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In less than a month, President Trump is scheduled to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in Singapore. Negotiations leading to the summit have led to the release of Americans from N. Korean prisons and reports of the razing of a nuclear facility. But the world has also seen the summit threatened by military drills conducted by South Korea and the U.S. Is such a meeting between two men who’ve engaged in name-calling and threats of nuclear war even possible? If so, what should we expect? Baylor's Peter Campbell, Ph.D., an expert on strategy, international relations and security, says: “I think Kim is willing to talk because he is actually in a very weak position because of the strained relations between his regime and China. It might be the case that the best that Kim can hope for from this crisis is to portray himself as the champion of peace between the two Koreas. Though, when speculating in this way, we should always recall that Kim is unpredictable, as his recent shift in behavior, from warlike rhetoric to peacemaker and back again, demonstrates. Now that President Trump has accepted the offer of talks, Kim appears willing to use their cancellation as leverage. However, this is a dangerous game. President Trump would likely be incensed by such an embarrassment and could then argue that diplomatic efforts have failed, leading to another and more dangerous stage in the crisis. “I think that we arrived at this juncture through a classic strategy of brinksmanship. The Trump administration showed a willingness to escalate the crisis that Kim may not have anticipated. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis and Eisenhower during the Berlin Crisis showed a similar willingness. However, the key to brinksmanship, as both Kennedy and Eisenhower understood, is giving your opponent a face-saving way to get out of the crisis. Allowing Kim to portray himself as the champion of peace may be the price the U.S. must pay to bring an end to this crisis. For this to work the Trump administration must not claim, in the immediate aftermath of the crisis, that they defeated the Kim regime. President George H. W. Bush demonstrated such restraint when he refused to ‘dance on the Berlin Wall’ at the end of the Cold War and declare the U.S. the winner of that struggle. Such humility might be extremely difficult for Trump to muster, but I see it as likely essential to bring this crisis to an end.” Campbell is available to speak about U.S. relations with North Korea. Source:
#NeverAgain - Students Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands
On April 20, 2018, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting, students across the nation will walk out of their classrooms in protest of their leaders’ failure to pass laws protecting them from gun violence. Just last month, hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, and supporters rallied in Washington DC, for March for Our Lives, led by a group of students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. These students, some of the latest to be affected by gun violence in schools, are using their voices to inspire change. John Meisner, Assistant Professor of Education at Southern Utah University and advocate for students on and off campus, recently voiced his concerns and support. “As a voting adult, I’m horrified that this problem has only been getting worse since the Columbine High School tragedy, and our elected leaders pretend that there is nothing that can be done. We have countless laws that have been enacted regarding public safety, and yet for this one, we do nothing.” Meisner recommends that as parents, mentors, and peers, we should support the efforts of these students. “I’m hugely proud of these students for refusing to accept this inaction and taking matters into their own hands. I don’t know that we’ve ever seen such organization and movement by high school and junior high school students. They’re often disrespected as ‘entitled’ and ‘lazy,’ but this latest tragedy has mobilized this population into action. We’re seeing youthfulness and enthusiasm combined with a social media savvy that is a powerful force. I think that as adults we should be proud of these efforts and support them fully.” Students crave relevance in their school work and lives. According to Meisner, the walkout is a perfect example of this. “I’m hopeful that they will not relent on the pressure until something is done. Maybe with this new movement, the Parkland tragedy will be the last.” “As educators, we should not only be concerned about the physical well-being of our students but should also see that their academic wellbeing is important too. They will be fully invested in topics that matter to them.” John Meisner has a deep love of education and a passion for teaching. Meisner also serves on the Allies on Campus committee working to support LBGTQ+ students and faculty through social events and educational outreach. He is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit his profile. Source:
Order for Racism. Racism Anyone?
When I think of Starbucks, I think of fair trade and “ethnically sourced” secured coffee beans, wonderfully laid out desserts and treats that my waist line dislikes, and cool stripped down funky folky alternative music playing in the background while I drink a hot delicacy I can barely pronounce. I think of people conversing, while others around them are seeping the juices of the Internet to fuel their apple laptop latest reality game apps. I think of people completing school or professional work away from their homes and offices. Starbucks has the ability in a sense to serve as an escape. But as a person of color, especially a historically marginalized people, there is no quarter given. Two Black men in Philadelphia discussing possible business ventures in a Starbuck were reminded that within the 21st century two separate worlds for Blacks and everyone else continues to exist within our world. The denial of bathroom rights to potential paying customers, an automatic response to call the police, and consequential police engagement and arrest without legitimate legal cause are representations of 21st racism. A similar incident has recently surfaced on video caught in a Los Angles area store where onlookers observed white non-paying patrons getting access to the bathroom while Blacks were denied. These discussed incidences are the simple echoes of a system of oppression that has existed for Blacks since the first Dutch flagged slave ship arrived in Jamestown in 1619. Source:
Digital Transformation: Painting the picture of the Future
There has been an enormous amount of talk and attention dedicated to Digital transformation as of late. But what does DX really mean for your company, industry and Canada? Simply explained, and according to i-Scoop - Digital transformation is the profound transformation of business and organizational activities, processes, competencies and models to fully leverage the changes and opportunities of a mix of digital technologies and their accelerating impact across society in a strategic and prioritized way, with present and future shifts in mind. To learn more, join Nigel Wallis - IDC’s VP of IoT & Industry Research - at Directions Canada 2018, where Wallis will share insightful research on the implications of Digital Transformation for Canada’s key sectors and workforce. Explore the opportunities and pitfalls of acting on the 3rd Platform technologies. Spaces remaining are limited. Click the image below to register for this year’s IDC Canada Directions conference or simply click on Nigel's icon to arrange an opportunity to chat directly with him. Source:
Baylor Black Gospel Music Expert Pens Dallas Morning News Column Remembering MLK
Robert Darden, professor of journalism, PR and new media at Baylor University, is a gospel music expert. He penned this column to commemorate the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. and to remember the music that carried people through the grief of the time. He writes: "In the days of rage and grief that followed the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis on April 4, 1968, many Americans found, at least for a time, relief in music. Rosa Parks, whose brave stand on a Montgomery, Ala., bus just 13 years earlier was the inciting incident in the slow build of the civil rights movement after World War II, watched as Detroit erupted in violence. She sat in her room playing Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come" over and over. She said the song 'saved her sanity.'" Darden is the author of two dozen books, most recently: Nothing But Love in God’s Water, Volume II: Black Sacred Music from Sit-In to Resurrection City (Penn State University Press, 2016); Nothing But Love in God’s Water, Volume I: Black Sacred Music from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement (Penn State University Press, 2014); Jesus Laughed: The Redemptive Power of Humor (Abingdon Press, 2008); Reluctant Prophets and Clueless Disciples: Understanding the Bible by Telling Its Stories (Abingdon Press, 2006); and People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music (Continuum/Bloomsbury, 2004). He founded the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project, the world’s largest initiative to identify, acquire, digitize, categorize and make accessible gospel music from gospel’s Golden Age (1945-1970). The BGMRP provides the gospel music for the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History & Culture. 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:
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.
The Invisible Continue to Remain Invisible
The New York Times piece illustrates an observation few are willing to discuss and focus within realms such as U.S. legislation and academia. Let's not forget to mention the overarching implications related to the criminal justice and judicial systems within the country as well. Within the field of education I have, along side many great scholars, attempted to define the implications for Black males as they related to the historical and contemporary ramification of being within a system initially intended for White males only. Overall, we have attempted to tell the stories of Black males from both a quantitive and qualitative perspective as they relate to the effects of institutionalized racial oppression. But overall, these stories are largely ignored through the need to focus on Blacks as one monolithic group. This tendency allows for issues specifically related to Black males to be washed out. As Ralph Ellison emphasizes within Invisible Man ( 1952), they indeed become "Invisible." Source:
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:
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: