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The world is watching and teams from all corners of the globe have descended on France for the 2019 Women’s World Cup. FIFA is making money hand over fist – but when it comes to funding and prizes between men and women – FIFA is coming up seriously short. In fact, men receive almost 10 times more money in prizes than women. Here’s a snapshot of the overall purse: $US400 million - what FIFA paid in prize money for the 2018 men's World Cup. $US30 million - what it's proposing to give teams at the 2019 Women's World Cup. It’s a stark difference – but why? Is this a matter of what the market can bare? Why do the women make only a fraction of their male counterparts? Is FIFA obligated to help develop women’s soccer? Or, does this system need to change and how does that happen? That’s where our experts can help. Professor Andrew Wonders joined the faculty of the School of Business Administration in 2013 following a 13-year career in the sport industry. His past experience includes working for Olympic organizing committees in Sydney and Salt Lake City and for the host broadcaster for the 2002 World Cup. Andrew is available to speak to this issue with media, simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.
Do small businesses need to worry about the Canada Training Benefit?
The recent federal budget was supposed to be good news. The Canada Training Benefit would give workers money to help pay for training, provide income support during training, and offer job protection so that workers can take the time they need to keep their skills relevant and in-demand. Seems simple, but when you look deeper at the details – there may be some serious risks to small businesses in Canada. "Canada's skilled labour shortage is getting worse, and small firms are the hardest hit," CFIB president Dan Kelly. "Providing a training benefit to workers is a positive step, but the needs of employers need to be factored into the equation." Employers would be required to provide leave and job-protection to employees regardless of the type of training an employee wishes to pursue, such as Latin classes or interpretive dance. The program, well-intentioned, will have an impact on small businesses in Ontario and across Canada with a lot of scenarios and aspects to consider! We have an expert who can help. Corey Houle, Principal at Freelandt Caldwell Reilly LLP, is an expert in the areas of small business strategy. Contact Corey to arrange an appointment regarding this topic by clicking the contact button below. Sources:
WACO, Texas (May 13, 2019) – The movie-watching experience continues to evolve. And while directors wish all people could experience their movies on the silver screens in theaters, they know most people these days will be watching on the big screens in their living rooms or on the small screens in their hands. The movie-watching experience and the takeaways matter, said award-winning filmmaker Chris Hansen, M.F.A., who serves as professor and chair of the film and digital media department in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences. “As a director, I want people to engage with the story and the characters. I want you to be able to put yourself in the characters’ shoes and see the world from their points of view so that, whether you agree or disagree with their actions, you understand where they’re coming from,” Hansen said. Hansen has directed five independent films. His most recent project, Seven Short Films About (Our) Marriage, is now in post-production. In the following Q&A, Hansen shares thoughts on how we – as audience members – can do our part to get the best movie-watching experience and what he – as the director – hopes we take away from that experience. Q: As a director who puts in countless hours and organizes a team that puts in countless hours on a project, what do you hope audiences take away from your film? A: Film critic Roger Ebert once called films “a machine that generates empathy.” I see my films falling within that description. I want to generate empathy in the viewer for these characters and their situations, and I want audiences to come away talking about and thinking about their struggles. Q: So much goes into making a movie. There’s the script, cinematography, setting, dialogue, music, costumes, etc. Is there any one thing you hope your audiences notice? A: I hope that I, along with the other artists who have collaborated on the film, have created an experience where none of those things stands out above the other, except that they create a moment or moments that move people. If you’re thinking, “That was great dialogue,” then that can take you out of the world of the movie. Q: Your films are all available on various streaming platforms, which means that people are most likely watching them on televisions in their homes. What are your thoughts on the home viewing experience? A: The quality of the home viewing experience has gotten better and better over the years. We now have (or have access to) better and larger television screens, terrific audio systems and movies available in high-resolution formats. On the flip side, the home does not afford the best viewing environment because it’s not immersive the way a theater is. The experience of the theater provides fewer interruptions and allows the viewer to be fully immersed in the world of the movie, although even that environment is being disrupted by people using their cell phones in the middle of a movie. Still, it’s better than the home viewing experience, which gives the viewer many distractions and interruptions. Q: When you watch films at home, what steps do you take to limit distractions? A: As a person with a wife and children, I try to plan viewings of movies around their schedules, so I can watch uninterrupted when I know people won’t be home. And I try to control my own distraction level, but the “always on” nature of email and texting are hard to resist. My preference would always be to have people turn the phone off, turn the lights off and turn their attention solely to the screen. That’s hard to get people to do at home. Q: What are your thoughts about people watching movies on their smartphones or tablets? A: Very few filmmakers I know would express a preference that people watch their work on smaller screens. It’s just not ideal, and there are so many carefully planned details that can be missed. Having said that, I’ll admit to having watched films and TV shows on my tablet, especially when I’m traveling. The truth is, given the changing nature of the world we live in, people are going to watch in whatever way is most convenient for them. But watching on a screen as small as a phone means you’re getting a much more utilitarian experience of the film. You can say you watched it and can probably recount the plot accurately. But you will often have missed the fuller experience of seeing the film on a larger screen. Q: When students come to you and say, ‘I want to make movies!’ what’s the first thing you say to them? A: One of the first things I tell people is that the best way to learn how to make movies is to make movies. You learn by doing and getting critical feedback from someone who has done it and understands the form. And of course, in our program at Baylor, we also teach the theory side of things. We believe in a solid balance between theory and practice. We teach our students how this is done, but then they just actually have to do it and learn from their successes and their failures. Q: Do students in Baylor’s film and digital media program have the opportunity to work on your films? If so, in what ways? A: Students in our program do indeed have the opportunity to work on faculty-led projects. We make our films in the summer and offer the opportunity as a credited course so that they can have a lab-like learning experience. Students rotate through crew roles while working under professionals who help them understand their jobs. Some of our students have called this one of their best learning experiences in our major because it takes all the things they learn in the classroom and puts those to the test on a project that’s much larger in scope than what they’ve been able to experience before. And being a crew member on a film set can be a stressful experience. We’re dependent on the weather and limitations of time and money. It’s a great way for them to understand the ups and downs of the process and how they’ll respond to the pressure. Q: What can you share about your newest project and where can people find your previous films? A: My latest film, currently in post-production, is a feature film called Seven Short Films About (Our) Marriage. It’s the story of one marriage that unfolds over seven episodes over a number of years, as this couple struggles with the common issues that marriages face and try to make their love last. My films are currently all available on various streaming platforms. You can find Blur Circle, Where We Started, Endings, and The Proper Care & Feeding of an American Messiah either on Amazon Prime, iTunes, and in some cases, on Blu-ray disc via Amazon and other outlets.
Will Apple shine or is a little too late to be dipping its toe into the streaming game?
It was the big unveil a lot of tech insiders, analysts and Apple followers had been anticipating. With Oprah, Steven Spielberg and other members of the entertainment elite on-hand to lend a hand – Apple TV Plus was finally revealed. The service, coming this fall, will be subscription based and will bring exclusive original shows, movies, and documentaries to rival the likes of Amazon, Netflix and Crave. While it is unlikely Canada will see the inclusion of "Apple TV Channels" in all its US-like glory, it is certain that Apple's arrival to the streaming space would further put the squeeze on traditional TV service providers. With yet another premium content streaming service to choose and a finite budget, consumers will have to start making tougher choices between letting go of something or shaving off cost somewhere – unfortunately, the traditional TV cord may be the first in consideration. Here are the questions some insiders are pondering: Will a loyal customer base and strong partner relationships prove advantageous in luring content creators and viewership alike as Apple TV Plus breaks through the boundaries of Apple hardware? Where does the real opportunity lie for companies like Apple? How will they fare as consumers are challenged to make tougher decisions on who gets a share of their wallet? Will it be traditional TV or OTT Video service that gets the boot? According to Manish Nargas "Currently, consumer intent to continue to subscribe to TV services remains relatively stable year over year in Canada and consumers are happy to complement TV with other OTT video services". IDC's latest survey, Canadian Consumer Survey Indicators, 2019: Wireless, Internet, TV, and OTT Video Services shows that "those who do plan to reduce or stop their TV service, do so in order to save money, not on account of dissatisfaction in quality of service." There are a lot of questions to be answered between now and when Apple TV Plus launches and that’s where our experts can help. Manish Nargas is a research analyst specializing in consumer and mobile research. He is an expert in emerging consumer technologies with a focus on usage trends and adoption. Simply click on Manish’s icon to learn more about this survey or to arrange an interview.
Phasing out opioids – can it be done?
It’s a crisis that’s gripped America and has hit epidemic levels. More and more Americans are hooked on prescription painkillers, in fact, in 2017 close to 50,000 people in the United States died due to overdose from pills. And recently, it’s been suggested that perhaps phasing out and replacing these pills with less addictive and dangerous options is the only way to solve this issue? “FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who plans to leave his job at the agency next week, wants companies to develop pain drugs that could eventually allow older opioids to be restricted or to come off the market entirely. “Given the public health crisis we face, and that American families are still being destroyed by the opioids epidemic, I believe that the FDA should treat opioids, as a class, differently from other drugs,” Gottlieb told a Senate appropriations subcommittee on Thursday.” - Denver Post It's a bold statement from a bureaucrat leaving his post – but is it possible? · Will big pharma comply? · Is it a matter of money over morality or are more rigids rules required? · Or is the only aspect left legal and government intervention? There are a lot of questions to be answered and that’s where an expert from Cedarville University help. Dr. Marc Sweeney is the Founding Dean of the School of Pharmacy at Cedarville University and is an expert in the fields of drug abuse, prescription drug abuse and Opioid addiction. Marc is available to speak with media regarding this growing issue. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Justice is Not Only Bought, it's Racist!
