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Orion Travel Insurance, a CAA-owned company, is now the first travel insurer to offer in-province Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance, to provide easier access to emergency medical assistance while on the road. Orion Travel Insurance is enhancing its Multi-Trip Annual Plans and Multi-Trip Annual Vacation Package Plans with Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance that can be used while travellers are in their home province. “We felt it was important to add Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance to in-province travel, to help travellers preserve as much of their vacation as possible if faced with a medical emergency,” said Kellee Irwin, vice president, Orion Travel Insurance. “As COVID related restrictions begin to ease, we anticipate more people will be staying closer to home and choosing travel options within their home province. This will provide additional peace of mind to those who venture out.” Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance is already included as part of Orion’s out-of-province emergency medical coverage and will now extend to travellers within province. The new service is free of charge and is automatically embedded into Multi-Trip Annual Plans and Multi-Trip Annual Vacation Package Plans starting June 8. “Travellers have benefited from Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance while travelling abroad and between provinces for many years, but this same convenience has not been available for in-province travel,” continued Irwin. “Travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted this gap that has been previously overlooked by travel insurers. We are happy to respond and give travellers this added protection.” Existing and new annual plans will include up to four virtual visits through CAA Assistance that will be provided by licensed doctors within Canada. Travellers with Orion’s Annual Travel Plan can access this new feature by contacting CAA Assistance, as you normally would if you experienced a medical emergency while travelling. They will triage your situation and connect you with a Canadian doctor.
FAU College of Business Experts Available to Discuss May Unemployment Numbers
Professors in Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business are available to discuss U.S. unemployment figures that are scheduled to be released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday, June 5. The U.S. unemployment rate jumped to 14.7 percent in April in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s the highest level since the Great Depression, and analysts fear it could be years before the economy fully recovers. If you are a journalist covering this important story about employment and the economy of Florida and America – let our experts help. Rebel Cole, Ph.D., a Lynn Eminent Scholar Chaired Professor of Finance, has expertise in financial institutions, commercial banking and small business finance. He spent 10 years working in the Federal Reserve System. Cole has been interviewed by numerous national media outlets, such as The Wall Street Journal and The Palm Beach Post. William Luther, Ph.D., an assistant professor in FAU’s Economics Department, has expertise in economic growth, monetary policies, business cycles and cryptocurrencies. He has authored more than two dozen articles. Luther’s research has obtained media interest across the nation, including recent coverage by Politico and Florida Trend. Both Professor Cole and Luther are available to speak with media – simply click on either expert’s icon to arrange an interview today.
The protests inspired by the tragic death of George Floyd have now touched every state in America. The protests have dominated the news and the world has been watching, sometimes in shock. Jennifer E. Cobbina is an associate professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. She has authored books on police protests and is highly regarded as an expert on these issues. Recently, she was interviewed about police tactics, policies and how they might be adding fuel to the fire as opposed to de-escalating the tensions among protestors. Jennifer Cobbina, a professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University, told Insider that protest policing in the 1960s and 1970s was "based on the philosophy of escalated force in which increasing violence on the part of protesters was met with increasing force from police. This approach was primarily aggressive and confrontational in nature." "We see protest police resorting to this strategy" in the ongoing George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests, she said, even though such tactics "exacerbate tension between police and protesters." Cobbina suggested police adopt the negotiated management approach that was favored from the mid-1970s until the 1990s. This response protects the right to free speech, tolerates some disruption, de-escalates tension, and avoids high levels of police force unless it's absolutely necessary. This would allow demonstrators and police departments to "decrease disruptiveness from protesters and limit the need for police violence," she said. June 02 Insider.com If you are a journalist covering the protests occurring across America and various responses by police and authorities when handling them – let our experts help with your story. Jennifer E. Cobbina is an associate professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. She is an expert in the areas of race, crime, policing, as well as protest movements. Professor Cobbina is available to speak with media – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.
