#The Renew System Book review

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Copyright takedowns are a cautionary tale that few are heeding

On July 14, I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! On July 20, I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.

We're living through one of those moments when millions of people become suddenly and overwhelmingly interested in fair use, one of the subtlest and worst-understood aspects of copyright law. It's not a subject you can master by skimming a Wikipedia article!

I've been talking about fair use with laypeople for more than 20 years. I've met so many people who possess the unshakable, serene confidence of the truly wrong, like the people who think fair use means you can take x words from a book, or y seconds from a song and it will always be fair, while anything more will never be.

Or the people who think that if you violate any of the four factors, your use can't be fair – or the people who think that if you fail all of the four factors, you must be infringing (people, the Supreme Court is calling and they want to tell you about the Betamax!).

You might think that you can never quote a song lyric in a book without infringing copyright, or that you must clear every musical sample. You might be rock solid certain that scraping the web to train an AI is infringing. If you hold those beliefs, you do not understand the "fact intensive" nature of fair use.

But you can learn! It's actually a really cool and interesting and gnarly subject, and it's a favorite of copyright scholars, who have really fascinating disagreements and discussions about the subject. These discussions often key off of the controversies of the moment, but inevitably they implicate earlier fights about everything from the piano roll to 2 Live Crew to antiracist retellings of Gone With the Wind.

One of the most interesting discussions of fair use you can ask for took place in 2019, when the NYU Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy held a symposium called "Proving IP." One of the panels featured dueling musicologists debating the merits of the Blurred Lines case. That case marked a turning point in music copyright, with the Marvin Gaye estate successfully suing Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for copying the "vibe" of Gaye's "Got to Give it Up."

Naturally, this discussion featured clips from both songs as the experts – joined by some of America's top copyright scholars – delved into the legal reasoning and future consequences of the case. It would be literally impossible to discuss this case without those clips.

And that's where the problems start: as soon as the symposium was uploaded to Youtube, it was flagged and removed by Content ID, Google's $100,000,000 copyright enforcement system. This initial takedown was fully automated, which is how Content ID works: rightsholders upload audio to claim it, and then Content ID removes other videos where that audio appears (rightsholders can also specify that videos with matching clips be demonetized, or that the ad revenue from those videos be diverted to the rightsholders).

But Content ID has a safety valve: an uploader whose video has been incorrectly flagged can challenge the takedown. The case is then punted to the rightsholder, who has to manually renew or drop their claim. In the case of this symposium, the rightsholder was Universal Music Group, the largest record company in the world. UMG's personnel reviewed the video and did not drop the claim.

99.99% of the time, that's where the story would end, for many reasons. First of all, most people don't understand fair use well enough to contest the judgment of a cosmically vast, unimaginably rich monopolist who wants to censor their video. Just as importantly, though, is that Content ID is a Byzantine system that is nearly as complex as fair use, but it's an entirely private affair, created and adjudicated by another galactic-scale monopolist (Google).

Google's copyright enforcement system is a cod-legal regime with all the downsides of the law, and a few wrinkles of its own (for example, it's a system without lawyers – just corporate experts doing battle with laypeople). And a single mis-step can result in your video being deleted or your account being permanently deleted, along with every video you've ever posted. For people who make their living on audiovisual content, losing your Youtube account is an extinction-level event:

https://www.eff.org/wp/unfiltered-how-youtubes-content-id-discourages-fair-use-and-dictates-what-we-see-online

So for the average Youtuber, Content ID is a kind of Kafka-as-a-Service system that is always avoided and never investigated. But the Engelbert Center isn't your average Youtuber: they boast some of the country's top copyright experts, specializing in exactly the questions Youtube's Content ID is supposed to be adjudicating.

So naturally, they challenged the takedown – only to have UMG double down. This is par for the course with UMG: they are infamous for refusing to consider fair use in takedown requests. Their stance is so unreasonable that a court actually found them guilty of violating the DMCA's provision against fraudulent takedowns:

https://www.eff.org/cases/lenz-v-universal

But the DMCA's takedown system is part of the real law, while Content ID is a fake law, created and overseen by a tech monopolist, not a court. So the fate of the Blurred Lines discussion turned on the Engelberg Center's ability to navigate both the law and the n-dimensional topology of Content ID's takedown flowchart.

It took more than a year, but eventually, Engelberg prevailed.

Until they didn't.

If Content ID was a person, it would be baby, specifically, a baby under 18 months old – that is, before the development of "object permanence." Until our 18th month (or so), we lack the ability to reason about things we can't see – this the period when small babies find peek-a-boo amazing. Object permanence is the ability to understand things that aren't in your immediate field of vision.

Content ID has no object permanence. Despite the fact that the Engelberg Blurred Lines panel was the most involved fair use question the system was ever called upon to parse, it managed to repeatedly forget that it had decided that the panel could stay up. Over and over since that initial determination, Content ID has taken down the video of the panel, forcing Engelberg to go through the whole process again.

But that's just for starters, because Youtube isn't the only place where a copyright enforcement bot is making billions of unsupervised, unaccountable decisions about what audiovisual material you're allowed to access.

Spotify is yet another monopolist, with a justifiable reputation for being extremely hostile to artists' interests, thanks in large part to the role that UMG and the other major record labels played in designing its business rules:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/09/12/streaming-doesnt-pay/#stunt-publishing

Spotify has spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to capture the podcasting market, in the hopes of converting one of the last truly open digital publishing systems into a product under its control:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/27/enshittification-resistance/#ummauerter-garten-nein

Thankfully, that campaign has failed – but millions of people have (unwisely) ditched their open podcatchers in favor of Spotify's pre-enshittified app, so everyone with a podcast now must target Spotify for distribution if they hope to reach those captive users.

Guess who has a podcast? The Engelberg Center.

Naturally, Engelberg's podcast includes the audio of that Blurred Lines panel, and that audio includes samples from both "Blurred Lines" and "Got To Give It Up."

So – naturally – UMG keeps taking down the podcast.

Spotify has its own answer to Content ID, and incredibly, it's even worse and harder to navigate than Google's pretend legal system. As Engelberg describes in its latest post, UMG and Spotify have colluded to ensure that this now-classic discussion of fair use will never be able to take advantage of fair use itself:

https://www.nyuengelberg.org/news/how-explaining-copyright-broke-the-spotify-copyright-system/

Remember, this is the best case scenario for arguing about fair use with a monopolist like UMG, Google, or Spotify. As Engelberg puts it:

The Engelberg Center had an extraordinarily high level of interest in pursuing this issue, and legal confidence in our position that would have cost an average podcaster tens of thousands of dollars to develop. That cannot be what is required to challenge the removal of a podcast episode.

Automated takedown systems are the tech industry's answer to the "notice-and-takedown" system that was invented to broker a peace between copyright law and the internet, starting with the US's 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The DMCA implements (and exceeds) a pair of 1996 UN treaties, the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the Performances and Phonograms Treaty, and most countries in the world have some version of notice-and-takedown.

Big corporate rightsholders claim that notice-and-takedown is a gift to the tech sector, one that allows tech companies to get away with copyright infringement. They want a "strict liability" regime, where any platform that allows a user to post something infringing is liable for that infringement, to the tune of $150,000 in statutory damages.

Of course, there's no way for a platform to know a priori whether something a user posts infringes on someone's copyright. There is no registry of everything that is copyrighted, and of course, fair use means that there are lots of ways to legally reproduce someone's work without their permission (or even when they object). Even if every person who ever has trained or ever will train as a copyright lawyer worked 24/7 for just one online platform to evaluate every tweet, video, audio clip and image for copyright infringement, they wouldn't be able to touch even 1% of what gets posted to that platform.

The "compromise" that the entertainment industry wants is automated takedown – a system like Content ID, where rightsholders register their copyrights and platforms block anything that matches the registry. This "filternet" proposal became law in the EU in 2019 with Article 17 of the Digital Single Market Directive:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/09/today-europe-lost-internet-now-we-fight-back

This was the most controversial directive in EU history, and – as experts warned at the time – there is no way to implement it without violating the GDPR, Europe's privacy law, so now it's stuck in limbo:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/05/eus-copyright-directive-still-about-filters-eus-top-court-limits-its-use

As critics pointed out during the EU debate, there are so many problems with filternets. For one thing, these copyright filters are very expensive: remember that Google has spent $100m on Content ID alone, and that only does a fraction of what filternet advocates demand. Building the filternet would cost so much that only the biggest tech monopolists could afford it, which is to say, filternets are a legal requirement to keep the tech monopolists in business and prevent smaller, better platforms from ever coming into existence.

Filternets are also incapable of telling the difference between similar files. This is especially problematic for classical musicians, who routinely find their work blocked or demonetized by Sony Music, which claims performances of all the most important classical music compositions:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/05/08/copyfraud/#beethoven-just-wrote-music

Content ID can't tell the difference between your performance of "The Goldberg Variations" and Glenn Gould's. For classical musicians, the best case scenario is to have their online wages stolen by Sony, who fraudulently claim copyright to their recordings. The worst case scenario is that their video is blocked, their channel deleted, and their names blacklisted from ever opening another account on one of the monopoly platforms.

But when it comes to free expression, the role that notice-and-takedown and filternets play in the creative industries is really a sideshow. In creating a system of no-evidence-required takedowns, with no real consequences for fraudulent takedowns, these systems are huge gift to the world's worst criminals. For example, "reputation management" companies help convicted rapists, murderers, and even war criminals purge the internet of true accounts of their crimes by claiming copyright over them:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/23/reputation-laundry/#dark-ops

Remember how during the covid lockdowns, scumbags marketed junk devices by claiming that they'd protect you from the virus? Their products remained online, while the detailed scientific articles warning people about the fraud were speedily removed through false copyright claims:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/18/labor-shortage-discourse-time/#copyfraud

Copyfraud – making false copyright claims – is an extremely safe crime to commit, and it's not just quack covid remedy peddlers and war criminals who avail themselves of it. Tech giants like Adobe do not hesitate to abuse the takedown system, even when that means exposing millions of people to spyware:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/13/theres-an-app-for-that/#gnash

Dirty cops play loud, copyrighted music during confrontations with the public, in the hopes that this will trigger copyright filters on services like Youtube and Instagram and block videos of their misbehavior:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/10/duke-sucks/#bhpd

But even if you solved all these problems with filternets and takedown, this system would still choke on fair use and other copyright exceptions. These are "fact intensive" questions that the world's top experts struggle with (as anyone who watches the Blurred Lines panel can see). There's no way we can get software to accurately determine when a use is or isn't fair.

That's a question that the entertainment industry itself is increasingly conflicted about. The Blurred Lines judgment opened the floodgates to a new kind of copyright troll – grifters who sued the record labels and their biggest stars for taking the "vibe" of songs that no one ever heard of. Musicians like Ed Sheeran have been sued for millions of dollars over these alleged infringements. These suits caused the record industry to (ahem) change its tune on fair use, insisting that fair use should be broadly interpreted to protect people who made things that were similar to existing works. The labels understood that if "vibe rights" became accepted law, they'd end up in the kind of hell that the rest of us enter when we try to post things online – where anything they produce can trigger takedowns, long legal battles, and millions in liability:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/08/oh-why/#two-notes-and-running

But the music industry remains deeply conflicted over fair use. Take the curious case of Katy Perry's song "Dark Horse," which attracted a multimillion-dollar suit from an obscure Christian rapper who claimed that a brief phrase in "Dark Horse" was impermissibly similar to his song "A Joyful Noise."

Perry and her publisher, Warner Chappell, lost the suit and were ordered to pay $2.8m. While they subsequently won an appeal, this definitely put the cold grue up Warner Chappell's back. They could see a long future of similar suits launched by treasure hunters hoping for a quick settlement.

But here's where it gets unbelievably weird and darkly funny. A Youtuber named Adam Neely made a wildly successful viral video about the suit, taking Perry's side and defending her song. As part of that video, Neely included a few seconds' worth of "A Joyful Noise," the song that Perry was accused of copying.

In court, Warner Chappell had argued that "A Joyful Noise" was not similar to Perry's "Dark Horse." But when Warner had Google remove Neely's video, they claimed that the sample from "Joyful Noise" was actually taken from "Dark Horse." Incredibly, they maintained this position through multiple appeals through the Content ID system:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/05/warner-chappell-copyfraud/#warnerchappell

In other words, they maintained that the song that they'd told the court was totally dissimilar to their own was so indistinguishable from their own song that they couldn't tell the difference!

Now, this question of vibes, similarity and fair use has only gotten more intense since the takedown of Neely's video. Just this week, the RIAA sued several AI companies, claiming that the songs the AI shits out are infringingly similar to tracks in their catalog:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/record-labels-sue-music-generators-suno-and-udio-1235042056/

Even before "Blurred Lines," this was a difficult fair use question to answer, with lots of chewy nuances. Just ask George Harrison:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sweet_Lord

But as the Engelberg panel's cohort of dueling musicologists and renowned copyright experts proved, this question only gets harder as time goes by. If you listen to that panel (if you can listen to that panel), you'll be hard pressed to come away with any certainty about the questions in this latest lawsuit.

The notice-and-takedown system is what's known as an "intermediary liability" rule. Platforms are "intermediaries" in that they connect end users with each other and with businesses. Ebay and Etsy and Amazon connect buyers and sellers; Facebook and Google and Tiktok connect performers, advertisers and publishers with audiences and so on.

For copyright, notice-and-takedown gives platforms a "safe harbor." A platform doesn't have to remove material after an allegation of infringement, but if they don't, they're jointly liable for any future judgment. In other words, Youtube isn't required to take down the Engelberg Blurred Lines panel, but if UMG sues Engelberg and wins a judgment, Google will also have to pay out.

During the adoption of the 1996 WIPO treaties and the 1998 US DMCA, this safe harbor rule was characterized as a balance between the rights of the public to publish online and the interest of rightsholders whose material might be infringed upon. The idea was that things that were likely to be infringing would be immediately removed once the platform received a notification, but that platforms would ignore spurious or obviously fraudulent takedowns.

That's not how it worked out. Whether it's Sony Music claiming to own your performance of "Fur Elise" or a war criminal claiming authorship over a newspaper story about his crimes, platforms nuke first and ask questions never. Why not? If they ignore a takedown and get it wrong, they suffer dire consequences ($150,000 per claim). But if they take action on a dodgy claim, there are no consequences. Of course they're just going to delete anything they're asked to delete.

This is how platforms always handle liability, and that's a lesson that we really should have internalized by now. After all, the DMCA is the second-most famous intermediary liability system for the internet – the most (in)famous is Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

This is a 27-word law that says that platforms are not liable for civil damages arising from their users' speech. Now, this is a US law, and in the US, there aren't many civil damages from speech to begin with. The First Amendment makes it very hard to get a libel judgment, and even when these judgments are secured, damages are typically limited to "actual damages" – generally a low sum. Most of the worst online speech is actually not illegal: hate speech, misinformation and disinformation are all covered by the First Amendment.

Notwithstanding the First Amendment, there are categories of speech that US law criminalizes: actual threats of violence, criminal harassment, and committing certain kinds of legal, medical, election or financial fraud. These are all exempted from Section 230, which only provides immunity for civil suits, not criminal acts.

What Section 230 really protects platforms from is being named to unwinnable nuisance suits by unscrupulous parties who are betting that the platforms would rather remove legal speech that they object to than go to court. A generation of copyfraudsters have proved that this is a very safe bet:

https://www.techdirt.com/2020/06/23/hello-youve-been-referred-here-because-youre-wrong-about-section-230-communications-decency-act/

In other words, if you made a #MeToo accusation, or if you were a gig worker using an online forum to organize a union, or if you were blowing the whistle on your employer's toxic waste leaks, or if you were any other under-resourced person being bullied by a wealthy, powerful person or organization, that organization could shut you up by threatening to sue the platform that hosted your speech. The platform would immediately cave. But those same rich and powerful people would have access to the lawyers and back-channels that would prevent you from doing the same to them – that's why Sony can get your Brahms recital taken down, but you can't turn around and do the same to them.

This is true of every intermediary liability system, and it's been true since the earliest days of the internet, and it keeps getting proven to be true. Six years ago, Trump signed SESTA/FOSTA, a law that allowed platforms to be held civilly liable by survivors of sex trafficking. At the time, advocates claimed that this would only affect "sexual slavery" and would not impact consensual sex-work.

But from the start, and ever since, SESTA/FOSTA has primarily targeted consensual sex-work, to the immediate, lasting, and profound detriment of sex workers:

https://hackinghustling.org/what-is-sesta-fosta/

SESTA/FOSTA killed the "bad date" forums where sex workers circulated the details of violent and unstable clients, killed the online booking sites that allowed sex workers to screen their clients, and killed the payment processors that let sex workers avoid holding unsafe amounts of cash:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/09/fight-overturn-fosta-unconstitutional-internet-censorship-law-continues

SESTA/FOSTA made voluntary sex work more dangerous – and also made life harder for law enforcement efforts to target sex trafficking:

https://hackinghustling.org/erased-the-impact-of-fosta-sesta-2020/

Despite half a decade of SESTA/FOSTA, despite 15 years of filternets, despite a quarter century of notice-and-takedown, people continue to insist that getting rid of safe harbors will punish Big Tech and make life better for everyday internet users.

As of now, it seems likely that Section 230 will be dead by then end of 2025, even if there is nothing in place to replace it:

https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/bipartisan-energy-and-commerce-leaders-announce-legislative-hearing-on-sunsetting-section-230

This isn't the win that some people think it is. By making platforms responsible for screening the content their users post, we create a system that only the largest tech monopolies can survive, and only then by removing or blocking anything that threatens or displeases the wealthy and powerful.

Filternets are not precision-guided takedown machines; they're indiscriminate cluster-bombs that destroy anything in the vicinity of illegal speech – including (and especially) the best-informed, most informative discussions of how these systems go wrong, and how that blocks the complaints of the powerless, the marginalized, and the abused.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/27/nuke-first/#ask-questions-never

Image: EFF https://www.eff.org/files/banner_library/yt-fu-1b.png

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[ivesambrose]

PAC : September 2024 Mini Messages

1. 2. 3.

And we're almost in fall 🍁

To book a personal reading with me DM or email me at ivesambrose@gmail.com

Services Offered

Reviews

Thanks for the tip ✨

Picture 1

You'll be feeling the urge to socialize or reconnect with friends and loved ones this month. Likely even connect with new people that inspire you and reignite a spark within you. It seems like as you're headed for autumn you begin to experience your personal spring. There's a lot in your mind and heart and it's been repressed there for quite some time now because you haven't found the right means to express them or the people to express them to but this: shall change. I see you wanting to maintain more balance and diplomacy in your life this month instead of extremes. In a way you've told yourself, "Hey I've done enough push and pull, let me allow things to fall in place." A lot of you might focus on regulating your nervous system, some of you might be starting therapy or just being more attentive about your mental health. Some of you might collaborate or work with others especially if you're an artist or creator of any kind. I also see a select few coming out of hiding and gaining the confidence to put themselves out there. This month will also end on a joyful note for you. You'll also be pursuing something your heart feels really called to. You'll also feel cherished and cared for, this could be from a special someone or your friends and family or the community you're proud of. You'll feel a lot less alone, you never really were.

Picture 2

Leaving all that heartache behind. Bit by bit. Holding your life by the reigns by finding the courage within. There's no need to wait for anyone to help you through this, just begin. I know certain anguishes weigh rather heavily but it doesn't have to be a permanent resident there. A lot of you are planning on moving away from a present location that hasn't been bringing you peace you'l likely end up executing it before this year ends. Sometime around this month itself you'll find yourself feeling emotionally renewed. Opportunities coming up that you had been praying for since long but you feel nervous taking up because emotional fulfillment somehow feels scary to you. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Take the plunge because it'll lead to you feeling proud and successful of yourself. I also see a peak in finances or you saving up enough to afford something that makes you really happy. If you have pets you'll be spending more time with them or even consider adopting one. You'll start finding joy in the things you used to years back. Hold onto this feeling. For some reason the song, 'Innocence' by Avril Lavigne came through for this pile as well. If you resonate deeply with music, then this song definitely has a message for you.

Picture 3

A mental breakthrough. I see you being assertive and maybe even cut throat with your goals. I also see a lot of you disciplining your mind to the maximum. Correcting any negative thought and assumption. You'll also find yourself emerging victorious no matter what situation you're facing. There's a specific turn of events and fate for you. Fall overall is a significant time for this pile. I see you embracing joy diligently, making new friends and connections and making plans with your loved ones. You have chosen to let your inner child experience everything they have been forced to let go of. Do not dim your own light this month. You were meant to shine. You were meant to stand out. Some of you might also have a significant secret admirer as well. They see you as the break of dawn after a dark and solemn night and want to pretty much make you feel the same it seems. You'll find yourself wanting to relax more and allow things to come to you. Stressing and forcing on the other hand might lead to discord and feeling burnt out. It seems as though you had been fearing the worst but there has been a pleasant change of plans for you. You will be starting a new chapter in your life, you'll be rather stubborn about it too, brainstorming quite a bit, might encounter a few conflicts here and there but nothing good team work can't solve. This will eventually lead you to the version of you that you have in mind.

[inmyglowupera]

12 Days until Spring

Spring Reset List

It’s no secret that spring is my favorite season, and I get ECSTATIC when it’s around the corner!🌷

I like preparing myself to meet the season with my best foot forward. So here is usually my little checklist I go through to make sure I’m ready to welcome the season of growth, renewal and change!

🌸 Declutter & Lighten Your Space

✔ Triage your clothes, shoes & accessories—donate or sell anything you haven’t worn in the last year.

✔ Declutter books & miscellaneous objects���use labeled boxes for keepsakes, candles, or seasonal décor.

✔ Sort through your dishes & kitchenware—keep only what you use and donate the rest.

✔ Shred or recycle unnecessary paperwork—no need to hold onto clutter.

✔ Check expiration dates—toss out expired food, medications, and beauty products.

☀️Make your space feel as light and airy as a spring breeze!

🌸 Deep Clean & Refresh

✔ Dust & disinfect surfaces.

✔ Wipe down windows & mirrors for that fresh spring sunlight.

✔ Sweep, vacuum & mop—especially in forgotten corners!

✔ Take out the trash & replace old sponges, cloths, or air filters.

✔ Change your bedding—nothing like fresh sheets for a seasonal reset!

✔ Do your laundry—wash winter coats before storing them away.

✔ Open your windows to let in fresh air & natural light.

✔ Light a scented candle or diffuse essential oils—something floral, fresh or citrusy to match the season.

🧼 It’s not for nothing that we call it spring cleaning.

🌸 Inspire & Reflect

✔ Journal about your winter wins���what did you accomplish these past few months? How can you build on that?

✔ Set realistic goals for spring—visualize who you want to be by summer.

✔ Challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone—what’s one new thing you can try this season?

