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H&M apologizes for using black child for coolest monkey sweatshirt ad
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Clothing company H&M apologized on Monday for having a black child model a new sweatshirt that had the slogan coolest monkey in the jungle." - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Jan 10, 2018, 1:39 AM
Clothing company H&M apologized on Monday for having a black child model a new sweatshirt that had the slogan coolest monkey in the jungle.

H&M issued an apology for creating and sharing the image, according to USA Today.

"We sincerely apologize for offending people with this image of a printed hooded top," H&M said in a statement. "The image has been removed from all online channels and the product will not be for sale in the United States. We believe in diversity and inclusion in all that we do and will be reviewing all our internal policies accordingly to avoid any future issues."

The company removed the ad which first appeared on the British version of the companys website after receiving complaints from customers and social media users, CNN reported.

H&M removed the sweatshirt from the U.S. website, but it is still available on the U.K.'s version of the website for 7.99.

This image has now been removed from all H&M channels and we apologize to anyone this may have offended," H&M spokeswoman Anna Eriksson told CNN.

Canadian music artist The Weeknd cut ties with H&M over the issue, saying that he was deeply offended by the ad, according to CBC.

The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye, said the ad shocked him. Tesfaye partnered with the Swedish retailer on a special collection of menswear late last year and this year, CBC reported.

Bruce Turkel, executive creative director of Turkel Brands, said the ad was insensitive. But, he said, people will move on from the issue, according to USA Today.

"People will forget. Trouble will happen if they dont fix their approval process and something like this happens again, because each time it does, this issue will be brought up again."

H&M previously ignited controversy in 2015 when its division in South Africa did not include any black models. The company apologized for a tweet that said they only included white models because they convey a positive image, according to The Huffington Post.

Two years earlier, H&M pulled an outfit that resembled a feathered headdress after receiving complaints that the clothing item made fun of First Nation tribal customs.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.