After reading pieces in the Guardian and other news outlets, I find the assumption many news analysts, reporters, and commentators are making regarding Paul Manafort's sentence tone deaf. Yes, we all know money talks. And we also know that money has the ability to influence the legal outcomes within the U.S. justice system. But what people are not talking about, and should, is that his final sentence handed down by Judge TS Ellis, was rooted in racialized bias. Ok, let's just say, it had racist undertones. I know what many will say, "Race has nothing to do with the case." Well, it actually does. First, Paul Manafort has been essentially convicted of lying to federal officials, obstruction of justice, excessive felonies. And one can not forget about the morally reprehensible acts regarding collaborating with foreign governments bent on toppling the United States. He received 47 months. On the other hand, Judge TS Ellis, in 2009, was the presiding judge in the Representative William J. Jefferson of Louisiana case. Jefferson was indicted on 16 charges of corruption and later convicted. Judge Ellis did not give him 47 months. Jefferson was initially sentenced to 13 years for bribery. At the time, it was considered the longest sentence ever handed down to a member of Congress. This includes not only for the charge of bribery but any other crime. Looking through Ellis' convictions, a trail is visible. This is an old trail that is aligned to nothing but systemic racism.
A new year with new changes for how small businesses are taxed.
The only thing surer than death and taxes, might be the annual changes and adjustments to the way small businesses are taxed in Canada. New restrictions, and rates can have positive and negative impact on business owners and their companies. This coming year, changes to Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan could make the bottom line of some small businesses tighter. However, the overall corporate tax rate applicable to many small businesses in Ontario has fallen to 12.5%. We may see more money going back in the pocket of owners or their growing companies. “We know that the average small business owner doesn’t know a lot about these changes.” Bill Moreau, Minister of Finance There are a lot of changes to the current system this year; as small business owners prepare to file, it is in their best interest to contact an expert. The government itself has even admitted that some businesses might not be fully up to speed, that’s where our team can help! Cleo Melanson, Tax Partner at Freelandt Caldwell Reilly LLP practices in the areas of tax and owner-managed businesses. To contact Cleo, simply click here to arrange an appointment regarding this topic. Article: https://globalnews.ca/news/4804039/tax-changes-canada-cpp-ei-small-business/
With a long road ahead, it's already a crowded field for DNC hopefuls
On Monday California Senator Kamala Harris told the nation she’s running for president against Donald Trump in 2020. Harris is now one of four females who have all but thrown in their hat including fellow Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kirsten Gillibrand along with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Also kicking the tires are Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and New Jersey Congressman John Delaney. That’s five candidates, each with impressive resumes. And it is still very early. Some are expecting heavy hitters like Joe Biden, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Brooker and potentially a third try by Hillary Clinton to all take their shot against a potentially vulnerable President Trump. There’s still along way to go between now and July 2020 when the party picks its candidate, and odds are this will seem a lot more like a marathon than a sprint. However, with a strong field already, there are a lot of angles to consider: Is declaring this early an advantage or disadvantage for candidates? Just how much money will be needed to secure the nomination this time? Does a candidate like Harris risk peaking too early if declared the frontrunner this far out? Who else is lurking in the weeds that few might consider? Lastly, there’s public support and there are super-delegates. Does the candidate still need to be the party favorite to have a chance at winning? That’s where the experts from the University of Mary Washington can help. Rosalyn Cooperman, is an associate professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington and member of Gender Watch 2018, is an expert on women in politics. Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington. Author of six books on the presidential elections, the media and the presidency, he is available to speak with media regarding this issue. Simply click on either expert’s icon to arrange an interview today.
