Why Are Barcodes Changing After 50 Years?

AI

Simple Things Revealed

Jul 25, 2026  

Why Do Products Suddenly Have Two Barcodes? and why are QR codes suddenly appearing next to familiar UPC barcodes?

For more than 50 years, traditional barcodes have helped stores identify products and retrieve prices with a single beep. But they usually identify only the type of product, not its individual batch, expiration date, origin, or recall status.

That is why retailers and manufacturers are preparing for a shift toward more capable 2D barcodes.

In this video, we explore how traditional UPC barcodes work, what GS1 Digital Link and 2D barcodes can do, and why many products may temporarily carry both a striped barcode and a square code.

The barcode is not simply being replaced. It is evolving from a price lookup number into a connection between a physical product and its changing digital record.

Would you trust a product more if one scan revealed its origin, expiry date, and recall status?

Subscribe to Simple Things Revealed for more stories hidden inside everyday objects.

"God’s People Brought to the Test" — Maranatha, July 20.

Under Threat of Death | Maranatha: The Lord Is Coming - July 9

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican Launches

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican Launches

By Council Staff
December 08, 2020

THE COUNCIL ANSWERS THE CHALLENGE BY POPE FRANCIS TO APPLY PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT PRACTICES

ORGANIZATIONS COMMIT TO CONCRETE ACTION TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND TRUSTED ECONOMIC SYSTEM

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican, an effort led by some of the world’s largest investment and business leaders, launched today. It signifies the urgency of joining moral and market imperatives to reform capitalism into a powerful force for the good of humanity. Under the moral guidance of His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Cardinal Peter Turkson, who leads the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican, and inspired by the moral imperative of all faiths, the Council invites companies of all sizes to harness the potential of the private sector to build a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable economic foundation for the world.

The Council is led by a core group of global leaders, known as Guardians for Inclusive Capitalism, who meet annually with Pope Francis and Cardinal Turkson. These leaders represent more than $10.5 trillion in assets under management, companies with over $2.1 trillion of market capitalization, and 200 million workers in over 163 countries. The organization challenges business and investment leaders of all sizes to embrace the Council’s guiding principles and make public commitments to act on them. These collective actions are intended to lead to systemic change by making capitalism a greater force for inclusivity and sustainability. Watch a video of the Guardians discussing the Council’s mission here.

Speaking to the Guardians, Pope Francis said, “An economic system that is fair, trustworthy, and capable of addressing the most profound challenges facing humanity and our planet is urgently needed. You have taken up the challenge by seeking ways to make capitalism become a more inclusive instrument for integral human wellbeing.”

The Guardians have already committed to hundreds of measurable actions, and Council members will make ongoing commitments to continue to advance inclusive capitalism. They will be accountable for their public commitments and invite businesses around the world to join. View the full list of actions being taken here.

Mechanic Sends HUGE WARNING: Don't Buy NEW Vehicles in 2026.

Avoiding Labor Conflicts | Country Living - Chapter 2

 

Girl Scouts highly unimpressed after New Jersey troop teams up with local cannabis dispensary to sell cookies

Girl Scouts highly unimpressed after New Jersey troop teams up with local cannabis dispensary to sell cookies


Girl Scout cookie season runs from January through April

Brittany Miller & Mike Bedigan

Thursday 05 March 2026 13:10 EST

Senior leaders at the Girl Scouts are reportedly displeased that a New Jersey troop teamed up with a local weed dispensary to sell their beloved cookies.

Set up near Daylite Dispensary in Mount Laurel last month, the troop’s booth offered the full line-up of treats. Dispensary owner Steve Cassidy said the partnership was a massive success and drew people both to the booth and the cannabis shop.

However, Cassidy said he had spoken to representatives from the organization about the incident, which had been intended as a positive venture, but may have landed the troop in hot water.

“It was about community,” Cassidy told The Independent. “If that means the local Girl Scout troop got in trouble, that is absolutely not what we wanted.” He declined to comment further.

The Independent has contacted the Girl Scouts of Central and Southern New Jersey, the Girl Scout council that oversees troops in the region, for comment. It is unclear which exact troop staged the event.

"Operation Metro Surge" and its possible prophetic ramifications

Operation Metro Surge is a large-scale immigration enforcement operation (to remove individuals with criminal histories) launched by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in December 2025, primarily targeting the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area in Minnesota.  As of the day of this post (February 5, 2026), the White House reported over 4,000 arrests since the operation began.

ICE's "Operation Metro Surge," in Minnesota has set off a series of protests that have caused the loss of the lives of two Minneapolis citizens, and from that point the protests have escalated to a point of mass violent confrontations between protestors and DHS (ICE & Border Patrol) agents, and have since spread to other cities where DHS conducts similar operations.

 

These operations are occurring amidst intense pushback from local "sanctuary" officials and protests. 

Support for a Uniform Day of Rest (from The Heritage Foundation Special Report)

In order to demonstrate a fulfillment of prophecy before our eyes we directly focus on the part that mentions Sunday Rest of this exhaustive report.

  

Saving America by Saving the Family: A Foundation for the Next 250 Years

January 8, 2026 Over an hour read Download Report


Authors:Roger Severino, Jay Richards, PhD, Emma Waters, Delano Squires, Rachel Sheffield and Robert Rector

Summary

To end America’s family crisis, policymakers and civic leaders should treat restoring the family home as a matter of justice, driven by two truths. The first is that all children have a right to the affection and protection of the man and woman who created them. The second is that the ideal environment in which to exercise this right is in a loving and stable home with their married biological parents. In contrast, the default in American culture today is to put the desires of adults over the needs of children. Children are too often called to sacrifice what is due to them—the presence of their mom and dad under the same roof for the entirety of their childhood.

Key Takeaways

1. The family is the foundation of civilization, and marriage—the committed union of one man and one woman—is its cornerstone. It is the seedbed of self-government.
2. The question that will determine the course of America’s future is: What happens to a nation when its citizens largely stop having children and eschew marriage?
3. The only way for America to thrive in the future is to rebuild the family—which can only happen with a societal commitment to revive the institution of marriage.

---

Support for a Uniform Day of Rest. As zoning laws allow a community to determine where one can operate certain businesses, “blue laws” reflect the local judgments as to when one can operate certain businesses. In the case of McGowan v. Maryland (1961), the Supreme Court held by an eight-to-one vote that Sunday-closings laws that include the purpose of providing a uniform day of rest are constitutional and can accommodate the fact that the majority of people who take a day of rest for religious reasons do so on Sundays. Massachusetts, for example, requires that “every employer of labor engaged in carrying on any manufacturing, mechanical or mercantile establishment or workshop...shall allow every person...at least twenty-four consecutive hours of rest...in every seven consecutive days.”140

Day-of-rest laws limiting commercial activity are usually found in less densely populated counties, although restrictions on alcohol sales are more widespread. Though greatly diminished, blue laws persist in some form in close to 28 states.141

A uniform day of rest that limits commercial activity can provide temporal boundaries that help communities to set aside time for religious observance, family gatherings, outdoor activities, and rest. A stable base of research shows that these practices correlate with better mental health, stronger social bonds, and more stable family structures.142

With the advent of on-demand delivery, shopping can be shifted easily and conveniently to other days of the week. By restoring a common rhythm of rest and reflection, community rest laws could help to reverse the trend toward “spiritual homelessness” and foster the social habits necessary for communities to cohere and flourish.

Despite today’s on-demand culture, the U.S. Postal Service does not deliver regular mail on Sundays, most organized youth sports avoid Sunday competitions, and most banks are closed on Sundays. The ever-popular Chick-Fil-A chain closes its restaurants on Sundays for the benefit of its workers and their families. Where new, planned communities or transitioning communities form, they should consider adding rest days as part of their master plans for balanced and thriving community life.

