⭐️ Google Reviews Gone Rogue + Submarine Saviour + CostCo Opens and More
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⭐️ Google Reviews Gone Rogue + Submarine Saviour + CostCo Opens and More
Today’s newsletter is 1057 words: 4 minute read.
Thursday, June 22.
On this day 68 years ago, the animated musical Lady and the Tramp, one of Walt Disney's absolute classics, was released, and although the spaghetti-eating sequence is the best-known scene from the film, Walt Disney was prepared to cut it, thinking that it would not be romantic and that dogs eating spaghetti would look silly🍝
📚 Need a read? Here are a series of letters written by a copywriting legend.
In today’s email:
Google Reviews Gone Rogue: Digital community power
Submarine Saviour: Victor 6000
Trending: Costco opens on the GC
Around the Web (Snippets): A local makerspace on the Gold Coast, Internet Explorer retires, Thousands of delivery robots coming this year and more
Live Gold Coast Housing Prices
Weekend weather and surf:
One Big Thing: Google Review Cover-up
Happening Now
Just north of the Gold Coast, a cancer-stricken lady faced a very average and embarrassing incident at the hands of Richlands' Lions Club staff, stoking widespread Google Review outrage.
She was denied entry due to wearing a hat that she had worn to help cover her hair loss from cancer treatment.
The Incident
Despite explaining her condition, the venue insisted on enforcing their dress code and refused service, and she left.
Embarrassed, the lady, a part of a spirited local online community group, shared her humiliating experience privately.
The Fallout
Following the incident, her community rallied around her.
They collectively hit back by flooding the venue's Google Reviews with one-star feedback.
We’re talking 100s of 1-star reviews.
By The Numbers
With over 1000 existing reviews, the online community-led campaign moved the club's review score, dropping from the mid-4s to almost a flat 4..
But, suddenly, after a day or so, the score shot back up to 4.3.
A quick check at the ‘newest’ reviews section found that Google had removed an extensive range of the newly negative reviews.
Wider Implications
While managing negative reviews is challenging, especially for small businesses, the venue is a powerhouse that should've acted more empathetically.
Their staff's response and insensitive comments from other patrons only exacerbated the situation.
And more 1-star reviews continue to roll in.
What Next
Despite what the venue did, the monopoly Google has on online reviews is in focus.
In an age where online reviews can make or break a business, by far, Google Reviews are considered the ‘go-to’.
But, given the recent lawsuit against Google by the US's largest newspaper publisher for alleged online ad monopoly, it raises the question - should the ACCC take review manipulation more seriously from its biggest player?
2. Submarine Saviour - Victor 6000
Happening now
In a heart-stopping maritime operation, a French research team is racing against time to rescue the Titan submersible's crew with just hours left before the sub's oxygen supply runs out.
Their last hope hinges on a highly advanced, remotely operated craft known as the Victor 6000.
In recent hours
The Victor 6000, which can dive up to 20,000 feet, is currently en route to the Titan's last known location.
It possesses a moveable arm capable of cutting metal, a feature that may prove invaluable if the Titan is stuck inside the Titanic's wreckage.
While the Victor 6000 cannot tow the Titan to the surface, a strategy has been formulated to hook the Titan to a vessel capable of rapidly lifting it from the depths.
Why It Matters
The rescue operation is urgent,t with the estimated oxygen supply on the Titan due to run out within hours.
This mission highlights the inherent risks of deep-sea tourism and the vital importance of international collaboration in emergency response.
In The Details
The plan has a crucial flaw: L'Atalante, the French research vessel carrying the Victor 6000, was projected to reach the Titan's last known location late on Wednesday night (their time), leaving a tight window of roughly 12 hours to execute a rescue mission.
The current assumption is that crews would need to locate the Titan before Victor 6000 arrives so it can get to work upon arrival.
The Other Side
The search and rescue teams received a glimmer of hope with the detection of underwater "banging noises," the source of which is yet to be identified.
Carl Hartsfield, a subsea acoustics expert from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, cautioned against inferring too much from these sounds, which could originate from various sources.
The Big Picture
The operation has sparked a significant international response.
Despite the odds, French seafarers, including veteran adventurer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, are prepared to do everything possible to rescue the crew.
What to Watch
The next few hours will be absolutely crucial in determining the fate of the five individuals aboard the Titan.
Here’s hoping Victor 6000 is very close and that the trackers are even closer.
3. Trending
4. Around The Web (Snippets)
GC TechSpace: In Mudgeeraba meeting each Wednesday night, an open community and hackerspace/makerspace, learning centre and pre-incubator focussing on helping people learn tech, develop innovative concepts and ultimately help commercialise the tech products that they develop
A Good Article: On why the tram is a good thing for the Gold Coast got a lot of hype this week
Twitter Becomes: Australia’s most complained-about platform since new owner Elon Musk lifted bans on a reported 62,000 accounts.
A Microsoft Classic Retires: Internet Explorer is no more. After debuting on Windows desktop computers in 1995, by 2004, it had cornered 95% of the market. Google Chrome, Apple's Safari and Mozilla Firefox are now dominant, and any users wanting to stick with Microsoft are being directed to Microsoft Edge.
Cyborg Delivery: Robotics firm Starship Technologies (launched by the co-founders of Skype) aims to have thousands of robots delivering food across multiple countries starting this year after signing its first agreement with Bolt in Estonia.
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