A 10-year-old girl has sent more than 1,500 art kits
/..to kids in foster care and homeless shelters during the coronavirus pandemic. More from CNN.
ideas that challenge / comfort / inspire
A nurse on the Covid-19 frontline
/..reconnects with New York City firefighter who rescued her from a burning building 37 years ago https://bit.ly/2M6jG3N
Linus and his blanket
/It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to. -Marilyn Ferguson
The Elevator Pitch
/The Challenge: Create a compelling speech about your entire professional life-lasting no more than 15-second. Be able to offer it on demand and under pressure.
The so-called “elevator pitch” requires serious practice. Regardless of the audience, irrespective of whether you are sitting, standing, or walking down a hall or talking on the phone, you should be comfortable offering it. You never know whether your next open door will take place at family gatherings, in the waiting room of the doctor’s office, or at a coffee shop.
You’ll want to describe the impact you have had and can continue to have on a project or work environment. Make it about who you are rather than what you do.
Don’t try to rattle off as much information as possible, like a college debater. Be thoughtful and deliberate. Show you are calm and confident. Yet still, be passionate and genuine.
These questions that may help you discover your elevator pitch and paint a compelling self-portrait:
What do you think your value to an employer is?
What have you been proudest of in your work life?
What do you love to do?
What makes you unique?
A word of caution: Pre-packaged, over-practiced canned pitches can come across as lacking respect for the one you are trying to win over. They are not a means to an end but is a person. Your goal isn’t just to sell yourself but start an Elevator Conversation. It's not just me; it’s about us.
Think of it this way: Most people want to hire interesting, intelligent people who they would enjoy spending time working with day-to-day—not slogan shouters.
Stephen Goforth
Articles of interest about the virus, journalism, fakes, books & more - May 27
/***THE VIRUS
Is it safe to try on clothes at a store? What you need to know
Why COVID-19's weirdest symptoms are only emerging now
Preparing for the Post-Pandemic Workplace
***WORKING DURING THE PANDEMIC
Prepare to be tracked and tested as you return to work
Want to Be More Productive? Try Doing Less
The healthcare industry has embraced texting. Here’s one reason that should give you pause
Mirrors And Webcams Don’t Always Provide Accurate Reflections
***WRITING & READING
America is reading more in quarantine, but indie booksellers are missing out
Why Everyone Is Rereading Their Favorite Books In Quarantine
The best Android apps for writers: text editors, grammar checkers, idea generators, and more
How The Pandemic Is Affecting Book Publishing Industry
***JOURNALISM
AP Stylebook: Now with digital security tips for journalists
Is Email the Future of Journalism?
13 security tips for journalists covering hate online
A Journalist’s Guide to Using Zoom for Community Engagement
California newsrooms know how to prepare for disasters
OANN Trump’s Favorite TV Network Is Post-parody
Lawsuit over popular 'S-Town' podcast dismissed, movie now in early stages
Coronavirus patterns make local news even more important
13 security tips for journalists covering hate online
A Journalist’s Guide to Using Zoom for Community Engagement
Science journalism needed now, more than ever
Ahmaud Arbery Shooting: Latest Case Of Overuse Of 'Unarmed Black Man'
***THE BUSINESS OF JOURNALISM
Judge Throws Out One America Now Defamation Suit vs. Rachel Maddow
New York Times phasing out all 3rd-party advertising data
LinkedIn Editorial Is Now LinkedIn News, With Big Ambitions
***FAKES & FRAUDS
How to Spot a Misleading Crowd Photo
"Fake news" laws on the rise globally during the coronavirus pandemic
Lessons From Operation "Denver," the KGB’s Massive AIDS Disinformation Campaign
How Bad Is The COVID-19 Misinformation Epidemic?