Source

What to know about Friday's national protest against ICE

Sunday shopping ban doesn’t apply at American Dream mall, N.J. says in Bergen blue laws battle

Updated: Dec. 28, 2025, 12:10 p.m.|Published: Dec. 28, 2025, 12:09 p.m.

A sign outside American Dream mall in East Rutherford announces all stores are open Sunday.New Jersey Superior Court

By Allison Pries | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com


The American Dream Meadowlands is getting support from its landlord, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, in a legal dispute with Paramus over Bergen County’s longtime Sunday shopping ban.

The Borough of Paramus filed a lawsuit in August saying American Dream has flouted the ban, commonly known as “Blue Laws” since at least January 19 2025 by allowing its more than 120 retail tenants to operate on Sundays.

Bergen is the last county in New Jersey to maintain its historic ban on Sunday shopping — a policy that remains popular in the retail mecca. The laws prohibit the sale of clothing and apparel, building materials, furniture and appliances on Sundays.

The operators of the American Dream mall began advertising Sunday shopping earlier this year — sparking a legal fight with the borough of Paramus.

Among the defendants in the lawsuit is the NJSEA, an independent authority established by the state in 1971 to oversee the Meadowlands Sports Complex including MetLife Stadium, the Meadowlands Racetrack and now American Dream.

The FINAL Power Union Has ALREADY Begun: Your FREEDOM Is Next | Mark of...

COVID Lockdown Model for Digital ID Deployment

Mexico To Replace Cash With Digital Payments 🇲🇽 Mexico's Plan For A Cash...

Mexico To Replace Cash With Digital Payments 🇲🇽 Mexico's Plan For A Cashless Society & Digital ID

Jose Arteaga Living in Mexico

Oct 21, 2025 MEXICO
Mexico has announced plans to start phasing out Cash and many Mexicans are upset about what this could possibly mean for the future of the country. Many Mexicans are worried about their Freedom, invasion of privacy, and many other things. There are only a few people who are welcoming this new change and the digitization of Mexico as a whole. The Majority of Mexicans are not on board with any of this and have already voiced their concerns and started taking their own measures to protect themselves from something like this. Join me as we take a bike ride through the City of Merida Yucatan and talk about this very polarizing topic.

WAKE UP PEOPLE! The Mark of the Beast? Britain’s Digital ID Is Worse Tha...

Why New Jersey's American Dream mall is being sued for selling clothes on Sunday

How the 'No Buy 2025' trend could help you get your budget on track this year

Is this the year of cutting back?

Yahoo Personal Finance · Getty Images

Ivana Pino · Senior Writer
Mon, July 21, 2025 at 11:44 AM EDT

Sometimes, getting your budget on track starts with a detox to wipe the slate clean and build new habits. Many consumers have taken on no-spend challenges to put themselves to the test and see if they can go a day, week, or month without spending money.

Others have taken it a step further and adopted a “no buy” year to cut out unnecessary spending and focus on what matters. Here’s what you need to know about No Buy 2025 and how to incorporate it into your life.

What is No Buy 2025?

No Buy 2025 is a personal finance trend in which individuals commit to avoiding non-essential (AKA discretionary) purchases for a set period this year, which could range from a few weeks to the full year.

One example of this trend in practice is “No Buy July,” where participants challenge themselves to avoid spending money for the full month.

“No Buy July is like a financial detox,” said Hanna Kaufman, CFP® at Betterment. “For one month, you hit pause on all non-essential spending — think: takeout, impulse Amazon buys, new clothes — and focus only on what you really need.” She explained that it’s a challenge that helps people reset their spending habits, get clarity on their financial priorities, and boost their savings without having to make huge sacrifices.

Forbidden to Buy or Sell. June 24 - Maranatha/Our Lord Is Coming by...

Is the US Facing a Supply-Chain Crisis? | Presented by CME Group

The Cost of Living in America is Making People Give up