from their wad of cash, for the ‘newly privatized’ support systems. This included important external provisions like educational psychologists, educational welfare officers, caterers and so on. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hang on. Companies bought and privatized LA provisions? Yes. Those local authority provisions that were judged 'inadequate' and failures to schools were bought up by private firms. Who saw that coming? Not me. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But Babcock, for example, did. Babcock is a private firm which as well as education services also specialises in Nuclear warfare, with a finger in the pie of NHS privatization and the privatization of National Rail. According to their own website, babcock</span><a href="http://international.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">international.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, “Babcock International is a multinational corporation headquartered in the United Kingdom. It specialises in managing complex assets and infrastructure. Although the company has civil contracts, its main business is with public bodies, particularly the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence and Network Rail.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The company invested in ‘buying up’ LA services (which were deemed corrupt and failing) and then charge schools for a private service. These services, which would have previously fallen under the LA remit and would not have cost the schools more than an annual subscription, suddenly became expensive extras they can’t always stretch to. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It’s kind of like paying your taxes and having access to an annual subscription to a medicine you need and then being told that they’ve stopped that deal. That your taxes no longer include that medicine. Then they say they’re going to give you a lump sum of money, to help (which by the way also has to be used for other people’s medicine). But that each month’s subscription is going to cost you three times as much... it doesn’t take a maths specialist to work out that the lump sum is quickly going to run out and that you’re going to have to make difficult decisions about whether to buy the medicine (which you need) and/or who to buy it for. So it’s kind of like that but also not at all like that. Because I could also just be describing what is happening in the NHS, couldn’t I?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Anyway, after underperforming Academies were not improving in this scheme, in 2010 the Government encouraged schools that had been rated Outstanding to become academies themselves. Then they could ‘buddy up’ with local underperforming academies to form Mutli-Academy Trusts (MATs). Suddenly the status of Academies rose - there were, for once, Outstanding Academies... not achieved quite the way we were sold it, but achieved by signing up more schools that already held an Outstanding OFSTED rosette.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Under the MAT (multi-acadmy trust) initiative, a group of schools - or rather their governors - appoints a CEO (usually a previous Headteacher) who oversees all the schools, as well as all of the Head teachers and subsequent staff and students. What they actually do is beside the point. And what they actually earn, according to Sir David Carter (ex-south was regional CEO) is “good value for money”.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Suddenly that wad of cash provided to the Academy, by the Government, has been used up by paying for another level of management, putting schools into a deeper deficit - which is further exacerbated by cuts to Government spending in schools (in real terms). I won’t go into this right now - I am sure you’ve seen the headlines?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What about those promises? To “innovate and raise standards”? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The truth is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">, despite the introduction of CEOs, MAT coordination between schools (which actually already happened and was managed by the LAs) and pie in the sky aim to reduce poorly performing schools, </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">the education system is struggling. Really struggling. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">You may have seen the BBC program ‘School’? If you didn’t, I’d recommend you watch some of it for a flavor of the system as it stands today. Maybe you read the recent Guardian article (other newspapers are available) about a Stockport school's Headteacher and Governors finding no other choice but to close early every Friday? This is as well making HUGE cuts to vital school services. (2)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">These highly paid CEOs are not radicalizing education or driving up results and performance. Head teachers are forced to make cuts, but where? From experience and anecdotes and reports like the one above, <strong>it is the lower end, the ‘under achievers’ and the special education sector, post-16 and extra-curricular that are hardest hit.</strong> A national attempt to keep schools at the top of the league tables mean Headteachers are unwilling to let their results slip and so high performers, higher previous attainers and in particular, closing the gap between girls and boys, are the main foci.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is not the reality of the Academy dream, I am certain. Or at least I am hopeful. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When the coalition Government chose this course for our community colleges and schools I am sure they didn’t imagine that Academies would fail. The really shocking thing, for me at least and I am sure for others, is that <strong>they are lying about the value and progress of Academies</strong>. Through the freedom of information act you can access the results of academies. You can also read some concerns about it in a bbc article from 2016 here: </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/education-36014563"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">https://www.bbc.com/news/education-36014563</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The findings from a recent report by the Education Policy Institute are very interesting and are </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">based on evidence. I</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">t was led by independent investigators and experienced educators - see page 2 for their impressive roles and responsibilities (3). </span></span></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">“Our evidence points to an initial (and significant) improvement in GCSE scores in the year prior to and after becoming a sponsored academy. However, <em>we cannot attribute this trend to anything that may have been implemented by the academy sponsor</em> – as it, in part, occurred before academisation. It may however be a result of the incentives generated by the academisation policy, which the government may well argue is a success in itself. Alternatively, it could be that these schools were improving in any case (perhaps as a result of competitive pressures or other interventions targeting schools likely to be subject to ‘forced’ sponsored academy conversion), and so <em>the fact that they became academies is not relevant</em>. Further analysis is required to try and establish whether there is a direct, causal impact of a school becoming a sponsored academy on attainment.“</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A new White Paper proposal, laid out in 29th April 2016 version, read: “The White Paper proposes that local authorities would no longer maintain schools, and an all academy system would be created. The proposed system would include:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Most schools becoming part of multi-academy trusts (MATs);</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A reformed role for local authorities, focusing on duties such as ensuring sufficiency of school places, supporting vulnerable pupils, and acting as a champion for parents;</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A new legal framework for an all academy system.”</span></li>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">When under discussion in the House of Commons, Government officials raised their concerns that seem to have been silenced over the years: “The proposals have proved highly controversial. In particular, questions have been raised about the desirability of such large-scale reforms in the context of other challenges, the impact on local democracy and teachers’ pay and condition of an all academy system, and whether sufficient MAT capacity can be created to provide a high quality academised system. The question of whether academy status is in itself a boost to school standards has also been a key focus of the debate.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">One more thing to consider. If Academies are the education system for the future - to bring UK education in line with the most successful in the world: essentially the use of MATs has been awarded the golden globe of education (despite no evidence of a positive impact) - then why have the Government needed to set up the The Regional School Commissioners?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What’s The RSC? I’ll let </span><a href="https://schoolsweek.co.uk/regional-school-commissioner-pay-revealed/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">https://schoolsweek.co.uk/regional-school-commissioner-pay-revealed/</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> explain: “the commissioners are part of the government’s middle tier of accountability for academies, brought in last September and tasked with tackling underperformance and boosting the number of academy sponsors... In December, in a written answer to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, the DfE’s permanent secretary Chris Wormald gave the estimated running costs for the RSCs and their offices for the first year as £4.5 million.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">A middle man is a middle man is a middle man is a middle man.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Goodbye education funding.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Goodbye promises.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;">References:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">1. </span><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219167/v01-2012ukes.pdf"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219167/v01-2012ukes.pdf</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">2. </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/feb/28/school-stockport-close-early-fridays-lack-funding?CMP=fb_gu&fbclid=IwAR3DPKe33D53V2fnkzUaTk4j8K-p87MvHvvoxrioKt6NaJ17rtQNW1LcrpM"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/feb/28/school-stockport-close-early-fridays-lack-funding?CMP=fb_gu&fbclid=IwAR3DPKe33D53V2fnkzUaTk4j8K-p87MvHvvoxrioKt6NaJ17rtQNW1LcrpM</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">3. https://epi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/EPI_-Impact_of_Academies_Consolidated_Report-.pdf.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-11258514663001348132019-02-24T13:59:00.003+01:002019-02-24T13:59:29.512+01:00The Digital Age in the Anthropozoic era<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">The Digital Age in the Anthropozoic era</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">Through our TV screens, cinema, magazines and newspapers, in Science, environmental news and photographs from space, or even just walking along the main road of a city or town you know well, there is proof enough that we are - and that humans have and always will be - having a huge and often detrimental effect on the natural world</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">In the late 1800s a phrase was born: Anthropocene. Italian geologist Stoppani reportedly coined it in an acknowledgement that humans were increasingly having an influence on the ‘Earth’s systems’. This is called the Anthropozoic era: ‘the current geological age defined by human activity having the greatest impact on the climate and environment.’ What can we define as </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">the greatest impact</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">In 2014 The Guardian published an article showing satellite images of a dried up Aral Sea Basin as a side effect of over production of cotton due to demand. In the article, Transy Hoskins blames “The fashion industry” as being “linked to the environmental devastation in the Central Asian inland sea” (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/sustainable-fashion-blog/2014/oct/01/cotton-production-linked-to-images-of-the-dried-up-aral-sea-basin"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/sustainable-fashion-blog/2014/oct/01/cotton-production-linked-to-images-of-the-dried-up-aral-sea-basin</span></a>). But there’s no smoke without fire - consumers as well as producers all need to take a long hard look in the mirror and accept responsibility for the damaging effects fashion greed is having on our world. Much of this I have discussed in a previous blog post (<a href="https://www.wellbeingwithrosie.org/2018/10/sustainable-fashion-making-better.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.wellbeingwithrosie.org/2018/10/sustainable-fashion-making-better.html</span></a>). Fortunately, there are people and movements making a change: opting for up-cycled fashion, second hand fashion and reusing material rather than producing new.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">David Attenborough has taken to the stage to hammer home the message about protecting the natural world - ok, rather than hammer he sort of gently serenades us with a soft, sad soliloquy. The serene but serious tone of Attenborough is being relied on. As the token spokesman he has been called in to relay to the general and generally adoring public (who doesn’t love and respect Attenborough?) that humankind is destroying the earth and it’s ecosystems. Wiping out entire ecosystems without even noticing, he once stated matter-of-factly in an interview with Prince William. The most pertinent message was delivered in Blue Planet II, watched by millions; it was credited with highlighting the issue of plastic pollution and pushing it up the political agenda. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Conversely, critics of Attenborough claim that those documentaries dodge the more fundamental problems, like industrial fishing and overconsumption. One such critic, George Monbiot - a commentator who is also admired and whose work is acclaimed by many - states, “By downplaying our environmental crisis, the presenter’s BBC films have generated complacency, confusion and ignorance.” He even goes so far as accusing “Attenborough’s environmentalism [of having a] coherent theme, it is shifting the blame” (</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">David Attenborough has betrayed the living world he loves</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">, The Guardian online 7 Nov 2018).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Can you blame a person for trying? According to Monbiot (who was, since 1985, working in the department that has made most of Attenborough’s programmes), you can. By </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">shifting the blame.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Attenborough, scientists abundant and activists are all reaching out to the public and politicians to listen and act. They reach out through TV programs, the internet, social media. But how does the digital world and the new digital age play a part in this Anthropocene? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Marshall McLuhan famously cited that all media are now ‘bodily extensions’ due to the increasing use of media as central to human life. Media theory has taken a ‘mediality’: it now exists as the place in the middle of or in between all things. When you consider this in a practical sense, about where and when you rely on media, it’s hard to disprove this theory. The innovation, interaction and immersive world that the digital age has to offer its users promises of a future of development, rapid change and virtual reality. There is an illusion of control, power and progress. But what does this all mean, in Attenborough’s reality?