Americans Are Happier in States That Spend More on Libraries, Parks and Highways
Such ‘public goods’ also are less likely to spark political conflict, Baylor researcher says Americans are happier in states where governments spend more on public goods, such as libraries, parks, highways, natural resources and police protection, a Baylor University study has found. “Public goods are things you can’t exclude people from using — and one person using them doesn’t stop another from doing so,” said researcher Patrick Flavin, Ph.D., associate professor of political science in Baylor’s College of Arts & Sciences. “They’re typically not profitable to produce in the private market, so if the government doesn’t provide them, they will either be under-provided or not at all.” Public goods spending makes communities “more livable, with more amenities,” Flavin said. “If roads are completed and kept up, so that people aren’t stuck in traffic, they have more time to do things they enjoy doing. Large parks are social spaces — and one clear finding of happiness studies is that people who are more socially connected tend to be happier.” Another benefit of spending money on public goods is that such amenities generally boost home values — and “while higher property taxes generally accompany higher home values, it seems that the good outweighs the unfortunate part about having to pay higher taxes,” Flavin said. In his study, published in the journal Social Science Research, Flavin analyzed data on respondents’ self-reported levels of happiness for 1976-2006 from the General Social Survey, a representative sample of Americans that monitors social characteristics and attitudes of Americans and is a project of the independent research organization NORC at the University of Chicago. Flavin also analyzed detailed government spending data for states from the U.S. Census Bureau for 1976-2006. Revenues to fund state public goods are raised from a combination of state taxes and transfers from the federal government to states, averaging 22.5 percent of total state revenues for that 30-year period. “We can look at the city where people live, their neighborhoods, and see how public goods spending predicts happiness after taking other important factors, such as marital status, health, education and income, into account,” Flavin said. He also found that public goods spending has broad benefits across income, education, gender and race/ethnicity lines. “Compared to a lot of the other government spending, public goods tend to be less controversial between liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, compared to poverty assistance or unemployment benefits, where there is definite disagreement between political parties,” Flavin said. “I think there is less political conflict over public goods spending simply because if they government doesn’t provide them, they won’t be provided at all.” Flavin cautioned that there is not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship between public goods and happiness. “It could be that happier citizens self-select by moving to states that spend comparatively more on public goods,” he said. “It also is possible that happier citizens support higher spending on public goods and elect state officials to deliver on that policy.” Because some spending for public goods comes from local government, Flavin hopes to do a study linking citizens to their local city instead of only to the state. And because living a happy and satisfying life is a nearly universal human goal, he predicts that better understanding of how policies concretely impact quality of life will receive increasing attention from researchers in the years to come. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s oldest and largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments and seven academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines.
Many Americans already have enough “stuff,” and the gift-giving season sometimes adds to that collection of things we really don’t need. Instead of always receiving, how can we resolve to be more generous in the New Year? “Whatever our station, however much money or resources we have, we all have something to share and something to give,” says Andy Hogue, Ph.D., senior lecturer in Baylor’s Honors College who teaches a course on philanthropy and the public good. “I like the idea of thinking in terms of a New Year’s resolution, sort of resolving to be more generous and helping people to think in those ways.” Hogue offers four ways individuals and families can develop a spirit of generosity in the New Year. 1) Generosity starts with gratitude. “That is the very first step, just being grateful for what we have, but also realizing that to those given much, much is expected, and to begin thinking about not possessing things but stewarding things,” Hogue said. “Think of the many things we have that might benefit others, whether that is our time, our talents or our finances. There are so many things that we have at our disposal to be able to enrich communities and to help other people. Being able to think in those ways leads us down the path toward generosity and toward sharing.” 2) Generosity is more than just a transaction. “Think of philanthropy, generosity and giving as more than writing a check. Think of it as something that can be transformative and realize that there is no such thing as an unhappy generous person. It’s difficult to be unhappy when we are giving of ourselves.” 3) Generosity is a muscle you have to exercise. “If we can’t give of ourselves when we have limited means, what makes us expect that we would do it when we have more means?” Hogue said. “We all, in some way, are privileged and blessed and have resources that can be put to use for the benefit of someone else.” 4) Generosity can be creative. There are inspired ways to give birthday or Christmas gifts in honor of a family member or friend that bring about a beautiful thing Hogue likes to call the “philanthropy of collaboration.” “Imagine the many things that come together in this one simple act: you, the giver, are enriched by the series of events you set into motion while the person you honor with the gift appreciates your generosity and imagination. The beneficiary of the gift then takes your offering to enrich the lives of others,” Hogue said. It is, however, important to take cues from the person you honor and give a gift in support of the causes they hold dear. “You can go the traditional route – make a donation and give the person a piece of paper (acknowledging the gift) – or there are amazing web-based resources that can help people make very impactful gifts even with limited amounts,” Hogue said. “You give five dollars and with the magic of the Internet, the gift can go towards fighting disease in Africa, providing books for teacher’s classroom or buying someone in a poor country a goat or a cow or a pig that can be a source of generating income.” Baylor is among 19 universities that participate in the Fort Worth-based Philanthropy Lab, a hands-on philanthropy education program that sparks and expands students’ interest and participation in philanthropy. Since fall 2014, Hogue has taught a full-credit class of Baylor students, who have taken on a very tangible task: stewarding and giving away thousands of dollars – a total now more than $600,000 – in partnership with nonprofit organizations. Through this transformational undergraduate experience, Baylor students in the “Philanthropy and Public Good” class provide real funds for real needs in local, state and global communities while cultivating a philanthropic spirit and developing as innovative leaders poised for a lifetime of generosity.