🌸 Get excited with little changes!

✔ Rearrange furniture for a fresh vibe.

✔ Experiment with a new outfit style.

✔ Research seasonal fruits & vegetables and try 1-2 recipes with fresh spring produce.

✔ Read a book in a genre you don’t usually pick up.

✔ Try a new café, park, or walking route—switch up your daily scenery.

✔ Experiment with a new hairstyle or a new skincare routine.

✔ Introduce a new scent into your life—whether it’s a signature spring perfume, body lotion, or home fragrance.

🌸 Digital Reset

✔ Declutter your phone—delete unused apps, clean up your photos, and organize notes.

✔ Tidy your email inbox—unsubscribe from newsletters you never read.

✔ Sort your social media—unfollow accounts that drain your energy or don’t align with your current mindset.

✔ Refresh your budgeting system—review your spending, set new financial goals, and maybe plan a little spring treat!

✔ Curate your content—update your watchlist, reading list, and playlists with things that inspire you.

🌸 Reconnect & Rebalance

✔ Plan a small spring gathering—a picnic, brunch, or cozy dinner with loved ones.

✔ Check in with friends & family—reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.

✔ Schedule a self-care day—refresh your skincare, do a home spa night, or treat yourself to something simple but meaningful.

✔ Dedicate time to movement & nature—whether it’s a new workout, daily walks, or just soaking up the sunshine.

✔ Reassess your work/life balance—is there a way to bring more joy into your daily routine?

🌸 Celebrate the Season!

✔ Write down 3 things you love about spring—flowers blooming? Longer days? That fresh spring air?

✔ Treat yourself to something seasonal—fresh flowers, a new journal, or even a pastel outfit.

✔ Capture a small spring moment—a photo of blooming trees, a quiet morning coffee, or your first picnic of the year.

[ofmdrecaps]

10/26/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; S2 Finale Anniversary! Rhys Darby; Taika Waititi; Con O'Neill; Kristian Nairn; Samba Schutte & Damien Gerard; Rory Kinnear; Other Fandom Petition; Fan Spotlight: Cast Cards; AMuseOfFyre; Love Notes; Daily Darby/Today's Taika;

== S2 Finale Anniversary ==

It's been a year since the finale of S2 aired crew! What a year it has been! Our friends over at @adoptourcrew asked some important questions and would love to hear from you on their various socials!

Source: Adopt Our Crew Twitter

== Rhys Darby ==

Rhys is announcing his Midwest Comedy tours going on in Indiana and Missouri! The Helium Comedy Club in Indiana information is here and Missouri is here!

Source: Rhys' Instagram

== Taika Waititi ==

Taika out and about!

Source: Instagram

== Con O'Neill ==

Con was so appreciative of everyone coming to join him and the folks of The Men out at Alnwick Playhouse!

Source: Con O'Neill's Instagram

Deepest thank yous to the super sweet Radical Hysteria on Instagram for being kind enough to share these adorable shots with Con! It looked like everyone had such an amazing time!

Source: radical_hysteria on Instagram

== Kristian Nairn ==

Kristian was out at MCM Comic Con in the UK-- and god to meet up with none other than Dogpool!

Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram

Kristian's also got a new event happening in Dundee, UK on November 29th! For more info, check out Progressia Events!

Source: Progressia Events

Annnnnd if that wasn't enough, Kristian's also going to be at Beastly Books in Santa Fe, New Mexico on October 31 from 7pm -8 pm! To learn more, checkout Beastly Books!

Source: Kristian's Instagram

== Samba Schutte & Damien Gerard ==

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 released on the 25th-- and guess what? Both Samba, and Damien voice characters in the game! Yannick and Harry Stone!

Source: Samba Schutte's Instagram / Damien Gerard's Threads

Oh, and just by the way, Good Dead Entertainment has reported Advanced Chemistry has a 100 on the Popcorn Meter! Great job everyone! If you're still looking to help get Samba recognition, you can still do reviews on Amazon and other sites! For help on where, you can visit the repo for more info.

Source: GoodEntertainment Instagram

== Rory Kinnear ==

Our favorite Badminton Twins, Rory Kinnear..and well Rory Kinnear is going to be playing in the latest season of The Diplomat on Netflix! It premieres October 31st!

Source: Netflix Articles

== Other Fandom Petitions ==

Some other fans are hoping to get a full 6 episode series after the latest news about Good Omens only getting a 90 minute movie! They were so kind over the past year in sharing petitions for OFMD renewals, if you have a moment, and are willing, can you do a quick signature for them?

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Cast Cards =

More Cast Cards tonight from the ever-wonderful, sweetest person ever, @melvisik! First up is Rhett Giles! One of our Segment Producers! "Segment producers exist in television programs such as morning news shows. They produce the various “segments” in the show, such as a cooking, local news, or special weather report segment. They’re typically responsible for writing about stories assigned to them in. their production system from their Executive Producers, who get their stories from their news source like CNN." - The Film Fund

Next up is just a PLETHORA of awesome Stunt Performers! James Gerardi, Kieran Gallagher, Matthew Lorenceau, Raw Leiba, Tait Fletcher, and Steve Brown!

Source: @melvisik's Twitter

= A Muse of Fyre =

Another absolutely stunning muppet by our dear friend @amuseoffyre-- this time featuring Calico Jack! I am floored at how that mustache turned out!

Source: amuseoffyre's Instagram

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies <3 I hope your weekend ended up treating you well. Sending some mini-love notes your way tonight. Good luck on the week ahead!

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Source: NewHappyCo Instagram

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

No theme, just hair! Gifs courtesy of some of our Gif-Maker Extraordinaires, @fandomsmeantheworldtome and @fuckyeahworldoftaika <3

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Polishing a Markled Turd 💩

"...the British Press Said that..." Puff Piece written by "Forbes" reporter who covers ENTERTAINMENT trends. Conor Murray was tasked to submit a puff piece using a "Forbes" byline: Markle’s ‘With Love, Meghan’ Renewed For Another Season—Despite Low Review Ranking

Meghan Markle and her Spare blame the United Kingdom their disastrous Netflix performance.

Mar 7, 2025 Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan,” will return for a second season despite a dismal response from critics, as the series places in the top 10 of Netflix shows on the streaming platform Friday.

With Love, Meghan," a lifestyle series for Netflix, has been met with a negative critical reception. “With Love, Meghan” premiered Tuesday on Netflix, featuring eight episodes of the Duchess of Sussex inviting guests to her California home, where she cooks and engages with guests in homemaking projects. The series will return for a second season, both Netflix and Markle confirmed in Instagram posts on Friday. The renewal comes as Markle’s show has been roasted by critics, particularly in the United Kingdom, leaving it with just a 28% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and an even worse 18% audience score (though the latter system is notoriously easy to game). “With Love, Meghan” ranks as Netflix’s No. 7 show in the United States on Friday, according to the streaming service’s daily charts.

Chief Critics: Markle’s show has been torched by critics since its debut, especially in England—where Markle remains a divisive figure after she decamped the country with her husband, Prince Harry, stepping away from their royal duties—with British newspapers:

The Guardian (1 of her Meghan Markle's favorite sources)

The Independent both giving the series a one-star rating. The Independent called the series “queasy and exhausting” and like a “millennial blog come to life.”

Variety (since when is Variety British) said Markle appears “unwilling to step outside the role of perpetual A student” and “lacks similar competence” to lifestyle gurus Martha Stewart and Ina Garten.

Key Background: On “With Love, Meghan,” Markle invites guests to her home that include actress-writer Mindy Kaling, her former “Suits” co-star Abigail Spencer and celebrity chefs Roy Choi and Alice Waters. The series is one of many media ventures she and her husband have undertaken since leaving their royal duties in 2020. Harry’s blockbuster memoir, “Spare,” became the fastest-selling nonfiction book ever. The couple signed a deal with Netflix (Megafestingly) reportedly worth $100 million, for which they have produced five shows, including the 2022 “Harry & Meghan” docuseries, which was a ratings hit but prompted a mixed response from critics. Markle also hosted a short-lived podcast for Spotify, “Archetypes,” which lasted for 12 episodes before she parted ways with the streaming platform. Spotify’s head of podcasts Bill Simmons slammed Harry and Markle after her podcast ended, calling them “grifters.” actually he called them "fu-ing GRIFTERS"

Further Reading: Meghan Markle’s ‘With Love, Meghan’ Roasted By Critics—The Royal Couple’s Latest Media Venture Struggle (Forbes)

Conor Murray is a reporter covering trends in entertainment and culture. He is based in Jersey City and joined Forbes in 2022. Murray has covered the messy rollout for Kanye West's latest album, the Stanley water bottle craze and right-wing backlash against companies deemed "woke." He previously covered billionaires with the Forbes wealth team and covered pop culture and TikTok trends for NBC News. He graduated with a degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania in 2022. Follow Murray for continued coverage of social media trends, celebrity controversies and the movie and music industries. 

[getstickbugdlol]

nuance haters dni

essentially, after doing personal research on this, here's where i stand:

ai is a neutral tool

ai is also more than chatgpt. a lot of the stuff you use on a day to day basis is ai but is NOT a large language learning model like chatgpt

capitalism is the problem

it should stay out of art and any business implementing it to steal from artists or replace labor should explode

it has genuine potential, particularly for accessibility

so many fucking privacy concerns oh my god

environmental effects are not great but have little to do with AI itself as a tool and mostly to do with exacerbations of our preexisting fossil fuel sources and what the AI is being used for. to be clear i'm not saying there's no environmental impact. there is. but it's a bit more complex than what people are envisioning - much the same way people don't think about the plastic in their phones when thinking about waste. there's simply not enough data collected on electricity output yet to run an actual regression, but major concerns are concerns that apply to the entire tech industry. the study most people are quoting when they talk about energy consumption is by alex devries in 2023. most environmental research peformed on LLMs is performed on their training phase and not their output phase, and the results of the output phase largely depend on the model being used. These data are also from 2023, and I'd wager some new data will become available soon. There is this one article that claims ChatGPT uses LESS energy than a google search - I do think this study is a bit biased, but they quote scholarly sources and have peer review. my conclusion here is: we need more data, but if anything, AI only makes me think the pressure and urgency for renewable energy is urgent - if these things were powered on solar or nuclear energy it would be negligible. the water cooling is a closed loop system, so it's the energy being used to cool the water that's a concern. AI is also housed within regular datacenters, it's not like it's a specific AI datacenter.

chatgpt/openAI specifically is concerning due to the lack of. regulation - reminds me of early hollywood days with studios with film monopolies

i used it once or twice to scope it out back when it came out thought it wasnt worth it, i think its lame that students are relying on it and its having negative effects on education but thats also a natural evolution for the ipad baby generation

i think whether or not you use AI largely comes down to a personal moral stance but that "the robots will kill us" is obviously a very prevalent factor in personal panic towards it. i personally don't use it bc it hasn't been very helpful, but i understand why some people would.

if you use it to generate big titty girl art or write books or whatever, PERISH

tl;dr: there are a ton of things that use a ton of energy and are bad for the planet. gaming PCs, for one, use a lot of energy! Certainly not as much as an entire data center, but all our regular google searches and cloud saves are going on in those data centers too, not to mention the environmental impact of mining for the materials that make up our chips, phones, computers, etc. AI illuminates some pressing needs for energy reform, but those aren't related to the nature of AI tools themselves. AI is legitimately concerning in privacy violations and lack of regulation, as well as what the tools are being used for. It should be regulated against quickly in art and education. in a perfect world, AI uses renewable energy to perform tasks that supplement human activity, not replace it

[ukrfeminism]

Hundreds of women have gone on strike in Scotland as three more councils face claims over equal pay.

Almost 500 workers walked out of their council roles in Falkirk, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire in protest at a pay grading system which they say is outdated and pays women less than comparable male-dominated jobs.

Their action follows a strike by more than 8,000 female carers, caterers and cleaners in Glasgow, in 2018, which resulted in a payout of around £500m from Glasgow council, a bill it is yet to settle fully. It was the biggest equal pay strike in history in the UK.

Workers in similar jobs in Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Angus, Fife and Moray are now in ongoing disputes over equal pay.

The GMB union, which represents many of the women bringing claims, said local authorities across Scotland risk being bankrupted. GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour said Scotland’s councils were approaching equal pay claims “like the Titanic approaching the iceberg”. “Councillors have their heads in the sand and executives have their fingers in their ears, but these equal pay claims will come, will be won and will need to be settled.

“We know local authorities are struggling to make ends meet and we know why. But to suggest women workers are somehow making things worse by asking for money they are owed … is as dishonest as it is disgraceful.”

In England, Birmingham city council last year said it was unable to balance its books due, in part, to equal pay claims. The GMB has ongoing equal pay disputes with a number of other councils including Coventry and Cumberland.

Gilmour called on the Scottish government to create a new specialist body to settle equal pay claims nationwide and enforce payments.

Fiona O’Brien, a home carer in Renfrewshire since 2016 and a GMB rep, said she took strike action “as a last resort because enough is enough”.

“For a long time, we’ve been told: ‘you’ll never go on strike, you care too much, you’ll never stand up for yourselves’,” she said. “But we’ve had enough now – we’ve been taken for granted for too long.”

She said her role is different to what was advertised and more complex than the grade it is paid at, including administering medications, caring for people with dementia and mental illness, using specialist equipment and physically moving people with restricted mobility.

“It’s been inspirational to see us all coming together and standing up for what’s right and fair,” she said. “This could potentially change the road for a lot of people working in care and could also bring more people into the sector.”

In the event of a successful equal pay claim, higher pay grades could be retrospectively applied, allowing workers to claim up to five years of back pay and costing councils millions of pounds, the GMB said.

The union said it expects to see pay reviews in at least a dozen more Scottish local authorities.

A spokesperson for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Falkirk council is committed to upholding equal pay, and continues to engage with GMB. We will seek to minimise disruption for those in need of our care and support at home services.”

A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire council said: “We are committed to fair pay for home carers and, following a thorough and robust job evaluation process, the pay of a typical home carer has recently risen by at least £2,500 per annum through regrading of the role.”

A Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership spokesperson said: “Negotiations between the Health and Social Care Partnership with all trade unions continue. A further offer was presented to all three trade unions, and Unison and Unite have paused industrial action as they consider this renewed offer. Unfortunately, GMB is continuing with industrial action following a consultative ballot with its members.”

Renfrewshire council did not respond to the Observer’s request for comment.

[vigilante24ish]

Chat GTP, Reviews & Nowadays Readers (A personal opinion).

I honestly find it sad that nowadays, writers have to turn to AI for some vwork validation. Nowadays, many readers do not comment or react to a chapter/book. Instead, they often settle for a like/vote/kudos. When they choose to comment, it is usually to demand an update (if the story has not been renewed/updated for a while).

This leaves many writers (fanfic and not) questioning if their stories are good, enjoyable and so on. Thus, they find comfort in asking an AI system; that surprisingly does a good job.

I was personally recommended to try it after I was questioning a chapter I posted and I found ChatGTP rather helpful. It gave honest reviews, a summary of the details and an "opinion" in the end. (Mind you, I still am against it with AI art and stealing from artists. But story reviews are surprisingly not so bad.)

It's still sad that many writers have turned to a logarithm for validation when back then, there were enough comments to be motivated, and I know you did a good job. (If you are from those who don't need it and publish it just for you. You are a GOAT and admire that.)

[noxporium]

What Does The Deck Say? March 20, 2025

"What you need next is within sight, but it will take imagination and inspiration to realize it for what it is. Start with whatever you take up in hand, as the act of putting that to work will lead to the next step. Step by step, keep going, and let the act of creation renew and enrich you as you go."

Tavaglione’s Stairs of Gold Tarot is a richly decorated esoteric book in the form of 78 tarot cards. Sometimes wildly diverging from Waite’s road, the deck can read as slim as necessary and as deep as the reader is willing to focus. Tavaglione’s Stairs of Gold Tarot is ©US Games Systems.

“What Does The Deck Say” is a weekday series of 3 card pulls from a cartomancy deck. No context or query is given to frame what the cards say as the posts are reading samples and not personal instruction. The result is sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, and usually surprising. All readers are invited to leave a comment about what they perceive in the random spread as each person will interact with the cards in their own way.

Personalized, direct, and private cartomancy readings are available via Ko-Fi: Noxporium.

Why are you seeing March 20th’s post on March 19th? A reader suggested that the day’s post be published the evening of the day prior so that readers in the Eastern Time Zone may review the post before they encounter the day as Noxporium is in the Pacific Time Zone. This week will have the post dropped the day before at 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern) on Noxporium.com and BlueSky, and at 6:30pm Pacific) (9:30pm Eastern) on Tumblr.

[dragonflycap]

5 Trade Ideas for Monday: Cadence, Chipotle, Intuitive Surgical, Netflix and Progressive

5 Trade ideas excerpted from the detailed analysis and plan for premium subscribers:

Cadence Design Systems, Ticker: $CDNS

Cadence Design Systems, $CDNS, comes into the week at short term resistance in a move higher. The RSI is in the bullish zone with the MACD positive. Look for a push over resistance to participate…..

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Ticker: $CMG

Chipotle Mexican Grill, $CMG, comes into the week breaking resistance. It has a RSI in the bullish zone with the MACD positive. Look for continuation to participate…..

Intuitive Surgical, Ticker: $ISRG

Intuitive Surgical, $ISRG, comes into the week approaching short term resistance. It has a RSI in the bullish zone with the MACD positive. Look for a push over resistance to participate…..

Netflix, Ticker: $NFLX

Netflix, $NFLX, comes into the week breaking resistance. It has a RSI in the bullish zone with the MACD crossing up. Look for continuation to participate…..

Progressive, Ticker: $PGR

Progressive, $PGR, comes into the week testing support. It has a RSI holding in the bullish zone with the MACD negative. look for a break of support to participate…..

Start of Summer Annual Sale! Hi all the Start of Summer Annual Sale is on at Dragonfly Capital. Get an annual subscription for 38.2% off or pay quarterly for 15% off. Both auto-renew at that discounted rate until you decide to leave.

After reviewing over 1,000 charts, I have found some good setups for the week. These were selected and should be viewed in the context of the broad Market Macro picture reviewed Friday which with the June FOMC meeting and inflation data in the books, saw equity markets exhibit both strength and weakness with large caps and tech names continuing to make new all-time highs while small caps took a beating.

Elsewhere look for Gold to continue consolidation while Crude Oil consolidates in a broad range. The US Dollar Index looks ready to test the top of the consolidation range while US Treasuries bask in a short term uptrend in the secular downtrend. The Shanghai Composite looks to continue the short term move lower while Emerging Markets consolidate in the long channel.

The Volatility Index looks to remain very low and stable making the path easier for equity markets to the upside. The charts of the SPY and QQQ look strong, especially on the longer timeframe. On the shorter timeframe both the QQQ and SPY have negated prior possible momentum divergences. The IWM continues to languish and showed possible renewed weakness moving lower on the week. Use this information as you prepare for the coming week and trad’em well.

[renee-rust]

Auto renew the vicious loop

When it comes to removing friction, some companies have gotten extremely good at it. However, becoming good at it does not mean higher customer satisfaction. Think of all those amazing membership auto renew deals we have gotten sucked into. Yes, those are extremely frictionless, but they mostly benefit the company, not the customer. There is one examples particularly that comes to mind of a membership that sounds great but is extremely difficult to exit, leading to endless hours on customer service calls just to make the monthly draining of your account stop.

Occasionally, I treat myself to a pampering session and get a facial treatment done. On one of these experiences, I stumbled across Skin Spa New York. They are a skin care clinic with various locations in major cities in the US, which provide various treatments. After my treatment, as I was checking out, the receptionist informed me of their membership offering. In theory it sounds great, a discount on a monthly facial, sign me up! The benefits include a monthly facial (from a choice of five treatments), a free treatment on your birthday, various discounts on further purchases and even discounts for friends.

However, what they fail to inform you of, is the terms and how difficult these can be to keep up. Ultimately making it extremely difficult to end the membership. Membership fees are automatically billed on the 1st of each month, cancelable at any time they say, however, you must email them to request a cancelation before the 20th of each month, after 3 months of membership. Unused Membership treatment can be rolled over up to 60 days but no refunds or credit for unused months or lesser value service will be issued. The list goes on and on about policies you need to follow to be able to qualify for the promised services. This just shows how what is frictionless for the company is an actual added pain point for the customer. If you read some customer reviews, they discuss the difficulties for refund on services they were mischarged for. The automatic payment system does indeed remove friction for some parties but adds it for others.

What ends up happening is that once you opt into the membership it can be extremely hard to exit, creating that lobster trap scenario: easy in, hard out. This leads to the monthly payment and accumulation of credits that are never used. Finally, when one wants to cancel one is faced with the option of either canceling and losing all credits or trying to fit multiple treatments into one month. A process that seems frictionless for the customer is only frictionless when it comes to aspects that benefit the company. On the other hand, the aspects that the customers care about are riddled with friction; think back and forth emailing to cancel the membership, difficulty booking and rescheduling appointments. When we think of automation and erasing of friction, we must remember for whom we are removing that friction and for whom might we be creating a lot more friction.

The introduction of new technologies will only further increase this discrepancy if we are not attentive. We can all agree that the process of paying for a service is time consuming and can be seen as a pain point for both company and customer. But when introducing a technology to streamline that process, we must be very attentive as for who it is benefiting. We could also think of that pain point of a great opportunity to change the narrative. Why not make this a last impression touch point? Imagine instead of a simple paying transaction, you are given an infused water and a warm towel for your hands as you exit the establishment. Instead of simply trying to remove pain points, we must focus on the customer experience and look for ways to translate those pain points into memorable experiences.

[classypyrethreshold]

Spa in ahmedabad 

In a city as fast-paced as Ahmedabad, self-care can often take a back seat. But it doesn't have to. At Pure Harmony Gurukul, we believe that wellness is not a luxury—it's a lifestyle. If you're someone who searches for the best spa near me or wants to indulge in the healing power of Ayurveda with modern touches, you’ve just found your haven.

Nestled in the calm corners of Gurukul‑area, Ahmedabad, Pure Harmony isn’t just a spa—it’s an escape. We’re known for delivering transformative wellness experiences, making us one of the most preferred spas in Ahmedabad today.

✦ Explore Our Signature Spa Services

Every treatment at Pure Harmony Gurukul is crafted to heal deeply and restore naturally.

Best oil massage: A deeply soothing therapy using warm herbal oils that relax muscles and nourish your skin.

Dry massage: A revitalizing treatment with friction-based strokes to stimulate circulation and detox.

Purna Vedic Massage: Ancient Indian technique that aligns mind and body energies using traditional oils and strokes.

Couple special massage: A shared moment of bliss with your partner in our beautifully prepared couple’s room.