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">At the cost of rainforests, poisoning water ways and plastic waste, we can now celebrate Healthcare which has improved dramatically. As a direct result of digital developments, it promises up to 75% of developed nations having digitalized records and more autonomy over heir health care and access to treatment in the near future. However, according to weforum.org, “Reaching the most disadvantaged and truly transforming their circumstances requires a significant shift in mindset.” In terms of business, technology is seen to be advancing not only corporate purpose, but smart-automation (as well as killing jobs, its creating them and changing the skill sets employers are looking for) and “Global wealth”, which “has increased since the beginning of industrialization in the early 19th century” (<a href="http://pwc.nl/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">pwc.nl</span></a>). </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Consider the use of the internet - the old, beep beep beep routers and modems are gathering dust, relics of a not-to-distant past. You can now access infinite possibilities from the flick of a finger, a tap of a tablet and from the comfort of your phone, which conveniently fits in your pocket. Who’d have imagined that in post-World War 1946? The first computer - catchily named ENIAC and measuring a humble 1800 square feet - is a far cry from the adept, sleek and shiny handsets we have today. For a more comprehensive list of the changes in IT development I recommend you read this: <a href="https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/articles/internet-changed-everyday-life/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/articles/internet-changed-everyday-life/</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">With most people having access to the internet and immeasurable mounds of information, are we able to deal with this information correctly? Are we ready for having the world at our finger tips? And what does it mean for the world?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Proust explored the idea of reading. We are not predetermined, genetically, to read. We are predisposed to have and acquire language. We are genetically programmed to be able to and to want to communicate, orally or otherwise. But to read we have to be taught. Maryanne Wolf, in her book ‘Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain’ (2008) offers an idea about how and why the brain works or doesn’t work when we try to learn to read. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">In chapter one, she describes her thoughts about the “Google universe” that her children, and increasingly all of humanity’s children, are growing up in: “Will the constructive component at the heart of reading begin to change and potentially atrophy as we shift to computer-presented text, in which massive amounts of information appear instantaneously?” She also wonders whether the old and the new can exist harmoniously side by side, “can we preserve the constructive dimension of reading in our children alongside their growing abilities to perform multiple tasks and to integrate ever expanding amounts of information?” Interestingly, she poses ideas about why the dyslexic brain may be better suited to a futuristic world of technology - as designers, creative thinkers and visually strong people, they could flourish in a computerized multi-modal world.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">So what does the technological future hold for humanity? We can read widely and delve into the ether as much as we want and as far as we like, or dare to go... but the only way we will truly know the answer to this is to live the life we choose and the life that has been chosen for use by our predecessors - the inventors and the surrealists, the artists and scientists, the teachers and students. And if, in the meantime, we can use our technological advancements to reduce the impact of humanity on the climate and environment, I am all for it. Otherwise we’ll need to coin a name for a post-geological world defined by humanity’s destruction of the Earth’s systems.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-4826531717248664022019-01-06T22:54:00.002+01:002019-02-28T20:30:52.059+01:00Draft #1: A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose... but this ain’t no rose!<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Academies. Built on promises, promises which ultimately concluded with: promises of a better education system for the UK. Promises of </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">better schools</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">. Promises of “No more failing schools”! No more mediocre! But what is really happening behind the closed doors of our local ‘Academised’ Community Colleges and Schools? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Since 2000, and the coalition government, the goal was to replace underperforming and ‘failing’ schools by giving them more autonomy. What this meant was that school leaders were given a wad of cash to distribute how they saw fit... however, unlike previously LA supported schools, they would not receive any further cash support and would have to generate income year on year, much like a business.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Parents were invited to welcome in the new age of academies. In deprived and desperate areas of the UK, the Government gave a golden carrot to Head teachers and gave them the power to be free from the Local Authority (LA) ball and chain. Some of the official lines were: “Academies, operating in England, are publicly funded independent schools... Academies benefit from greater freedoms to help innovate and raise standards. These include freedom from local authority control, the ability to set their own pay and conditions for staff, freedom around the delivery of the curriculum and the ability to change the lengths of terms and school days” (<a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219167/v01-2012ukes.pdf"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/219167/v01-2012ukes.pdf</span></a>). </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Freedom equals innovation. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Freedom equals greater success.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The LAs, they implied, are failing the school system, letting down our children by inadequate support and by wasting tax payers money. They stressed that by giving Headteachers of Academies more power, over pay, conditions and curriculum, children would do better in school. Quite how this would work - the mechanics of the scheme, were (and still are) a grey area.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">However, freedom also equals responsibility.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Freedom ffrom Government support.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Freedom from local authority support.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">And so, LA support teams were at risk of losing their jobs. Subsequently, the LA ‘businesses’ became privatized and some staff saved their jobs. Others moved onto pastures new.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">This left Academies having to pay separately, from their wad of cash, for the ‘newly privatized’ support systems. This included important external provisions like educational psychologists, educational welfare officers, caterers and so on. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Hang on. They privatized LA provisions? Yes. Those local authority provisions that were judged inadequate and a burden to the schools systems were bought up by private firms. Who saw that coming? Not me. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">But Babcock, for example, did: a private firm, also specializing in Nuclear warfare, with a finger in the pie of NHS privatization and the privatization on National Rail... hmmm. According to their own website, babcock<a href="http://international.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">international.com</span></a>, “Babcock International is a multinational corporation headquartered in the United Kingdom. It specialises in managing complex assets and infrastructure. Although the company has civil contracts, its main business is with public bodies, particularly the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence and Network Rail.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">It feels to me like they had almost had a ‘heads up’, as they say: the company invested in ‘buying up’ LA services (which were deemed corrupt and failing) and then charge schools for a private service. These services, which would have previously fallen under the LA remit and would not have cost the schools more than an annual subscription, suddenly became expensive extras they can’t always stretch to. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">It’s kind of like paying your taxes and having access to an annual subscription to a medicine you need and then being told that they’ve stopped that deal. That your taxes no longer include that medicine. Then they say they’re going to give you a lump sum of money, to help (which by the way also has to be used for other people’s medicine). But that each month’s subscription is going to cost you three times as much... it doesn’t take a maths specialist to work out that the lump sum is quickly going to run out and that you’re going to have to make difficult decisions about whether to buy the medicine (which you need) and/or who to buy it for. So it’s kind of like that but also not at all like that. Because I could also just be describing what is happening in the NHS, couldn’t I?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Anyway, after underperforming Academies were not improving in this scheme, in 2010 the Government encouraged schools that had been rated Outstanding to become academies themselves. Then they could ‘buddy up’ with local underperforming academies to form Mutli-Academy Trusts (MATs). Suddenly the status of Academies rose - there were, for once, Outstanding Academies... not achieved quite the way we were sold it, but achieved by signing up more schools that already held an Outstanding OFSTED rosette.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Under the MAT initiative, a group of schools - or rather their governors - appoints a CEO (usually a previous Headteacher) who oversees all the schools, as well as all of the Head teachers and subsequent staff and students. What they actually do is beside the point. And what they actually earn, according to Sir David Carter (ex-south was regional CEO) is “good value for money”.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Suddenly that wad of cash provided to the Academy, by the Government, has been used up paying for another level of management, putting schools into a deeper deficit - which is further exacerbated by cuts to Government spending in schools (in real terms). I won’t go into this right now - I am sure you’ve seen the headlines?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">What about those promises? To “innovate and raise standards”? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">The truth is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">, despite the introduction of CEOs, MAT coordination between schools (which actually already happened and was managed by the LAs) and pie in the sky aim to reduce poorly performing schools, </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">the education system is struggling. Really struggling. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">You may have seen the BBC program ‘School’? If you didn’t, I’d recommend you watch some of it for a flavor of the system as it stands today.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">These highly paid CEOs are not radicalizing education or driving up results and performance. Head teachers are forced to make cuts, but where? From experience and anecdotes, it is the lower end, the ‘under achievers’ and the special education sector, and post-16 that are hardest hit. A national attempt to keep schools at the top of the league tables mean Headteachers are unwilling to let their results slip and so high performers, higher previous attainers and in particular, closing the gap between girls and boys, are the main foci.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">This is not the reality of the Academy dream, I am certain. Or at least I am hopeful. When the coalition government chose this course for our community colleges and schools I am sure they didn’t imagine that Academies would fail. The really shocking thing, for me at least and I am sure for others, is that they are lying about the value and progress of Academies. Through the freedom of information act you can access the results of academies. Or you can look up schools and academies results here through the gov.uk website and do the sums yourself: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=phase&geographic=all&region=0&phase=secondary&orderby=MINORGROUP&orderdir=asc&datatype=freetext&sortpolicy= . You can also read some concerns about it in a bbc article from 2016 here: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/education-36014563"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.bbc.com/news/education-36014563</span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The findings from a recent report by the Education Policy Institute are very interesting and are </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">based on evidence </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">(also it was led by independent investigators and experienced educators - see page 2 for their impressive roles and responsibilities), and it can be found here: https://epi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/EPI_-Impact_of_Academies_Consolidated_Report-.pdf.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">“Our evidence points to an initial (and significant) improvement in GCSE scores in the year prior to and after becoming a sponsored academy. However, we cannot attribute this trend to anything that may have been implemented by the academy sponsor – as it, in part, occurred before academisation. It may however be a result of the incentives generated by the academisation policy, which the government may well argue is a success in itself. Alternatively, it could be that these schools were improving in any case (perhaps as a result of competitive pressures or other interventions targeting schools likely to be subject to ‘forced’ sponsored academy conversion), and so the fact that they became academies is not relevant. Further analysis is required to try and establish whether there is a direct, causal impact of a school becoming a sponsored academy on attainment.“</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Why is this happening? A new White Paper proposal, laid out in 29th April 2016 version, read: “The White Paper proposes that local authorities would no longer maintain schools, and an all academy system would be created. The proposed system would include:</span></div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">A reformed role for local authorities, focusing on duties such as ensuring sufficiency of school places, supporting vulnerable pupils, and acting as a champion for parents;</span></li>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">When under discussion in the House of Commons, Government officials raised their concerns, concerns that seem to have been silenced over the years: “The proposals have proved highly controversial. In particular, questions have been raised about the desirability of such large-scale reforms in the context of other challenges, the impact on local democracy and teachers’ pay and condition of an all academy system, and whether sufficient MAT capacity can be created to provide a high quality academised system. The question of whether academy status is in itself a boost to school standards has also been a key focus of the debate.