• Junk From Temu, SHEIN Will Probably Cost You More Under Trumps New Tariffs
    gizmodo.com
    By Thomas Maxwell Published February 3, 2025 | Comments (2) | President Trump's new tariffs cut off a loophole used by Temu and Shein. felipequeiroz/Shuttershock President Trump, as promised, set off a tariff war over the weekend, triggering an immediate response from some of Americas closest allies. Under the new tariff policy imposing what are effectively new taxes on imported goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, it is expected that Americans will pay more for everyday goods like maple syrup and PC hardware. The tariff policy has received bipartisan backlash, with the likes of Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell coming out against the impositions. One positive, perhaps, is that Temu and SHEIN will have a harder time supplying teenagers with disposable garbage from China, some of which is believed to be manufactured by forced labor. Trumps executive order announced over the weekend imposes tariffs of 25% on goods shipped from Canada and Mexico, plus a 10% tariff on China, under the guise of various arguments, including that the countries have not spent enough on national security. It also specifically ends the de minimis exemption that allows packages shipped into the U.S. that are worth less than $800 to avoid tariffs. That exemption allowed discount Chinese retailers like Temu and SHEIN to ship directly to customers in the U.S. without paying many fees. Another point of contention over the years has been in the way the United States Postal Service has charged Chinese customers lower fees to deliver to the U.S. compared to what they charge domestic customers. Bizarrely, it is often cheaper to ship a package to the U.S. from China than it is to ship a package from one state to another. Both of these factors enabled Temu and SHEIN to explode in popularity by quickly identifying popular trends in America, rapidly spinning up the production of cheap knockoffs that they would heavily market through social media. These companies are essentially H&M or Forever 21 of yesteryear but on AI-powered steroids. According to eMarketer, Temu alone will sell $30 billion worth of products in the U.S. in 2025.TikTok and Amazon both have recently spun up competing budget stores in response to the rise of budget Chinese e-commerce. Walmart, which allows third-party merchants to sell on its website, has seen an influx of cheap products meant to mimic the likes of the Herms Birkin at much lower prices. Regardless of the store, were still mostly talking about products that come from China. Many of these products sold by Temu and SHEIN are, of course, cheap and disposable. The $3 earrings and $5 dresses found on SHEIN are often made out of cheap materials and are good for a few uses before they go in the trash. Sometimes they are even dangerous, as outlets have reported products from the sites including dangerous levels of lead. But these services enable teenagers to access the fashionable looks of their favorite influencers on a budget. Whatever people say about their concerns regarding the environment, ultimately consumers care about value over all else. Anyone old enough to remember Forever 21 will understand that we seem destined to go through this cycle with every new generation. Once people start to earn money, they realize a couple of quality pairs of clothing are better than twenty pairs of junk.Reuters reported last week that the European Union is planning to enact a new policy that would make Temu, SHEIN, and Amazon liable for dangerous or illegal products sold on their platforms. It is worth noting that even though these Chinese companies may be bad and worthy of scrutiny, President Trumps action to implement blanket tariffs risks being regressive, harming lower income Americans disproportionately by making everyday goods more expensivebecause Americans will pay the tariffs, not the Chinese. Other, less harmful manufacturers will also be impacted, including clothing makers in America that import materials. Unfortunately, President Trumps closure of the de minimis loophole does not mean Temu and SHEIN are going anywhere. The two companies have been reducing their reliance on the shipping loophole over the years, in part because they understood that operating through sneaky tricks is not sustainable, and also because under their current model of direct shipping, customers often have to wait up to 10 days to receive their orderssomething the two companies wanted to fix. The companies now ship a lot of products in bulk to warehouses in the United States rather than sending them directly to customers. That means Temu and SHEIN will have to pay the 10% tariffs, which will almost certainly be passed on to customers.Skeptics also say that Customs and Border Protection does not have the resources to inspect every package coming into the country, especially the often very small ones from the likes of Temu and Shein. Which is all to say, they might be hampered somewhat by the new policy, but the flow of garbage is likely to continue.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matthew Gault Published January 27, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published January 26, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 19, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published January 17, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published January 15, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 15, 2025
