1. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE INTRODUCES DRESS CODE: Clothing with profanity, sexual innuendo, and messages that promote violence or hate are not welcome on Carnival cruises, according to a dress code that the company announced last month. While the goal is to maintain an environment that's respectful to all guests, exactly what constitutes "offensive clothing" and how it will be enforced is unclear. South Florida Sun Sentinel: "Carnival’s announcement this month of the new ban has triggered a debate over the difficulty of regulating speech in an era when society is more divided than ever, socially and politically, and discourse seems to have no bounds. It also raised questions about whether the ban is even enforceable and whether it infringes on free speech rights."
2. LAS VEGAS PLANS MAJOR VENUE AND TRANSPORTATION UPGRADES: Does any city match Las Vegas's pace for construction and renovation of venues for the meeting and event industry? Here's a roundup of upcoming projects in the city including updates on the Las Vegas Convention Center, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and an underground people-mover. Las Vegas Review-Journal: "The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority worked closely with the organizers of C.E.S., the National Association of Broadcasters, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, MAGIC, and RECon to plan the Convention Center’s new West Hall, set to open in time for C.E.S. 2021. That collaboration ensured that convention organizers got some of the features they wanted in the building while assuring that the city’s largest annual shows stay committed to Las Vegas."
3. C.E.S. OFFERS ELECTRONIC RECYCLING: On January 4, C.E.S. is offering electronics recycling to residents of host city Las Vegas and tapped ERI to lead the program with support from Samsung and the Salvation Army. CloudWedge: "Attendees will be able to dispose of their unwanted electronics in an environmentally responsible way free of charge. … As part of the manufacturing take-back program, ERI will recycle all e-waste collected by securely destroying all data from electronic devices in the process. Accepted items include computer equipment, televisions, and mobile devices."