Governmental response to the pandemic shuttered much of the regional economy toward the end of the first quarter of 2020, stated Michael Toma, Ph.D., Fuller E. Callaway professor of economics, in Georgia Southern University’s Q1 2020 Economic Monitor. Economic growth ground to a halt as seven of the eight indicators of current economic activity in the region fell. Significant declines were recorded in airplane boardings, hotel sales and port activity. The business forecasting index fell sharply in the first quarter, as initial claims for unemployment insurance skyrocketed during the last week of March. All six leading indicators declined, and further signs of economic damage will be forthcoming in second quarter data, noted Toma. “Looking ahead, the regional economy will experience sharp contraction in the second quarter, likely extending into the third quarter of 2020,” he continued. “The speed of rebound and recovery will be influenced primarily by how people react to governmental easing of restrictions on business activity. More substantial economic recovery will be delayed until such time that business owners, employees and consumers develop a greater level of comfort interacting with each other in the public domain.” If you are a reporter looking to know more about the Georgia economy, including areas such as: Regional expansion Employment trends Tourism and Expected deterioration of local business Then let our experts help with your coverage. Michael Toma, Ph.D., is Georgia Southern University's Fuller E. Callaway professor of economics and is available to speak with media about this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
UMW Professor Wrote the Book on Trump’s Relationship With Twitter
The Twitter Presidency of Donald Trump – that’s chapter five of a book by Stephen J. Farnsworth. As the freshly fueled fire between Twitter and Trump burns hotter, Farnsworth, a professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, is perfectly poised to fan the flames. In fact, he wrote the book on it. Presidential Communication and Character, White House News Management From Clinton and Cable to Twitter and Trump, traces the means used by our commanders in chief to herald their policies, and specifically targets the Trump administration, which Farnsworth calls “the first true Twitter presidency.” Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a sought-after political commentator on subjects ranging from presidential politics to the local Virginia congressional races. He has been widely featured in national media, including The Washington Post, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune and MSNBC. He is author or co-author of six books on presidential communication. Dr. Farnsworth is available to speak with media and help with your coverage – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.
Are China and America set to face off in a warmed-up version of the cold war?
Tensions and temperatures are rising between the United Stated and China. The straws on the camel’s back have been adding up in recent years, and the recent rhetoric about the origins of COVID-19 and the reaction to China’s further pursuit of the ‘One-China’ policy may be seeing both countries crossing the political Rubicon and headed toward a stand-off. The first shot fired may be China sending two air raft carriers to the Yellow Sea. This will be the first time China's new aircraft carriers deploy together for the first time and the move has sparked fears in Taiwan of a possible invasion of its Pratas islands - which could then be used as a staging point for an attack on the mainland. It comes after Beijing threatened to "reunify" Taiwan in response to Donald Trump saying he could "cut off the whole relationship" with China. Tensions have been growing between the US and China over the origins of Covid-19. The US said on Friday it is set to ban trade with 33 Chinese companies. But China's foreign minister Wang Yi said yesterday this would risk "a new Cold War" as he rejected Washington's "lies" over its handling of coronavirus while saying Beijing was open to an international effort to find its source. Wang said the United States had been infected by a "political virus" compelling figures there to continually attack China. He said: “It has come to our attention that some political forces in the US are taking China-US relations hostage and pushing our two countries to the brink of a new Cold War." May 25 – The Sun It is a concerning development given the current state of global affairs. And there are a lot of questions to be asked: What will it take to de-escalate the issue? What would a 21st Century cold war look like? And at what cost will this come to both countries who are dealing with serious economic pressures at home? If you are a journalist covering this topic – then let our experts help. Dr. Glen Duerr's research interests include comparative politics and international relations theory. Glen is an expert on this subject and is available to speak to media regarding this topic– simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
According to some, the election is pretty much already over. There is no way Joe Biden can lose and there is absolutely no way Donald Trump can win. The thing is a lot of people said that four years ago about Hillary Clinton. There is a path to victory for Joe Biden, but unseating a sitting president is no easy task. It will take swinging several red states blue and not focusing on areas where President Trump may have fallen out of favor. What to watch Rust Belt's traditional battlegrounds: Trump’s chance of winning Michigan, which he carried by 11,000 votes in 2016, has been significantly reduced by the impact of COVID-19 in the state, which has suffered the fourth most deaths in the country. Pennsylvania has almost been as hard hit as Michigan (fifth most deaths). Of the three Rust Belt states, Trump is best positioned in Wisconsin, where his job approval has remained higher than the national average. West and South emerge as new Democratic base: Seven western states — California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington — are firmly in the Democratic column. Six states in the South and Southwest — Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia — are in various stages of becoming blue states. Outside of Virginia, which has already become a blue state, Arizona is the state most likely to transition to a Democratic base state as early as November. May 17 – Axios But as much as the playbook seems obvious – there will be pitfalls, landmines and barriers along the way. It is expected that this upcoming election will be divisive, expensive, and close. And President Trump has proven to be an effective and relentless campaigner. If you are covering – then let our experts help with your questions and stories. Mark Caleb Smith is the Director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University. Mark is available to speak with media regarding the DNC Primary, running mates and the upcoming election. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded and healthcare organizations began experiencing shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), faculty, staff and students at Georgia Southern University stepped up to fulfill a need. Making use of the 3D printers on the Statesboro and Armstrong campuses, as well as at the FabLab at the Business Innovation Group’s (BIG) downtown Statesboro location, the campus communities quickly began production of protective face shields and respirators. “We can’t afford to sit back and wait for things to happen,” said Dominique Halaby, DPA, director of the BIG. “We have to make them happen. We have this responsibility to make a difference, to be a part of that front line, whether it’s immediately in our community, our state or our respective area.” To date, the Department of Manufacturing Engineering has sent 200 3D-printed protective face shields with headbands to Augusta, Georgia, for healthcare workers at Augusta Medical Center, while the BIG has sent 100 face shields and 10 “Montana Masks,” a 3D-printable respirator filtration mask that can be fitted to a healthcare provider’s face and sanitized between uses, to Atlanta-area hospitals. The Department of Mechanical Engineering on the Armstrong Campus has also printed Montana Masks that will be delivered to workers in the St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital System (SJCHS) in Savannah, Georgia, while the Respiratory Therapy Program in the Waters College of Health Professions donated 10 ventilators to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. “I am unbelievably proud of our faculty, staff and students who have their own families to take care of, but are putting themselves on the line to help our medical professionals in this time of critical need,” said Mohammad Davoud, Ph.D., dean of the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. Wayne Johnson, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering, believes providing these materials to the Savannah community during a time of critical need is reinforcing a longtime commitment to the region. “The Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern has a long history of working within the Savannah community, and during this pandemic, it was especially important for mechanical engineering faculty and students at the Armstrong Campus to step up during a time of great need,” said Johnson. “ Our work with SJCHS to develop, test and donate 3D-printed respirators may also lead to other research and development collaborations in the post-COVID-19 future.” In addition to benefiting area healthcare workers, Johnson believes this project is a great way for students to put their classroom skills into practice. If you would like to learn more about how the students, staff and faculty at Georgia Southern University are helping out during the COVID-19 crisis – the let our experts help. Wayne Johnson is an expert in additive manufacturing, mechatronics, biomechanics and engineering education. He is available to speak with media about this great initiative, simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.
Leaping lizards! Let our experts tell you about the latest invasive species to be found in Georgia
What’s four feet long, weighs ten pounds and is eating its way across two Georgia counties? If you guessed the Argentine black and white tegu – you’d be right. "It has become established as an exotic invasive species in several sites in South Florida and we now believe in the Toombs and Tattnall counties of Georgia," said Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist John Jenson. "We're trying to remove them from the wild, because they can have a negative impact on our native species." The Argentine black and white tegu can grow to be up to 4 feet long and weigh 10 pounds or more. The species can be identified by its mottled black-and-white coloring, which is arranged in a banded pattern across its back and tail. Hatchlings also display a bright green color on their heads. This tends to disappear around the time they reach a month old. While the species is known to lash out if threatened, it is not considered aggressive toward people. The biggest problem it presents is towards existing wildlife. The species is notorious for stealing burrows. Tegus also possess an indiscriminate and edacious appetite that can include the eggs and young of other species. "They eat just about anything they want, plant and animal matter, and one of their favorite foods are eggs from ground-nesting animals such as gopher tortoises—our protected state reptile—birds, including turkeys and quails," said Jenson. May 14 - Newsweek Invasive species are not new to Georgia or the southern states, but there are a lot of questions still to be asked: What endangered species are threatened by the presence of these lizards? What can be done to remove them? How quickly will they breed and spread? And are there any natural predators that can assist DNR authorities naturally? If you are a journalist covering this subject – then let our experts help. Steve Hein is the director of the Center for Wildlife Education at Georgia Southern University. He’s an expert in Georgia wildlife and is available to speak with media about invasive species in the state – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Is AI taking over traditional procurement practices?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. It’s taking questions from clients, running assembly lines and is now pretty much part of every appliance in every house and is also an integral part of industry. In fact, in the attached article, Joe McNamara, global director of IT for food giant Kraft-Heinz details how he has implemented AI as a vital source for manufacturing and procurement across his company. Recently, Ruomeng Cui an Assistant Professor in the Department of Information System and Operations Management at the Goizueta Business School, Emory University along with colleagues from Rutgers University and Tianjin University, authored a paper regarding how Artificial Intelligence will be playing an expanded role in areas like procurement and how it will increase accuracy and efficiency for businesses on a global scale. If you’re looking to learn more about this topic – then let us help with your questions or coverage. Ruomeng Cui investigates how operations strategies create value in digital retail and platform markets. Professor Cui is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.
