Yes, I Have No Poisonous Bananas!

When I was about 9, I heard that the strings inside a banana were poisonous. So when peeling a banana, I was extra careful to get all the strings off, just in case.

But finally I decided that it made no sense that something poisonous would be right next to the edible pulp. Surely there would have been more public warnings if that were true.

Maybe questioning this “fact” was an early indication of my interest in journalism. It’s all about asking questions and not blindly accepting what you hear or read.

Now I learn that the proper name for the strings is “phloem bundles.” Ick. Good thing I didn’t know that when I was a kid.

Also, did you know that we’re supposedly eating bananas backward, just as I used to do with broccoli. The stem is actually the bottom since bananas grow upward from there. The usual way of peeling the banana goes against the grain of the fruit, causing the strings to cling to it. I’ll have to try that next time we buy a bunch of bananas!

BE SAFE tips keep kids from being left in hot cars

My letter-to-the-editor as published in the May 16, 2012, Kansas City Star:


Tragically, another child has died after being inadvertently left in the car while his mother was at work in Lee’s Summit. Our hearts go out to the parents and family.

If you think it couldn’t happen to you or your family, think again. Our memories don’t prioritize, so it’s as easy to forget to drop off your child at daycare as it is to forget to drop off your suit at the dry cleaner.

KidsAndCars.org provides these BE SAFE tips:
Back seat – Put something in the back seat that requires you to open the back door every time you park – cell phone, employee badge, handbag, etc.
Every child should be correctly restrained in the back seat.

Stuffed animal should be kept in your child’s car seat. Place it on the front seat as a reminder when your baby is in the back seat.
Ask your babysitter or child-care provider to call you if your child hasn’t arrived on time.
Focus on driving – Avoid cell phone calls and texting while driving.
Every time you park make it a routine to open the back door of your car to check that no one has been left behind.

Make copies to place in your own vehicles, and give to family and friends – even strangers – who have young children.

For more information on keeping kids safe in and around vehicles, go to KidsAndCars.org <http://kidsandcars.org/> .

Susan Pepperdine, Volunteer
KidsAndCars.org
Leawood, Kan.

Turning Down Clients You Can't Fully Support

Should you turn down clients or stop working for companies if you disagree with their philosophy?

In the recent Paula Deen controversy, her publicist Nancy Assuncao, resigned and said, “If you don’t believe in what your client wants to do, it’s your business to leave.”

PR consultants, business consultants and others must sometimes decide whether to work with clients they don't fully support: tobacco, gambling, political campaigns, etc. And recently people on both sides of the issue reconsidered support of the Susan G. Komen organization.

Here are some of the responses I received when I posed the question on a LinkedIn discussion group:

Chris Kirk: It really depends on the situation, doesn't it? Is the philosophy something that's just outside your comfort zone or does it conflict with your morals and values? I for one appreciate companies that stand by their convictions.

Amy Rathbone:  If peace of mind in the workplace and not compromising your morals for a paycheck is (important to you) then I think you may work for less people and make less money but ultimately be happier with how you are doing business...We probably have all made the mistake of compromising our principles. It's that 'ugh' feeling that hits you in the car on the way home. It's so much easier to avoid!

Brett Gibson: If your "why's" don't align, then antagonistic relationships ensue. If you know why you do what you do, and the client has a different objective, then they are a bad fit. (Also holds true for employee engagement.)...If you know that the client is hurting themselves with their practices, and they won't listen to consultative advice – there's little likelihood that they will change that charge to failure. You don't have to ride along. Find clients more in line with your vision/mission.

Donna Gordon: In the long run, choosing business partners and clients whose values align with yours is not just peace of mind, it's good business. Whether consciously or subconsciously, if you are not 'all in' with the client or project, your work will suffer.

Beatrice Ten-Thye: I am a Virtual Assistant who works with and in relationships. I find it impossible to work with anyone whose business philosophy does not correspond to mine. That said, if I meet a potential client who is not in alignment with my philosophy, I do refer him to someone else. It wouldn't be good for me or the client to enter into a working relationship that does not fit.

Patrick Shore: Our philosophy is doing the right thing for each and every client. If we do not agree with a product, service, or set of business practices we will share this with the client and politely decline their business. I cannot innovate and create growth for items I do not believe in or cannot share with others...I teach leaders to think this way: Are you proud of your business philosophy, business practices and products? Would you brag about them with your family, spouse and children? If the answer is no, you should rethink.

Sherri Becker: If philosophies are not aligned then the PR that the consultant provides may not be presented with the utmost authenticity. Authenticity and honesty are qualities that we work to achieve in all our projects.


Susan Pepperdine: I agree with those who responded. I've found I can't do PR for people, products or companies unless I really believe in them. If you aren't sold on something, how can you sell somebody else?

Of course lawyers must defend murder suspects – whether they believe they're guilty or not – because it's a constitutional right. But we as marketers don't have to represent companies or products we don't believe in. It's important to be proud of your own company and business practices as well as with your clients' products and business practices.

What do you think?

Saving the Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service is as American as founding father Benjamin Franklin, the first Postmaster General. Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution empowers Congress “to establish post offices.”

Yet today rising costs and declining first-class mail volume threaten the USPS’s survival. Saturday delivery may be cut. Other proposals call for layoffs of 120,000 postal workers. More than 3,500 post offices could be closed, including many in rural and small town Missouri and Kansas. In Congress, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is targeting the USPS for privatization.

A crisis in September was caused by a 2006 law requiring the USPS to put aside $5.5 billion annually to prefund retiree benefits for 75 years, a requirement applying to no other private or government entity. Several bills are pending, including H.R. 1351, which would eliminate the prefunding burden.

Do you depend on the mail to receive prescriptions and bills, to send utility payments or Hallmark cards, or to vote? Then contact your representatives: Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), www.house.gov/cleaver, or Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.), yoder.house.gov. You can even send them a letter... at least for now.

Memory and Brain Expert Addresses Federal Government on “Forgotten Baby Syndrome” to help prevent hot car tragedies

Federal government steps up efforts to prevent child deaths in hot vehicles

Tampa, FLA. – Sept. 23, 2011…. Most parents think it could never happen to them. But children continue to die in hot vehicles – and parents and families across the country endure the worst nightmare imaginable. 

Dr. David Diamond, professor in the University of South Florida psychology department and Tampa Veterans Hospital, spoke out today at a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) event in Tampa to help prevent families from having to endure the life-long grief of losing a child.

There have been at least 27 child vehicular heat stroke fatalities in the U.S. this year, and one of those deaths took place in Florida.…and we hope that is the last child death in a hot car,” states Janette Fennell, president of KidsAndCars.org a national nonprofit child safety organization working to prevent injuries and deaths of children in and around motor vehicles. A tragic record 49 children died in 2010 in hot vehicles. Over 60 child vehicular heat stroke deaths in Florida have been documented by KidsAndCars.org, making Florida second only to Texas in the number of children losing their lives in this way.

An internationally renowned memory and brain expert, Diamond asks, “How can normal, loving and attentive parents, with no evidence of substance abuse or an organic brain disorder, have a lapse of memory which results in the death of a child?” His research group has developed a two-part hypothesis to address the basis of “Forgotten Baby Syndrome” (FBS). First, they evaluated whether there is a consistent pattern of circumstances that may provide insight into FBS occurrences and, second,they speculated on the neurobiological basis of FBS.

Diamond hypothesizes that FBS occurs as a result of the competition between cognitive and habit forms of memory. Cognitive memory occurs when one consciously plans out a task to accomplish in the future, for example, planning to take a child to daycare as a part of a larger driving plan. In contrast, habit memory occurs when one performs a routine that can be completed automatically with minimal thought, such as driving to work in an “autopilot” mode, in which decisions as to where to stop and turn occur automatically.

Brain habit and cognitive systems are in a constant state of competition, Diamond notes. In all cases of FBS he and his associates studied, the caretakers had every intention to stop at the daycare center as a part of their drive. However, stopping at the day care center on the day FBS occurred was not a part of an established daily routine. With FBS, the brain habit-based memory system suppressed the activation of the cognitive memory to interrupt the drive and take the child to daycare.

Diamond also noted that in some FBS cases the parents experienced impaired sleep the night before, and/or they experienced a powerful stressor during the drive, which suppressed the activation of a cognitive memory. Dr. Diamond concludes that “the brain habit memory system has the capacity to completely suppress the cognitive memory system, thereby providing a neurobiological explanation of how FBS can occur.”

NHTSA brought together local safety advocates, health professionals, law enforcement officials and concerned residents today to discuss ways to prevent the modern-day phenomena of children being unknowingly left alone in vehicles and how to prevent children from gaining access to hot vehicles.

 “The KidsAndCars.org message is very clear – Never leave a child alone in a vehicle and don’t think a tragedy like this can’t happen to you or someone you know,” said Fennell. “No one is immune.”

