Target’s New Apparel Line For Children With Disabilities

Parents of kids with disabilities know very well how challenging it is to raise a child with special needs. From special and intensive care they require as infants that only continues to become more taxing as they grow, life with a disabled child is no walk in the park indeed. Fortunately, society is trying to be more accommodating now when it comes to their special needs. There are establishments and institutions that are focused on the care of these kids and many businesses offer various types of support to meet the slightly more sensitive needs of children with disabilities.

As businesses become more competitive and everybody is considered a customer, entrepreneurs are starting to realize that they can tap various individuals to widen their customer base. And children with disabilities aren’t an exception. Target now offers an apparel line entirely dedicated to them. And best of all, they are quite affordable too with prices ranging from $4.50 to $7. These apparels are especially suited for kids with special needs as they addressed common requests by their parents like having fewer embellishments and tags.

Target is expanding its clothing line for kids, this time catering to those children with special needs.

Stemming from the success of Target's private label, Cat & Jack, the retailer has rolled out a sensory-friendly selection for kids with processing sensitivities.

The pieces include heat-transferred labels in place of tags, flat seams, and one-dimensional graphic tees, all designed to minimize discomfort when in contact with the skin, Target wrote in a blog post.

Target said it plans to expand the line this fall to include "adaptive pieces" that address the needs of children living with other disabilities.

(Via: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/18/target-debuts-apparel-line-for-kids-with-disabilities.html)

This new offering by Target is a great relief to parents who have a child with a disability at home as it makes shopping for their kid’s clothes way easier than it did before. These kids often have to use diapers too despite their age and the new apparels offered by Target ensured that they got this issue covered. Not only are they able to diversify their product line but they also lighten the burden of already stressed out parents that just want to spend even less time shopping so they have more time caring for their children that are unlike normal kids. FYI, these children with disability-friendly apparels are carried by their Cat & Jack house brand that you can also purchase online.

The new line includes pieces with heat-transferred labels in place of tags, flat seams and graphic tees designed to minimize discomfort when in contact with the skin.

Target is the first major retailer to launch a line specifically designed for special-needs children. Previously, the market was limited to smaller specialty stores or websites catering to families of children with autism and other sensory challenges. These children are often especially sensitive to clothing tags, exposed elastic bands and scratchy material.

According to the Center for Disease Control, one in 68 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder.

The new line was designed by Target's internal design team, including Stacey Monsen, a Target designer and mother of a 7-year-old daughter with autism.

(Via: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/08/target_unveils_sensory-friendl.html)

These are just some of the things people without disabilities take for granted. But for those kids with special needs and their parents, it is already a big help to lighten the burden of caring for a child that is more demanding than the others. This is a great move for Target in showing the community that they take their customer’s feedbacks seriously and they will go the extra mile in uplifting the lives of their consumers in whatever way they can. Other businesses should be more sensitive to the needs of other people with special requirements in life especially now that technology is advanced and almost anything is possible. Just a few tweaks on certain products to make them disabled-friendly can go a long way in brightening someone else’s life.

The blog article Target’s New Apparel Line For Children With Disabilities is available on SoulVisual

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/targets-new-apparel-line-for-children-with-disabilities/

Should We Be Worried About The Trump Administration’s Science Priorities?

Advancements are made because of extensive and well-funded research and development studies and trials. It is the only way to innovate and improve our lives. Both the government and the private sector invest heavily in R&D for almost the same reason, with the latter openly doing it for monetary gain. Meanwhile, the government pushes forth these initiatives to improve the production and delivery of basic services and to perhaps discover better products or medical treatment to most diseases that have been plaguing mankind as of late.

In both cases, R&D is an investment in future capabilities and technologies that are aimed to uplift people’s lives and change the way we live (hopefully, for the better). A country like America has always been at the forefront of major technologies, advancements, and innovations that the world has been blessed with over the last century and that is still the case until now. However, we all know how politics affect these issues and the federal state’s science-related initiatives depend on who's sitting in power at that moment.

The White House released a four-page memo (pdf) this week detailing its science budget priorities for fiscal year 2019, citing U.S. military superiority, security, prosperity, energy dominance and health as its top five focuses. The document makes no mention of environmental science or climate change—both top priorities under Barack Obama’s administration—but it does include commitments to basic research and aging-related health.

It should come as little surprise the Trump administration’s science priorities emphasize investment in military might to the exclusion of climate and clean energy. But some saw this memo as a relatively positive development, including Obama’s former science adviser, John Holdren. “There is much more to praise to in this document than to complain about," he says. “The fingerprints of input from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) are evident on this document.”

(Via: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trump-administration-rsquo-s-science-priorities-ldquo-better-than-feared-rdquo/)

It is a trying time for the United States given how unorthodox of a leader President Donald Trump is. Many are freaking out as to the various budget cuts he has implemented so far and the extreme travel bans and restrictions that have been in effect since he assumed office. For instance, he’s significantly reducing the EPA’s budget and may even ultimately get rid of the agency for good over time aside from signing the US out of the Paris Agreement, a rash decision considering that climate change is wreaking havoc with everyone right now.

Last summer, just weeks after being crowned the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump scored major political points by visiting flood-ravaged southern Louisiana. The flooding was America’s worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy, and yet, President Barack Obama had not yet interrupted his vacation to tour the damage. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, hadn’t visited either. Victims felt ignored. But some saw hope in Trump. “It just lets you know that somebody on the national level is doing something,” flood victim Sandra Bennett told the New York Times. The Rev. Bill Engelhart told the Los Angeles Times, “[Trump] really cares, and this is his way of showing it.”

A decision Trump made Tuesday, nearly a year to the day after his Louisiana visit, suggests otherwise: He signed an executive order that, among other things, rescinds flood protections for federally funded buildings and infrastructure. First reported by E&E News, Trump’s order undoes an Obama-era executive order that required new public infrastructure projects—like subsidized housing, hospitals, and fire departments—to be built a few feet above the “100-year floodplain,” or the height at which there is a 1 percent chance you’ll experience an enormous flooding event. The requirement accounts for future sea level rise predicted by “the best-available and actionable science,” the order reads.

(Via: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/climate_desk/2017/08/trump_revokes_obama_era_environmental_building_standards.html)

There are two sides in every story. Well, three actually. There are each side’s story and the truth. Now, talking about bigger issues like the environment is undeniably complicated. Add to it the conflicting opinions of people makes reaching an agreement doubly harder. And when politicians insist on their own truth rather than hearing out everything regarding all the environmental issues affecting not only the country but the entire world today, it makes the entire nation wonder and worry at the same time as to what the future holds.

But despite his many flaws, President Trump still won the election fair and square and everybody should at least give him the benefit of the doubt and wait for him to bring to life his promise of making America great again. He may have issues with the environment and many others but surely he won’t get in the way of progress and development that is brought about by a well-funded and supported research and development efforts considering he is an entrepreneur himself.

Should We Be Worried About The Trump Administration’s Science Priorities? Read more on: The SoulVisual Blog

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/should-we-be-worried-about-the-trump-administrations-science-priorities/

New Trends In Web Designs

The web is constantly changing. Technology is fast advancing that what we are using today may soon be rendered obsolete in the next few years. This is especially true when it comes to web design. Companies try to out-win one another with their clever tricks and online magic to boost brand relevance in a competitive market that has always kept everyone on their toes. You just need to remember that a good web design is more user-friendly and enhances the overall customer experience whenever they access your site. Hence, it pays to keep yourself updated on what’s in and what’s not, not only to make your website look good but more so to increase profit because you are running a business after all.

This is even more imperative now as the world becomes increasingly global where time and distance are no longer that big of a hindrance to people and businesses as it once was. At a day and age dominated by social media and smart gadgets, it is but a must to ensure you can immediately connect to people in a platform they love using. Entrepreneurs that succeed in building their brand into something even greater grasp the importance of establishing and maintaining a strong online presence but you can only do that with a web design that users won’t have any difficulty using that likewise delivers all the key concepts you want your consumers to know and understand.

In a time when Google and Facebook dominate web traffic and publishers are struggling to keep pace, pageviews have never been more important. But how can news organizations compete with the duopoly?

Apparently by going back to basics.

According to a study conducted by the Engaging News Project — an initiative of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas, Austin — redesigning a website's homepage could increase pageviews and the amount of time users spend on the page. But the results were mixed.

The study was conducted in conjunction with the launch of two major news organizations' redesigned homepages, one Canadian and one American. Around the same time, nearly 1,000 Canadians and 1,000 Americans participated in online experiments, in which they were randomly shown either the old homepage or the updated one, and then asked questions about their perception and recall.

(Via: https://www.poynter.org/2017/want-more-pageviews-this-study-found-testing-new-homepage-designs-could-be-a-good-place-to-start/469381/)

While most companies already have web pages of their own, it still pays to reach a bigger audience through social media and by meeting certain criteria of search engines so that the public are more aware of the brand even when they are browsing other sites or simply browsing their social media news feed. The world has become so much smaller and it can be a good thing for you and your business if you know what tools to use and how to use them right.

There are scores of website designing platforms that develop and design websites using simple means; however, the results do not match industry standards that are successfully set by large companies, who are ready to pay thousands of dollars for the services of website and graphic designers.

These factors have created a new demand for advanced technology requirement, where any website designer can create spellbinding websites using AI. Through the use of AI, web designers can create compelling websites through complex algorithms of codes and logics.

In this new AI technology, all one needs to do is to answer a series of questions that are asked by the AI assistant. This assists the system in evaluating key nuances of your business and its ultimate nature, along with blueprint of the website you require for your business. With scores of hours of algorithmic programs, it successfully suggests the perfect and ideal combination of layout, design, branding, and content, which will surely help your website attain large amounts of traffic as well as provide leads in the future.

(Via: https://www.businesszone.co.uk/community/blogs/danishmaniyar/artificial-intelligence-meets-web-design)

We all know that nothing is set in stone when it comes to technology. The ones we are using right now that seem mind-blowing will soon become obsolete as newer advancements are made as the days and years pass by. Web designers continue to develop and innovate better, easy to use, and advanced web designs that meet the requirements of businesses today and what the people are comfortable in using. You might gush over the web designs of today but you’ll sure be laughing at your silly self several years from now when more artificially advanced designs become the norm because they are already in the works now.

New Trends In Web Designs See more on: www.soulvisual.com

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/new-trends-in-web-designs/

Are Organizations Falling Behind Technology?

Organizations, big and small or private and public, must not shy away from using current technologies that make the world go round today if they want to stay relevant and connected to the public. We understand that some of these organizations are organized and led by much older people who are way past their prime and more likely not to be in touch with today’s technology, however, it should not be an excuse for their organizations to entirely bypass these advanced tools because they will lose a lot if they do so.

Businesses today know very well that to stay competitive, they have to make use of all available resources so they stand out from the crowd especially against their competitors. Some older businesses try to ignore and shrug off these technologies only to realize much later that it was the turning point for their businesses. It is the reason why big organizations that were known in the past suddenly perished into thin air. They failed to adapt to these changes. That’s the only explanation. Only those brands that had foreseen how powerful technology would become in running a business managed to survive the troublesome and risky transition of running a pen and paper company to that of a digital one.

Former President John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” If change is the law of life, it’s certainly the governing force of business.

Yet, in the business world, demand for change too often outpaces technological capabilities. While Kennedy had the resources of a nation behind him, organizations do not have the same luxury. Just13 percent of executives said they’re very prepared to meet the challenges on digitally disruptive technologies, including analytics, cloud environments and machine learning. Despite these struggles, taking advantage of emerging digital changes must be top priority for organizations hoping to engage today’s consumers.

(Via: http://sdtimes.com/digital-changes-passing-organization/)

Wise men said that only death and taxes are constant in this world and we just can’t argue with that logic and wisdom. Everything else changes and you have to act while the iron is hot if you want to emerge as one of those brands at the top. Many successful businesses today all started as nothings but look at where they are now. They even managed to tap a different market like what Amazon did – from an online bookstore to a mega e-commerce brand and so much more. Those who failed didn’t make it to today’s market. For instance, Nokia that has been an institution in the mobile phone industry was overtaken by Apple and Samsung and all their efforts to survive and come back fell on deaf ears of the consumers who fell in love with the innovative iPhone and Android products.

"You have to spend money to make money" is one of the oldest clichés in business. Enterprises are following that advice in how they build their sales teams, according to a recent survey of 400 sales executives.

A new "SalesTech Report" from CITE Research, on behalf of SugarCRM, found that 80 percent of companies spend at least $1,000 on technology annually per sales representative to equip them with the right tools to do their jobs effectively. Furthermore, nearly one-half (49 percent) of the respondents said they spend at least $2,000 per sales employee.

While building an effective sales team requires a great deal of investment in both hardware and software, the good news is that respondents said technology is helping their sales team be more effective. These days, sales professionals use a wide array of tools. A CRM system is the most frequently used and the most valuable tool to the sales team. A majority of respondents rated 11 common tools, everything from smartphones to CRM to data enrichment services as "valuable" or "extremely valuable."

(Via: http://news.sys-con.com/node/4133789)

Spending a minimum of $1000 each year is a minor price to pay for brand recognition and the consequential success and profits you’ll earn once people notice your brand. The world is so cluttered right now that you need to do something extraordinary all the time or at least make sure you are always at the back of their minds, so the public thinks of you first when they need a product or service that is related to your line of business. That’s how businesses achieve success despite the overwhelming competition that is all competing for the consumer’s attention and money.

Technology may be a lot to take in especially for those who have been born at a time when everything was simpler but they do serve its purpose. It is simply a must to incorporate it in the way your business works or better yet, hire a pro to do it for you. By now, most brands already utilize various tech tools and only a handful remain as they are, mostly small, traditional businesses that have been around since time immemorial. You have more to lose by avoiding technology than embracing it, so grow your brand and take it to the global market with just a click of a button.

The following article Are Organizations Falling Behind Technology? is courtesy of www.soulvisual.com

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/are-organizations-falling-behind-technology/