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It’s time to invest early in your child’s financial literacy
April 20 is Teach Children to Save Day. It's an educational program established by the American Bankers Association (ABA) to encourage kids to develop good savings habit as early as possible in their financial life. But is it necessary? When kids should be playing and having fun, is getting a head start on economics a bit heavy? The reality is – a quiz about personal finances offered last year by Financial Engines saw only 6 percent of Americans pass. That means a staggering 94 percent of Americans didn't have a confident grasp on financial literacy. Bad financial choices can last a lifetime and that's why it's best to start young, and develop sound habits and wisdom as early as possible. So, what do Americans need to know and do about becoming financially literate? What are the potential consequences to not just Americans, but the country’s economy if we remain a nation that’s basically ignorant to the value of a dollar? Dr. James Philpot, certified financial planner and associate professor of finance and general business at Missouri State University, can address the costs of financial illiteracy and explain how to teach kids about money matters. Click on his icon to set up an interview with him. Source:
Time with family or time to make some distance?
It’s news that didn’t come as much of a surprise to a lot of political insiders – but it still has all of Washington talking. Paul Ryan, the popular Speaker of the House and a leading Republican is retiring. Though he has been on the Hill for more than two decades, Ryan, who is only 48 is calling it a career. Or is he? Some wonder if he’s just putting enough political distance between himself and Donald Trump in an effort to preserve his reputation and potentially mount a campaign for 2020. With speculation of a contested GOP primary or Trump not seeking re-election – Ryan may be the safe-bet Republicans are looking for? There is a lot of speculation about Ryan’s next move. Will he take a tour of the private sector and opt for a career with a lot more money? What’s next is anyone’s guess – and that’s where our experts can help. Mark Caleb Smith is the Director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University. Mark is available to speak with media regarding Paul Ryan and his announced retirement. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Trade wars – is America’s economy collateral damage?
There’s been a lot of tough talk on trade coming from Washington as of late. With debates and even some delusions about trade surpluses and deficits,it’s feed for the political fodder, but are the politics behind the talk negatively impacting America’s economy? President Trump says he is standing up for American jobs, but by threatening to tear up NAFTA and imposing billions in tariffs on China, is starting a street fight with America’s traditional trading partners worth it? The common folk might think so. However, those who control the markets on Wall Street think not. The DOW is down. A lot. The NASDAQ is also falling. That means a lot of money is being lost and the ripples might be felt by middle America in the form of lost jobs. So, what exactly happens in a trade war? Is America truly getting the raw deal President Trump is claiming when it comes to doing business with China, Canada, Mexico and others? What will come of all the tough talk on trade? How will it impact the economy? There are many questions and issues to consider. That’s where the experts from Missouri State University can help. Dr. David Mitchell is a professor of economics and director of the Bureau of Economic Research at Missouri State. He is also an expert in economic forecasting and understanding market trends and direction. He can address what these trade wars will do for America's economy and what, if any, effects they will have on the American people. Click on his icon to connect with him. Source:
National Nutrition Month - Eat better, save money, live longer
March is National Nutrition Month and it couldn’t come any quicker. After a long winter and spring around the corner, many Americans are ready to start eating healthier. Healthy eating is not merely about shedding pounds. Good nutrition often leads to financial savings and enables us to reduce waste. One way to eat healthier is by cooking at home instead of eating out. Unfortunately, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average household spends about $3,008 per year on dining out and the food consumed is usually high in trans-fats, sodium and calories. Eating out is an expensive and often times unhealthy habit. That habit is also becoming an addiction – in 1900, only two percent of U.S. meals were eaten outside the home. Recently, that number has climbed to more than 50. It’s not always easy forgoing eating out, but the reward is truly worth the effort. Cost savings aside, cooking at home and eating as a family has proven to make people happier and feel more connected. RD Natalie Allen, clinical instructor of biomedical science at Missouri State University, can share insights about cooking home-cooked meals that are tasty, healthy, cost-effective and don't take a lot of time. Contact her for an interview. Source:
What will Donald Trump’s National Defense Strategy mean for Americans and its citizens?
The Department of Defense recently published an unclassified synopsis of the Trump administration’s first National Defense Strategy (NDS). The document, is missing the usual and sometimes expected Trump-like rhetoric of ‘America First’ and instead focuses on a balanced and cooperative approach among nations. At Augusta University, our experts have been examining the strategy, they have found that within the NDS the following stood out: • More money will be spent on military, private military contracting firms and cyber firms. This could benefit the local economy but does show that we’re worried. • Our military is growing more high-tech with artificial intelligence and robotics. The future of warfare could start to resemble something out of Hollywood. • For the last two decades, we were concerned with small-scale wars, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism. Now, we are preparing our military for a Great Power War. In other words, we are preparing for a WWII type engagement, versus Iraq or Afghanistan. • Trump’s policy is very assertive whereas Obama’s policy was more conciliatory and forgiving in nature. • We are clearly focused on reasserting ourselves as the superpower. But what will this mean for every-day Americans? Will it be a boost to our economy as we invest in our military or will it mean other programs suffer as a result? Are we on the verge of another cold war? There are a lot of questions to answer – and that’s where our experts can help. Dr. Craig Albert is an expert on American politics and political philosophy. He was recently appointed director of Augusta University’s new Masters of Arts in Intelligence and Security Studies. Dr. Albert has experience with all forms of national and local news organizations and is available to speak to media regarding Donald Trump’s National Defense Strategy. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:
An honor or a Herculean-sized task to host the Olympic Games?