The organization is pleased that Ron Medford, NHTSA deputy administrator, is spearheading efforts in Florida to eliminate child deaths in hot vehicles by 2013.

KidsAndCars.org has incorporated a provision as part of the reauthorization of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which could help prevent these inadvertent deaths. Equipping vehicles with sensors to detect the presence of the child and sound a warning when a child is left inside would help prevent these deaths when the driver’s memory fails. Similar warning features currently remind drivers when they have left the key in the ignition or left the headlights on.

Based on incidents documented by KidsAndCars.org:

54 percent of the time children die after being unknowingly left inside a hot vehicle.

32 percent when children got into a vehicle on their own similar to what happened to Michael Esposito.

12 percent when they were knowingly left in vehicle.

2 percent of the circumstances were not clear.

Safety Tips from KidsAndCars.org

KidsAndCars.org provides the BE SAFE safety tips on an information card being distributed to new parents as part of the information packet given to them when having a baby:

Back seat – Put something in the back seat of your vehicle that requires you to open the door every time you park – cell phone, employee badge, handbag, etc.
Every child should be correctly restrained in the back seat.

Stuffed animal – Keep a stuffed animal in your child’s car seat. Place it on the front seat as a reminder when your baby is in the back seat.
Ask your babysitter or child-care provider to call you if your child hasn’t arrived on time.
Focus on driving – Avoid cell phone calls and texting while driving.
Every time you park make it a routine to open the back door of your car to check that no one has been left behind.

KidsAndCars.org provides these additional safety tips:

·       Keep vehicles locked at all times, even in the garage or driveway, and always set your parking brake.

·       Keys and remote openers should never be left within reach of children.

·       When a child is missing, check vehicles and car trunks immediately.

·       If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

·        If they are hot or seem sick, get them out as fast as possible. Be especially careful about keeping children safe in and around cars during busy times, schedule changes and periods of crisis or holidays.

·       Use drive-through services when available (restaurants, banks, pharmacies, dry cleaners, etc.)

·       Use your debit or credit card to pay for gas at the pump.

For additional information about ways to keep children safe in and around vehicles, visit www.KidsAndCars.org

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About KidsAndCars.org: Founded in 1996 in California, KidsAndCars.org is a national nonprofit child safety organization dedicated to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around motor vehicles. KidAndCars.org promotes awareness among parents, caregivers and the general public about the dangers to children, including backover and frontover incidents, and heatstroke from being inadvertently left in a vehicle. The organization works to prevent tragedies through data collection, education and public awareness, policy change and survivor advocacy.

KidsAndCars.org 
2913 W. 113^th St., Leawood, KS 66211 (Greater Kansas City)
Office: 913-327-0013, Fax: 913-327-0014, www.KidsAndCars.org 

Massage Envy and KC Royals to Attempt Guinness World Record Sept. 17: Most People Being Massaged

Here's one of my most recent news releases. Come join us Saturday!

 Kansas City, Mo. … Summer and baseball season will soon be winding down, the perfect time for a relaxing break on Saturday, Sept. 17, as one of the massage recipients helping Massage Envy attempt to break – and reclaim – the Guinness World Record for "Most People Being Massaged" at the same time and place. Massage Envy and Massage Envy Spa locations in 10 states from coast to coast are teaming up with the Kansas City Royals for the event, which will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Little K field inside Kauffman Stadium before the 6 p.m. home game between the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox.

Massage Envy and Massage Envy Spa therapists from nine Massage Envy locations in Kansas City, Mo., and Leawood, Lenexa, Shawnee, Prairie Village, Overland Park and Olathe, Kan., are organizing the event. The current record of 263 massages is held in Australia. Massage Envy previously set the record in 2009 in Rosslyn, Va.

The public is invited to experience the fun and enjoy their “15 minutes of fame” as therapists go for the record, with the opportunity for bragging rights and inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records. The wives of Royals pitchers Blake Wood and Sean O’Sullivan are expected to be among the participants.

Participants are encouraged to preregister by purchasing a $25 special event ticket through www.royals.com/massageenvy. The special event ticket includes the 10-minute Guinness Book of World Records massage plus admission to the game and a customized yoga mat. Light snacks and beverages will also be provided. A portion of the ticket will benefit the local chapter of The Arthritis Foundation.

“This is a real team effort by Massage Envy and the Royals,” said Les Snyder, regional developer for Massage Envy Heartland Inc. “We’ll also be supporting our national cause, The Arthritis Foundation, while giving 500 or more Kansas Citians the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a massage plus getting to participate in setting a new world record.”