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  • Grnningen-Bispeparken Climate Park / SLA
    www.archdaily.com
    Grnningen-Bispeparken Climate Park / SLASave this picture! SLAArchitects: SLAAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:20000 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. Danish nature-based design studio SLA has transformed the 20,000 m2 outdoor areas of Grnningen-Bispeparken a 1950s social housing estate. The task was to transform the housing estate's public spaces from derelict, unsafe, and barren grass lawns into a new climate park that would secure the area against thunderstorms and flooding while also adding social, biological, and cultural values to the neighborhood. To address these challenges, SLA designed Grnningen-Bispeparken to be Copenhagen's most radical nature-based climate adaptation project to date. By letting the form of the park follow nature, SLA created an interconnected series of 18 bioswales throughout the sloping park that can collect, contain, and infiltrate more than 3,000 m3 of rainwater falling in the park and the adjacent courtyards and streets.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The park features five main nature typologies designed according to their climate and social functions: the wet Bio Oases where nature and wildlife have the right of way; the small, dry biotopes Between the Trunks for intimate play and relaxation; the larger, dry Common Lawns for sports, farmer's markets, community dinners, and events; the small, urban Pocket Squares for informal stay and socializing between the buildings; and The Bunker Hills that transform the park's Cold War underground bunkers into flexible social places from catching the evening sun in the summer to sledding and skiing in the winter. By combining climate challenges with social and cultural opportunities, the bioswales double as 'social swales' providing the park with a host of playful, nature-rich, and safe meeting places for community and togetherness.Save this picture!Save this picture!A meandering path of gravel and yellow tile (a nod to the iconic neighboring Grundtvig's Church) knits together the park's different typologies and is designed to draw people out into the park to experience the city's nature design up close. Designed to be an inviting, all-year-round neighborhood asset for the local residents, Grnningen-Bispeparken adds 149 trees of 23 different species and more than 4 million planting seeds of specially crafted seed mixtures. All new trees and plants are native species to preserve and enhance the local biodiversity.Save this picture!Alongside the design of the new park, the National Arts Council of Denmark commissioned the artist Kerstin Bergendal to a four-year experimental art intervention. Her project, 'Concerning A Meadow', unfolded in a glitch between spatial planning, citizens' engagement, and a new mandate for public art. As such, it offered the city's planners, SLA's internal Social Design Team, and local residents a parallel process for the unplanned and informal knowledge exchange regarding the park. Kerstin Bergendal also added a series of wooden art structures to the park, elaborated in collaboration with the small landscape studio Efterland. The art structures are seamlessly integrated into the park's natural fabric, giving children as well as adults varied opportunities for play, exercise, and socializing on the wooden art elements.Save this picture!Save this picture!The park was inaugurated on August 31, 2024. Only five days later, a major thunderstorm hit Copenhagen flooding several major highways and infrastructures. But in Grnningen- Bispeparken, the heavy rain only made the new park more sensuous and lush while the surrounding houses and infrastructures remained safe and dry. All proves that in Grnningen-Bispeparken, rain is not seen as a threat but as a natural resource to be celebrated.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Bogtrykkervej 43, 2400 Copenhagen, DenmarkLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on February 03, 2025Cite: "Grnningen-Bispeparken Climate Park / SLA" 03 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026192/gronningen-bispeparken-climate-park-sla&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream
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  • Classic Topology Problem - Triangle Convergence
