Latest news with #Ruggiero
Geek Tyrant
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Retro Trailer For The 1983 Medieval Fantasy Film HEARTS AND ARMOR — GeekTyrant
This week's retro trailer is for the 1983 medieval fantasy film Hearts and Armor , a visually striking movie that dives deep into the world of medieval romance and adventure, inspired by the epic Renaissance poem Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. The story unfolds in a mythical realm of knights, magic, and betrayal, centering on the ill-fated love between the noble warrior Bradamante and the fierce Moorish knight Ruggiero. As their destinies intertwine amidst epic battles and dark sorcery, they must navigate a world filled with enchantments, deadly rivalries, and the ever-present conflict between Christian and Saracen forces. In Hearts and Armor, 'Bradamante, a woman wearing an invincible suit of armor, is traveling the countryside during the Crusades. She finds herself in a web of romantic and cultural entanglements, falling in love with a Moor prince, while one of the Christian knights has fallen in love with a Moor princess.' The film presents a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere that echoes the romanticized myths of chivalry and heroism. Directed by Giacomo Battiato, Hearts and Armor is notable for its lush cinematography and grand costume design, capturing a baroque and fantastical vision of the Middle Ages. What makes it particularly special is its commitment to the poetic and operatic tone of its source material, bringing to life the high drama and mysticism of the original epic. While the narrative can be abstract at times, the film stands out for its unique blend of historical fantasy and romantic tragedy, supported by an ethereal musical score. It's an underrated gem that fantasy lovers and fans of visually rich storytelling should definitely check out.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Climate
- USA Today
Growing 'mega fire' in California becomes state's largest in 2025
The fire is burning with dry and hot conditions, as temperatures climb above 100 degrees in mountainous terrain on the Central Coast. A mega-fire on California's Central Coast has become the state's largest of 2025 — and it's projected to keep growing. The Gifford Fire, which ignited Aug. 1, is estimated to have engulfed over 104,000 acres and is 21% contained, according to an Aug. 9 federal fire update. It's burning in a remote area of the Los Padres National Forest that has prompted road closures and evacuations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, located about 180 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The Gifford Fire can be considered a mega-fire, a designation for wildfires over 100,000 acres, according to the U.S. Interagency Fire Center. Mark Ruggiero, a spokesperson for the federal response to the fire, said the western United States has seen many fires over 100,000 acres in recent decades. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Three civilians and four firefighters have been injured in the ongoing blaze. The fire is already California's largest of 2025. Dry and hot conditions, with temperatures climbing above 100 degrees, in mountainous terrain make containing the blaze difficult for thousands of firefighters responding to the area, according to Ruggiero. Canyon winds are also expected to reach gusts of around 20 mph. 'We've got a long ways to go,' he said. 'The weather makes it more difficult to get crews in areas safely.' The fire is spreading northward into Los Padres National Forest's Garcia Wilderness area, which hasn't seen fire in recorded history, Ruggiero said. The wilderness area provides heavy fuel, including vegetation and trees, that allow the fire to continue growing. The national forest has sections closed off to the public through February, the U.S. Forest Service announced in an Aug. 8 incident update. In San Luis Obispo County, local officials are preparing in the event that more evacuations are needed as the fire heads northward toward more populated areas. Evacuation orders have affected over 600 people in rural areas dotted with horse ranches and farms, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Sgt. Kyle Nudson said. Approximately 1,500 people are under evacuation warnings. Katie Munds, the county emergency services coordinator, encouraged people to know their evacuation zones and to sign up for alerts as conditions change. The county is issuing more information on and, in Santa Barbara County, at People can also view updates on air quality due to the wildfires and danger on toxic wildfire smoke at Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@ or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
Forbes
30-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
When Creativity Is The Business Model, The Future Takes Care Of Itself
Creativity has kept Crayola going for more than a century, and its a powerful business model for any company seeking longevity. Getty Images How does a company stay relevant for nearly 150 years, across generations, business cycles, and entire technological revolutions? Look at any company that has stayed in business for decades, and you will find that underneath the longevity is the company's ability to inspire a sense of purpose and meaning both in its employees and the people they serve. Crayola exemplifies this path to longevity through purpose, which in the company's case traces back to a deceptively simple idea: creativity matters. To see how powerful a clearly defined and shared sense can be, we need to look no further than how a company weathers a storm, such as the storm of epic proportions that COVID-19 brought with it. While many companies in 2020 scrambled to reframe their purpose, the lights inside the Crayola warehouse in Easton, Pennsylvania glowed as bright as ever. Pallets of crayons, millions of them neatly ordered in their rainbow hues, moved along assembly lines as if the world outside had not all but stopped. When the world was upended by an unprecedented pandemic, Crayola's coloring tools took on renewed significance for their clients, offering a sense of normalcy for families that suddenly found themselves in lockdown, seeking ways to keep their children engaged. What keeps companies going from decades to centuries, and through one disaster to the other, is a sense of a mission that is worthwhile. For Petter Ruggiero, CEO, and his team, that was ensuring that imagination and creativity were kept in motion even amidst the pandemic, which meant joining the assembly line with other executives in tow. 