Posts tagged with "news"

Bath & Body Works Pulls Candle After Design Resemblance to KKK Hood Sparks Outrage

Bath & Body Works recently faced criticism for their “Snowed In” candle design that unintentionally resembled hooded Klansmen. The snowflake-shaped design, which featured two holes on either side of its spindles, was deemed offensive by many social media users.

The company swiftly responded by removing the candle from its website and issuing an apology, stating their commitment to listening to feedback and correcting mistakes. They acknowledged the unintentional nature of the design and expressed their apologies to anyone offended.

The incident sparked discussions on social media about the importance of diversity and cultural sensitivity in the workplace. Some users attributed the mistake to a lack of diversity within Bath & Body Works’ marketing team, while others defended the company, stating that the resemblance was unintentional.

Although the company apologized and is removing the item, this isn’t their first racially insensitive incident; they previously faced backlash for releasing Kente print products for Black History Month. Retail workers have been instructed to destroy the candles, raising concerns about wastefulness. Some suggest donating the candles instead. This incident serves as a reminder for companies to be mindful of the potential interpretations of their designs and to prioritize inclusivity in their decision-making processes. 

The public’s reaction to the candle’s design was largely negative, with many social media users criticizing the design for its resemblance to a KKK hood. Some users dubbed the design a “klandle” and attributed the mistake to a lack of diversity within Bath & Body Works’ marketing team. However, others defended the company, stating that the resemblance was unintentional and that it simply looked like a snowflake.

Lessons learned from this incident include:

  • Companies need to be mindful of the potential interpretations of their designs.
  • Inclusivity and cultural sensitivity should be prioritized in the decision-making process.
  • Diverse teams can help identify potential issues before they become public.
  • Companies should have a plan for handling mistakes, including issuing a sincere apology and taking corrective action.
  • Consider alternatives to destruction when dealing with product recalls, such as donation.

New Studies Offer Hope In Fight Against Incurable Brain Cancer

Small studies offer hope CAR-T can fight an aggressive brain cancer

A series of new studies are raising hopes that CAR-T, a process in which treatments are made by genetically editing a patient’s own white blood cells, can eventually be used to treat an incurable and deadly type of brain cancer, called glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM.

In the most dramatic result, from a three-person study conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, a 72-year-old man saw his tumor shrink 18.5% in just two days and then decrease further over the next two months until it was 60% smaller than when treatment began. That’s notable because glioblastoma is a cancer where drugs can normally only prevent a tumor from growing. Researchers say the results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, do not mean the treatment is ready to be used widely but give reason to think they are on the right track.

This article was first published in STAT a trusted publication about health, medicine, and the life sciences. 

The 8th Deadly Sin

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

Humanity’s woe is the 8th deadly sin named, Media.

Simone Biles pulling out of the Olympics is exactly what media wants. And Hoda Kotb, Jenna Bush and the rest of these “talking experts” do their due diligence to speak with double-edged sword tongues, anxiously waiting for a shoe to drop so the real show can begin: riding their media inflicted trauma like the 100 foot wave.

They start with praise; continue with pressure and high expectations, heaping all the weight of the world’s woes and wants on these young athletes. Then when they falter, slip, or aren’t performing perfectly to appease the immense pressure put on them by these “talking experts” … the same “talking experts” benefit. This is what they work for. They benefit from the juicy gossip and lip smacking among the masses that flock to their social media sites to join in and raise their traffic. The ultimate goal of media is your attention. Regardless if the price is the head of their “darling” Simone Biles, a young athlete facing tremendous pressure and scrutiny from the media shredder whose soldiers look like proud dork queen, Hoda Kotb, high-level privileged employee Jenna Bush and the cut-throat, “news” at any price Savannah Guthrie. Desperate to be judged as perfect porcelain and unbothered by Black people’s reality in America, Lester Holt, is equally culpable of inflicting this kind of trauma on people.

Then they all get to post grossly disingenuous images like this IG post from Hoda Kotb feigning support and love for Simone Biles, when all her news crew wanted was this outcome for their own storytelling benefit  and ratings. Not all praise is good praise. Some come with gnashed teeth, salivating for the glory that will come with the downfall of an athletes career.

These media people ride your wave up and then celebrate that they get to tell the world that you didn’t live up to expectations. They get to praise and scrutinize these young athletes into mental disorders without impunity. Recent case in point: Naomi Osaka pulling out of the French Open due to the intense media pressure. What happened next–Naomi Osaka vilified in the press–is simply par for their course.

Media loves this traumatic cycle. It keeps NBC in business, Hoda and Jenna paid and Savannah popular among media bosses and shareholders. The media operates as an enemy of We The People, too. And Simone Biles is yet another example and victim of the media business that functions without responsibility as perpetrator, savior and victim. Media must be held accountable for this destructive practice. Man bites dog makes the news. Not because it’s true, but because it’s sensational. And that’s what sells, unfortunately. They work for ratings, not us. The solution? Turn your TV off and accept that each of us carry a responsibility when it comes to our collective humanity. If we want better, we must do better. It starts with acknowledging humanity’s 8th deadly sin is the media that fuels good and bad for profit.