In less than a month – the world will be watching as South Korea plays host, once again to the Olympic Games. With the Games come international attention, media scrutiny and bragging rights. What also comes with is serious price-tag and left-over infrastructure. The Olympics, which begin Feb. 9, will cost the host country approximately 14 trillion won ($12.9 billion) – almost double the original estimates of the 8 to 9 trillion won ($7 to 8 billion) South Korea stated when Pyeongchang won the bid in 2011. That’s a lot of money. And is it worth it? Do the Olympics carry the lustre they once did? Has any country actually been able to make money or put to good use all the facilities that are requires hosting events like luge, bobsledding, biathlons and all those extra arenas? Is it time for a single destination for the world to converge on each year? As costs go up – the urge to host internationally seems to go down. There are a lot of questions about hosting the Games and if the task is worth the price tag -that’s where the experts from Cedarville can help. Andrew Wonders is an Assistant Professor of Sport Business Management and was on planning committees for the Sydney and Salt Lake City Olympic games. He can give a behind-the-scenes look at what is taking place now leading up to the Olympics. Andrew is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:
Movies like “Marshall” that are built around actors of color (Chadwick Boseman plays the iconic attorney) and have appeal to consumers of color historically see a significant surge in ticket sales in weeks five through eight – if producers are willing to keep them in theaters that long and allow for word-of-mouth advertising to build, said Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. She studies consumer behavior, multicultural media, movies and entertainment. “I believe that Hollywood often pulls movies starring women and actors of color out of the theaters way too soon and before word-of-mouth has time to fully spread,” Lindsey-Warren said. “In my opinion, and according to our studies, Hollywood is leaving a great deal of money on the table.” Movies built around actors of color typically make money – in many cases as much or more than five times the budget, she said. For example, the 2017 comedy “Girls Trip,” which was built around four African-American female leads, was made for $19 million and has grossed more than $100 million at the box office. A challenge, Lindsey-Warren said, is that Hollywood expects to make its money back in the opening weekend. That strategy often doesn’t translate well to consumers of color. She cited a Nielsen study that showed African-Americans make an average 6.3 trips every year to see movies, and they tend to strongly support movies where there are characters like themselves and to whom they can relate. But they don’t rush to theaters for premier weekends. “Historically, African-American consumers have not been such early adopters of seeing movies on opening weekend and have typically waited to hear from trusted sources, by way of word-of-mouth, if the movie is worth seeing,” she said. “I call this behavior giving word-of-mouth time to spread. These are insights that Hollywood has not fully embraced regarding consumers of color and for movies built around actors of color.” Source:
Baylor Consumerism Expert Discusses the Challenges of Gift Cards and Spending
James Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben Williams Professorship in Marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business and an expert on consumerism, is featured in this Chicago Tribune story about spending gift cards – a popular holiday present. Roberts commented on a study that showed consumers spend an average of $38 more than the value of their gift cards. “We’re going to be more free with our spending when ... we didn’t generate the money that’s paying for it. The fact that we’re paying with a credit card-like mechanism means we’re not going to be as mindful of the price. We’ll overpay or spend more money than we would otherwise,” Roberts said. This story was picked up in dozens of national publications, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Stars and Stripes, Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, Palm Beach Post and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Source:
Movies like “Marshall” that are built around actors of color (Chadwick Boseman plays the iconic attorney) and have appeal to consumers of color historically see a significant surge in ticket sales in weeks five through eight – if producers are willing to keep them in theaters that long and allow for word-of-mouth advertising to build, said Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. She studies consumer behavior, multicultural media, movies and entertainment. “I believe that Hollywood often pulls movies starring women and actors of color out of the theaters way too soon and before word-of-mouth has time to fully spread,” Lindsey-Warren said. “In my opinion, and according to our studies, Hollywood is leaving a great deal of money on the table.” Movies built around actors of color typically make money – in many cases as much or more than five times the budget, she said. For example, the 2017 comedy “Girls Trip,” which was built around four African-American female leads, was made for $19 million and has grossed more than $100 million at the box office. A challenge, Lindsey-Warren said, is that Hollywood expects to make its money back in the opening weekend. That strategy often doesn’t translate well to consumers of color. She cited a Nielsen study that showed African-Americans make an average 6.3 trips every year to see movies, and they tend to strongly support movies where there are characters like themselves and to whom they can relate. But they don’t rush to theaters for premier weekends. “Historically, African-American consumers have not been such early adopters of seeing movies on opening weekend and have typically waited to hear from trusted sources, by way of word-of-mouth, if the movie is worth seeing,” she said. “I call this behavior giving word-of-mouth time to spread. These are insights that Hollywood has not fully embraced regarding consumers of color and for movies built around actors of color.” Source:
Prior to seeing the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, audiences are introduced to a flurry of previews for upcoming films -- big-budget sequels centered on blockbusting standards: warring apes, animated cars, web-slinging and hammer-bearing superheroes, and space-based lightsaber battles between forces of good and evil. Chris Hansen, M.F.A., independent filmmaker and chair of the film and digital media department in Baylor University’s College of Arts & Sciences, is available to talk about the market for big-budget sequels and the challenges for original screenplays. Is there any hope for the original story? “One of the biggest considerations in determining which movies get made, from the studio’s perspective, is marketing,” Hansen said. “That process is made much easier if the intellectual property already exists in the minds of the general public. People know who Batman is. People know who The Avengers are. Half or more of the marketing work is done. When the intellectual property is original, the studio’s marketing arm has to spend a lot more time and money acquainting viewers with the concept and generating interest.” “It’s hard to say what people are really interested in seeing. They say one thing, but they often vote differently with their box office dollars. This sometimes comes down to an economic decision for audience members. They have less disposable income than they used to, so they see fewer movies in the theater. And if they’re going to have to choose between several movies to see in an actual theater, they’ll often choose the one that has more spectacle, because there’s a feeling that it’s more ‘worth it’ to see something like that on the big screen, and that smaller movies won’t suffer from being seen on the TV in your living room.” Source: