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Will an accident investigation sideline Tesla and ground its autopilot technology?

A fatal accident has left one person dead and Tesla in a bit of a freefall. Share prices are dropping, and people are talking about the future of the once untouchable Elon Musk and Tesla. It has been a tough month, especially since days earlier a fatal accident involved Uber Technologies Inc., and this has now raised questions about the self-driving features Tesla has become famous for. So, what will be the future of autonomous driving vehicles? And can a company like Tesla recover not only its reputation but its value? There are a lot of questions and that's where Kevin McFall, assistant professor of mechatronics engineering at Kennesaw State University, can help. His current research involves artificial intelligence and self-driving vehicles. Kevin is available to speak with media regarding this topic -- simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Intermittent fasting is not for everyone

Intermittent fasting is a popular trend that is not without risk. The goal of intermittent fasting is to put your body in a state of ketosis where fats and ketones will be utilized, instead of carbohydrates. However, the process that occurs within your body when food is restricted is complicated. There is no set length of time that is needed in order for intermittent fasting to be successful, which may be confusing if you are not sure how long to fast or when to stop. It is important to listen to your body during this time as intermittent fasting is not for everyone. During the time of fasting, individuals may be prone to dehydration and hypoglycemia, or experience other adverse effects if trying to fast while on prescription or other medications. It isn’t just the medically fragile individuals who shouldn’t fast. Teenagers or those with altered metabolic rates (such as hypo and hyperthyroidism) may be putting more stress on the body than it can handle, resulting in a wide variety of symptoms: inability to concentrate, nausea, vomiting, headache, irritability, fatigue, fainting. Also, it is never a good idea to restrict calories during a time when your body is trying to grow or trying to heal. Anyone who gets irritable and symptomatic when skipping meals should not attempt to fast for prolonged periods of time. There are many different ways to fast and many different ways to eat during fasting. Prior to restricting calories for any reason, make sure that your body can handle the stress of not eating or limiting calories. I suggest consulting with a nutritionist who can work with you to help create a fasting plan that is best for your body and for your unique health history. A nutritionist can individualize an eating plan to make sure that you are maximizing your caloric intake with high density foods during the times when food is being restricted. Most importantly: Listen to your body! If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it or stop what you are doing. Source:

Is repealing the Second Amendment possible or easier said than done?

On Tuesday, retired Supreme Court justice John Paul Stevens called for the repeal of the Second Amendment. It appeared an Op-Ed in the New York Times and has been taking the news and political worlds by storm. It’s not often a justice leaves his position of objectivity, even if retired. But at the age of 97, the former justice who was first appointed to the Supreme Court in 1975 by then President Gerald Ford weighed in calling the amendment a “relic of the 18th century.” However, it takes more than just a stroke of the pen or a simple impassioned vote to accomplish this. In fact, to repeal the Second Amendment would be require both houses of Congress proposing the amendment with a two-thirds vote, or two thirds of state legislatures calling on Congress to hold a constitutional convention. It would then have to be ratified by three-fourths of the states or state legislatures. There’s a lot of math involved there. As well, an equal amount of legal and constitutional perspective required. That’s where the experts from the UC Hastings College of Law can help. Joel Paul is an expert in the field of constitutional law. He is available to speak with media regarding just what it might take to repeal a constitutional amendment. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Microsoft Working to Close the STEM Gap

Even with a higher priority placed on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) throughout education in the US, only a fraction of girls are likely to pursue a STEM career. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, while more than 57 percent of college undergraduates are women, only 18 percent progress into STEM careers. With a clear gap, Microsoft set out to better understand what causes girls and women to lose interest in STEM subjects and careers, as well as what strategies have the greatest potential to reverse the trend. According to Microsoft, the goal of the study “was to inform our work in this area and to share learnings with schools, government leaders, nonprofits, employers and others. What we learned is that conditions and context can make a significant difference to girls, young women and their interest in STEM. And the solution doesn’t necessarily require a curricula overhaul.” Dr. Shalini Kesar, Associate Professor of Information Systems at Southern Utah University and advocate for women in technology, has known for years that girls and young women are a critical missing part of STEM studies and careers. “The stubborn gender disparity in STEM fields has sparked important debates on the underlying reasons,” said Kesar. “Some attribute the gender disparity to social and infrastructural factors, lack of mentors and role models, and lack of awareness about what these fields offer in terms of educational and career opportunities. Others point to studies that indicate traditional mindsets of computing as ‘boring’ and ‘only for boys’ as a major reason why girls and young women do not consider a degree or career in this field.” The study found that “we may be able to make significant strides just by showing girls and young women how STEM knowledge is applicable outside of the classroom, and how it can power their aspirations to make the world a better place.” “Recently, I was invited to collaborate with Microsoft on research which quantifies many of my observations from over 20 years of working to reduce the gender gap in STEM and computing,” said Kesar. “This work is an essential step forward in helping us learn more about how girls and young women currently perceive STEM.” Dr. Kesar was recently recognized by the Women Tech Council, receiving the Education Excellence Award at the 2016 Women Tech Awards. She is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit her profile.