Therapists from across the United States are being recruited. For more information on therapist recruitment, go to www.MassageRecord.com.

At Massage Envy, an introductory one-hour massage session (a 50-minute massage and time for consultation and dressing) is just $49. Memberships are available for $59 per month and include a one-hour massage session. Members can enjoy unlimited additional one-hour massage sessions at the $39 member rate.

Log on to www.MassageEnvy.com to find the nearest Massage Envy clinic. All clinics are open seven days a week.

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KidsAndCars.org launches national safety awareness program

In June I volunteered to start helping KidsAndCars.org publicize information to save children from dangers in and around cars -- heat stroke from being left in a car or getting trapped in the trunk, deadly backovers and frontovers, etc.

On July 12 Good Morning America aired a story about two incidents that resulted in the deaths of boys aged 2, 4 and 8 who became trapped in car trunks. Stories have also appeared in the New York Times plus other national and local Kansas City media.

Here is our latest news release, distributed July 13:

KidsAndCars.org launches national safety awareness program

for hospitals to educate new parents about heat stroke danger

‘Look Before You Lock’ cards explain how memory lapses

can place children in danger when inadvertently left in cars

Leawood, Kan. – July 13, 2011 … KidsAndCars.org announces an innovative new pilot program to distribute safety cards through hospitals nationwide to educate new parents about how memory lapses can result in children suffering heat stroke and even death in hot cars. The “Look Before You Lock” program is the first of its kind to provide life-saving information at the very beginning of their baby’s life about the dangers of inadvertently leaving children alone in a vehicle.

“Educating new parents will help prevent tragic heat stroke deaths by giving them practical steps to jog their memory to take their children out of the car,” says Janette Fennell, founder and president of KidsAndCars.org, a national nonprofit child safety organization working to prevent injuries and deaths of children in and around motor vehicles.

Available in either English or Spanish, the cards will be distributed as part of the free information packets given to new parents when leaving the hospital. KidsAndCars.org is working in cooperation with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., which provided a grant to fund the program launch. “We support the important work of KidsAndCars.org in elevating this issue to a national level,” said Ed Bradley, regulatory affairs manager, Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. “Vehicle safety is an issue that crosses all populations and communities, and Toyota strives to address this vital issue in a comprehensive way. This campaign is a great first step in educating the public in the prevention of injuries and fatalities to children in motor vehicles.”

Hospitals have been highly successful in stressing the importance of infant car seats, in many cases even requiring parents to prove – before leaving the hospital – that they know how to correctly restrain their baby. “Lack of sleep while caring for a newborn and changes in family routines can have lethal consequences,” Fennell points out. “It’s just as important that parents learn to be cautious about leaving children unattended in vehicles as they are about leaving them alone near a swimming pool or in a bathtub.”

Administrator David Strickland of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration commended KidsAndCars.org’s efforts: “With NHTSA’s focus on child passenger safety, we applaud any program that helps alert parents and caregivers to the risks of leaving children alone in vehicles. On hot summer days in particular, we encourage parents to make it a habit to look in their vehicles — both front and back — before locking the door and walking away.”

To request cards, hospitals simply need to notify KidsAndCars.org of the number of babies that are born at their facilities.

Individuals may also download and print copies of the card from the website, www.KidsAndCars.org.

Safety tips on the card include the memory device, BE SAFE:

Back seat – Put something in the back seat of your vehicle that requires you to open the back door every time you park – cell phone, employee badge, handbag, etc.
Every child should be correctly restrained in the back seat.

Stuffed animal – Keep a stuffed animal in your child’s car seat. Place it on the front passenger seat as a reminder when your baby is in the back seat.
Ask your babysitter or child care provider to call you if your child hasn’t arrived on time.
Focus on driving – Avoid cell phone calls and texting while driving.
Every time you park make it a routine to open the back door of your car to check that no one has been left behind.

“This is the first program of its kind,” Fennell noted. “New parents are highly motivated to do whatever it takes to keep their new baby safe, so this is the perfect time to present this information.”

#

About KidsAndCars.org: Founded in 1996, KidsAndCars.org is a national nonprofit child safety organization dedicated to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around motor vehicles. KidsAndCars.org promotes awareness among parents, caregivers and the general public about the dangers to children, including backover and frontover incidents, and heatstroke from being inadvertently left in a vehicle. The organization works to prevent tragedies through data collection, education and public awareness, policy change and survivor advocacy.