king slot games Retail Don't miss out on the headlines from Retail. Followed categories will be added to My News. It’s been a horror year for many Australian brands forced to close their doors amid rising costs, with 40 per cent more businesses filing for insolvency since before the Covid-19 pandemic. CreditorWatch chief economist Ivan Colhoun said businesses were facing ongoing financial pressures much like their customers who were finding ways to cut their budget amid cost-of-living pressures. “Together with some greater caution in discretionary spending and softness in interest rate sensitive sectors of the economy, this unsurprisingly has led to higher voluntary business closures and some rise in insolvencies,” Mr Colhoun said. “We’re yet to see the extent to which the 1 July tax cuts now flowing through the economy will ease some of the pressures on consumers and businesses.” Aussie businesses are failing due to ongoing cost-of-living pressures. Picture: NewsWire / David Geraghty The latest CreditorWatch business risk index found that Aussie businesses were failing at their highest rate (5.04 per cent) since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in October 2020 (5.08 per cent). The average failure rate for Australian businesses has climbed from 3.97 per cent in October last year. The food and beverage sector recorded the highest failure rate of all industries in October, increasing to 8.5 per cent from 8.3 per cent in the 12 months up to September this year. Administrative and support services were next with a 6.0 per cent failure rate in October, followed by arts and recreation services (5.9 per cent) and transport, postal and warehousing (5.8 per cent). Meanwhile, both the retail and construction industries look to be levelling out after each recorded a 5.5 per cent increase in insolvencies or business deregistrations during the same time period. Construction businesses have also suffered this year. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw Big brands under pressure During the 2023-2024 financial year, 2832 construction companies went into insolvency in Australia, according to ASIC data. Some of those failed companies will have lasting impacts on vital infrastructure and business projects across the country. Quasar Construction is just one of the construction companies that fell into administration this year. It continues to owe an estimated $60m to 600 creditors after its collapse earlier this year. The company’s collapse potentially impacts 10 projects across NSW, including a Bunnings, a $50m shopping centre and parts of the new Western Sydney Airport. Financial woes have also impacted the retail sector this year, with international brands like Dion Lee collapsing despite the company’s best efforts. Not even dressing US megastar Taylor Swift at the 2024 Super Bowl helped the popular fashion brand survive the horror year in fashion retail. Singer Taylor Swift wore Dion Lee to the 2024 Super Bowl. Picture: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Queensland University of Technology marketing professor Gary Mortimer told NewsWire that high-end fashion brands like Dion Lee had a “very small footprint and market size” that was hard to compete against brands such as Burberry or Chanel. “When you think about the likes of Chanel, even if their fashion business isn’t doing so well, they can certainly draw business from other revenue like make-up and cosmetics,” Mr Mortimer said. “Big brands like Louis Vuitton, Moet, and Hennessy have very differential business models, so if one element of the model or one element of the business isn’t working so well, they pull money from other businesses. “Dion Lee wasn’t able to do that.” High-end international retail brands like Chanel are at no risk of closing. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard Mr Mortimer said brands were having to come up with ways to beat their competition, but that didn’t always work out for the best. He said brands like Mosaic Brands, which went into voluntary administration in October owing $250m to creditors, tended to fall prey to “self cannibalisation”. Mosaic Brands confirmed it was in trouble earlier this year when it announced it would shut down its entities Autograph, BeMe, Crossroads, Rockmans and W.Lane in a bid to improve investment in its other brands Katies, Millers, Noni B and Rivers. Mosaic Brands had more than 700 stores and 10 online shops. Noni-B and its sister brands have suffered in 2024. Picture: NewsWire / Steven Saphore Mr Mortimer said this type of retailing structure could be problematic in the long run. “Mosaic has five or six brands that are all targeting the same customer of the middle-aged woman,” he said. “It was all essentially the same type of product. “In a centre where you’d have two or three of the same brands, you’re all competing against yourself for the same customer.” Cost-of-living pressures The University of Sydney retail expert Lisa Asher said the cost-of-living crisis continuing to impact consumers’ discretionary spending was a major issue going against smaller Australian brands. “Those below 65, they’re going into savings, but those over 65 have the money (to spend),” Ms Asher told NewsWire. “Because of that, what it’s done is people have to priorities spend, and it’s shelter and food and basic necessities.” Mr Mortimer said consumers who were tightening their budgets could have a lasting impact on businesses. “Where we see discretionary spending categories like fashion, footwear or accessories sales have flatlined or in some cases have declined, it’s because households are more concerned about the cost of food, the cost of rent, servicing their mortgage, electricity bills going up and utilities bills going up,” he said. “In that certain economic climate, certain categories tends to trade less and decline in sales.” Shoppers are spending less after tightening their budgets. Picture: NewsWire / Jenny Evans Ms Asher said consumers were more willing to turn to fast fashion, like Temu or Shein, when they want to buy something new instead of spending money on quality items. “What has happened because of this, within apparel, there’s been lot of changes within apparel and clothing,” she said. “Fast fashion and it’s actually killing off traditional apparel brands we’ve seen historically.” Trying to find a way forward Unfortunately, more businesses are likely to shut up shop in 2025. CreditorWatch forecasts food and beverage businesses are likely to fail at 9.1 per cent in the next 12 months. Mr Mortimer said retailers normally liked to rely on Christmas spending to help boost their profits as they head into the new year. “We still spend about $36bn in the month across the retail sector but that’s not more than what we spent last year,” he said. “As we move into the busy Christmas period, it’s projected that we will spend $69.7bn in the six weeks leading up to Christmas but that’s essentially what we spent last year. “Retailers aren’t expecting a significant kick in these sales as we move into the busy Christmas period.” Shoppers will spend big over Christmas Picture: NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi But all eyes will be on the Reserve Bank of Australia in the new year as people look to see if interest rate relief is on the way. “A slowdown in the inflation rate will certainly help businesses, but we must remember this just means that price rises have slowed down, so the cost pressures remain,” CreditorWatch chief executive officer Patrick Coghlan, said. “In most cases, you won’t see the cost of goods and services coming down. “Businesses desperately need interest rates to come down so households have some relief in cost-of-living pressures and start spending more.” More Coverage Aussie retailer makes sad announcement Emma Kirk Aus clothing empire collapses owing $250m Blair Jackson Originally published as Thousands of Australian businesses collapse during 2024 amid rising costs More related stories Companies ‘Oldest’ pub shuts down after 113 years A historical pub with plenty of character has closed its doors for possibly the final time as the publican fails to find a buyer worthy of the job. Read more Retail ’On its knees’: Major industry in crisis In a year marred by brand collapses and the future of a key event hanging in the balance, it begs the question - what is going on in Australian fashion? Read more

Throughout history, black athletes have been at the forefront of not just sports but also social activism, challenging injustices and advocating for equality. Using their influence, they know they can strive for change in their environment. Yet, some athletes take their activism to extraordinary levels, transforming their platforms into catalysts for change by showing actions and not just saying them. Taking actions In 2016, as racial tensions in the United States reached a boiling point, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick stepped into the spotlight for his bold decision to challenge systemic injustice. After the murders of four black people that summer, Kaepernick sought to make a statement his own way. During a preseason game, while the national anthem played, he chose to remain seated. This is one of the numerous bold stances that caught the attention of many, including Kobe Bryant , a figure synonymous with leadership and influence in the NBA. Kobe, no stranger to the intersection of sports and activism, admired Kaepernick's bravery. "I think what Colin Kaepernick stood for is the epitome of doing what he believes is right," says Bryant. "Now things have been taken out of context and misconstrued; they try to bend it this way that way and miss the point of what it is—the message that she was getting across, and I think having the bravery to be able to do that is something that we should all stand for." Related: Ice Cube shares his struggles watching Larry Bird dominate: "I just couldn't understand