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">One more thing to consider before I go. If Academies are the education system for the future - to bring UK education in line with the most successful in the world: essentially the use of MATs has been awarded the golden globe of education (despite no evidence of a positive impact) - then why have the government needed to set up the The Regional School Commissioners?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">What’s that? I hear you ask. I had to ask it too. I’ll let <a href="https://schoolsweek.co.uk/regional-school-commissioner-pay-revealed/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://schoolsweek.co.uk/regional-school-commissioner-pay-revealed/</span></a> explain: “the commissioners are part of the government’s middle tier of accountability for academies, brought in last September and tasked with tackling underperformance and boosting the number of academy sponsors... In December, in a written answer to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, the DfE’s permanent secretary Chris Wormald gave the estimated running costs for the RSCs and their offices for the first year as £4.5 million.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">A middle man is a middle man is a middle man is a middle man.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Goodbye education funding.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Goodbye promises.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-15764998115990606102018-11-28T12:58:00.001+01:002018-12-04T08:53:31.297+01:00Finish this sentence: “The future is...”<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The future is not orange (a clever commercial campaign that has longevity, humor, something of the ridiculous about it). The future to me seems grey, smothered in a thick, shocking and blinding fog.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The future is... </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">What would you say the future is? For you, for the elderly, children, those who require special assistance? It’s important we stop to think.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">For some young people currently going through the education system, they don't see a bright future. An inspiring young man, Michael, spoke at an NEU rally on November 20th. He joined thousands of teachers, parents and MPs marching to the Department of Education (DfE) to raise awareness and promote growing feelings of outrage, shock and disappointment towards real-term funding cuts to special needs, post-16 and early years education facilities in the UK. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">At 11 years old, he stated confidently and clearly that he felt he had “missed his chance” at an education. He spoke eloquently about his experience of being abandoned by his school which was unable to provide for his needs. Michael, like 700,000 people in the UK (that’s roughly 1 in 100), has autism (<a href="http://autism.org.uk/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">autism.org.uk</span></a>). His closing line was what hit home the most: “we are the ones who will be looking after you when you’re old, so look after us now.” How can anyone deny the truth in that?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">So what is making Michael feel this way and what can we do to alleviate this sad, sorry state of affairs?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The NEU, the largest teaching union body with over 500,000 members, called for a rally to the DfE as part of a wider initiative and series of events to raise public awareness of the real terms effects of budget cuts and belt tightening required by schools leaders. In addition, they are balloting members and calling for #handsup support through social media to force the Government to amend their failing promises, which amounts to </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">12%</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> of public spending UK (that’s about £34bn). There are serious concerns about the impact of the 2018 budget announcements by The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond on schools, early learning centers and sixth forms across the country, particularly in low economic areas and in low income families, who are already feeling damaging and demoralizing effects of the new Universal Credit system.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">A short scan of the new UK TV series ‘School’ is enough to provide a behind-the-scenes honest account of the real lives and everyday challenges of students, teachers, parents and the expectations of leadership in school - whose success varies greatly across the UK. This seems like a great and accessible way to reach the greater public. Unfortunately, it might not reach the eyes and ears of those in power unless the public take action and speak out, write to their MPs and support their local schools.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">So on behalf of all children, all parents, all teachers and leaders who are trying to look after every child in their care, I appeal to the Government to look carefully at their budgets and spending, to look carefully at what they invest their money in: are Academies really making the difference they promised? And how much did it cost the UK taxpayer to bail out Carillion, the firm hired by the Government to complete school building developments?).</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Dear </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Government - think carefully about who the money is for? Because it certainly sounds like, at the moment, it’s not for Michael.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-20378854279152844922018-11-14T10:56:00.002+01:002018-11-23T16:24:15.554+01:00A Letter of Application...When ever you are applying for jobs, after filling out the personalized, bespoke to each company/school/Organisation (pain in the ass) form - which basically asks for your CV different format that can’t be copied and/or pasted into, you quite often have to also write a motivational letter. I was once asked to write it as an educational philosophy...<br />
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I really loved this. I got into it and worked on it for hours... it was the first time someone has asked me - why do you do it? Why are you a teacher, really? What’s in it for you? And it was the first time I had to use my values and beliefs to justify getting a job. Not just over a pint with a friend or in the staff room with like-minded people.<br />
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Here was my first attempt:<br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">Dear Sir/Madam,</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">I have been teaching for 11 years, completing my PGCE Secondary teaching qualification twelve years ago in 2006-7. However, I still feel that there is still an incredible amount to learn and to discover about teaching, learning and about myself, as a teacher. That is one of the joys of this career. Every day is a new challenge, an exciting journey, for everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">As a lover of learning I instill in my students a joy for discovery, an understanding that it is ok to make a mistake and to use these errors as a way of finding humor, finding something else and maybe more than you planned, to be adaptable and to be a conscious, awake person in this ever changing, fast paced and exciting society that we are a part of. Working collaboratively is very important to learning - whether it is group work, discussion, debate, problem solving or research, children need to learn the social skills and communication skills required to exist in the ‘real world’. Equally, I understand and promote the benefits of working alone - finding space and quiet with yourself is a very important skill that we all, but particularly young people, need to be trained to do. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">As such, I see school as an opportunity to not only acquire knowledge and understanding, and a place where learning is facilitated by passionate, educated, inspiring staff and peers, but - as well as this - school is a community: it is a place where every student should be able to find a sense of place, a sense of who they are, who they want to be and have the guidance and support to work out how they can achieve this. As well as an acceptance that this can change and evolve as they grow as an individual. Because they are all individual and unique.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">I have a record of success with my classes - this year I achieved a 100% grade 5-9 pass rate; of a class of 32 they achieved 11 grade 9s (to put this into perspective, there were only 14 grade 9s in the whole of the Year 11 cohort (250students), in the English department). In previous years I have also helped my students achieve 96% and 100% grades A*-C. Last year, one of my A level English Language and Literature student achieved A** which I am very proud of: he worked hard and was over the moon with his achievements. This I hope shows my consistency and my commitment - two elements of my professional attitude that help me to achieve ongoing successes. That and an ability to reflect, share and grow.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">In addition to my commitments to the students I teach, I have spent the last two years as Deputy Team Leader for KS5: my role has been to coordinate the A level English Language an Literature and the English Literature courses across the whole school. This year we achieved outstanding results as a team. As well as this, I organized extra-curricular opportunities for all of the A level students, such as: The Big Debate (with a panel of six guests - six members of the public from different careers - debating hot topics and challenging issues put forward students from my school and other schools, who were invited to attend), theatre trips, University seminars, visiting authors, careers meetings and 1:1 mentoring. These extra opportunities are something I feel very passionate about.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 11pt;">Yours Sincerely,</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-26733855503225422122018-11-05T13:43:00.002+01:002018-11-05T13:43:29.399+01:00The Gender Gap - is it real or is it fantasy?<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(89, 121, 63); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #59793f; font-family: Superclarendon; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: -0.5px;">Why is it that males, compared to females, underperform at school and yet outperform women post-school?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: Superclarendon-Light; font-size: 24pt;">The conundrum of The Education System vs. The Corporate World...</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">As a committed teacher, working in the UK state school system for several (11) years, the annual start-of-term, post-summer holiday, meeting would always include a section on the Summer Exam Results; as well as the headlines, and department achievements (putting backs up and creating a culture of competition between staff before term starts - thanks!), the most significant discussion would be about the </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">gender gap in education</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">. Not just in our school but nationally. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">There are many reports available to show this is a ‘problem’ for children who attend school (not including the “263 million children, adolescents and youth [who] were out of school, representing nearly one-fifth of the global population of this age group” <a href="http://uis.unesco.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">uis.unesco.org</span></a> reports, 2016). The <a href="http://gendertrrust.org.uk/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">gendertrrust.org.uk</span></a> reports that, in the UK, “data analysis suggests that boys are struggling to keep up with girls at key curriculum milestones. By Key Stage 2 (7 to 11 year olds) girls are already moving ahead of boys in their test scores. In the 2015 test scores, around 83% of girls achieved a level 4 or higher score, whereas only 77% of boys in the same age group were able to attain level 4 or higher. These trends continued up to GCSE level, with around 10% more girls earning 5 or more A* – C grades than boys who were achieving the same standard.” From experience, year-on-year, the gap keeps widening, despite strategies, endless meetings and the ritual bollocking of teachers who don’t know what else to do...</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">Head teachers would herd their sun bleached, bleary eyed staff: teachers, support staff, office staff and caretakers, together in the dreary main hall, sitting them like a naughty class on hard plastic chairs facing the front, and ask them: “looking at the results for this year groups, it would seem that females have outperformed makes by ...%. That’s an increase on last year. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: underline;">What do we need to do to ‘close the gap’ on gender?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">” They never offered an answer and I never felt that I had the right one (unless, of course, they accepted the utopian vision shared by the hopeful among us that if we tore up the Tory funded National Curriculum (looking everywhere, I could </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: underline;">not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;"> uncover the cost of this... but I did find out that the new SATs cost £44millions for schools in their first year!) and created an exciting and engaging learning environment focused on and designed for our learners and their needs, preparing them for the ‘real world’ and including a range of practical and literature cross-curricular based study, with a focus on health and wellbeing, employment experience and effective careers advice... you know, like the successful Finnish do it. Other than that, I never found out the answer to this question). </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">Around the world, Head teachers are singing to the same tune as they share a duty: to provide a successful learning experience for all. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS - the official and trusted source of internationally-comparable data on education, science, culture and communication) has a duty too. As part of the International Observatory on Equity and Inclusion in Education, their mission is for the achievement of: “Sustainable Development Goals (<a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">SDGs</span></a>), with <a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg4"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">Target 4.5</span></a> specifically aiming to “eliminate gender disparities and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations” (<a href="http://uis.unesco.org/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">uis.unesco.org</span></a>). So with all this hot air and policy making, why are males continuing to be thwarted by our educational establishments whilst reveling in the real world?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">I don’t know, is my answer.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">Perhaps the questions leaders should be asking are not only </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">why</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;"> is there this ‘gender attainment gap’ in school but </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">how</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;"> is it that these very same ‘underachieving’ males go on to have the most lucrative, successful careers compared to their female counterparts - which leads us onto the next highly contested phenomenon: the ‘gender pay gap’?