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Are advertisers ignoring Ramadan?
American Muslim Population
The Pew Research Center predicted in 2011 that the American Muslim population will rise from two million in 2010 to more than six million by 2030. - photo by Justin Sullivan, Getty Images
Chandra Johnson
Deseret News National
Updated: Aug 4, 2014, 9:00 AM
Published: Jul 30, 2014, 8:37 PM

As Ramadan 2014 comes to an end, The Atlantic asked on the month-long holiday's last day, "Why are there so few Ramadan marketing campaigns?"

As reporter Tanya Basu states in her article, the Muslim population is growing in America. The Pew Research Center predicted in 2011 that the American Muslim population will rise from two million in 2010 to more than six million by 2030.

While Basu makes an excellent point, Ramadan was arguably more present than ever in American culture this year. Twitter adopted the long-used #Ramadan hashtag by making it official — even adding a crescent moon icon next to it whenever used.

As Kelsey Dallas reported in the Deseret News National Edition, design house DKNY introduced a Ramadan attire collection this year for women. Coca-Cola even got in on the holiday with an ad urging consumers to "Open up, it's Ramadan!"

But to Basu's point, one of the reasons retailers may hesitate to embrace Ramadan so completely is because such campaigns don't always work. In 2011, Whole Foods tried and failed to market Ramadan with a line of Middle Eastern food during the month. The campaign came to a halt amid outcry among conservative bloggers, as the Huffington Post reported at the time.

Coke, it should be noted, was also criticized in the blogosphere for its ads, with one blogger accusing Coke of being a "pimp" for Islam.

"We couldn’t find a similar Coca-Cola advertisement wishing Christians a Merry Christmas, only some Santa Claus videos stating the 'holidays' are coming," blogger Pat Dollard wrote.

But unlike the controversy that forced Whole Foods to cancel its campaign, Coke's website is firm in its resolve to celebrate Ramadan with its Muslim customers, possibly signalling a change for retailers in the future, as the Huffington Post argued.

"There's nothing in life quite like the feeling of being totally understood. Whether it's your academic interests, your career choices, the way you dress, or your romantic decisions, having your authentic self accepted and validated is a true blessing," reporter Yasmine Hafiz wrote. "Here's hoping for a wonderfully accepting Ramadan for all this year."

Email: chjohnson@deseretnews.com
Twitter: ChandraMJohnson
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.