In a new course this fall, students will create and study the history of digital fakes
1 In 5 Adults In England Think The Coronavirus Is A Hoax
Bill Gates, bogeyman of virus conspiracy theorists
"The church of QAnon": How a bizarre conspiracy theory is linked to evangelical Christianity
***SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter Places Fact-Checking Warning On Trump Tweet For 1st Time
Researchers: Nearly Half Of Accounts Tweeting About Coronavirus Are Likely Bots
TikTok is coming after Snapchat with a new augmented reality ad format
Increased Social Media Usage Creates Perfect Conditions For Spread Of Misinformation
***LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
***POETRY
Altoona professor's poetry collection lauded by critics and scholars
The Academy Of American Poets Announces 2020 Recipients Of Poetry Fund Grants
***PRIVACY & SECURITY
Chrome will block ads that drain your resources: How to turn it on now
Videoconferencing: Think Twice Before Hitting 'Record'
***PRODUCING MEDIA
Free alternatives to Photoshop that give you maximum creative freedom
Bakery makes 800 free cakes
/..one for every high school senior in 12 towns along the Mississippi River
The Best Advice
/Talk a little less, and listen more. Less advice is often the best advice. People don’t need lots of advice; they need a listening ear and some positive reinforcement. What they want to know is often already somewhere inside of them. They just need time to think, be and breathe, and continue to explore the undirected journeys that will eventually help them find their direction.
a sign of mediocrity
/It's a sign of mediocrity when you demonstrate gratitude with moderation. -Roberto Benigni
Louisville school surprises kindergartner by giving her service dog a yearbook photo
/Read the story at the Courier Journal
Solo Performance
/A mountain of studies has shown that face-to-face brainstorming and teamwork often lead to inferior decisionmaking. That’s because social dynamics lead groups astray; they coalesce around the loudest extrovert’s most confidently asserted idea, no matter how daft it might be.
What works better? “Virtual” collaboration—with team members cogitating on solutions alone, in private, before getting together to talk them over. As Susan Cain (who wrote Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking) discovered, researchers have found that groups working in this fashion generate better ideas and solve problems more adroitly. To really get the best out of people, have them work alone first, then network later.
Sounds like the way people collaborate on the Internet, doesn’t it? With texting, chat, status updates, comment threads, and email, you hash over ideas and thoughts with a pause between each utterance, giving crucial time for reflection. Plus, you can do so in private.
(The) overall the irony here is pretty gorgeous. It suggests we’ve been thinking about the social web the wrong way. We generally assume that it has unleashed an unruly explosion of disclosure, a constant high school of blather. But what it has really done is made our culture more introverted—and productively so. Now if we could just get some doors on those cubicles.
Clive Thompson writing in Wired Magazine
Heat & Light
/It is fairly easy to produce heat, but very tough to produce light. -Jim Lehrer
Articles of Interest about the virus, higher ed & research - May 23
/***THE VIRUS
What Can An Employer Do When An Employee Refuses To Comply With COVID-19 Workplace Requirements?
A face mask requirement does not violate your constitutional rights
How safe is it to use public bathrooms right now?
Does ADA law allow persons with disabilities to not wear a mask in a business?
***HIGHER ED
Campus Climate Surveys Are Useful but Not Perfect, GAO Says
Need Proof That College Rankings Don’t Matter? Ask The Editor Of Science
University Leaders Are Failing (opinion)
Is it time for higher ed to move away from time-based learning?
University Of California System Will Drop SAT, ACT Requirement For Admissions
Where did all the for-profit college commercials go?
USF To Pay $2.5M Over Alleged False Claims For Student Grants Following Whistleblower Complaint
***HIGHER ED & THE VIRUS
How the humanities can help on the front line of the pandemic
Why Covid-19 Could Force Colleges to Fix Their Transfer Problems
***SUMMER CLASSES
Summer enrollment at Arizona State University is at an all-time high
***THE FALL SEMESTER
Does Anthony Fauci Think Colleges Should Reopen? We Asked Him.
One in five college students say they may not return in the fall.
Viral outbreak hits nearly empty University of Texas campus: What will happen this fall?
COVID-19 QuickPoll Results: Fall Planning for Education and Student Support
Several colleges plan to end in-person instruction by Thanksgiving
What's going to happen at colleges this fall? Here are 15 scenarios
Ithaca College fall semester set to begin, in-person, October 5
NYU Plans to Resume In-Person Classes for Fall Semester
Purdue University president says some professors will teach behind Plexiglas
The difficulties of enforce social distancing measures on campuses next fall
Mid-June emerging as a key decision point FOR The Univ of California system
Scientists: Testing capacity may be adequate for colleges to open this fall
***LAYOFFS & FURLOUGHS
OU announces layoffs for 53 faculty, at least 94 administrators
Lamar University to make cuts due to the coronavirus
***HIGHER ED & FINANCE
Colleges are increasingly suspending or trimming employee retirement plan contributions
***HIGHER ED IN COURT
Federal judge dismisses lawsuit concerning Grand Canyon University's recruiting practices
University of Missouri among colleges sued for tuition refunds after coronavirus shutdown
Student Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Harvard Following Coronavirus Closure
***TEACHING ONLINE
Six Practical Approaches for Teaching Writing Online
Cambridge University to scrap face-to-face lectures for entire year due to pandemic
Universities beware: shifting classes online so quickly is a double-edged sword
Teacher evaluation form for spring semester 2020 (satire)
Copyright ownership concerns abound in the rapid shift to remote instruction
***ONLINE CHEATING
Professors take new measures to prevent online cheating
Academic Dishonesty and Testing: How Student Beliefs and Test Settings Impact Decisions to Cheat
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Dallas Theological Seminary Adds 2 New Degrees and Expands 100% Online Offerings
Cedarville University Appears to Have Manipulated a Sexual Harassment Complaint
Cal Baptist athletic director resigns
‘Male Athlete of the Year’ named at Point Loma Nazarene
***RESEARCH
Scientists must resist the temptation to say no evidence is ever quite good enough
In psych, economics, and some parts of medicine and biology about 60% of the papers do not replicate
Resistance and insubordination in science
Are women publishing less during the pandemic? Here’s what the data say
Our findings stress the superiority of markup formats in Peer review over the prominent PDF format
Retractions in Rehabilitation and Sport Sciences Journals
What doctors must know about medical preprints
A deluge of poor-quality research is sabotaging an effective evidence-based response
***STUDENT LIFE
Expressing a minority political view on some campuses is difficult (opinion)
5 Socially Distanced Side Hustles For College Students During The Pandemic
***CAMPUS CRIME
***SEXUAL HARASSMENT & ASSAULT
Law Professor in Title IX Case Leaves Marquette
Chadron State to pay $900,000 in settlement of Title IX lawsuit
Bard College Music Student Sues School, Citing Instructor’s Conduct
Weeping
/It is mentally ill to weep over fakery on the screen and not cry over the reality on the street. (unknown)
We can be too clever for our own good
/Unthinking is the ability to apply years of learning at the crucial moment by removing your thinking self from the equation. Its power is not confined to sport: actors and musicians know about it too, and are apt to say that their best work happens in a kind of trance. Thinking too much can kill not just physical performance but mental inspiration. Bob Dylan, wistfully recalling his youthful ability to write songs without even trying, described the making of “Like a Rolling Stone” as a “piece of vomit, 20 pages long”. It hasn’t stopped the song being voted the best of all time.
In less dramatic ways the same principle applies to all of us. A fundamental paradox of human psychology is that thinking can be bad for us. When we follow our own thoughts too closely, we can lose our bearings, as our inner chatter drowns out common sense. A study of shopping behaviour found that the less information people were given about a brand of jam, the better the choice they made. When offered details of ingredients, they got befuddled by their options and ended up choosing a jam they didn’t like.
If a rat is faced with a puzzle in which food is placed on its left 60% of the time and on the right 40% of the time, it will quickly deduce that the left side is more rewarding, and head there every time, thus achieving a 60% success rate. Young children adopt the same strategy. When Yale undergraduates play the game, they try to figure out some underlying pattern, and end up doing worse than the rat or the child. We really can be too clever for our own good.
Ian Leslie, writing in The Economist
Articles of interest about the virus & religion - May 21
/***THE VIRUS
Coronavirus infection isn't just about hygiene and distance. It's about time, too
Hong Kong controlled the coronavirus with the help of face masks. Here’s how.
How to Get Kids to Wear a Face Mask During the Pandemic
What Contact Tracing Tells Us About High-Risk Activities
***THE VIRUS AND RELIGION
Pastor dies from coronavirus after laying hands on infected followers, declaring them healed
Some evangelicals fear the 'mark of the beast' from a coronavirus vaccine
How coronavirus pandemic will alter Communion rituals for many US Christians
What’s really behind Republicans wanting a swift reopening? Evangelicals
***RELIGION
NIH chief Francis Collins wins Templeton Prize
Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ Sequel Could Alienate Evangelicals
A new documentary reveals Jane Roe's anti-abortion pivot was "all an act"
More young adults are leaving religion, but that’s not the whole story, say researchers
Despite Bad News, Evangelical Philosophy Is Flourishing
Authorities announce forfeiture of ancient Gilgamesh tablet from Hobby Lobby's Museum of the Bible
What does an executive pastor do?
Ravi Zacharias, popular evangelical defender of the Christian faith, dies at 74
***RELIGION & THE LAW
Photo Agency Sues Evangelical Youth Pastor Over Bieber Picture
Mississippi church suing on virus restrictions burns down
***RELIGION & THE LAW
Photo Agency Sues Evangelical Youth Pastor Over Bieber Picture
Mississippi church suing on virus restrictions burns down
***DENOMINATIONS
VID-19 delayed a United Methodist schism—but it has left LGBT members in limbo
Churches leave Mennonite denomination over theology, LGBT stance
Giving advice
/It is easy when we are in prosperity to give advice to the afflicted. -Aeschylus
time to cheer
/Encourage others and cheer for them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
52 Media Job Sites
/Looking for a job in media? Here are 52 sites to check out: Media Job Sites
Articles of interest about the virus, higher ed, frauds & more - May 18
/***THE VIRUS
An expert explains how to assess risk when reconnecting with friends and family
Dying to go out to eat? Here's how viruses like Covid-19 spread in a restaurant
Dogs caught coronavirus from their owners, genetic analysis suggests
How long does coronavirus live on clothes and shoes? Here's what we know
***THE VIRUS & SCIENCE
Science communication in the age of Coronavirus (podcast)
Communicating science’s inherent uncertainty and avoiding its use as a weapon during a crisis
***FAKES & FRAUDS
How Dangerous Coronavirus Conspiracies Spread
Virus Conspiracists elevate a new champion
Manipulated images in Academia: hiding in plain sight?
Publishers launch joint effort to tackle altered images in research papers
***HIGHER ED & THE VIRUS
Coronavirus Will End the Golden Age for College Towns ($)
How the coronavirus will accelerate the dismantling of the higher education system (podcast)
Corporate Education Will Never Return To The Classroom
Colleges acceptance rates may go higher as schools start aggressively courting applicants
How 3 small colleges in turnaround mode are adapting to the pandemic
How COVID-19 is driving a long-overdue revolution in education
Universities face another challenge amid coronavirus crisis: Fewer graduate students
Leaders of historically black colleges and universities say they’ve been hit hard by virus
***COLLEGE FINANCE
These California Colleges Have the Lowest and Highest Student Loan Debt-to-Income Ratios
Coronavirus set to chop $2 billion from California higher ed — but financial aid survives
USC to raise tuition 3.5% whether classrooms reopen or not
Colleges Around The Country Are Expecting Shortfalls Despite Rich Endowments
Colleges On Life Support Face 3 Choices: Death, Merger, Or Survival
***FURLOUGHS & LAYOFFS
Faculty Cuts Begin, With Warnings of More to Come
Faculty Cuts Begin, With Warnings of More to Come
Arkansas-Little Rock Lays Off 13 Professors
***THE FALL SEMESTER
Daunting considerations beyond testing for coronavirus infection, when it comes to reopening
How Much Will Enrollment And Tuition Revenues Be Down In The Fall?
