Archive for the ‘Health & Fitness’ Category

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DailyCandy Editor Lauren Lumsden On Discovering New And Cool

Monday, October 4th, 2010

It’s not every day you get to interview an editor from your favorite daily mailing list, but we somehow convinced Lauren to chat in front of our camera last week. Check out her interview to learn about the dude-ranch-to-web-editor career track and, of course, Bacon Salt.

>>TILE brings you exclusive interviews from people doing great things in SPEND, GROW, and GIVE. To view more, click on TILEcasts in the TILE Library.

Have a burning question or someone you’d like to see interviewed? Let us know – just Ask TILE!

More Men Wearing Makeup

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

In the old days, men used wax and powder to perfect their complexions. But today’s man is going for something a little more understated…

  • Despite a social norm that categorizes makeup as “for women only,” men are becoming more comfortable shopping for concealers, tinted moisturizers, and specialized cleansers and lotions.
  • Instead of playing up their features to enhance beauty the way women do, men are mostly interested in hiding dark under-eye circles and evening out their complexions.
  • There are many new cosmetics companies specifically targeting men, though some customers are confident enough to shop at Sephora or other woman-centric beauty shops. The term “makeup” still has an effeminate stigma, so retailers and customers tend to refer to men’s beauty products as “cosmetics.”

Facts & Figures

  • In 1997, Americans spent $2.4 billion on men’s grooming products; in 2009, that number rose to $4.8 billion.
  • In skin care alone, sales rose from $40.9 million to $217 million in the same period.
  • 4Voo sells “Confidence Corrector” for $34, and “Lash and Brow Styling Glaze” for $23. KenMen sells “guy-liner” for $22, and tinted lip balm for $25.

Best Quote

“There is a little bit of that stealth makeup thing going on, where you’re not slapping foundation onto your face but as part of your other routines — it sort of creeps in.” – Jason Chen, Grooming Editor at GQ

Strange Bike And Monorail Fusion May Revolutionize City Travel

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

Safe, weatherproof, environmentally friendly, and a good workout, too!

  • Geoffrey Barnett’s ingenious new invention combines a recumbent (lying down) bicycle with monorail technology, creating the “Schweeb.”
  • The invention may provide an alternative means of city travel, and it’s cheap and ecologically-friendly, to boot.
  • Apparently, recumbent cycling is faster than upright cycling, and a monorail would be the safest way to get around crowded cities quickly.

Facts & Figures

  • “Schweeb” is derived from the German word “schweben,” which means “to float” or “suspend.”
  • Barnett worked on the design for six years while he lived in Tokyo, and opened a 200 meter (650 foot) track in Rotorua, New Zealand in 2007.
  • The Schweeb can reach speeds of up to 35 mph.

Best Quote

“To me, as a cyclist, it’s just obvious, you should be able to ride over the top of traffic, so I came up with the idea of a weather-proof capsule that is completely safe.” – Geoffrey Barnett, Inventor

Guns And Coffee Go Together Like Peas And Carrots

Friday, March 12th, 2010

A fast-spreading movement in the pro-gun community has taken the Starbucks coffee contingent by storm.

  • As firearms fanatics and gun-control advocates battle over an issue known as the “open carry” movement (a demonstration by gun owners of carrying their guns in unconcealed holsters in public areas and private businesses where allowed), Starbucks, in full compliance with state open-carry weapons laws, has been caught up in the middle of the raging debate.
  • Starbucks, along with some other establishments, has refused to ban guns, causing uproar in the gun-control community.
  • Some retailers have banned guns from their stores for fear of losing out on potential customers with hoplophobia (fear of firearms).

Facts & Figures

  • The “open carry” movement started gaining momentum in 2004 after pro-gun advocates began researching state laws only to find that many states do not have laws that prohibit carrying unconcealed firearms.
  • In the 43 states where open carry is legal, Starbucks has around 4,970 company-operated stores.
  • Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Home Depot Inc., Best Buy Co. and Barnes and Nobles Inc. also allow unconcealed weapons in the respective states that allow such an activity, and have all become “open carry” friendly sites and milieus for informal “open carry” demonstrations.
  • Companies such as Peet’s Coffee & Tea have disallowed carrying unconcealed weapons in their stores, despite the legality of such an action.

Best Quote

“I think the policy shows complete disregard for the safety and sentiments of their workers. The only thing worse than a yuppie upset with how their frappuccino turned out is a yuppie with a gun who’s unhappy with how their frappuccino turned out.” – Erik Forman, a Starbucks barista, union member, and ostensible hoplophobe and sensationalist from Minneapolis

David Beckham May Be the King of Retail… In Madrid Anyway

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer’s most expensive athlete, did not trigger a merchandising monster sale on the same scale as David Beckham did when he started playing for Real Madrid.

  • David Beckham, former English soccer team captain and Manchester United star, came to Real Madrid in 2003 with a large contract in hand and with high merchandising expectations. Basically, he sold a lot of jerseys!
  • Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portugese star forward, was the 2008 FIFA world player of the year and also came from Manchester United to Real Madrid.
  • The lack of jersey sales is somewhat being blamed on the economy, but perhaps it also indicates that Ronaldo is just not as popular as Beckham.

Facts & Figures

  • Ronaldo signed a new $133 million contract with Real Madrid in June, which is approximately three times more than Beckham received when he joined the club.
  • When Beckham joined Real Madrid, team income soared 27%. With the addition of Ronaldo in 2010, team income is expected to rise 3.5%.
  • Real Madrid jersey sales are roughly 20% lower now than they were during the Beckham era.

Best Quote

“There was a spike when Cristiano Ronaldo signed in the summer but there’s not such a big demand now. The economic crisis is taking its toll.” – Eugino Martinez, Shop Owner in Madrid, Spain

Baseball’s Wealthiest Team Shares Profit With NYC

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

When you get taken out to the ballgame in New York City, the local economy gets a serious boost…

  • In the first playoff season to visit the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, the New York City Economic Development Corporation estimates that each home game played in the 2009 postseason will bring $6.7 million in income to New York businesses.
  • The estimate takes into account money spent by visitors to the city who patronize hotels, restaurants, and transportation services. In addition, employees in and around Yankee Stadium will take home a total of about $900,000 after every game.
  • Does the economic benefit of these games outweigh the enormous costs of building a new stadium and all its related transportation and infrastructure changes? Not everyone is so sure. One Westchester State Assemblyman says the economic and employment benefits are not enough to justify the low-cost financing that was made available to the team for stadium construction.

Facts & Figures

  • The NYC Economic Development Corporation estimate assumes each postseason game will bring in 16,850 NYC residents, 27,500 residents of the NY/NJ/CT metropolitan area, 6,000 visitors from outside this area, 300 media from outside the area, and 200 players and affiliates.
  • Counting $5.2 million in “indirect economic impact” brings the total benefit to New York City to $11.9 million.
  • The new Yankee Stadium cost $1.5 billion and was largely financed by tax-exempt bonds that will eventually be repaid by the team.

Best Quote

“There is a modicum of economic advantage. The visiting teams travel with their press corps and entourage, some people will travel to New York, stay overnight and spend money on hotels and restaurants.’’ – Andrew Zimbalist, Professor of Economics at Smith College

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