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Is there a threat of contracting Zika from mosquitoes in Missouri?
Since it was discovered that the Zika virus has been transmitted by local mosquitoes in Miami, Florida, many people across the country have become increasingly concerned about getting bitten by a mosquito. But Missourians need not worry for now as probability of contracting Zika from mosquitoes in the state are low, according to Dr. David Claborn, Missouri State University associate professor of public health. As part of a contract from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Claborn and his team of researchers have traveled across the southern part of the state since June, trapping mosquitoes at parks and wrecking yards, and studying them to see if any are Aedes aegypti (also known as the Yellow Fever mosquito), which is the primary vector of Zika. The collection of larvae and adult mosquitoes from different parts of the state are completed for this year and so far no specimens of Aedes aegypti have been found. Source:
Grounded: Impact of Delta Glitch
Goizueta professor Ram Chellappa has extensive research on the airline industry paired with an expertise in all things digital -- including cybersecurity and networks. While the Delta problem is a "glitch" it can spell big trouble for one of the world's largest airlines. Source:
#Rio2106 – A Billion Dollar Party?
Is hosting the Summer Games worth it for an economy in shambles? On Aug. 5, the Olympic Games begin in Rio de Janiero. What should be a point of pride for Brazil has been reduced to a cause for concern and worry for athletes, tourists, and international organizers. Hosting the Olympics is not cheap. It can cost the host country billions of dollars in infrastructure costs. During the bidding process, host cities make bold promises of upgrades to transportation, modernized and safe housing for athletes and new event facilities. Brazil’s economy is currently is a serious recession. Some economists have even said that the economy in this once powerful South American nation has not been in this poor a state since 1901. Professor Tom Smith specializes in cultural economics and the economics of the arts at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Professor Smith is available to speak to media about whether or not the economic risk of hosting the Summer Games outweighs the reward. He can also speak to the costs, benefits and long term effects can have on a country. Source:
With precious time until the Olympic Games begin in Rio de Janiero, what should be a point of pride for Brazil has been reduced to a cause for concern and worry for athletes, tourists, and international organizers. Concerns have ranged from venue readiness, Zika virus, bacteria- infested water and most importantly -- security. Brazil is currently in political turmoil. Police and firefighters have been protesting and striking after going unpaid, body parts have been washing ashore and crime is rampant. In fact, in the first five months of 2016, 2,083 murders were reported (14 percent more than last year). With the world watching and the quality of security coming into question, is there reason to worry about the safety of our athletes or a potential terrorist threat at the Summer Games? Lieutenant General P. K. "Ken” Keen is a retired U.S. Army Officer and the Associate Dean of Leadership Development at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. General Keen is available to speak to media regarding security issues of such large events, potential threats, what athletes and visitors should consider if attending the Olympics. Source:
Touchdown or an offensive foul? As Atlanta pursues the Superbowl – are $10 million tax breaks the right play for Georgia taxpayers? The experts from the Emory’s Goizueta Business School can help break it all down. Source:
Are the cola wars back on? Will a global rebrand help Diet Coke get back on top as international sales fizzle and fade? Goizueta Business School’s Ryan Hamilton is an expert on all types of consumer behavior. He’s available to help explain the important role branding and image play in major markets. Source:
Janet Healy is available to comment on the Volkswagen emissions cheating. Prentice Director of the Ethics Unwrapped program and chair of the Business, Government and Society department at Insights Consulting. Statement from Prentice: "The wages of sin should be clear to VW. In light of the emissions scandal, its market cap dropped more than $17b, it had to set aside another $7.3b to face future fines and penalties, and its attempt to make new headway into the American market has surely been substantially delayed if not defeated altogether." Source:
Experts Available to Comment on Kurdish Offensive on ISIS
Experts from the Institute for World Politics are available to comment on the recent Kurdish offensive on ISIS held Tal Abyad in Northern Syria Source:
Visit the Tropics without a Flight - Largest Temporary Butterfly Exhibit a Sign of Spring
We all look for signs of spring that herald the changing of seasons – buds bursting on trees, plants pushing out of the ground, and migratory birds returning. But there is another sure sign of spring, and it takes place annually at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan – Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming (March 1-April 30). The largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the United States, Butterflies Are Blooming welcomes visitors into the 80-degree, five-story, 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory that is a paradise for thousands of butterflies flying freely all around. More than 7,000 chrysalides representing over 60 species travel to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park throughout the exhibit's duration from tropical countries including Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Kenya, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Wendy Overbeck Dunham is Director of Horticulture at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She leads the team that oversees the care and presentation of its living collections - from tropical conservatories and outdoor gardens to seasonal displays - connecting guests to art, design, and the natural environment. View her profile “Stepping into Michigan’s largest glasshouse and being bathed in warmth while thousands of butterflies swirl in vibrant color and motion is a feeling you can’t get anywhere else,” says Wendy Overbeck Dunham, Director of Horticulture. “After months of winter, that first breath of tropical air and the close-up encounters with butterflies are pure joy.” Click on the link below: Thousands of butterflies emerge at Frederik Meijer Gardens, WOOD-TV8 (NBC Grand Rapids) The exhibition also offers guests up-close experiences at butterfly feeding stations, where tropical fruit slices and nectar-rich plants attract the butterflies, and at the Observation Station, where 1,250 chrysalides arrive at Meijer Gardens each week and transform into butterflies and moths. Additionally, the exhibition features vibrant floral displays, including arches of foliage and blooms in varied hues; unique nectar plant varieties; and colorful arrangements of air plants, bromeliads, and orchids. “Most people don’t know that butterflies taste with their tiny feet,” Dunham explains. “Our feeding stations create fantastic photo ops and bring butterflies close enough to admire their intricate wing patterns and how their straw-like proboscis uncoils to feed.” Guests also can visit the butterfly release stations to watch newly emerged butterflies make their debut and take their first flight as the stars of the show. “It’s an immersive experience,” Dunham adds. “The conservatory is full of energy! As you wander, take time to pause and watch the butterflies flit, flutter and feed. Those quiet moments are what make our butterflies unforgettable.” If you are looking to cover spring-related garden stories, including about Butterflies are Blooming, connect with Wendy below.
