In October, the US consumer price index for garments rose by 1.1 per cent month-over-month, reversing prior declines in 2023. Current clothing prices are 7.6 per cent higher than 2019 averages. Import prices for cotton-heavy apparel stabilised at $3.70/SME, still above pre-pandemic levels. Consumer confidence rose to its highest since January 2024, with spending on apparel up 1.7 per cent YoY.

Tax Manager Chrysa Cousley, CPA, has been named has been named the 2024 Outstanding Young Professional by the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants (MOCPA). The annual MOCPA Impact Award for Outstanding Young Professional honors one CPA under the age of 35 who serves as an emerging and dynamic leader in the profession. This recognition...

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We recommend that every transportation company strive to have a 10-30% cash reserve. Why? Keep reading to find out.   First let’s cover what a cash reserve is. A cash reserve is a portion of your revenue set aside to navigate obstacles in your path to profitability or seize unforeseen opportunities. Maybe you will need to...

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Dutch company Airback has invented a backpack that can shrink its contents. Their eponymous backpack ($185) features a zippered airtight compartment with a port; once you've stuffed this compartment full, you attach either a household vacuum cleaner, or the company's small electric pump, to the port.

All of the air gets sucked out of the compartment, compressing the clothing within. The company reckons this allows you to cram in 50% more stuff.

The backpack also has a scale built into the handle, so you can avoid exceeding airline weight limits and being forced to check it at the airport.

The overall design is quite intelligent, featuring a passport stash pocket, a locking laptop compartment, bottle holder and more:

Following the popularity of the backpack—which was Kickstarted to the tune of €350,000 (USD ~$380,000), they designed a smaller Airback Go ($152) which fits beneath an airplane seat. This design lacks the scale in the handle.

There's also a larger Airback Max ($361), which boasts rollers and a telescoping handle…

…as well as the Airback Next ($416), a hard-sided carry-on roller.

All of the bags feature a built-in USB-C port, to which you can connect your own powerbank.

The company's separately-sold pump runs $52. One does wonder what to do if either that or the handle scale breaks. For their part, the company says "we've committed to a circular system - allowing you to send your bag back to us when it's lived its life, whereupon we, along with our partners, will give it a new purpose." However, what I'd prefer to see is some mention of repair options.

Kia Design Center America unveiled a funky concept EV van at this week's SEMA show. This PV5 WKNDR is intended to be "an ideal escape pod for extended weekends in nature."

Among its unusual features are a steering wheel that pivots out of the way (sort of), a pivoting passenger seat and a pull-out unit they're calling a "Gear Head:"

The PV5 WKNDR EV VAN features a highly flexible and adaptable modular interior that can be easily and efficiently customized to maximize space and function – akin to a Swiss Army Knife on wheels.

The van's "Gear Head" feature is the first-of-its-kind storage solution that provides an off-board, sheltered storage space for gear when the vehicle is stationary, allowing for maximum utilization of interior space while still offering easy access to gear outside. The "Gear Head" can also be transformed into a mobile pantry for cooking afficionados that want to "Cook with a View".

Truly self-sufficient, the PV5 WKNDR EV VAN features solar panels and unique hydro turbine wheels that can recharge the batteries for many uses. As an example, Kia installed an onboard compressor to handle needs for inflation, from adjusting tire pressure when out on the trail to inflating space efficient mattresses when setting up camp for the night.

Kia's clear that this is purely a concept. "Our vehicles already help people live their active and adventurous lifestyles and it was fun to see just how far we could go with these latest concepts. The SEMA Show acts as a blank canvas for creativity and offers a glimpse into what Kia's automotive future may hold."

Here's what we looked at this week:

Why do humanoid robots move like humans? For efficiency's sake, oughtn't they have their own movement style?

In Amsterdam, a hotel room with an airplane inside of it.

KraussMaffei's ColorForm production method: Injection molding and painting in one production process.

When bad UX is the point: A no-handle coffee mug for rock climbers.

Trusscore: This user-friendly DIY sheetrock alternative requires no heavy lifting, taping, mudding, priming and painting.

This Jetlaser strips finishes in seconds. No chemicals, no mess.

Registration is open for Buildner's Architect's Chair Design Competition.

Industrial design case study: Minimal's solution to combat single-use package design.

