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image: https://diybackpacker.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/macaupostcard.jpg

     Macau's reputation as the center of Chinese gambling is under threat after Chinese President Xi Jinping further increased pressure on anti-corruption and economic diversity. Especially threatened are the city's junket operators, whose rich clients are commonly accused of illicit business and agreements during their visits to Macau.
     In response to the pressure, David Group announced it would be closing 4 out of its 5 gambling rooms in Macau, after claims by Frank Ng that the company plans to move its business to the Philippines, Vietnam and South Korea, countries which have all entered the gambling industry relatively recently.
     However, there might yet be hope for Macau, as Ng describes the current conditions not as an ending, but as a hibernation until things improve.
     While David Group might be moving, reports show that China's gamblers aren't going with them, instead ceasing to gamble at all. Casinos in Manila and Vietnam have suffered disappointing revenues in their opening years, as they fail to attract visitors.
     Regardless, Macau's gambling revenue fell for the first time in a decade, leaving many to wonder whether this is a small bump for the industry that makes up over half of Macau's revenue, or the end of a global gambling empire.

     I personally would be sad to see the casinos go. Sure, some may argue that they've robbed Macau of its cultural identity, and replaced it with a corporate, modern environment, but I know that Macau is still the same place at heart as it was when I was young. I find that the casinos, mostly built on reclaimed land, do not dominate the local culture, instead changing it, adding a new, modernized dimension. I am sure that no local would claim that they do not enjoy the new shopping malls, restaurants, and global recognition that the gambling industry has brought, and the local shops and markets certainly benefit from the huge seasonal population increase that has flooded the area with Chinese money.
     Then again, maybe Macau wasn't made for this kind of huge, bustling industry. The shops and restaurants that I enjoyed as a child may still be there, but should development and construction continue at its current pace, I cannot see how these businesses will survive the competition for space and location.
     As a small economy, Macau could also easily become economically over-reliant on gambling, as some may argue it already has. It will be interesting how the Macanese government itself will respond to Xi Jinping's demand for diversification, and whether it will be possible at all to distance the economy from its gambling reputation.
     My greatest fear is that Macau will become a has-been, once-was city, its once-dazzling and vibrant skyscrapers decorating a deserted city that failed to adapt to the changing times and was left behind. Perhaps the construction of the HK-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge will cause the tourism to relapse, and Macau will return to its economic growth, but the volatility of the industry has already been demonstrated, and whatever happens, I just hope that Macau will remain recognizable as my childhood home.

My Grandmother's restaurant in Taipa Village image: http://i.yp.mo/kiulam/

Read More Here:

Forbes
Business Insider: 1, 2

image: magpictures.com

     Blackfish, a documentary directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, was released in July 2013, and has recently enjoyed a surge of widespread acknowledgement, approximately one year after the film's initial release. The film focuses on an orca named Tilikum, who is one of the orcas living in Seaworld, and raises questions over the ethicality of keeping captive orcas.

     Despite the controversy, Seaworld has elected to keep its orcas (releasing them after having lived in captivity for so long might not be beneficial to the animals), and VP of Communications Fred Jacobs had responded to the movie in an interview with CNN, calling the film 'inaccurate and misleading.'

     Yesterday, (Aug. 13) Seaworld's stock fell nearly 33 percent after discussion surrounding Blackfish rose again on the internet. In addition, a piece of legislation called the 'Orca Welfare Safety Act' is pending while further studies are conducted, and could further hamper Seaworld's business, which CEO Jim Atchison had previously claimed was unaffected by the film. The question still remains whether this business disaster is truly justice for the orcas at Seaworld, or whether Seaworld really is just the victim of an 'inaccurate and misleading' documentary.

More here

     More information has come out recently regarding Uber's rivalry with hire-car service Lyft. Lyft claims to have evidence that Uber employees, including recruiters, have ordered and cancelled over 5500 rides on Lyft since last October. By linking accounts with large numbers of cancellations to phone numbers, Lyft claims to have unearthed a slew of accounts that in fact belong to just a few people, presumed Uber employees. One such user has been linked with 22 accounts, and is accused of over 1500 cancelled rides between the end of May 2013 and June 2014.

     This isn't the first instance of such tactics from Uber either. Earlier this year, Uber was accused of calling and canceling 300 rides on another competitor's app: Gett. In addition, Lyft drivers have reported frequent hires from Uber employees, who take short and low-profit rides, devoting time to convert them into Uber drivers. These questionable recruitment tactics have proven costly for Uber, as negative attention piles upon them, some customers are vowing to discontinue use of the app until their 'act is cleaned up.'  Only time will tell what, if there are any, the consequences will be.

More here 

image: siliconbeat.com

     Uber and Lyft, two companies responsible for the recent boom in the personal transportation sector, have continually fought for supremacy in the United States' growing on-demand taxi market. While Uber does have a $18.2 billion valuation (26 times higher than Lyft), Lyft CEO Logan Green has been doing his best to surpass Uber in new and creative ways. For example, Lyft has recently fitted its cars with pink mustaches (see image), in an effort to bolster its public image.

     However, it does seem as if Lyft has a long way to go if it wants to catch up to Uber. Uber has already expanded to 70 cities outside the United States (including Hong Kong, where I am from), while Lyft has yet to incorporate its services outside the US.

     Finally, the rivalry between these two companies is just another headache for both of them amongst restless protests from taxi drivers. By not implementing a physical 'fare meter', it seems as if Uber and Lyft have bypassed the regulations for taxi companies, sparking outrage in some communities. While Uber was recently declared legal in London, both companies still face legal challenges in the USA.

More on the rivalry (and a nice infographic) here.

Image: Anatoly Kabanets

     In light of protests against furniture retailer Harvey Norman, members of the Australian parliament are looking to make boycotts against companies based on environmental claims illegal. Australia already has laws in place that ban secondary boycotts, but environmental groups are currently exempted from the law.
     In recent years, environmental factors have become a large non-market focus for companies, as greater awareness of industrial impacts on nature have led to harsher inspection in the public eye. Should this law pass, it would relieve some of the pressure on companies such as Harvey Norman to maintain certain environmental standards, and limit the public voice on such matters.
     Then again, the intent of this law does not seem to be to allow companies leeway, but merely to discourage dishonest campaigns, as Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Richard Colbeck claims. In addition to this law, Colbeck says, he supports an addition to Australia's competition laws that would establish guidelines for determining the legitimacy of boycott claims.

More here:
- The Guardian