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">One of the issues might be the deeply embedded popularity, in many cultures, to focus on RESULTS as a measure of schooling success. Results are religiously and rigorously compared against peer groups and year groups this creating a system which ignores the individual differences between students and removes their autonomy. In other words, maybe male students are </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: underline;">not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;"> performing after all! Schools might be using the wrong measurements for success...?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">Secondly, the school environment. How well are modern schools adapted to the learners - learners who now own a computerized phone from the age of 4 or 5, can coherently communicate electronically from a similar age and has a network of friends and followers by the time they are starting secondary school? Have you seen the popularity of the YouTube channels these youngsters are setting up? Yet when they enter a school they are forced to sit, faceless, complacently, in plastic chairs listening, writing, reading from white boards and papers, demanded to remember up to eleven different subjects (whose content are dictated by the ‘new’ 2016 National Curriculum, which is in fact backwardly set in a ‘slimmed down’ archaic model selected by ex-education minister Michael Gove and written by civil servants, with no teaching experience) - not because it’s that young person’s passion or strength - but because the Government has decided it is so. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic;">And what for?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;"> Each student has to pass up to twenty exams in the summer. Is it any wonder that there are reports of a rise in poor mental health, stress, anxiety and battles with identity? And I’m sorry school leaders, adding ‘mental health and wellbeing’ to ten minutes of tutor time once a day isn’t even scratching the surface or contesting this complication. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">This autocratic style schooling system doesn’t seem to suit our male learners, yet they still go onto to be managers, bosses and leaders in many companies and corporations. Despite this, school seems to nurture many females into achieving outstanding results year on year, yet in later life they fall off the band wagon. Is it fortuitous? Or do schools need to adopt a business model system to strive for and possibly achieve more equal gender attainment, or to ‘close the gap’?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">School: a controlled environment, offering lack of choices, of free movement, of opportunities to explore and express independence or identity. All concluding in a few momentous months of examinations, back to back, followed by a long wait and then a brief arrival of the envelope with your results: success or failure, future or no future, joy or shame...</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">Work place: a controlled environment, offering an abundance of more autonomous choices that demand self motivation and self reflection: what do I want to do, what tasks do I want to take and how will I undertake them, what are my strengths and where do I need more support or training; offering chances to specialize, to have successes and receive rewards, bonuses and social recognition (and not only once at the end of your career!). And of course, there are more serious consequences if the work isn’t done: you could lose your job, lose your wages, lose face amongst your peers and more.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">So females lead in schools and males overtake them post-school. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">But the UN and UNSECO, as well as other organizations, want themto be going head to head in school exams for the top grades </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">and </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">in the board room for the top jobs. What is the future of this gender inequality battle?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">The introduction of a ‘gender equality quota’ has been issued in many countries to level out the playing field. Governments are promoting the use of quotas to curb ‘inequality’ in employment and provide a preference for the minority group in question, or reduce common cases of “preferential treatment” - for instance, when candidates are </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic;">equally qualified</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">, a man is almost always appointed for the job. Is this the best way of striving for equality in the (corporate) world? And, how powerful is an equality employment quota: is it not discriminating in itself? In a statement by Linda Senden, Professor of European Law, an expert in the field of European equality of the sexes and a member of the Utrecht University hub of a Gender and a Diversity, she aims to settle these concerns: “A quota arrangement is not discriminating in and of itself, but merely aims to prescribe a certain result.” The results are often without sanction but some are, such as a fine. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">In California they seem to be making history with the introduction of SB 826: this is a new bill that “requires California-based public companies to have at least one woman on their boards of directors by the end of calendar year 2019.” According to <a href="http://www.lexology.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">www.lexology.com</span></a>, “Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law on Sept. 30 that requires publicly held companies headquartered in California to include women directors on their board of directors.” Sounds like a pioneering move by the US state. Sadly, however, this newly born bill has already faced fault finding as there seem to be a number of loop holes that could affect how the bill is applied.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;"> In the Netherlands, gender inequality is acknowledged yet the Government moved the goalposts: the 2016 30% target was changed to 2020 because it wasn’t being met. “There is a women's quota in the form of a target figure: on 1 January 2020, 30 % of the seats in big companies must be occupied by women. A good ambition, but as long as this isn't tied to strict sanctions, it's mostly a symbolic arrangement,” commented Sinden. Doesn’t moving the date make a mockery, somewhat, of the whole proceedings?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">The Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency report that: “Australia, along with many countries worldwide, has made significant progress towards gender equality in recent decades, particularly in education, health and female workforce participation.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">However, the gender gap in theAustralian workforce is still prevalent; women continue to earn less than men, are less likely to advance their careers as far as men, and accumulate less retirement or superannuation savings. At the same time, men have less access to family-friendly policies such as parental leave or flexible working arrangements than women.” With the rise in stay-at-home dads and bread winning women isn’t it time country policies caught up?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">The UN has been a driving force for change; they recognize the benefits of a world of equality, evenness and equanimity. Gender equality is defined as, “not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.” It is evident that change is happening: for instance, compared to 18% in 2007, in 2017 in “46 countries, women now hold more than 30 per cent of seats in national parliament in at least one chamber.” Positive progress.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: AvenirNext-Regular; font-size: 14pt;">Thankfully, talking about ‘gender equality’ has moved the debate quite far in a few years: its no longer the stale conversation about men vs. women, or Mars vs. Venus. From now on, there is a need to engage in exchanges that mean ‘gender’ encompasses all people and all identities - cross-gender, trans-gender, non-binary individuals, the whole of society! Perhaps we need to stop talking about ‘gender’ altogether and start to focus on ‘individuals’ as learner, member of society, employee. Subsequently, don’t we need school, societal and employment systems and laws which give equal weighting to ANYONE, irrelevant of their gender, sexuality, race, class status? So we can stop talking about the ‘gender gap’ and start finding ways of helping everyone to be their best, whoever they are.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-756481741120650372018-11-01T16:27:00.000+01:002018-11-01T16:27:03.915+01:00Four well-being ways to save you this Christmas season<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 22px; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 24pt; font-weight: bold;">This festive season, what don’t you want?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">‘</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 13pt;">‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la” blah blah blah - a traditional time when we strive to be jolly, to coordinate fun with friends and family, light a candle and remember those lost and celebrate new additions. But what does the cost of Christmas need to be? </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;">In this weeks post I will suggest some Wellbeing ways to help cut back on some unnecessary evils this wintry season.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">Wellbeing way 1</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Before the madness commences, if it hasn’t already (some of you Christmas keenos have been hoarding presents all year, haven’t you? Be honest!), forget ‘to do’ and make</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> ”To don’t” list</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Take a moment. Reflect on those things you end up doing </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">every</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> year and maybe slightly resenting. If you are still holding onto any bad feelings or bad memories, let them go and forgive yourself. At this time of year, more than others, we all too often have to put ourselves out for other people; we are haunted by that mountain of unavoidable tasks (the cogs of Christmas) and that tremendous ‘to do’ list... as well as wanting to change the pace and purpose of Christmas this year, maybe you acknowledge that there are other things (bad habits?) that you would like to change for yourself: we know we sometimes make poor choices when we’re stressed, anxious, over-worked and tired... how can we ensure that it’ll be a healthy and happy Christmas this year? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">So don’t wait for the New Year to make resolutions (you’ll have burnt out by then), pick up a pen and paper or your note book, iPad, phone, whatever takes your fancy, maybe even a quill, and make a list of things you don’t want: </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">make a ‘To Don’t’ list </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">. Here are a few of mine: don’t judge, please...</span></div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Don’t fall asleep on the sofa - a decent nights sleep can really make the world of difference. </span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Don’t buy more than meaningful presents - spend a little more on a little less and opt for ethical, sustainable and local choices (see Wellbeing way 3 below). </span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 12px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Don’t have the second bottle... am I alone here? After a bottle has been comfortably consumed, everyone is feeling merry, there’s a delicious moment of temptation when another bottle seems like the absolutely best idea and right thing to do. Unfortunately, one leads to two, to three, to... getting off with an inflatable Father Christmas. And a nasty hangover to boot writing off the next day, adding to the stress and strain of an already busy time.</span></li>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">Wellbeing way 2</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Rather than Christmas cards this year, take time to </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">make a personal ‘Christmas Call’. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Don’t opt for the e-card substitutes. Although they may well be one way to save the trees - Christmas card and wrapping paper production contributes to an estimated 30 million trees being cut down (see wellbeing way 4 for some waste saving tips) - they are even less personal than the sentiment a hand written card can achieve. Your friendship is important; it’s scientifically proven that hearing a human voice can improve a sense of identify, wellbeing and other mental health benefits (<a href="https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/health/health-studies/mental-health/why-friendships-are-vital-your-wellbeing"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/health/health-studies/mental-health/why-friendships-are-vital-your-wellbeing</span></a>).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Because your ‘to don’t’ list has been so effective, you will find yourself with more time to do the things that will warm your heart, giving you a glow from the inside out; the sharing of love will light you up like a festive fire place. What do you need to do? Simple. Find somewhere to sit down (somewhere comfy... in bed even!), have a nice drink on the side, get your phone book or contacts open and make some Christmas calls. Everyone will be busy this time of year so keep it short, meaningful like a Christmas card note and you’ll both feel better for it. It could be a chance to arrange an overdue meet up, another call - when you’ve got more time in the New Year perhaps, or a time to exchange addresses/email addresses for some ‘life updates’!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">Wellbeing way 3</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">If you’re determined to shower your loved ones with presents this year, for what ever reasons, then </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic;">please -</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> I implore - adorn them with ethical, sustainable and/or local choices. There are lots of places you can do this that can fit around your lifestyle, so there are no excuses. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; font-size: 11pt;">😉</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The World Wide Web does exactly that - connects us across the whole wide world over the web. Online shops are abundant with a plethora of ethical, sustainable projects in other countries and within your country of residence. You’ll find companies and organizations that have made a bridge between the haves and the have nots. If you read their ‘about us’ section you’ll be able to find out about the better pay conditions, living conditions and education programs these groups are setting up for locals living and working there.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Alternatively, find out when your local flea market is, put in your diary when the late night Christmas shopping event is in your local shops (not those big high street giants) and/or check local facebook pages or if your short on time, check out the local shop’s online proffering. They have families to support too remember and by </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">shopping local </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you are cutting out the middle man whilst contributing to the UK economic success of these small, independent stores. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">If you’re like me and always struggle with superfluous Christmas present purchasing my advice is to: 1. Talk to the person/people you’re buying for. 2. Make a list of things you think they’ll like. Make a budget per present if you need to, 3. Take spare bags (don’t accept plastic bags from stalls and shops). 4. Wander through the market or street and buy on impulse - trust your nose to sniff out something </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">Wellbeing way 4</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Your </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">‘to don’t’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> list has proven a hit; your colleagues, sister in law and uncle have made their own too because you have been raving about it! If that’s not ‘sharing is caring’ in it’s purest form I don’t know what is. You have made some successful </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">Christmas calls, </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you’ve gathered gifts and now need to prepare them for the receivers. There are many ways of making those seasonal surprises suitably wrapped without buying some ghastly, generic paper or pointless plastic wrapping paper. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">More importantly, there are health benefits to you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> - taking part in creative activities can improve your wellbeing so why not find out some crafty ways to wrap your gifts this year? </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">For instance, the Ardington School of Crafts found that “more people, (especially more men!), should take up a creative activity in order that they can benefit from better health and wellbeing, feel less anxiety but a stronger sense of purpose and achievement... study results show conclusively that </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(36, 103, 141); color: #24678d; font-size: 11pt;">people feel much happier, have a stronger sense of purpose and are more relaxed </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">because they are involved in arts and crafts activities.” The charity </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">mind</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;"> promotes ‘Crafternoons’ as a way to bring people together to be crafty and to “provide a safe environment for people to talk in”. Fancy getting your friends together to share wrapping ideas? You could set up a Christmas Crafternoon. Go to <a href="http://www.mind.org.uk/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">www.mind.org.uk</span></a> for more inspiration.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">Useful web links</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">These websites might provide a starting place for wrapping ideas (please don’t be put off by their ‘hippy-ish’ website names!) or search yourself for ‘green’ or environmentally friendly wrapping. It’s a wrap!</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://mindfullivingnetwork.com/earth-friendly-wrapping-paper/">http://mindfullivingnetwork.com/earth-friendly-wrapping-paper/</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://theartofsimple.net/eco-friendly-and-green-gift-wrapping-ideas-for-this-holiday-season/">https://theartofsimple.net/eco-friendly-and-green-gift-wrapping-ideas-for-this-holiday-season/</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.treehugger.com/culture/10-eco-friendly-alternatives-to-wrapping-paper.html">https://www.treehugger.com/culture/10-eco-friendly-alternatives-to-wrapping-paper.html</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://ecocult.com/15-eco-friendly-gift-wrap-ideas-that-look-chic-not-cheap/</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">These websites are my suggested starting places for exploring online ethical, sustainable and organic shopping options, but please explore your own avenues:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/online-ethical-marketplaces">https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/online-ethical-marketplaces</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://ethicalshop.org/">https://ethicalshop.org</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.peopletree.co.uk/">https://www.peopletree.co.uk</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Top Exeter local tip - my personal favorite: <a href="https://sanchosshop.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://sanchosshop.com/</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">You matter the most! For more on wellbeing and how to look after you and yours this Festive season use the links below:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/ten-christmas-wellbeing-tips/#.W9l9dRoo-f0">https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/your-stories/ten-christmas-wellbeing-tips/#.W9l9dRoo-f0</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au/about-think-mental-health/news-events/this-christmas-look-after-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-of-yourself-and-others/">https://www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au/about-think-mental-health/news-events/this-christmas-look-after-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-of-yourself-and-others/</a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">https://www.gov.im/media/1349896/10-ways-to-look-after-your-mental-health-at-christmas.pdf</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-59210401822377200752018-10-24T19:51:00.003+02:002018-10-24T19:51:47.005+02:00Sustainable Fashion: Making a Better Choice in Amsterdam<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 36px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 22px; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;">Making</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;">right</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 36pt; font-weight: bold;">choice</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">A</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">clothing</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">consciousness</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">evolution</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">happening</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">Europe</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">A</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">pioneering</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">movement</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">merging</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">re-cycling,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">up-cycling</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">AND</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">great</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">looks:</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">forward</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">thinking,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">ethically</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">minded</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">sustainable</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14pt;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">This</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cyclical</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">attitude</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">clothing</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">has</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">really</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">taken</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">off</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cycling</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">capital</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">world</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">-</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Amsterdam</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">There’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">much</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">here</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">us</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">learn</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">from</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">How</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">many</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">us</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">say</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">want</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">“make</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">better</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">choices”</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">shop</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">“ethically”?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Why?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">To</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">ensure</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">better</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">future</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">planet,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">our</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">children</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">children’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">children</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">We</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">watched</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘Before</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Flood’,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">directed</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Fisher</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Stevens,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">felt</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">riled</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">up!</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">We</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">do</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">our</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">bit</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">-</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">do</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">what</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">can:</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cut</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">down</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">on</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">single</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">use</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">plastics</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">take</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">time</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">separate</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">waste</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">into</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">recycling,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">buy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘bio’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">organic</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">free</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">range,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">walk</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">instead</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">drive,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">clothes</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">swap</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">friends,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">turn</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">off</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">TV</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">choose</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">book</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">But</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">when</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">talking</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">about</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">our</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">undeniably</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">attractive</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">friend</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">how</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">can</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">love</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">hate</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">her?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Straight</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">off</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">catwalk</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">into</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">our</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">lives</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">at</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">affordable</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">prices</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">from</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">high</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">can’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">pull</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">ourselves</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">away</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">from</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">lure</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">newest</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">look,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">unlimited</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">online</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">proffering</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">hands</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">up</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">if</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">can’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">wait</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">sale</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">time!</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">But</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cheap</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">clothes</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">don’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">exist,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">like</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cheap</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">food</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">doesn’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">exist</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Someone,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">somewhere,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">will</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">be</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">feeling</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">effects</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">desire</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">great</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">deal,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">desire</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">instilled</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">encouraged</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">us</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">our</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">friends</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">popular</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">industry,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">glossy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">magazines</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">glossy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">window</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">displays,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">flashy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">screens</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">easy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">navigate</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">browsers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">But</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">what</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">real</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cost</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">our</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">high</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">purchase?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">According</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘The</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">True</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Cost’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">there</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">“roughly</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">40</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">million</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">garment</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">workers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">world”</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">These</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">workers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">often</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">living</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">countries</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">do</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">share</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">same</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">human</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">rights</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">laws</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">as</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">our</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">own</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">THE</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">HUMAN</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">COST</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">So</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">how</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">violating</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">human</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">rights?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">2014</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Sustainability</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Report</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">investigated</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">294</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">supply</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">factories,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">shockingly</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">grading</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">them</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘E’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">false</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">reporting</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">child</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">labor,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">workplaces</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">were</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">dirty,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">unsafe,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">poorly</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">ventilated</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">profit</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">SACOM,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Students</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">&</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Scholars</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Against</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Misbehaviour</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">(in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">association</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Tokyo-based</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">human</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">rights</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">group</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Hong</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Kong</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">based</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Labour</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Action</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">organization),</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">released</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">reports</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">harsh</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">working</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">conditions</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Chinese</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">working</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">environments</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">violated</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">human</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">rights</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">After</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">2014</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Bangladesh</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">factory</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">collapsed,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">when</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">approximately</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">2,500</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">workers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">were</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">killed,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">label</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">UNIQLO</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">side</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">stepped</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">responsibility</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">deadly</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">disaster</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Despite</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">profiteering</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">from</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cheap</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">labour,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">renounced</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">responsibility</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">destruction</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">shattered</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">lives</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">left</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">devastation</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Disgusting</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Compare</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">this</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">report</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">“global</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">brands</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">bigger</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">than</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">ever</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">before</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">annual</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">revenues</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">billions,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">now</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">part</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">an</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">almost</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">3</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">trillion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">dollar</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">year</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">industry”</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">(true</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cost</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> <a href="http://movie.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">movie</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11pt;">com</span></a></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">)</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">It’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">difficult</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">accept</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">could</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">be</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fueling</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">this</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">economy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">shopping</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">high</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">stores</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">ETHICAL</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">AND</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">MORAL</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">CHALLENGE</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Reflecting</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">on</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">real</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">life</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">stories</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">like</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">these,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">presented</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">dilemma</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">runs</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">deeper</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">than</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">ever</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">before</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Have</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">faith:</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">there</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">way</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">shunning</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">support</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">this</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">screwed</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">up</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">system</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">mainstream</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">consumerism</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">we</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">can</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">still</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">get</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">brand</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">new,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">super</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">stylish</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">outfit</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Yes</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">-</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">there</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘better’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">options</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">out</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">there!</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">And</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Amsterdam</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">great</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">place</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">start</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">In</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">July</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">2018,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Amsterdam</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Week</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">promoted</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">recycling</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Whether</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">it</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">was</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">second</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">hand</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">items</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">given</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">make-over</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">or</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">scrap</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">materials</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">from</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">factories,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">organizers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">bragged</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">“80</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">percent</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">designs</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">were</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">sustainable</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">”</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">The</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">city</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">council</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">twinned</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Amsterdam</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Institute</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">(AMFI)</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Gerrit</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Rietveld</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Academy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">challenge</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">six</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">graduates</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">create</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">one</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">off</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">collections</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">from</