'You can't see a bottleneck from behind a desk,' he explained in an interview. 'You have to feel the rhythm of the place to really know how to fix what's broken, and there's no alternative to getting your own hands dirty with the same work you ask of others,' Ruggiero notes. It's telling that, for Crayola, a global crisis triggered an all-hands-on-deck moment on the factory floor instead of a leadership retreat on how to keep employees engaged. The response was made possible by a shared sense of purpose, with creativity at the center of it. Why Supporting Creativity Is Such a Powerful Business Model Crayola's story goes back to 1885, when cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith founded a company originally known as Binney & Smith. Their early focus was on producing innovative, non-toxic pigments and dustless chalk, a game-changer in classrooms at the time. By 1903, they had introduced the first eight-pack of wax crayons, marking a pivotal shift toward children's art supplies. Eventually, as crayons became the centerpiece of their brand, Binney & Smith rebranded to Crayola, a name now synonymous with creative exploration and a fount of nostalgia. Yet for Crayola, crayons and markers represent only what the company produces. At its core, the company has always aimed to foster creative expression, which is a powerful mission for any company to be on. This emphasis on creativity as a foundational value resonates with Susan Leger Ferraro, author of SuperLoop and whose career in youth-driven ventures and early education reform has long championed the development of what she calls the 'smart skills' of curiosity, expression, and resilience. 'We call things like empathy, listening and creativity 'soft skills',' she begins, 'but they're the hardest skills of all. If we practiced them more, we'd build not just better kids but better leaders.' Ferraro, who has built multiple multi-million-dollar companies rooted in early education and wellbeing, believes that teaching creativity is inseparable from teaching humanity. 'Teaching our children to embrace creativity is not an add-on,' she adds. 'In today's world, mastering these skills is the whole game.' In her view, companies like Crayola benefit greatly from attaching themselves to such a clearly defined mission. 'We're finally realizing the importance of early education, and the companies that are helping our children embrace soft skills are doing something incredibly important; they're helping to build mindsets that are future-proof.' Helping children tap into their own imagination is also an important neurological investment. That's the perspective of Dr. Kyra Bobinet as well, a Harvard-trained physician and expert in behavior change who's spent decades exploring how our brains develop resilience through creativity and self-directed action. 'The universal obstacle is the habenula,' Bobinet explains. 'It's the part of the brain that registers failure and tells us not to try again. When kids don't feel like they're succeeding, they stop. It's neurobiological.' According to Bobinet, creativity offers a way to rewire that response. 'Iteration, trying again in small, safe ways, is how we build an unstoppable brain. Creativity, and the tools that foster it in children, is what gives them a reason to try again.' She cautions that much of today's parenting and education has become performative. 'We're rewarding outcomes over processes, checkboxes over curiosity. But if you teach a child how to experiment, how to create, you're also teaching them how to recover from failure. That's leadership training for life.' The takeaway is simple but profound: when your business is built around a timeless human need, like creativity, you don't have to chase the future. You're always building it. Creativity Is The Strategy Itself With nearly 150 years of history behind it, one might assume Crayola's vision is set. But Ruggiero sees it differently. He wants to expand the brand, moving beyond crayons and into new frontiers, everything from apps to entertainment experiences. In addition to product expansions, Ruggiero is eyeing a digital transformation. He's brought in consultants to help build machine learning models that can predict demand for new product lines up to 18 months in advance. The goal is simply to stay ahead in a retail market that shifts faster each year. 'If AI can help us plan inventory and reduce waste,' he says, 'that's good for the business, good for the planet, and good for our customers.' 'There's so much more we can do. We have the trust of parents and teachers worldwide, so why not leverage that to help even more kids tap into their creativity?' Ruggiero notes. Ruggiero sees the company's commitment to its purpose as part of Crayola's moral compass: 'The brand stands for something wholesome. We can't betray that.' But one question lingers: How does one lead a brand with more than a century and a half behind to succeed in an era defined by data, automation, and global competition? Ruggiero believes the answer lies in the same creativity the company has always championed. 'If you're not curious, if you're not willing to experiment, you stop growing,' he says. 'For us, creativity is the strategy.' The belief that creativity isn't just a product trait but an organizational principle is echoed by Susan Leger Ferraro, who has spent decades helping companies design cultures that last. 'If people understood what creativity really is, more companies would be banking on it and we'd all be better for it,' she says. 'The ability to reimagine what the lines are for in the first place in addition to coloring inside and outside of them is a leadership skill.' Ferraro, who has worked across early education, global ventures, and leadership development, argues that this focus on a human fundamental, creativity, is among the few things that can sustain a company over 150 years. 'Legacy brands endure because they touch a deeply evolved need, in Crayola's case, creativity is what has made that possible.' 'I like to say we're still coloring outside the lines,' Ruggiero remarks with a grin. 'That's how we keep this legacy alive.'