'Unrealistic' for colleges and universities to reopen this fall: Fmr. Education Secretary
Incoming students at Harvard Medical School will start fall semester online
Coronavirus Could Create a Hodgepodge of Campus Life in the Fall
Concordia Announces Fall Semester Will Take Place Online
Reopen schools when it’s safe for students, not for the convenience of adults
Poll: College students would attend class in fall even without vaccine
***HIGHER ED IN COURT
Who Is Responsible If A University Reopens And A Student Dies From Covid-19?
These two law firms have filed 28 coronavirus-related lawsuits against universities, and counting
Can students really sue colleges over online learning? Lawyers weigh in
Colleges Worry They'll Be Sued if They Reopen Campuses
NJ parents sue Maryland colleges for tuition refunds after coronavirus shut down campuses
***TEACHING ONLINE
9 Next Steps to Make Online Education More Engaging
How to survey college students about the shift online
Ideas to make your synchronous online classes more fun
Some U.S. schools are pulling the plug on distance learning
The Remote Learning Diaries: How to Turn Your Home Into an Effective Remote Learning Environment
Lessons learned: 9 takeaways from teaching online during COVID-19
Transitioning to Distance Learning: Three Tips for Teachers
I’m teaching on Zoom, and I’ve got to admit: My students are missing out
A Google body language consultant shares how to relax and be confident on Zoom
***ONLINE CHEATING
Should Students Be Monitored When Taking Online Tests?
Fourteen Simple Strategies to Reduce Cheating on Online Examinations
Student Cheating at Issue as College Board Rolls Out Online AP Exams
***CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
A Small Religious University In West Texas Foreshadows What May Become Of Higher Education
St. Edward's University announces layoffs amid coronavirus pandemic
Campbell University students will receive private dorm rooms for upcoming school year
Betsy DeVos directs $500,000 from coronavirus relief to private college confused by some with cult
Even with season on hold, PLNU’s Hommes out to prove he belongs in the NBA
Calvin Receives $22 Million Gift to Open Business School
***CALVIN UNIVERSITY
Calvin Receives $22 Million Gift to Open Business School
Calvin University to test all students, staff for coronavirus this fall
Calvin University gathers 5,000 COVID-19 tests for students
***LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
What happened when Jerry Falwell Jr. took on journalism over COVID-19
Liberty University eliminates philosophy department
***THE HUMANITIES
A new report offers some data on the Humanities from before the pandemic
***RESEARCH
Understanding Preprints (a cartoon)
What are innovations in peer review and editorial assessment for? (opinion)
To guard against rushed and sloppy science, build pressure testing into your research
There is no black and white definition of predatory publishing
Meet this super-spotter of duplicated images in science papers
Integrity of randomized controlled trials: challenges and solutions
Rice University settles grant misuse claims for $3.7 million
Ten common statistical errors from all phases of research, and their fixes
***STUDENT MEDIA
College journalists writing the rulebook during pandemic
Senior year derailed, a high school journalist pushes toward one last deadline
***STUDENT LIFE
Quarantine class of 2020: Virtual internships surge during coronavirus pandemic
***STUDENT LIFE: FINDING JOBS
Cal State Fullerton Career Center director provides tips for finding jobs virtually
***STUDENT LIFE: SDSU
Some SDSU students locked into leases
SDSU Students Deflated By News Of An Online-Only Fall Semester
***SEXUAL HARASSMENT & ASSAULT
ACLU sues Betsy DeVos over new rules on campus sexual harassment and assault