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">left</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">over</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fabric</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Top</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Dutch</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">designers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">got</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">behind</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">this</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">event,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">making</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">strong</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">statement</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">their</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">involvement</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Dutch</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">veteran</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Ubbink</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">renounced</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cheap</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">throwaway</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">culture</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">statement</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">FashionUnited:</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">“People</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">should</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">take</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">more</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">care</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">what</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">buy,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">where</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">buy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">it</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">what</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">wear,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">especially</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">once</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they’ve</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">become</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">bored</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">it</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">.</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Although</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">most</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">high</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">brands</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">haven’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">quite</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">got</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">it</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">right,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">now</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">offering</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">something</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">rather</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">than</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">nothing</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">:</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">CONSCIOUS</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">(by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">H&M)</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">or</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Reclaim</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Wear</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">(by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Topshop),</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">offer</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘unique’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">organic</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">option</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Stores</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">including</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">UNIQLO,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Topshop,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">H&M,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Zara</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">acknowledge</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">there</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">work</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">be</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">done</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">have</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">responsibility</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">workers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">as</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">well</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">as</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">planet</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">signing</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">an</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">All-Product</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Recycling</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Initiative</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">or</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">pledging</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">environmental</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">commitments</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">It’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">heartening</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">step</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">right</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">direction!</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">But</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">those</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">us</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">who</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">determined</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">find</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">new</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">way</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">shop,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">change</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">lifestyle</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">perhaps,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">be</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">reassured</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">can</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">combine</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">ethical</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">choices</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">fashionable</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">outfits</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">But</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">might</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">have</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">turn</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">your</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">back</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">on</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">your</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">old</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">friend</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">high</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">until</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">up</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">their</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">game</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Dutch</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">designers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Dutch</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">public</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">leading</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">way</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">rest</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">us;</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">hope</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">world</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">will</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">follow</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">If</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">haven’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">planned</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">your</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">shopping</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">trip</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Amsterdam</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">yet,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">it’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">time</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">start</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(35, 35, 35); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #232323; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Hop</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">on</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">tram</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">or</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">take</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">metro</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">straight</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">into</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">stylish</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">unassuming</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">De</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Pijp</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">area</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Along</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">relaxed</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">tree</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">lined</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you’ll</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">find</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘Studio</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">JUX</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">+</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">co’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">flagship</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">store’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">nestled</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">between</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘Behind</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Pines’,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street-surf-snow</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">men’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">clothing</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">store,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">an</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">alternative</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">art</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">gallery</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">which</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">worth</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">look</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">A</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">short</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">stroll</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">away,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">parallel</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">iconic</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Albert</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Cuyp</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Market</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">which</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">was</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">established</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">1905,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you’ll</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">find</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘Charlie</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">+</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Mary’,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">offering</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">ethically</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">sourced</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">men</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">women</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">as</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">well</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">as</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">books</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">items</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">home</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Looking</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">something</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">closer</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">center?