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Delay repairs or DIY? Homeowners who can't afford repairs worry their homes are less safe
In today's housing market, just buying a home can feel like crossing a finish line, but homeowners know it's only the beginning of a long, expensive, and complicated journey. Once homeowners are in the door, the down payment is spent, and focus shifts toward mortgage payments, it's not uncommon for repairs or upgrades to fall to the wayside. Between rising labor costs, material prices, and inflation, it's no secret home maintenance is expensive. This year, 71% of homeowners postponed renovations due to economic uncertainty, according to a survey by Guardian Service, which helps consumers shop insurance policies. That's usually where home insurance comes in. However, nearly 1 in 4 homeowners admit they've skipped filing a home insurance claim because they worried their home would not pass inspection. It's an even more common fear among young homeowners, with 1 in 3 Gen Z reporting they've been afraid to file. Close to a third of homeowners said they may wait a year or two before committing to major upgrades, and 15% said they're putting them off indefinitely. But the decision to live with a leaky ceiling or make peace with other problems in your home can have long-term consequences. Jon Ruggiero, Guardian Service's vice president of sales, compared home repairs to going to the doctor for a checkup, getting your car's oil changed, or its tires rotated. Without proper maintenance, homeowners could face more costly problems down the line. "Your home really is no different. It is the biggest investment you're ever going to make in your life. You want to make sure you're regularly checking in,' Ruggiero said. 'If you don't, you're more likely to put yourself in a situation where you have one of those extreme costs creep up.' Beyond risking rising premiums or getting dropped by insurers, nearly half of homeowners said they are concerned delaying maintenance in 2025 has made their house less safe. What repairs are homeowners postponing? It's little surprise homeowners prioritize necessary upgrades, with 69% saying they're most likely to invest in safety or structural improvements first. But home improvement budgets fell by an average of 42% this year, and two-thirds of homeowners said they eliminated theirs entirely, the survey found. Aesthetic upgrades, like repainting or installing new flooring, are the first to go, with 48% saying they're postponing those projects. Homeowners most often delay bathroom and kitchen remodels next. Less than a quarter of homeowners said they are also postponing window upgrades, electrical or plumbing repairs, and roof replacements this year. Even with summer heat waves and unusually high temperatures, 14% of homeowners said they're delaying an HVAC replacement. Delay or DIY? Homeowners are holding out for a time when making upgrades would be cheaper. At 69%, most say they are waiting for inflation to decline. Some are delaying in hopes of lower material and labor costs. Some are watching to see if potential tax credits or reduced tariffs will make their projects less expensive in the future. Others aren't willing to wait. While they may not have money to hire a contractor, 62% of homeowners surveyed are tackling critical repairs themselves. Young people are most inclined to DIY, with about 2 in 3 Gen Z and Millennial homeowners skipping professional help to save money. 'Gen Z has grown up in a world where they can go online and YouTube fixes,' Ruggiero said. 'They're more prone to trying to make themselves the expert and try to DIY a fix.' Anthony Scheirer, a public insurance adjuster known as the @insuranceclaimguy online, reminded homeowners that if they make any significant improvements, they need to let their insurance company know. Otherwise, those upgrades won't be covered and the homeowner would be left with gaps in their insurance policy. That often means it's on the homeowner to pay the entire cost of rebuilding an undisclosed addition if it's lost in a fire, for example. Some projects, like installing a wood stove, may increase liability or risk. If an insurer is kept in the dark about them until the next time a homeowner files a claim, especially if the wood stove caused a fire for instance, it could affect the overall payout. 'If you have a situation where you didn't tell them of the improvement, you could literally lose hundreds of thousands of dollars because you didn't make them aware,' Scheirer said. Tips to lower home insurance premiums Some home improvement projects can actually lower the owner's insurance premiums. While nearly half of homeowners say they would complete a delayed upgrade if that was the case, 71% said their insurer has not educated them about which upgrades could lower their monthly payment. Some common projects to lower premiums include storm-resistant windows, a new roof, and fireproofing, according to Guardian Service. Ruggiero told USA TODAY that installing a smart thermostat or central security system are some of the easiest upgrades homeowners can make that may bring their insurance costs down. But every policy is different. Ruggiero and Scheirer recommend reviewing yours with a qualified professional to see what changes could bring down your premiums. Reach Rachel Barber at rbarber@ and follow her on X @rachelbarber_