how he was as good as he was" Creating a movement Kaep's activism did not stop at sitting during the anthem. The former star quarterback also adjusted his protest by kneeling, a gesture intended to maintain his stance against police brutality against the black race. Bryant, who spent his career navigating the challenges of being a black athlete in a predominantly white country, understood the weight of Colin's decision. "It's very hard as a black athlete; it's just to sit here and say, 'You know what? We're comfortable. We made it. We have it made. It's okay. We don't have to jump into this thing. It's too much controversy. We don't need it.' Is that the right thing to do? No, it's not," "Bean" said. Kaepernick's actions became more evident during the 2020 murder of George Floyd, and other black athletes joined the movement. Players wore T-shirts, took a knee during the anthem, and used their platforms to advocate for justice. This collective action underscored the enduring influence of Kaep's original protest. Related: "I wish there was some way legally that I could give him some of the money" - Michael Jordan wanted to help Scottie Pippen with his contract issueChristopher Rinaldi bowled his third perfect game of his Whitman career in Game 1 of his 781 series, adding games of 233 and 248 afterward to lead Whitman boys bowling to a home 26-10 win Thursday over West Islip in Suffolk I. Jose Duarte added a 657 series for Whitman. BOYS BASKETBALL Half Hollow Hills West 81, Copiague 80: Ethan Saintjean had a layup and a winning free throw with 5.1 seconds left, leading Hills West to a win in its season-opener in non-league Friday. Saintjean finished with 30 points, and Mason Reisch and Vince Corso each added 12 points. Ray Bradley scored 26 points and made a layup with 16 seconds left to give Copiague an 80-78 lead. Mount Sinai 69, Amityville 63: Dominic Pennzello had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Brian Vales had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead Mount Sinai in non-league. Brock Kolsch added 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Amir Dickerson scored 34 points for Amityville. Thursday’s games Carey 50, East Rockaway 47: Kevin Colvin had 10 points with two key blocked shots in overtime to lead Carey in its non-league season opener. Antonio Buzzetta from East Rockaway hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to force overtime. Newsday's weekly newsletter takes you on the field and inside the high school sports scene across Long Island. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Babylon 46, Shoreham-Wading River 43: Jake Ostertag’s 15 points and eight rebounds helped lead Babylon to a triple overtime non-conference victory. Tyler Lieure led Shoreham-Wading River with 12 points. GIRLS BASKETBALL Farmingdale 43, Oyster Bay 34: Molly McNamara had 15 points and 14 rebounds for Farmingdale in the final of the Oyster Bay Holiday Tournament. Kaitlyn Quinn had 12 points. Ruby Seaman had five assists and five steals. Kaleigh Jones led Oyster Bay with 12 points.

Neighbors Urge Mayor To Delay Or Deny Permit To Pilsen Metal ScrapperTetairoa McMillan, one of the best wide receivers in Arizona history, will skip his final year of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft, he announced on social media on Thursday. Projected as a top-10 draft pick, the 6-foot-5, 212-pound McMillan finished his illustrious career at Arizona with 3,423 receiving yards, breaking the mark set by Bobby Wade (3,351). In three seasons, the Hawaii native also posted the fourth-most catches (213) and third-most touchdowns (26) in school history. "Wildcat Nation, this journey has been everything I dreamed of and more," McMillan wrote on Instagram. "From the moment I committed to the University of Arizona, to every second spent wearing that Arizona jersey ... it's been an absolute honor. "The University of Arizona has provided me with the platform to grow and chase my dreams. ... Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To the best fans in the country, I appreciate you for all of the love and support you have given me these last 3 years. I will always be a Wildcat." In 2024, McMillan totaled 84 grabs (ninth in Division I) for 1,319 yards (third in Division I) and eight touchdowns for the 4-8 Wildcats. He also ranked third in Division I with 109.9 receiving yards per game. McMillan is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the most outstanding receiver in college football. --Field Level MediaRewatching Modern Times the other day, I realised it's only a matter of time before something like the Billows Feeding Machine gets shilled on TikTok Shop. The dystopic invention, which automates the act of eating, bringing food right to your mouth so you never have to stop working, even for a moment, is pitched to factory bosses in Charlie Chaplin's 1936 film lampooning the industrialised world as a means to "eliminate the lunch hour, increase your production, and decrease your overhead". To be clear, such a machine, as janky as it is absurd (it starts malfunctioning almost as soon as Chaplin's character straps it on, force-feeding him corn on the cob), remains purely fictional. But can't you imagine it existing today? Even worse, be honest: might you even use it? Nearly a century ago, Chaplin saw where hypercapitalism was taking us. Today, roughly half of full-time US employees skip lunch outright at least once a week, according to a recent national survey conducted by the food-tech company ezCater, which forecasted that by 2030, "skipped lunches might just become the norm". But though the Guardian, for one, already reported on "the tragic disappearance of the American lunch hour", we shouldn't print the obituary prematurely. From the very start, the lunch hour has been contested, and its embattled history reminds us why we need to fight for its future now more than ever. When I reached out to the creator of the online etymology dictionary Etymonline for help pinpointing the origin of the phrase "lunch hour", the earliest reference they surfaced came from an account published in an 1836 Sydney Monitor. The "lunch-hour" in question belonged to the philosopher Jeremy Bentham. Education reformer Henry Carmichael referenced waiting on Bentham "at his lunch-hour -- at which time he was always accessible". Bentham, who belonged to Britain's upper class, would not have taken a meal during his "lunch-hour". Rather it was a period of the day devoted to taking a break from work, where he "often encountered friends and held brief conversations" as he would take his "circumgyration" around his extensive garden. It's a stark contrast to the lunch hour that we'd recognise today, which emerged not out of leisure but out of haste. As Margaret Visser explained in The Rituals of Dinner, a history of how we eat our meals, "ordinary working people" in pre-industrial England ate two meals: one in the morning and one in the early evening. Between that time, they "contended themselves as they had done for centuries with a midday snack". This diet couldn't sustain factory workers as they began commuting further from home and putting in more hours on the job. And so, in the 19th century, a new midday meal break arose. Time was money, and factory owners squeezed as many hours of profit from workers as they could. A contemporary account included in Sue Zemka's Time and the Moment in Victorian Literature and Society showed the incremental ways bosses pressured labourers: "Formerly an hour was allowed for dinner; but one great manufacturer, pressed by his engagements, wished his work-people to return five minutes sooner. This abridgment was promptly adopted at other mills. Five minutes led to ten... Time was thus saved; more worker was done; and the manufactured article could thus be offered at less price." The garment industry was the worst offender. One 7-year-old garment factory worker testified that he worked 14 hours a day, during which he was given just one 30-minute break for lunch that he "had to eat right there in the factory, often having to remain standing". These inhumane conditions gave rise to campaigns to restrict the length of the working day. The 10-hour movement, as it was first called (followed by a 9-hour movement, then an 8-hour movement), didn't just fight for workers to get off the clock earlier but also, notably, for them to get real meal breaks. On the path to the Factory Act of 1844 -- Britain's first health and safety act, which restricted the working hours of women and young people and added regulations to protect them from dangerous workplace practices and environments -- an 1833 bill defined mealtime as more than just a moment for nutrition. It was "an interval of cessation from work for the purpose of rest and refreshment". Factory workers, tethered to their machinery, perhaps best understood just how precious a real break was, and because of that, it's no surprise that they made the most of what they had, coming together to find a respite in words. But workers who had the means to take real lunches did not place the same value on that time. In the US, especially, the Protestant work ethic put a premium on productivity from the start. Lunch was often treated not as an act of respite but of utilitarian nourishment. Back in 1794, an English traveller in the United States observed in his journal that within a half hour of his 2 o'clock meal, fellow tavern diners had all "quitted the table to go to their several occupations and employments except the Frenchmen and ourselves; for the Americans know the value of time too well to waste it at the table". This was among the gentler remarks made by foreign travellers to the new nation, according to Jennifer Jensen Wallach's research in How America Eats: A Social History of US Food and Culture. The French, renowned for their eating culture, for instance, had a blunter take on early American dining. Opined one commentator in 1804: "They swallow almost without chewing." By the end of the 19th century, however, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche observed that America's culture of "breathless haste in working" had infected Europe, too. "One thinks with a watch in one's hand, even as one eats one's midday meal while reading the latest news of the stock market," he wrote in his 1882 book The Gay Science. Speaking about this passage, Mark Alfano, a professor of philosophy at Macquarie University, explained that Nietzsche recognized how effectively the American cult of productivity had started eroding many people's ability to simply "keep still" and engage in "long reflection". It was a warning of where capitalist manifest destiny would go, if left unchecked. But Alfano pointed out Nietzsche had a "very interesting follow-up point" about how humans can resist optimisation: Prioritise joy. "If sociability and the arts still offer any delight, it is the kind of delight that overworked slaves make for themselves. How frugal our educated and uneducated have become concerning 'joy'! How they are becoming increasingly suspicious of all joy. More and more, work gets all good conscience on its side; the desire for joy already calls itself a 'need to recuperate' and is starting to be ashamed of oneself." Where better to start than with the lunch hour? Factory women at the turn of the 20th century, without time to eat a real lunch nor a breakroom to take it in, exemplified this by creating a break for themselves by reading paperback novels together on factory floors. We can find our own versions of this today. Because the history of the lunch hour is one of resistance but also imagination -- offering sustenance for our stomachs and ourselves. © Zócalo Public Square Jackie Mansky is a senior editor at Zócalo Public Square. This was written for Zócalo Public Square.

Off the couch and into the fire

IGO Limited ( OTCMKTS:IPGDF – Get Free Report ) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 5,754,400 shares, a growth of 28.3% from the November 30th total of 4,485,700 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently ∞ days. IGO Price Performance OTCMKTS IPGDF opened at $3.10 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $3.27 and a 200 day simple moving average of $3.62. IGO has a twelve month low of $2.81 and a twelve month high of $6.35. IGO Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for IGO Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for IGO and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

AAMI captures the quirks and chaos of an Australian Christmas via Ogilvy

SARGODHA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Dec, 2024) The of new and used warm clothes has significantly increased in and its tehsils, including , , , , and Kotmomin. Various winter essentials, such as gloves, woolen hats, mufflers, pullovers, sweatshirts, and jackets, are prominently displayed outside shops and on stalls in different localities. Markets and weekly bazaars are bustling with crowds of shoppers bargaining with retailers. In addition to clothing, heaps of quilts, bed covers, blankets, and rugs are also available for . The sudden onset of chilly , particularly during the night over the past 10 days, has compelled people to stock up on winter apparel and other necessities. Used winter items, including quilts and blankets, are a popular choice for budget-conscious buyers. A local visitor, Ghulam Rasool, commented, "Although the is taking steps to curb inflation and provide relief to the , a nearly 20pc increase in the of winter clothing compared to last year has been observed." Vendors and shopkeepers are experiencing a surge in , with winter apparel selling rapidly. “Our is thriving these days as the demand for warm clothes has skyrocketed,” said Suleman Ahmed, a second-hand clothing dealer at Shaheen Chowk Bazaar. Another dealer on Station expressed similar sentiments, stating, "Our sales have doubled, and we anticipate further growth in the coming days." Shoppers are becoming increasingly selective, focusing on quality and affordability when purchasing used clothing. “Customers not only look for the quality but also aim to get items at the lowest possible prices,” said Ali Ahmed, a shop owner at Al Munir in . He noted that international brands are particularly popular among buyers, with many seeking slightly used items renowned labels. Traders typically purchase second-hand clothing in bulk, sorted by categories for men, , and children. “Some customers have a keen eye for quality products, picking them out like hawks heaps of used clothing,” Ali Ahmed explained. “Even at fixed-price shops, bargaining is common, as people strive to find affordable yet durable options.” As the cold persists, bazaars across are teeming with shoppers searching for practical and budget-friendly winter essentials, signaling a profitable season for vendors and stall-holders.