Hammam water massage: Inspired by Moroccan rituals, it’s the ultimate purification bath—steam, scrub, and cleanse.

Four Hand Massage: Two therapists work in harmony to ease tension and double your relaxation.

Shirodhara: A stream of warm oil flows across the forehead, calming the nervous system and enhancing mental clarity.

Aroma massage therapy: An immersive sensory journey using essential oils tailored to your emotional and physical needs.

✦ Why Pure Harmony Is the Best Spa in Gurukul‑Area, Ahmedabad

We combine ancient Ayurvedic wisdom with world-class spa techniques to give you a truly transformative experience.

Conveniently located in Gurukul‑area, Ahmedabad, we are easy to access and highly rated in the city.

Our calm and private environment is perfect for both solo sessions and couples’ treatments.

We’re highly reviewed by customers seeking the best spas in Gurukul‑area, Ahmedabad for massage therapy and holistic treatments.

We offer unisex services in a premium, clean, and peaceful setting.

All therapists are trained, experienced, and focused on personalized care.

✦ Location & Booking

📍 Pure Harmony Gurukul Located in the heart of Gurukul‑area, Ahmedabad, our spa is just minutes away from key landmarks and neighborhoods. Whether you want a quick rejuvenation session or a full-body renewal, we’re just a few clicks away.

✅ Book Online via Trakky — Click here to reserve your spot now

✦ The Ultimate Spa Journey Starts Here

Whether you're drawn by the luxurious Four Hand Massage, the meditative flow of Shirodhara, or the unique power of Purna Vedic Massage, you’ll find what your soul needs at Pure Harmony. Our treatments aren’t just about the body — they’re about how you feel from within.

So, if you’re in search of the best spa near me or an unforgettable spa in Ahmedabad experience…

👉 Book now and start your journey to pure harmony

[keilykurukula]

Why Sustainability Is No Longer Optional in the Hospitality Industry

The hospitality industry stands at a crossroads. As travellers increasingly seek accommodations that align with their environmental values, hotels worldwide are discovering that sustainable practices have evolved from a nice-to-have amenity to an absolute business necessity. Whether you are booking a luxury suite or searching for normal rooms in Colombo, today's guests expect their chosen accommodation to demonstrate genuine commitment to environmental responsibility. This shift represents more than just a trend—it is a fundamental transformation that is reshaping how hotels operate, market themselves, and measure success.

The writing has been on the wall for years, but recent global events have accelerated the urgency. Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality affecting destinations worldwide. From rising sea levels threatening coastal resorts to extreme weather patterns disrupting travel plans, the hospitality industry faces direct consequences of environmental degradation. Hotels that fail to adapt risk not only losing customers but also facing increased operational costs, regulatory pressures, and potential obsolescence in an increasingly conscious marketplace.

The Economic Imperative of Green Hospitality

The financial case for sustainability in hospitality has never been stronger. Energy-efficient technologies, waste reduction programs, and water conservation measures deliver immediate cost savings that directly impact the bottom line. LED lighting systems can reduce energy consumption by up to 75% compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, while smart HVAC systems optimise temperature control based on occupancy patterns, dramatically cutting utility bills.

Water conservation initiatives prove equally beneficial. Hotels implementing comprehensive water management systems often see reductions of 20-30% in their water usage, translating to significant savings in regions where water costs are high or availability is limited. These savings become particularly important when considering the competitive pricing pressures in popular tourist destinations, where establishments must balance affordability with profitability while maintaining service quality.

Modern travellers are also willing to pay premium rates for sustainable accommodations. Research consistently shows that environmentally conscious guests will choose hotels with strong sustainability credentials even when the Colombo room price might be slightly higher than conventional alternatives. This willingness to pay more creates a compelling business case for hotels to invest in green technologies and sustainable practices.

Meeting the Expectations of the Modern Traveler

Today's travellers, particularly millennials and Generation Z, view sustainability as a non-negotiable factor in their accommodation choices. These demographics, which represent an increasingly large portion of the travel market, actively research hotels' environmental policies before booking. They scrutinise everything from renewable energy usage to waste management practices, and they are not hesitant to share their findings on social media platforms and review sites.

The demand for sustainable travel experiences extends beyond individual leisure travellers. Corporate clients increasingly require their employees to stay at environmentally certified hotels as part of company sustainability policies. Business travel, which represents a significant portion of hotel revenue, now depends heavily on a property's ability to demonstrate genuine environmental stewardship.

Families traveling together are particularly conscious of the environmental legacy they leave for future generations. When searching for family rooms in Colombo or any other destination, parents often prioritise hotels that offer educational opportunities about local ecosystems, support community conservation efforts, and implement child-friendly environmental programs. These families want their travel experiences to align with the values they are teaching their children at home.

Regulatory Landscape and Compliance Pressures

Governments worldwide are implementing increasingly stringent environmental regulations that directly impact hotel operations. From mandatory energy efficiency standards to plastic waste reduction requirements, hotels must navigate a complex web of compliance obligations that vary by location and continue to evolve.

The European Union's Green Deal and similar initiatives in other regions are setting ambitious targets for carbon neutrality that will require significant operational changes across the hospitality sector. Hotels that proactively adopt sustainable practices position themselves ahead of regulatory requirements, avoiding costly last-minute compliance measures and potential penalties.

Local municipalities are also taking action. Many popular tourist destinations now require hotels to meet specific environmental standards to maintain their operating licenses. These requirements often include waste reduction targets, water conservation measures, and energy efficiency benchmarks that directly influence day-to-day operations.

Technology as a Sustainability Enabler

The integration of smart technology has made sustainable hotel operations more achievable and cost-effective than ever before. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors can monitor and optimise energy usage in real-time, automatically adjusting lighting, heating, and cooling based on occupancy patterns and guest preferences. These systems not only reduce environmental impact but also enhance guest comfort by maintaining optimal room conditions.

Mobile apps and digital platforms have revolutionised guest communication about sustainability initiatives. Hotels can now educate guests about their environmental programs, provide tips for reducing their stay's carbon footprint, and even gamify conservation efforts through reward programs. This digital engagement helps guests feel like active participants in sustainability efforts rather than passive observers.

Renewable energy technologies have become increasingly accessible and cost-effective for hotels of all sizes. Solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal systems can now provide substantial portions of a hotel's energy needs, with many properties achieving net-zero or even net-positive energy status. These investments often pay for themselves within a few years while providing decades of reduced operational costs.

Building Authentic Sustainability Programs

The key to successful sustainability in hospitality lies in authenticity. Modern travellers can easily identify and quickly reject superficial "greenwashing" attempts. Genuine sustainability programs require comprehensive approaches that address every aspect of hotel operations, from construction materials and energy sources to staff training and community engagement.

Successful sustainable hotels focus on measurable outcomes rather than vague promises. They track and publicly report their water usage, energy consumption, waste diversion rates, and carbon emissions. This transparency builds trust with guests and provides concrete evidence of environmental commitment.

Community engagement represents another crucial component of authentic sustainability programs. Hotels that partner with local environmental organisations, support indigenous conservation efforts, and source products from regional suppliers demonstrate genuine commitment to their destinations' long-term wellbeing. These partnerships often provide unique experiences for guests while contributing meaningfully to local economic development.

The Competitive Advantage of Early Adoption

Hotels that embrace sustainability early gain significant competitive advantages in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Environmental certifications from recognised organisations like LEED, Green Key, or EarthCheck serve as powerful marketing tools that differentiate properties from competitors. These certifications also provide structured frameworks for continuous improvement, helping hotels maintain their environmental leadership positions.

The operational knowledge gained through sustainability initiatives often leads to innovations that extend beyond environmental benefits. Hotels that implement comprehensive waste reduction programs, for example, often discover process improvements that enhance overall operational efficiency. Staff members trained in sustainable practices become more engaged and innovative, contributing to improved service quality and guest satisfaction.