Baylor Professor, Public Relations Ethics Expert Shares Thoughts on Resignation of ICE Spokesman

James Schwab, spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in San Francisco, recently resigned his position -- alleging that Trump administration officials, including U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, made false public statements after the agency’s recent Northern California sweep to arrest undocumented immigrants. Marlene Neill, Ph.D, APR, an expert on public relations ethics and coauthor of the new book "Public Relations Ethics: Senior PR Pros Tell Us How to Speak Up and Keep Your Job," said it's incredibly challenging for PR professionals when they feel their integrity is at stake or when they are at odds with their supervisors. If Schwab's accusations are founded, Dr. Neill said she feels he made the best decision. "I applaud James Schwab for his moral courage and willingness to stand firm in his values despite a high personal cost. From news accounts, it appears he tried to persuade other executives to be more forthright and truthful in their communication, but was unsuccessful in his efforts. That left him no choice but to resign. In our new book, we discuss different persuasive approaches senior executives can use to advocate for ethical communication. However, when those efforts fail, it leaves communication executives with few options to maintain their integrity. That is why it is so important to have a personal crisis plan." Dr. Neill, Ph.D., APR, is an assistant professor at Baylor University. She teaches courses in public relations and advertising. She also serves as the faculty adviser for the Baylor PRSSA chapter. Her research interests include public relations management and ethics. She has published research in the following journals: Journal of Mass Media Ethics, Public Relations Review, Journal of Communication Management and Journal of Advertising Education. Neill is an accredited member of the Central Texas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. She served as the chair for the Southwest District of PRSA in 2011. At the national level, Neill served a three-year term on the Universal Accreditation Board, which administers the examination for Accreditation in Public Relations; the Nominating Committee, which selects national board officers in 2012; and was appointed to the Board of Ethics & Professionals Standards in January of 2013. Dr. Neill is available to comment. Source:

Is Samsung’s Flip Whiteboard the latest ‘must have’ for modern offices?

From small-screens to big screens – Samsung is at it again. This time, it’s taking a run at Google’s Jamboard offering the Flip – a 55-inch touchscreen whiteboard that works vertically and horizontally. It can connect to your devices and imports and exports with simple USB options. It’s got everything you could think of … and it comes cheap. Flip is coming to market for approximately half the price of the Jamboard. But will it catch on? With budget conscious companies and schools always considering the bottom-line – is a whiteboard with all the bells and whistles a ‘must have’ or a luxury? Evan Hardie is an expert in all areas covering printers, hardcopy peripherals and imaging markets. Evan is available to speak to this topic, simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:

The Empathy Gap Between White Social Workers and Clients of Color

Empathy is a core human attribute — but it is far from infallible. In social work, an empathy gap tied to racial identity can lead to worse outcomes for people of color. We like to think of ourselves and our colleagues as empathetic, but our experiences and actions can often contradict this notion. What does this mean for education and the world at large, and how can we improve this? Terence Fitzgerald, clinical associate professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and scholar of institutional racism, policy and child welfare, shares his recent research on racial empathy in social work. Source:

Are You Sure More Than Half of LGBTQ Youth Have an Eating Disorder? Because Science Says Otherwise

Each day, thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth wake up to a world filled with homonegativity, violence, gender shaming, bathroom bills that attempt to legislate the most private daily experiences, and family and peer rejection. Research has consistently found violent experiences to be prevalent for this group of young people. For example, gay and lesbian teenagers are respectively eight and 10 times more likely to be victimized at school than their heterosexual peers (D’Augelli), and national meta-studies find similar results (Friedman et al). It’s true that these victimization experiences have resulted in some pretty negative outcomes for LGBTQ young people over time. Studies have estimated that LGBTQ youth are three to four times more likely to report an internalizing disorder (e.g., anxiety, depression), and two to five times more likely to report externalizing disorders (e.g., substance use) than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Nationally representative studies, like Monitoring the Future and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, also find similar disparities, with higher rates of substance use, depression and suicidality among nearly all sexual and gender minority groups tracked. With this knowledge in mind, I was shocked to wake up and read headlines purporting “more than half of LGBTQ youth have an eating disorder” on articles published by Teen Vogue and the Huffington Post. At first, I was saddened to think this statement could be true -- that is, until the reality of how ostentatious this claim was set in. More at https://dworakpeck.usc.edu/news/are-you-sure-more-half-of-lgbtq-youth-have-eating-disorder-because-science-says-otherwise 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:

Misleading our children – is revisionist history harming the education of our nation’s students?

It’s astounding and almost as if it’s a scene from a movie – meddling, mid-level politicians trying to revise and alter curriculums to ensure children in classrooms are only getting certain points of few and perspectives when it comes to key moments in American history. It’s a level of petty-propaganda usually associated with paranoid regimes in far-away countries. But these days, it’s a homegrown problem. In Texas, the state Board of Education is being slammed for altering facts, twisting perspectives and intentionally omitting moments in history from it’s curriculum. According to USA Today, “The state is considering revisions to the 2010 standards, which a group of academics slammed in a report Thursday. Among their complaints: lessons downplaying slavery as the Civil War's cause, exaggerating the influence of Moses on U.S. democracy and applauding the National Rifle Association and Newt Gingrich's Contract with America. "The quibble over wording here could not be more misleading," said Emile Lester, a report co-author and political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia.” So how does this happen and how is it allowed in modern America? And how common is this throughput the country? Is it a matter of too much power in the hands of those with an agenda or a reflection on an education system in a sate of neglect by elected officials? There are a ton of questions that need to be asked. That’s where an expert from at the University of Mary Washington can help. Dr. Emile Lester, associate professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, an expert in church and state issues is available to speak with media regarding this issue. Simply click on Emile’s icon to arrange an interview. Source: