Latest news with #ChrisBlack
The Guardian
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘You know it when you see it': experts size up scientists' attempt to define cool
It has puzzled philosophers, scholars and those aspiring to be cool for generations: what is it that makes someone cool? Now it appears that the alchemical code has finally been cracked. There are six specific attributes needed to be cool, according to a study published this week by the American Psychological Association. It found that cool people are generally perceived to be extroverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open and autonomous, according to the survey of 6,000 participants from 12 countries including the USA, Australia and South Africa. So what does a cool person make of it? Chris Black, the co-host of the podcast How Long Gone (which is cool) and the founder of Done to Death Projects, a brand consultancy with fashion clients including Stüssy (also very cool), says that while the traits are 'relatively accurate' for him, cool is something that cannot be easily outlined. 'The je ne sais quoi of the whole thing has always been what I associate with cool,' he says. Does Black like being described as cool? 'It's become a pretty general word. I don't think it has the sort of gravitas that it once had. There are things I don't embody that I think make people cool. So it's tough to think of yourself as it, no matter how much you want it.' Philippa Snow, a writer and cultural critic whose latest book, It's Terrible the Things I Have to Do to Be Me, explores female celebrities and the price of femininity, says trying to define cool is similar to defining charisma. 'Like the famous quote about pornography, it's tempting to say about both that you know it when you see it.' Some suggest that sprezzatura, an Italian word first used about by Baldassare Castiglione in 1528 and defined as 'a certain nonchalance, to conceal all art and make what one does or say appear to be without effort' captures the earliest essence of what cool is. Cool as a characterisation originated from 1940s jazz culture, when the black musician Lester Young challenged racial norms by refusing to smile when performing. He also used fashion as a marker of defiance, wearing sunglasses indoors on stage. Not long after he coined the slang term 'that's cool', his fans began to use it when referencing him. Prof Joel Dinerstein, who has taught a course called The History of Cool at Tulane University, Louisiana, for more than 25 years, says the terms he associates with cool people are 'rebellious' and 'charismatic', flagging that another key quality is self-authorisation. For Black, whose line of work is based around finding cool people to partner with brands, someone 'being comfortable with who they are and what they say' is his 'real baseline for coolness'. His criteria also includes someone 'being very, very good at what they do', saying it 'shows a level of dedication and self-respect that I think is deeply cool'. While Pierre Bourdieu's 1970s concept of cultural capital is not directly a theory on coolness, cultural and social assets both play into the notion of cool. Nowadays, social media means being cool is often less about a person and more about an aesthetic that can be carefully curated. Unlike a person, however, as soon as an item becomes mainstream, it is generally no longer deemed cool. See Labubus and Stanley cups. Conversely, Brat – the cultural phenomenon unleashed by Charli xcx a full year ago – is still considered cool. At Glastonbury, she did something that typically a cool person would never do – describing herself as cool. 'Thank you so much, you're fucking cool as fuck. But not as cool as me, bitch!' she shouted as she wrapped up her set. Each year, Dinerstein asks his students who they perceive as cool. This year's answers spanned everyone from the composer Hans Zimmer to the singer Lenny Kravitz. Snow suggests Rihanna would be considered cool by many millennials. 'There's something so delightfully don't-care about her becoming one of the biggest musical performers in the world, and then choosing not to give us another album for over a decade. Making us wait and still commanding our attention with not only her other projects but her image itself is powerful and cool, in an almost S&M-adjacent fashion.' Black says youth will always be cool. 'That has fucked us in some ways because we all think we should be at our peak at 23, but as you age you realise it usually takes people to their 50s to work out what they actually like.' And perhaps, there lies a key point overlooked by researchers. Youths. Speaking to two gen Z-ers, they reveal the word 'cool' as an adjective is becoming defunct in their lexicon. In its place? 'Sick' and 'lowkey'. ChatGPT Pretending not to be 'on the pen' (using weight loss jabs) when you are Cowboy boots Labubus Using corporate jargon outside work. For example, posting holiday photos on Instagram with the caption 'highlights from Q1' Talking about sleep scores Giant adult sippy cups LinkedIn Birkin bags Including your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator result in your dating bio Being a member of a library Good service – anywhere The Row's monthly Spotify playlists Asking questions Restaurants where you don't have to shout at each another to be heard Curaprox's colourful toothbrushes Ordering an object to view at the V&A East Storehouse Not being a TV snob Using lamps rather than the 'big light' in a room Being OK with ageing
Daily Record
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Paisley-born author swaps subsea robotics for crime as he launches debut novel
Chris Black has released his debut page-turner 'Capo' which is a sharp, character-driven crime thriller set on the streets of Glasgow. A Paisley-born author is swapping subsea robotics for the criminal underworld as he releases his debut novel. Chris Black, who works offshore as an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) supervisor, is delighted to have published his first debut novel 'Capo' –a sharp, character-driven crime thriller set on the streets of Glasgow. 'I wrote most of this between operations,' Chris told the Paisley Daily Express. 'Some of it in hotel rooms, some offshore, some back home in Dalgety Bay [in Fife]. 'I'd just sit down with a coffee, some music and chip away. It still doesn't feel quite real holding the final book. But it's live now, and that's surreal in the best way.' The novel follows Ezio Trevino, an ex-Royal Marine who's turned a run-down Glasgow bar into a live music venue with a few trusted friends – a dream life finally within reach. But Ezio has a plan already in motion: a final job designed to secure financial freedom and peace for the crew. When it goes sideways, it drags them deep into the city's criminal underworld and uncovers secrets Ezio thought he'd left buried in the desert. The former St Charles' Primary School pupil explained: 'It's about a guy who's done the hard stuff – desert ops, the brutal end of military life, and now he's finally got what he wants, good people around him, a bit of peace.' The book stands on its own as a complete story, but work is already underway on a sequel. Chris has mapped out a three-book arc, with teaser elements from book two included in the special edition. The 42-year-old said: 'There's a bigger world here and I wanted readers to feel it, even if they're just picking up this first one.' Although now based in Fife, Chris still makes the trip through to Paisley regularly as a 'lifelong' St Mirren fan. He said: 'It's where I'm from, all my family are in Paisley and me and my dad go to St Mirren games regularly, it's a big part of who I am.' Chris even served as the club mascot once as a kid. 'It was a midweek game against Rangers — Butcher, McCoist, all of them were there,' Chris explained. 'I'd picked Paul Lambert as my favourite player, even though he wasn't getting a game for us at the time. 'He'd already gone home that night but someone rang his landline and he actually drove back to meet me. Turned up in suit trousers and a tracksuit top, I've still got the photo. 'I was taking shots at Campbell Money in goal that night, too. You don't forget stuff like that.' Now published under his own imprint, Black Arts Development Ltd, Capo is available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon, with a signed special edition bundle, complete with classified case files and bonus material, available directly via his website.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DGR Systems Expands Digital Foundations Strategy with Strategic Hires and HPE NASPO Contract Win in Florida
TAMPA, Fla., May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DGR Systems LLC is proud to announce a significant advancement in its Digital Foundations strategy with the expansion of key service capabilities, deepening OEM partnerships, and being awarded access to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) NASPO ValuePoint and Cloud Contracts in the state of Florida. DGR Systems Logo (PRNewsfoto/DGR Systems) This contract award is a major milestone in DGR Systems' commitment to delivering next-generation infrastructure and cloud solutions through its growing Digital Foundations portfolio. It reinforces the company's focus on providing scalable, secure, and future-ready platforms that support modernization initiatives across the public and private sectors. To support this strategic direction, DGR Systems has made targeted investments in leadership talent, including the appointment of Steve Cavendish to lead the Digital Foundations drive, and Chris Black to drive growth and maturity of DGR's professional services offerings. These hires underscore the company's mission to align its people, processes, and partnerships around delivering measurable value to customers. "Our Digital Foundations strategy is all about giving our customers the technical backbone they need to transform and thrive," said Steve Cavendish, Vice President Digital Foundations at DGR Systems. "Access to the HPE NASPO and Cloud contracts is a tangible result of our ongoing investments in OEM alignment, solution engineering, and service delivery excellence." With the HPE contract, DGR Systems is uniquely positioned to deliver high-value solutions in compute, storage, networking, and hybrid cloud—paired with expert implementation and lifecycle support from a trusted local partner. For more information on DGR Systems and its Digital Foundations offerings, visit Contact: info@ (813) 344-1615 Who is DGR Systems: DGR Systems helps organizations build resilient digital foundations, secure operations, and transform their workplaces to thrive in an evolving technology ecosystem. From digital foundations and cybersecurity solutions to cutting-edge workplace innovations, DGR Systems delivers solutions that achieve measurable results, inspires transformation, and prepares customers for tomorrow. Cision View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE DGR Systems
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Senoia police looking for hit-and-run driver after car damaged
The Brief A parked 2017 Toyota Corolla was damaged in a hit-and-run Friday night during Senoia's "Alive After Five" event. The incident happened along Travis Street between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Police are asking witnesses to contact the Senoia Police Department with any information. SENOIA, Ga. - Police are asking for the public's help as they investigate a hit-and-run that happened during Friday night's "Alive After Five" event in downtown Senoia. What we know Officers said a parked 2017 Toyota Corolla was hit along Travis Street sometime between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The car was left with damage to the driver's side door, according to investigators. What you can do Please contact the Senoia Police Department at 770-599-3256 and a leave a message for Sgt. Chris Black with one of our administrative clerks, or email him at CBlack@
The Courier
28-04-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Moblyze: Carnoustie man raises £1.5m for ‘Tinder for jobs' app
An Angus man who founded a successful Dundee recruitment firm has now raised £1.5 million to launch a jobs app. Former Glasgow Warriors rugby player Chris Black was one of the founders of JAB Recruitment. Established in 2000, it now has 40 staff across offices in Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Houston and Calgary. He said the background of running this business, which specialises in energy jobs, has given him the credibility for his new tech venture, Moblyze. Moblyze has carried out two successful funding rounds, raising $700,000 and $1.2m. The concept of the app is that people upload their CVs and the artificial intelligence within the app then serves up appropriate jobs. Companies pay for access to the app, which is free for job seekers and is focusing on energy jobs. Chris, who lives in Carnoustie, said: 'With Moblyze, jobs find you – no more searching. 'The app matches users with current roles in oil and gas but also highlights future renewable opportunities. 'It audits profiles, identifies skill gaps, and connects users with training partners to help them upskill through the energy transition. 'People then 'swipe right' on the jobs they are interested in, a bit like how Tinder works. 'In the past six months we've grown to 4,000 users on the app, who have done 70,000 swipes on jobs. 'More than 100 companies have advertised 1,500 roles. This is growing all the time.' Despite a challenging climate for raising financing, Chris is proud to have found investors to continue the development of the company. The Scottish Government, via Scottish Enterprise, has invested £100,000 to support the platform's role in advancing energy transition policies. Chris, 47, said: 'The climate at the moment for raising funding at this level is extremely difficult. 'When I was fundraising in December, January and February the feedback I had from other companies trying to raise money was that they'd been unsuccessful. 'However, we were getting a really good response from investors. I think it's because Moblyze speaks to both a public and a private imperative around the energy transition. 'We feel it's an extremely important time for the Scottish energy industry to ensure that we secure energy supply so the lights don't go out while at the same time observing a managed, just transition. 'We don't want to see the oil and gas workforce left behind, like coal miners and steel workers were in the past. They should be able to access high-value renewable jobs. They just need a platform to help access these opportunities.' Currently with a working from an office in Westhill, Aberdeen, Chris said he anticipates members of the Moblyze team working from Dundee in the future. The plan is to build the business to around 50 staff in the next two years. The former Carnoustie High School pupil adds: 'I can envisage jobs not only being in Aberdeen, but in Dundee and the Central Belt as well. We'll definitely be creating jobs in Dundee.'