Kazuya Shibata's Smartphone Face Shield provides in-bed emergency protection for when you drop your phone on your face.

CycloTech's form evolution of a new type of flying vehicle, designed around six enclosed "CycloRotors."

No one agrees on what a true flying car should look like. But if the folding-wing crowd wins out, these will be complicated to maintain.

The Elitech Protean is a gamer's desktop platform designed for swappable user interfaces.

The Onion's magical election touchscreen provides unique insights.

Two striking urban vehicles: The Duo and the Bento, by Mobilize.

Olight's Baton 4 is a tiny LED flashlight with its own charging case.

Airback: Backpacks and luggage that can shrink their contents with a vacuum.

Kia's funky PV5 WKNDR, an EV camper van concept.

Industrial design case study: An infant car seat by DesignThink.

The Formlabs User Summit, the company's annual 3D printing user conference, starts tomorrow at 9am ET. The company's SLS and SLA printers will be on-show, along with industry folks discussing the impact of 3D printing across a variety of industries.

The event will feature a keynote presentation with Formlabs CEO Maxim Lobovsky and aerospace engineer and renowned YouTube influencer Tom Stanton. Other key speakers will include:

- Nihat Isitman, Senior Materials Engineer at Apple

- Matthais Shulz, Technologist for AM Polymer Series Manufacturing at Brose

- Patrick Marr, Senior Director of Prototype Development at Hasbro

The free event will be livestreamed on YouTube. You can register to watch it here.

There have now been four or five years of huge ocean freight rate volatility, according to Drewry, which has cautioned its customers to expect little change in 2025, likely the fifth year in a row of high volatility. Shippers need to be aware that the shipping industry will continue to be disrupted and there are risks and a need for contingency plans and active vendor management, cautions Drewry.

October US container imports were 2,494,635 TEUs, marking the fourth month in a row of volumes exceeding 2.4 million TEUs, a threshold that has historically strained US maritime logistics, the November Global Shipping Report by Descartes Systems Group noted. For the first ten months of 2024, volumes grew by 13.1 per cent YoY. At seven of the top 10 US ports, transit time delays rose in October.

Global cotton markets saw slight declines and stabilisation in recent weeks, with NY/ICE December futures trading between 67–75 cents/lb since June, now at 71 cents/lb. The global A Index dipped from 85 to 83 cents, while China's index dropped from 101 to 97 cents due to a weaker yuan. Indian and Pakistani spot prices also declined, but both rupees remained stable against the dollar.

As the world begins to recover from 2020 and the economic detriment, what is next on the horizon? Download our recorded webinar discussing the current economic state and the positive uptick in the market. You’ll learn about: Economic impact on business post-pandemic Best practices for moving your business forward How to plan for the remaining fiscal year...

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Anders was named to St. Louis Small Business Monthly’s list of Best Accounting Firms for 2021. The Best Accounting Firms were nominated by St. Louis area businesses and voted to have the top accountants in St. Louis as part of Small Business Monthly’s Best in Business awards. The 2021 Best Accounting Firms will be recognized...

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Anders was approached and selected by the producers of the television show “World’s Greatest!…” to be featured on a segment for the accounting industry. Anders is honored to be recognized on the World’s Greatest! TV Show, an award-winning National Television Series airing on the ION Network. The segment gives a glimpse into the collaborative and...

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Anders was recognized on Missouri Lawyers Media’s 2021 Reader Rankings list for Forensic Accounting Providers. As one of the top three firms honored on the list, Anders was nominated and selected by the readers of Missouri Lawyers Media in an annual ranking of top businesses and firms in the legal profession. The Anders Forensic and...

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Corcoran CA Christie Bahamas, a franchisee of Corcoran Group, LLC, has announced the opening of its newest office location on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. Led by Corcoran CA Christie Bahamas Broker/Owner Gavin Christie, the new office will cater to the brokerage’s existing agents who serve the Harbour Island area, and any newly recruited agents,…

The post Corcoran Franchisee Expands in the Bahamas appeared first on RISMedia.

Perhaps you’ve noticed how cottagecore has recently become one of the most popular interior design styles. Cottagecore is a design aesthetic that idealizes rural life. It includes homes decorated in earthy colors, nostalgic patterns, and wood tones, it’s a style that’s a nod to the English countryside. Cottagecore is also a lifestyle focused on simple…

Report on the latest statistical data regarding middle and high school students and tobacco use.

Infographic showing data regarding middle and high school students and tobacco use.

Updated facts and data on youth and tobacco use.

The latest statistical data regarding adult tobacco use in the U.S. during 2013-2014.

The latest data regarding how advertising expenditures have been spent on sporting events in the United States during 1992-2013.

Data regarding smoking, quantity and access to cigarettes by youth in 45 countries during 2013 and 2014.

Data regarding the use of smoking and tobacco use among adults in 2014.

Data regarding the disparities with tobacco-related cancer incidences and death from 2004 until 2013.

Information regarding the current use of combustible and smokeless tobacco in the United States.

Information regarding Medicaid expansion for cessation coverage and the number of adult smokers enrolled.

Intel is struggling to overcome a series of challenges and establish itself as a globally competitive chipmaker.

The "SNL" comedian Chloe Fineman said Musk made her cry when he hosted the show in 2021. On Sunday, he said "SNL" had been "slowly dying for years."

Open a new bank account today and earn a top interest rate. Our experts have researched the best rates on checking, savings, and CD accounts to help you maximize your earnings.

Countdown to Sounds of Australia; nominate your favourites today!

Leveraging this finding of the brain's superior ability to recognize patterns, a next-generation viewer uses three progressive panels to display search results and document pages as visual thumbnails

Modern knowledge management and training are perfect complements to each other?the peanut butter and jelly for your breakfast toast.

The broader implication of?of stage four KM is that we may?be beginning to move with more speed into the world of the?semantic web.

Organizational culture is the degree of agreement and commitment to a set of values and expected behaviors. When such agreements and commitments are widely and deeply held, the culture is considered "strong".

With a solid strategy for AP automation, businesses can expedite invoice processing rates by as much as 90%, which equates to a 400% increase in employee productivity. But how do you get there?

Obtaining contextual knowledge about how users create and interact with unstructured data is an essential business practice to plan for data storms effectively. Enterprises need to understand that it's not enough to know these user activities but also must take remediation action when necessary.

Generative AI (GenAI) applications will increasingly transform organizations' IT platforms. Companies of any size that opt to create robust apps on their own, however, are in for a protracted, complex, and expensive experience.There's a better way: Buy into what I call a GenAI ecosystem from a vendor in whose tech you are already invested. These ecosystems are comprised of the sum of services customers mostly need to build and launch robust apps.

By enabling greater productivity and accelerated software development timelines, no code/low code is on the rise.

While there are many ways AI will disrupt and advance the records management process, these four key applications will make the biggest impact: automating document classification and tagging, records retention and data hygiene, leveraging natural language processing for record analysis and predictive analytics for records management.

Partnership to drive growth in financial services, insurance, and healthcare through AI-enhanced solutions

New entity unlocks ROI for enterprise AI by delivering the most comprehensive and trusted industry solution in the field of knowledge graphs and semantic AI technologies

Each of these capabilities?Automated Vendor Assessments, Intelligent Staffing, and Automated Framework Updates?automate crucial yet time-consuming workflows, ensuring enterprises can effectively address today's threat landscape

Features allow enterprises to gain insight from corporate data with graphical categorizations and support for Sharepoint and NAS Environments

The Conga Advantage Platform runs in any infrastructure, delivering revenue advantage to every global enterprise at scale

AI-native cybersecurity and digital work platform integration delivers real-time threat detection and automated remediation to natively secure virtual and physical environments

Coveo, a leading enterprise AI platform that brings AI search and generative AI (GenAI) to every point-of-experience, is joining the AWS Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate Program, bringing AWS co-sell support to Coveo's range of AI search, recommendations, and generative experiences. AWS ISV Accelerate Program is a co-sell program designed to help AWS partners expand their proprietary reach by connecting ISVs with the AWS Sales organization.

Leader in industry-specific enterprise software Epicor chooses Agiloft to digitally transform its contract-driven processes

Cloud-based BMC Helix and Control-M deliver mission-critical capabilities for today and set up future AI use cases for success

TomTom migrated to Storyblok within 3 months and decreased content development costs by 30%, according to the company

Quadient delivers powerful, reliable, and transformative solutions to drive substantial business value for highly regulated industries