New Zealand Pizza Company Introduces Unique 'AfterLife Pay' Option For Customers

WELLINGTON, May 28: A pizza company in New Zealand has unveiled a new "buy now, pay later" system that lets customers wait to pay for their order until after they're dead. The company, Hell Pizza, launched the "AfterLife Pay" plan on Thursday, Newshub reported.

It said that the scheme will be available to 666 clients who sign a legally enforceable agreement revising their wills to defer payments until after they die.

Customers may find the scheme unusual at first, but Hell Pizza assured them that there are no hidden fees or penalties. CEO Benn Cumming even claimed that the arrangement alleviates New Zealanders' growing problem of falling into "buy now, pay later" traps.

Speaking to the outlet, Cumming stated that the "light-hearted" marketing stunt was inspired by current buy now, pay later programs affecting the Kiwis.

"We're seeing a growing number of people using the schemes to buy essential items like food, and we think it's taking it a step too far when you've got quick service restaurants like ours being asked to offer BNPL for what is considered a treat," he said.

The scheme will initially run as a trial, with anyone 18 years or older eligible to apply. Of the applicants, 666 people will then be selected. The offer has also been extended to 666 people in Australia, the outlet reported.

New Zealand's Consumer Protection Authorities, however, have thoroughly researched the scheme and warned that it is potentially addictive and can lead to debt difficulties. The officials warned consumers not to use the system only to get a free pizza.

But Cumming said pizza is one of the simple joys of life, and AfterLife Pay means customers can get their fix without having to dip into the bank account immediately. "AfterPay Life is a light-hearted campaign that reinforces Hell's stance on buy now pay later schemes - you can have your pizza and eat it too without any pesky late fees or penalties," Cumming said.

Zimbabwe Named 'Most Miserable Country In The World', Switzerland 'Happiest', India Ranked 103

NEW YORK, May 24: Zimbabwe has emerged as the most miserable country on renowned economist Steve Hanke's Annual Misery Index (HAMI), which judges nations on mainly economic conditions.

The African country that has surpassed war-torn nations like Ukraine, Syria, and Sudan, has majorly been plagued with skyrocketing inflation, which touched 243.8 percent last year. A total of 157 countries were analysed for the rankings, as per New York Post.

"Thanks to stunning inflation, high unemployment, high lending rates, and anemic real GDP growth, Zimbabwe clocks in as the WORLD'S MOST MISERABLE COUNTRY in the Hanke 2022 Annual Misery Index. Need I say more?'' Steve Hanke tweeted.

Hanke also blamed the country's reigning political party ZANU-PF and its policies for inflicting “massive misery.”

Venezuela, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Argentina, Yemen, Ukraine, Cuba, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Angola, Tonga, and Ghana are the other countries in the top 15 list of most miserable nations.

Meanwhile, Switzerland had the lowest HAMI score, meaning its citizens are the happiest. "One reason for that is the Swiss debt brake," Hanke wrote, crediting the low debt-to-GDP ratio for the nation's joyous success.

The second-happiest country was Kuwait, followed by Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Niger, Thailand, Togo, and Malta.

India, on the other hand, ranked 103 on the list, with the contributing factor to the misery being unemployment, according to the index.

The US ranked 134th on the list, with unemployment as the leading culprit of unhappiness. Finland, which has been ranked the world's happiest country for six years in a row by the World Happiness Report, was ranked 109th on the misery index.

Notably, The Annual Misery Index is compiled by Steve Hanke, professor of Applied Economics at John Hopkins University. The indexes are the sum of unemployment (multiplied by two), inflation, and bank-lending rates, minus the annual percentage change in real GDP per capita.

Warren Buffett Compares AI To The Creation Of Atom Bomb

NEW YORK, May 7: Generative artificial intelligence has become a buzzword this year, with apps such as ChatGPT capturing the public's fancy. While AI chatbots are being employed for a variety of tasks, there are also fears of them being misused.

There are also strong concerns that AI will take away millions of jobs and many tech entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, have raised voices against its spread. Now, billionaire investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett also shared his thoughts on the rapidly evolving technology.

During a discussion at the company's annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett compared the creation of the powerful technology to the atomic bomb, New York Post reported.

A while back, the billionaire had a chance to try out ChatGPT when his friend Bill Gates showed it to him. While he was impressed by its vast capabilities, he said he is a bit apprehensive about the technology.

"When something can do all kinds of things, I get a little bit worried. Because I know we won't be able to un-invent it and, you know, we did invent, for very, very good reason, the atom bomb in World War II", the 92-year-old investor said at the meeting which was also attended by Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.

"It was enormously important that we did so. But is it good for the next two hundred years of the world that the ability to do so has been unleashed?" he continued. He further said he believes AI will change “everything in the world, except how men think and behave.”

"We didn't have a choice, but when you start something, well, Einstein said after the atomic bomb, he said, this has changed everything in the world except how men think. And I would say the same thing, maybe not the same thing, I don't mean that, but I mean with AI, it can change everything in the world except how men think and behave. And that's a big step to take," Buffett added.

Munger also shared his scepticism regarding the technology. "I am personally sceptical of some of the hype that is going into artificial intelligence. I think old-fashioned intelligence works pretty well", he said.

Recently, Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as one of the "godfathers of AI", expressed similar concerns when he said that Artificial intelligence could pose a "more urgent" threat to humanity than climate change. He also told BBC that chatbots could soon overtake the level of information that a human brain holds.

Meanwhile, in April, Twitter CEO Elon Musk joined thousands in signing an open letter calling for a six-month pause in the development of systems more powerful than OpenAI's recently-launched GPT-4.

Chinese Billionaire Jack Ma Takes Up Professor Role At Tokyo College

TOKYO, May 1: Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma has been invited to be a visiting professor at Tokyo College, a new organisation run by the University of Tokyo, the university said on Monday.

The appointment term for China's best-known entrepreneur finishes at the end of October, but the contract is renewable on an annual basis, the university said.

At the college, Jack Ma will be engaged in areas including advising on important research themes and giving lectures on management and business start-ups.

The announcement came after Jack Ma returned to China in March, ending a stay overseas of more than a year that industry viewed as reflecting the sober mood of the country's private businesses after a tough two-year regulatory crackdown.

The Tokyo College was founded in 2019 to serve as an interface between the University of Tokyo and overseas researchers and research institutions.

MasterChef Australia Judge, Jock Zonfrillo, Dies At 46

MELBOURNE, May 1: Jock Zonfrillo, award-winning chef and a judge on MasterChef Australia, has died at the age of 46. Zonfrillo's family confirmed his death on Monday, calling him "our irreplaceable husband, father, brother, son and friend" in a statement. No cause of death has been given but the Victoria Police said it was not being treated as suspicious, the outlet further said.

The police also said that a report on Zonfrillo's death will be prepared by the coroner's office.

MasterChef Australia's new season was cancelled after the death of Zonfrillo, Network 10 confirmed.

"With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possibly move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away yesterday," the chef's family said in a statement.

"So many words can describe him, so many stories can be told, but at this time we're too overwhelmed to put them into words. For those who crossed his path, became his mate, or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scot in your hearts when you have your next whisky," the statement further said.

Zonfrillo is survived by his wife and four children.

The BBC said that he was born in Glasgow in 1976 and started working in kitchens at the age of 12. When he turned 15, Zonfrillo joined luxury Scottish resort, The Turnberry Hotel, becoming its youngest-ever apprentice.

Two years later, he started working for Michelin-starred British chef Marco Pierre White.

As his career grew, Zonfrillo became addicted to heroin, something he wrote about in his 2021 memoir, The Last Shot. His life changed after moving to Australia in the 1990s where Zonfrillo opened several restaurants, including his most successful eatery Orana, in 2013.