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    Redesign and Remake: https://www.udemy.com/course/redesign/?referralCode=470F0A962EACE810C94C Arrimus Ultimate 3D Course: https://www.udemy.com/course/arrimus3d/?referralCode=446E0E08AE1808A2938A Practical Sci-Fi Design: https://arrimus3d.gumroad.com/l/scifidesign ORhttps://www.udemy.com/course/practical-sci-fi-design/?referralCode=90114E112DAE1B47430A Plasticity Modeling Guide: https://www.udemy.com/course/plasticity-modeling-guide-by-arrimus-3d/?referralCode=85C41A46EAE3EF8725DF Ultimate Sci-Fi Soldier: https://www.udemy.com/course/ultimate-sci-fi-soldier/?referralCode=440AD5E0F74E48EAEFB2 Gumroad https://gumroad.com/arrimus3d Patreon http://www.patreon.com/Arrimus3D. Artstation https://www.artstation.com/arrimus3d Business 3dtut@protonmail.comGiving me a thumbs up and subscribing and clicking the bell shows you find my videos helpful. If you want to support me check out my Patreon visible in the last 20 seconds of the video. Thanks.Ending Music: Bensound
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  • JINNY - 3D Character Garment Creator Free For All! [FULL TUTORIAL]
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    Anyone Can Now Design their Own 3D Garment For Free. Join The Renderhub Contest: https://www.renderhub.com/3d-contests/sexy-robot-contest-ii Get Jinny For Free: https://connect.clo-set.com/jinny Get Retopo Planes for Clothes: https://blendermarket.com/products/retopo-planes?ref=110 Get Premium Blender Addons: https://bit.ly/3jbu8s7 Learn to Animate in Blender: https://bit.ly/3A1NWac Get Character Creator 4 - https://bit.ly/3b16Wcw Get Iclone 8.5 - https://bit.ly/38QDfbb FiberShop - Realtime Hair Tool: https://tinyurl.com/2hd2t5v Big Ref Database: https://bit.ly/3PLtaQ8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Weekly Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3lpfvSm Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/asknk Discord: https://discord.gg/G2kmTjUFGm Twitter: https://bit.ly/3a0tADG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blender Premium Tutorials Blender Tutorials #1: https://bit.ly/3nbfTEu Blender Tutorials #2: https://tinyurl.com/yeyrkreh Learn HardSurface In Blender: https://bit.ly/3E5nP2T 3D Cars Building, Rigging & Animation: https://bit.ly/4h5HXEq Cinematic Car Animation Course: https://bit.ly/3ORFccG Alive! - Animation Course: https://bit.ly/3AEFvyA Human - Realistic Portrait Creation: https://bit.ly/2XvMT1j ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------00:00 AD00:10 Intro00:50 Getting Started01:38 Defining Your Character01:57 Navigation & UI02:38 Adding Clothes to Your Character 03:41 Cloth Simulation 03:55 Customising Your Clothes05:02 Sewing Your Clothes 06:30 Creating Patterns 07:37 Simulating Custom Patterns08:23 Adding More Garments09:11 Creating Segments09:35 Adding Fabric Texture & Graphics to Your Clothes10:20 Studio Mode for Posing10:32 Exporting Your Clothes & 3D Model11:21 Exporting Your Clothes to MD12:08 Opening Your Clothes /Garments In Blender13:31 Transfer Rigging Weights In Blender14:35 Retopo Tool For Clothes In Blender15:03 A Delightful Resource Gift For The Viewers15:36 CC0 Free 3D Clothes, Assets & Fabric For All16:18 File Format For Free 3D Assets16:30 More Garment & Cloth Info. For Realistic 3D Models17:06 More Free Stuff (Renderhub)17:19 Learning Hub (Renderhub)17:44 Sexy Robot Contest (Renderhub)18:16 Subscribe#asknk #free3D #clothing #simulation #blendercommunity #blendertutorial #free3Dmodels #free3Dresources #freetextures #freematerials #freefriday #premium #b3d #blender3d #free #addons #blenderaddons #new #3dnews #release #update
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  • DJI Mini 4K drone deal: The best drone for most people is just $239 for a limited time
    www.popsci.com
    ShareWe may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Ive recommended the DJI Mini 4K to just about everyone I know if theyre trying to get into aerial photography and videography. Its the perfect balance of advanced features, simplicity, and cost for the average person. And thats when Its at its usual price of $299. But right now, you can grab it with a controller for just $239 at Amazon. This deal sold out on Black Friday, so dont dilly-dally if you want to get up in the air.DJI Mini 4K drone $239 (was $299)DJI This craft weighs 249 grams, which seems like an odd weight, but its actually very strategic. Crafts that weigh less than 250 grams dont require registration with the FAA before taking flight. Despite its tiny size, the DJI Mini 4K has a high-performance camera mounted to DJIs proven 3-axis gimbal for stabilization. A litany of control options from full auto to completely manual make this a versatile option for beginners or experienced flyers.DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo $378 (was $449)DJI If youre planning on doing a lot of flying, we typically recommend the Fly More combo as a worthwhile investment. The kit adds a carrying case and a fast charger, and ups the total battery count to three. Each battery gets a maximum of roughly 30 minutes of flight time, so its great to have extras on hand.
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  • The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is shockingly ready for whoops
    www.popsci.com
    A professional driver pauses at the turn as everyone inside the SUV checks their seatbelts, readying for a stunt jump worthy of an action movie. The vehicle reaches the front side of a dirt ramp at precisely 33 miles per hour and launches into the air. With high-end Fox shocks at each corner, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro touches down with a jolt that ends almost as soon as it begins. Once again, the ride smooths out as the passengers shake off the spine compression and they silently thank those shock absorbers.The 2025 4Runner is finally all new after a run of 15 years in the same body. Fresh styling, a more efficient powertrain, and updated technology takes the 4Runner into its sixth generation, and its better than ever. Now on a new platform, the geometry and the linkages have been redesigned and optimized for better on-road and off-road performance, and each grade gets a unique tune. While Toyotas quintessential SUV has always been durable and resilient, the newest version is tuned for more comfort.Remote reservoirs in the shocks provide heat management, preventing shock fade. Image: Kristin Shaw/Popular Science Most drivers wont tackle a jump like this and many 4Runners will never leave the pavement, but owners like to know that it can. And with off-roading, camping, and overlanding trends continuing on an upward trajectory, one never knows when they might feel a strong urge to hit the dirt.Performance shock absorbers that soak up the whoopsWhen Toyota launched the all-new Tacoma in 2023, it debuted with an available adaptive variable suspension that adjusts to road conditions. Each grade of the Tacoma includes progressively tougher shocks to fit specific lifestyles, and Toyota followed the same strategy for the new 4Runner. As you work your way up the trim chain, the vehicles get more and more comfortable in rougher and rougher conditions.It starts getting serious with the TRD Off-Road grade, which is equipped with monotube Bilstein remote reservoir shocks that include an end stop control valve, which is new for this generation. After running it through its paces on a packed-dirt test track on and off the highway, I can vouch for its cushiony feel.[The Bilstein equipment] varies the damping and the travel at the extremes of the shock absorber, explains Warren Chou, an executive program manager at Toyota. You have good compliance in the center travel range, and at the extremes you get an increased damping force that protects you from the bottom-out or whoop events that you might be traveling through.Whoops, by the way, is short for whoop-dee-doos, or rolling bumps on the route. It can be fun to cross a bunch of whoops, but only if you have good shock absorbers on your vehicle. Otherwise, hold onto your teeth.Toyota gave the 4Runner unique shock absorbers depending on the trim. TRD Off-Road gets Bilstein shocks, TRD Pro uses Fox QS3 adjustable dampers, and Trailhunter uses the same Old Man Emu shocks as Toyotas newest Tacoma. Images: Kristin Shaw/Popular ScienceMoving up the trim line, the 4Runner TRD Pro is fitted with specially-tuned Fox QS3 three-way adjustable internal bypass shocks with remote reservoirs. For the Trailhunter version, Toyota chose Australian-made Old Man Emu monotube shocks (also with remote reservoirs), so named for the emus ability to maintain stability when moving over uneven terrain. The TRD Pro is also equipped with an air intake and exhaust snorkel thats bolted to the A-pillar on the passenger side. This accessory allows the hybrid engine to breathe even in a very dusty environment, and it sounds kind of like Darth Vader when its working.For the 4Runners with Bilstein, Fox, and Old Man Emu shocks, the remote tank provides heat management: As the vehicle moves, the fluid in the shock gets warm, which reduces the viscosity. That can cause whats called shock fade, which results in loss of ride comfort. Extra oil in the shock reservoirs increases overall cooling capacity by providing more surface area for heat dissipation. Ultimately, that means you can drive the 4Runner harder and go longer and still get a comfortable ride.Adjustable shock settingsIn the TRD Pro 4Runner, owners can adjust the Fox shock absorbers with a three-setting knob. Turning the front wheels makes it easier to access the knobs, and it requires a little arm yoga to reach the ones in the rear. Its worth the effort, though, as the settings will significantly affect the ride depending on the terrain. For the jump in California, the pro driver set the front shocks to level 3 for a stiffer rebound and the rear shocks to level 2.Shock settings will vary case by case depending on the shape of the jump or what youre doing, Chou says. For example, if youre cresting and land front wheels first, you might want a little bit more damping force on the front as youre coming down.Chou states these enhancements improve the capability of the new 4Runner and fine-tune the offering for customers who may need vastly different things. Desert drivers want to drive fast and kick up the dust, while overlanders may be picking their way across rock gardens and climbing craggy trails.Weve been able to go more extreme with the TRD Pro and more extreme with Trailhunter, Chou says. Before, people were buying the TRD Pro trim to go overlanding and to drive Baja-style fast across the desert. By creating Trailhunter, we could give each of those customers more of what they wanted and be more extreme in both scenarios to give them a better experience.