Early adoption also provides valuable experience in navigating the challenges of sustainable operations. This experience becomes increasingly valuable as environmental regulations tighten and guest expectations continue to rise. Hotels that have already established sustainable practices are better positioned to adapt to new requirements and opportunities.

Looking Toward a Sustainable Future

The hospitality industry's sustainability transformation is accelerating, driven by converging pressures from guests, regulators, investors, and operational realities. Hotels that view this transformation as an opportunity rather than a burden will thrive in the evolving marketplace. Whether operating a boutique Colombo city hotel or managing a large international chain, property owners and managers must recognise that sustainability is no longer optional—it is essential for long-term success.

The question facing today's hospitality leaders is not whether to embrace sustainability, but how quickly and comprehensively they can implement meaningful environmental programs. The hotels that answer this question decisively and authentically will not only contribute to global environmental protection but also secure their competitive positions in an industry where sustainability has become the new standard of excellence.

The transformation toward sustainable hospitality represents one of the most significant industry shifts in decades. Hotels that embrace this change will find themselves well-positioned for continued success, while those that resist risk being left behind in an increasingly environmentally conscious world. The choice is clear: adapt and thrive, or maintain the status quo and struggle to remain relevant in tomorrow's hospitality landscape.

[rioconsulting]

How Medical Practice Management Helps Healthcare Professionals

Medical practice management is a set of processes and tools designed to handle the administrative side of running a healthcare facility. From scheduling and billing to compliance and staff coordination, it allows healthcare professionals to focus more on patient care and less on paperwork.

In modern clinics and hospitals, managing appointments, billing, and records manually can quickly lead to confusion and delays. Medical practice management systems (MPMS) provide a centralized way to handle these daily operations with consistency and efficiency.

Improving Workflow and Time Use

One of the most direct benefits of practice management is better time management. When administrative tasks are handled smoothly, healthcare providers can reduce delays between appointments and shorten patient wait times.

For example, digital scheduling tools let front-desk staff view calendars in real time, find open slots, and send appointment reminders automatically. This minimizes no-shows and helps keep the schedule on track. It also allows clinicians to make better use of their time, seeing more patients without rushing through visits.

Billing is another area where time is often lost. Manual processing is not only slow but prone to human error. A practice management system can generate invoices, submit insurance claims, and check for missing or incorrect data before submission. This reduces rejections and ensures that payments arrive sooner.

Strengthening Communication and Coordination

Medical practices involve multiple staff members who need to work together — from receptionists and nurses to physicians and billing teams. Without good communication, mistakes can happen. Practice management systems improve coordination by giving everyone access to the same information.

For example, if a patient calls in to change their appointment, the update is immediately reflected in the system, so clinicians don’t show up expecting someone who won’t be there. Similarly, when a lab result arrives, it can be flagged in the patient’s record for quick review, avoiding delays in follow-up care.

Secure messaging tools within many platforms also help team members communicate directly, reducing reliance on phone calls or hallway conversations, which can be missed or forgotten.

Supporting Compliance and Record Keeping

Healthcare professionals must meet strict standards for record-keeping and privacy. MPMS software helps ensure that data is stored properly, access is restricted, and records are easy to retrieve during audits.

The system can also track license renewals, continuing education, and policy updates, which helps practices stay on top of regulatory changes. When documentation is requested by insurers or oversight bodies, having an organized system in place avoids last-minute scrambles or incomplete submissions.

Moreover, automation reduces the risk of lost paperwork, duplicate records, or billing errors that can trigger fines or penalties.

Helping Small Practices Stay Competitive

Larger hospitals often have entire departments dedicated to administration, but smaller clinics don’t have that luxury. For these smaller settings, practice management software levels the playing field.

By automating time-consuming tasks and streamlining operations, small practices can reduce overhead and remain profitable. They can also offer more flexible services, such as online booking or telemedicine coordination, which helps attract and retain patients.

With fewer administrative burdens, healthcare professionals in smaller practices can also avoid burnout and maintain a better work-life balance.

Medical practice management doesn’t change what happens in the examination room, but it supports everything around it. By improving scheduling, billing, communication, and compliance, it helps healthcare professionals deliver care more effectively and spend more time doing what they’re trained to do — helping patients.

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How to efficiently manage small business admin

Below are practical steps to streamline your admin, save time, and boost productivity — so you can focus on growing your business.

Why Structure Is the Foundation of Success

Think of admin tasks as the backbone of your business. When they aren’t handled properly, things can quickly spiral out of control. Staying on top of administration allows you to:

Track business performance accurately

Stay compliant with UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) requirements

Reduce legal and financial risks

Structure isn’t just about avoiding chaos – it’s about creating opportunities. A clean admin system can help you spot inefficiencies, reduce unnecessary expenses, and scale with confidence.

Use Accounting Software to Simplify Financial Management

Manually tracking invoices, receipts, and expenses? That’s a recipe for lost paperwork and late-night stress.

Instead, use cloud-based accounting tools to automate repetitive tasks and stay audit-ready under UAE laws.

Here’s what accounting software can help with:

✅ Automated Bookkeeping: Sync your transactions automatically ✅ Payroll Processing: Handle WPS-compliant salary payments ✅ Real-Time Financial Reports: Monitor cash flow and profits at a glance

Popular tools for UAE businesses include Xero, QuickBooks, and Zoho Books, all of which are compliant with VAT and local tax standards.

Go Digital with Your Records

Paper-based admin is outdated, risky, and inefficient — especially when the FTA requires digital record-keeping

Here’s how to transition smoothly:

Scan Receipts: Use mobile apps to digitise invoices and bills

Use Cloud Storage: Platforms like Google Drive or Dropbox offer secure access from anywhere

Automated Tagging: Use software that categorizes and tags expenses by type or VAT code

Going digital saves time and makes year-end tax filing so much easier.

Organize Admin with Task Breakdowns

Admin becomes manageable when you break it into daily, weekly, monthly, and annual routines.

✅ Daily Tasks

Respond to emails and client messages

Log sales, purchases, and expenses

Digitise any paper invoices or receipts

✅ Weekly Tasks

Pay suppliers and check unpaid invoices

Reconcile bank accounts

Update your business website or post on social media

✅ Monthly Tasks

Process payroll (WPS if you have employees)

Review profit margins and track inventory

Check if VAT returns or compliance updates are due

✅ Annual Tasks

Prepare for VAT returns and renew business licenses

Review your business plan and set new goals

Audit contracts, software subscriptions, and insurance

When to Consider Outsourcing

If admin is draining your time, outsourcing can be a game-changer — especially in the UAE where penalties for non-compliance can be severe.

What you can outsource:

Virtual Assistants: Handle emails, data entry, and appointment scheduling

Accountants: Ensure FTA compliance and file accurate VAT returns

Bookkeepers: Manage day-to-day financial records

Freelance Admin Staff: Help with seasonal or one-off tasks

Want reliable experts to handle your admin work? Talk to us — our professionals help UAE businesses stay compliant, organized, and scalable.

Build a Sustainable Admin Routine

Managing business admin efficiently is all about smart systems and consistent habits. Here’s how to get started:

✅ Use cloud-based tools and accounting software ✅ Break tasks into bite-sized daily and weekly routines ✅ Rely on professionals when needed

Ready to Streamline Your Business Admin?

If you’re tired of juggling receipts, compliance tasks, and endless admin work — let us help. Our team at The Accountant specializes in bookkeeping, VAT filing, and business advisory tailored for UAE businesses.

📞 Get in touch today — and start working smarter, not harder.

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With our expertise in mobile app development and hotel management systems, we ensure a smooth, scalable, and intuitive app experience that boosts your bookings and customer satisfaction.

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