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Amazon reviewers say this rosemary hair oil 'works like magic' for thinning hair — it's on sale ahead of Prime Day 2025
To grow or not to grow — that's the question on everyone's mind as social media influencers rave about rosemary oil's hair-transforming magic. Is it really the miracle cure it's hyped up to be? Is it truly like collagen for your hair? With so much love pouring in, it's no surprise that the rosemary oil market is set to soar to a staggering $23.59 billion CAD ($17.53 billion USD) by 2030. Rosemary oil packs a punch of natural goodness without a hefty price tag. If you try products like Amazon's Botanic Hearth's 100% Pure Rosemary Oil, you could be giving your hair care routine the makeover it needs. And right now, the hair oil is on sale for 28 per cent off ahead of Prime Day 2025 — no wonder more than 10,000 people bought it in the past month. The only catch? This is a Prime member-exclusive deal. If you're interested, you can sign up for a free trial here (it'll come in handy on Prime Day!). Scroll down to see what all the buzz is about and to see more of the best early Prime Day beauty deals you can already shop in Canada. Formulated with pure rosemary extract, this hair oil contains no synthetic additives or harmful you're on the lookout for a rosemary oil that can rescue you from thinning hair and provide scalp nourishment, Botanic Hearth's product is worth checking out. Botanic Hearth claims that its product is made with pure extract and also includes biotin, jojoba oil and castor oil. It comes with an applicator comb, making it easy to apply directly to your scalp. ⭐️ 4.2/5 stars 💬 16,400+ ratings 🏆 "Works like magic" One person notes 'insane growth after a month,' and another says they saw a noticeable difference within three weeks — it works 'like magic,' they write. If you're looking for a "natural, affordable solution to support hair growth" and "improve scalp health," then "I highly recommend trying rosemary oil," says another reviewer. With regular use, "it can make a noticeable difference." "This actually worked!" writes a third shopper. "My bald spot is growing in nicely," they say. "I'm so thankful!" Several users appreciate the product's quality, mentioning how it leaves hair 'silky and soft,' but they are disappointed about the lack of visible results. Some reviewers cite a 'greasy look' and its ineffectiveness against dandruff, with one person stating it 'makes hair stiff and scalp greasy.' Caroline Ruggiero, a certified trichologist with the International Association of Trichologists (I.A.T), tells Yahoo Canada that rosemary oil could just be your new best friend, primarily because of its ability to promote 'microcirculation and vasodilation,' both of which have been linked to hair growth. 'Rosemary has anti-fungal properties and stimulating properties. In many cases, rosemary is used in combination with other oils and ingredients to aid in scalp problems,' she says. You can score this popular hair oil for under $15. In cases of natural hair thinning, rosemary oil has shown favourable results. However, Ruggiero, the CEO of Truly You Hair and Scalp Clinic, says that for certain disorders, such as androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness), which is autoimmune, 'essential oil cannot grow hair back.' She adds, 'Treating most hair loss disorders is like treating aging — there is no cure. But just because there is no cure does not mean there is no care.' A 2023 study on mice corroborates that rosemary helps promote hair growth. Additionally, Ruggiero recommends combining rosemary oil with other essential oils to enhance its benefits. For strengthening hair, she suggests 'Bay St. Thomas (Pimenta racemosa) and grapefruit oils,' while for revitalizing the scalp, 'rosewood and geranium oils are ideal.' To improve scalp health and tackle dandruff, Ruggiero advises mixing rosemary oil with palmarosa, cade and laurel oils. 'For a shampoo boost, try adding eight drops of rosemary oil, six of juniper, three of chamomile and eight of lavender. 'This blend can be helpful in treating dandruff,' she says. Thanks to its antimicrobial, antifungal and rubefacient properties, rosemary oil is safe to use on beards. 'These properties could provide potential benefits for beard care,' Ruggiero adds. While rosemary essential oil isn't typically irritating, she emphasizes that it should always be diluted and used for short periods, especially if you have sensitive or damaged skin. 'In high doses, when used internally, it can be toxic,' she warns. Ruggiero also says that folks with epilepsy best avoid rosemary oil. 'Camphor is a constituent in rosemary and can cause convulsions,' she explains. For those dedicated to their hair care routine, the Botanic Hearth Rosemary Hair Oil could be a good addition, especially considering its sale price. Studies have shown that consistent and long-term use of rosemary oil has supported hair growth and thickening. However, it's important to set realistic expectations. 'Hair loss can be challenging, and it's important to seek professional, evidence-based support to address it effectively," Ruggiero advises.