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  • Math puzzle: imagine theres no zero
    www.sciencenews.org
    Here, count with me: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, T, 11, 12 Oh, whats that? You write 10 with zero? Fair enough. Zero, we have been told, is the foundation of our number system. Mathematician Tobias Dantzig once called it a development without which the progress of modern science, industry or commerce is inconceivable. But that changed in 1947, when mathematician James Foster laid out a system that works like ours in every way except that it lacks nothing. He called it a number system without a zero-symbol.Think of our familiar system as a series of boxes. You can leave up to nine loose objects unboxed. But if a 10th object arrives, you must pack the 10 into a box. When this happens, we use zero to denote an absence of loose objects. The numeral 30 means three boxes of 10, and no additional objects.This principle continues. For example, in 407, the zero signifies that there are no loose 10s; theyve all been boxed up as hundreds.Fosters system, you might say, asks us to wait before boxing. We leave 10 objects loose, writing them as T. Thus, 30 becomes two boxed-up 10s, or 2T, plus another 10, this one unboxed. (An apter name might be twenty-ten.) Only with another object (the 31st) does boxing become necessary.This way, there are always loose objects and thus, no need for zero.Unlike Roman, Maya or Iupiaq numerals, this isnt a total reimagining of numbers. Instead, its an uncanny parallel universe. Any number without zeros retains its old appearance (1,776 is still 1,776), but any number with zeros is forced to take on a new name.The numeral 20 becomes 1T (call it ten-teen).Likewise, 106 becomes T6 (10 10s, plus six units; call it ten-ty six).And 3,090 becomes 2T8T (call it two thousand ten hundred and eighty-ten).Weird? Yes. Disturbing? Yes. Logically valid? Again, yes. As Foster noted in 1947, his system challenges zeros alleged essential character in an easily manipulated system of numbers. We still want zero. But we dont, strictly speaking, need it.Spend a while in Fosters world, and I guarantee youll soon feel grateful for nothing. Puzzles from a world without zeroWhat year would it be right now? For that matter, what century would it be?Would a six-figure salary be more or less desirable than under the old system?Map out the ways a zero-less culture would differ. Would towns commemorate 111th anniversaries? On a cars odometer, which mileage rollover would be most exciting? And would anyone care that Wilt Chamberlain once scored 9T points in a basketball game?Looking for answers? Go to sciencenews.org/puzzle-answers. Well publish science-themed crosswords and math puzzles on alternating months. Wed love to hear your thoughts. Email us at puzzles@sciencenews.org.
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  • An African strontium map sheds light on the origins of enslaved people
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    NewsAnthropologyAn African strontium map sheds light on the origins of enslaved peoplePinpointing birthplaces based on dental records can deepen understanding of the slave trade From the 15th to the 19th centuries, more than 12 million Africans were enslaved and sent to the Americas and Europe. Combining dental records with a map of strontium ratios across sub-Saharan Africa is allowing researchers to pinpoint some slaves' birthplaces.Joseph Swain/Wikimedia CommonsBy Katherine Kornei4 hours agoA little-known element is shedding light on the transatlantic slave trade. Researchers have assembled a map of strontium, a naturally occurring element, across sub-Saharan Africa. These data can be compared with strontium levels measured in human remains to more precisely pin down the geographic origins of individuals sold into slavery, the team reported December 30 in Nature Communications.From the 15th to the 19th centuries, more than 12 million Africans were sold into slavery and sent to the Americas and Europe. Large port cities such as Lagos, Nigeria, and Luanda, Angola, were common points of departure from Africa, but the actual origins of most enslaved people that is, where they were born and raised were often lost to history. And while genetic evidence can reveal a persons ancestry, it doesnt pinpoint where someone grew up.
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