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Start</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">at</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Noumenon</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">-</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">vegan</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">fashion</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">brand,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">or</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">type</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">into</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">your</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">map</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘Geiten</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Wollen</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Winkel’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">on</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Utrechtstraat</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">find</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">out</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">more</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">about</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">sustainable</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">‘Goat’</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">brand:</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">won’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">regret</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">making</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">your</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">way</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">their</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">ethically</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">minded</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">store</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Everything</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">here</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">well-made,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">comfortable</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">AND</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">incredibly</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">stylish</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Whatever</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">look</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">want,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you’ll</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">find</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">something</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">worthy</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">only</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">that,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">it’s</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">better</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">world</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">better</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">your</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">conscience</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">You’ll</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">be</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">able</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">find</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">out</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">where</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">it</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">was</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">made,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">by</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">whom</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">which</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">initiative</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">is</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">involved</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">-</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">like</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">People</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Tree,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Matt</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">&</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Nat</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">-</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">how</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">supporting</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">communities</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">or</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">serving</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">world</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">True,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">some</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">items</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">priced</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">higher</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">than</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">what</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you’d</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">find</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">on</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">high</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">streets,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">yet</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">don’t</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">they</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;">need</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">be?</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Unlike</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">cheaper</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">popular</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">high</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">street</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">brands,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">each</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">piece</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">has</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">been</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">produced</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">in</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">safe</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">environment,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">with</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">better</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">workers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">rights</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">and</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">production</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">it</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">has</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">enabled</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">someone</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">to</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">be</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">paid</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">decent,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">fair</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">wage</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">so</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">that</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">their</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">lives</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">are</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;">better</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">... </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">So</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you’re</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">not</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">really</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">only</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">buying</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">new</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">outfit,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you’re</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">sponsoring</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">someone</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">for</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">better,</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">happier</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">life</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Yes</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">-</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">this</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">does</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">make</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">you</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">a</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">better</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">person</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">. </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">Feel</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">the</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">glow</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">of</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 11pt;">goodness</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: "Geeza Pro"; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-62889809375633198472018-09-05T14:09:00.000+02:002018-10-14T12:27:36.846+02:00How can one work with an interdisciplinary model in school?<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Baskerville; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 27px;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Working with the developmental system approach - can we successfully use an interdisciplinary approach in schools?</b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">When working with children in a school environment often the issues or problems are perceived from an narrow perspective - from inside the school and the immediate relationships the child has in school and their attitude towards learning and their behavior. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 12pt;">While parents are ‘invited into school’ to discuss issues and problems regarding their child’s negative school contributions, it is often the school that has an established behavior and sanctions system (which parents and children have to sign up to when their child joins the school). To deal with the negative behavior or attitude the child may go onto a report or log which teachers and tutors and Heads of Years will monitor each lesson and daily and the parents check every evening for instance.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Whilst these are all important and relevant, it is also necessary to include external factors, such as home life, parental engagement with the child and the child’s own experiences, hopes and dreams.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">To adopt the disciplinary approach, one would need to establish a system using all contributors: those working in the school, the local community, and the child’s family. You would need commitment from all parties to have success.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Perceived barriers could be:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">- Parental disengagement from the system</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">- A lack of confidence the system </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">- The perceived cost of time outweighing the benefits long term</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">- Manpower </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">- A lack of support from leadership</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Ways that you might be able to have an influence on these would to work alongside professionals and passionate individuals from a range of backgrounds and knowledge and experience to establish systems of accountability and success. Create a team.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Alongside this, the support and cooperation of the child is vitally important. The system almost needs to empower the child so that they feel a sense of responsibility for the positive change and parents also have to take a strong committed role whereby they are supporting the child first, before the school, and work to establish a positive relationship with them.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Barriers here could be: parental working conditions, poverty or wealth, home life, external influences such as peer groups, antisocial behavior from the parents, poor home environment, illness and so on.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;">Therefore it is important that when systems are being established there is communication between the teachers and staff and parents. Barriers need to be identified and not shameful for the parent to admit. Schools and local services need to recognize that these barriers may not be in the parents control and therefore help needs to be offered. This might be guidance and/or advice. But in order for the child to successfully benefit from the system, these all need to be addressed and all people involved need to work together.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 12pt;"> I suppose this sounds a lot like <b>community.</b></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5650114702296944327.post-31547253847819441082018-09-05T12:57:00.000+02:002018-09-05T12:57:20.566+02:00Welcome<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Welcome to wellbeingwithrosie’s blog</h3>
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If you have made it here then we (most likely) already share a lot in common, or perhaps you’re looking into wellbeing & what it means to you... or perhaps you are here because you are opposite to me. For whatever reason, you’re welcome.</div>
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A little about me - but not too much!</div>
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I have moved to the Netherlands with my bf. he got a new job offer here and we thought why not? It offers a chance to start a new kind of life, to try something new and to challenging ourselves in many ways. So we quit our jobs, packed up our houses and drove my tiny car full to the brim onto the ferry and successfully made the crossing to NL.</div>
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The hardests thing so far (other than missing our friends & family) is the language. Although everybody we have met so far speaks English (or Engels), it is mine and my bf’s interest to learn the basics of Dutch. He - for work. Me (Ik I should write) - so that I can integrate more into society here. Both of us - when we are traveling around to smaller, localized areas of NL bikes, we shouldn’t assume that the people living there will speak English. This would be narrow minded and lazy. Thus we battle on with our languages learning and question Dutch people we meet about pronunciation. So far, nee goed!</div>
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Before we moved I was a Secondary School English Teacher for 11 years, plus my training year, and over that time I have seen the system go full circle.</div>
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I worked in six schools in my 11 years. I valued every experience - even though it was hard making new acquaintances and new professional relationship and learning new systems - but I don’t believe I would have made the professional progress I did made without moving schools. If you’re a teacher and considering changing schools I would advise you to take that risk and experience working at a number of schools - you’ll gain an incredible amount both personally and professionally. And if it doesn’t work out, research the schools in the area where you’d like to live & apply to those that reach out to you and connect with your values.</div>
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I love being a teacher. I love working with teenagers (rather than primary school age) because they are bolshie, fun and make everyday different. I love working hard and researching and discovering new ways of teaching the curriculum to engage all learners. And to not get bored teaching!<br />
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However, towards the end of my previous roles, I felt as though I wasn’t finding time for the things that I love about the job, the things I love about working in a fast paced school environmental and the things that kept me in the professaion for over a decade.</div>
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Those things were:</div>
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- Research</div>
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- Relationships</div>
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- Extra Curricular</div>
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- A sense of humor </div>
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- Personal Development: my own interests and looking after me.<br />
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And that is why I am dedicating time to wellbeing. My own. Others. Everyone. </div>
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