Category Archives: Human Behavior

Human Behavior

The essence of comedy giant Carl Reiner – CBS News

"First thing in the morning before I have coffee, I read the obits," Carl Reiner told "Sunday Morning" correspondent Tracy Smith in 2015. "If I'm not in it, I'll have breakfast."

Even when discussing something grim (as when he feigned dying in the middle of an interview, described as being the way he'd like to go), Reiner, who died last week at 98, couldn't help but sound sunny.

"He was rare in that I can't remember him being in a bad mood, or him telling me about a bad mood," said legendary TV writer and producer Norman Lear, now 97. He was close friends with Reiner for more than 50 years.

Correspondent Mo Rocca asked, "This may be a little hokey, but what do you think kept him going so long?"

"The same thing that keeps me going so long: We both like getting up in the morning!" Lear laughed. "And he missed it today. He missed it today."

Carl Reiner didn't miss a lot. One of television comedy's founding fathers, Reiner first came into our homes as a featured player on Your Show of Shows," in which he was second banana to Sid Caesar.

Rocca asked, "What made him so good in that role?"

"Carl had no need to be the principal in anything," Lear replied. "A lot of comics do. And so, he could be very funny as a sidekick and a straight man."

Reiner is probably best known for creating "The Dick Van Dyke Show," which began airing on CBS in 1961. It starred Dick Van Dyke as the head writer of a fictional TV program. Reiner played the blowhard host, Alan Brady.

Van Dyke praised Reiner as "a mensch. The greatest human being I've ever met in my life. Unique, irreplaceable man. For some reason, Carl had a deep understanding about human behavior, and what motivated people to do what they do.

"I found myself going to his office for answers about life, about raising my kids, about family. And I learned so much from him. He kind of created me, along with creating Rob Petrie."

Van Dyke graced us with some of the little-known lyrics to the show's theme:

So, you think that you've got trouble,well, trouble's a bubble.So tell old Mr. Trouble to get lost. A smile is just a frown that's turned upside-down.So, smile and that frown will defrost.And don't forget to keep your fingers crossed.

"Carl understood there's no such thing as an adult an adult is this costume and mannerism that the kid puts on in order to make it through life," Van Dyke said.

There was no venue where Reiner didn't kill on stage, on TV, as a film director and sometime actor. And remember comedy albums? He and Mel Brooks had one of the biggest with "The 2,000-Year-Old Man," with Reiner once again playing the straight man.

"That's 100% Carl Reiner," said Lear. "And that's why he worked so well with Mel. Because Mel will tell you himself, he needed to be upfront. And Carl was a champion from the sides."

Carl and Mel were a match made in comedy heaven. But Reiner's lifelong costar was his beloved wife Estelle. The pair reminisced, about their first meeting back in 2007, with Tracy Smith.

"I had a lot of hair in those days, black hair, wavy!" Carl said.

"No, no, he was really good-looking," Estelle said. "I said, tall, dark and handsome."

Ten years later, after Estelle had passed away, Reiner reflected: "Having a good marriage, and good children. A good life is what you send out to the world. I have three children, non-toxic children, all have done great things, and are continuing to do great things. And I had a marriage of 65 years. That's the only thing that really defines me."

There's a stereotype about comics being dark. Carl Reiner was all light. A few days ago, Norman Lear's son-in-law, CBS News' own Dr. Jon LaPook, sent us a video clip of Carl Reiner greeting Lear at a party in 2000:

Lear told Rocca, "It's strange to say it in the season of coronavirus, but he was a great hugger. It's a gem, that little bit of photography of him hugging me. That, in a sense, is the essence of Carl also."

"And it sounds like he loved being with his friends," Rocca said.

"There was never a better friend," said Lear. "The L.A. Times obit talked about pure joy. And that's what he brought to everything. Pure joy."

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Story produced by John D'Amelio and Jay Kernis. Editor: Steven Tyler.

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The essence of comedy giant Carl Reiner - CBS News

Human Behavior

How Ritual Impacts the Brain To Help Ease Anxiety – PsychCentral.com

In a new study, researchers from the University of Connecticut looked at how rituals such as weddings, birthday parties, annual parades and the like may play a role in reducing our anxiety levels. The mechanism behind this may be that rituals provide the brain with a sense of structure, regularity and predictability.

The findings, published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, have important implications as many gatherings have been called off due to COVID-19.

In the current context of the pandemic, if you were a completely rational being perhaps an extraterrestrial whos never met any actual humans you would expect that given the current situation people wouldnt bother doing things that do not seem crucial to their survival, said UConn Assistant Professor of Anthropology Dimitris Xygalatas.

Maybe they wouldnt care so much about art, sports, or ritual, and they would focus on other things. If you were to think that, it would show you didnt know much about human nature, because humans care deeply about those things.

Further, Xygalatas said, rituals play an important role in peoples lives, helping them cope with anxiety and functioning as mechanisms of resilience.

Xygalatas conducted the study with collaborators from Masaryk University, Czech Republic, including former UConn student Martin Lang, Ph.D.

This research started years ago, Xygalatas said. He said to study something as complex as human behavior, its important to approach the question from several angles to collect converging evidence.

First, in a laboratory experiment, the team found that inducing anxiety made peoples behavior more ritualized, that is, more repetitive and structured. So the next step was to take this study out to real-life situations, where they looked at whether performing cultural rituals in their natural context indeed helps practitioners cope with anxiety.

This approach also goes to show the limitations of any study. One study can only tell us a tiny bit about anything, but by using a variety of methods like my team and I are doing, and by going between the highly controlled space of the lab and the culturally relevant place that is real life we are able to get a more holistic perspective.

The study took place in Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, where the researchers induced anxiety by asking participants to prepare a plan for dealing with a natural disaster that would be evaluated by government experts.

This was stressful, as floods and cyclones are very pertinent threats in that context. Following this stress-inducing task, one half of the group performed a familiar religious ritual at the local temple while the other half were asked to sit and relax in a non-religious space.

The team found that the speech was successful in inducing stress for both groups but those who performed the religious ritual experienced less psychological and physiological stress, which was assessed by using wearable technology to measure heart rate variability.

Stress itself is important, said Xygalatas.

Stress acts as a motivation that helps us focus on our goals and rise to meet our challenges, whether those involve studying for an exam, flying a fighter jet, or scoring that game-winning goal, he said.

The problem is that beyond a certain threshold, stress ceases to be useful. In fact, it can even be dangerous. Over time, its effects can add up and take a toll on your health, impairing cognitive function, weakening the immune system, and leading to hypertension or cardiovascular disease. This type of stress can be devastating to our normal functioning, health, and well-being.

This is where Xygalatas and his team believe ritual plays an important role in managing stress.

The mechanism that we think is operating here is that ritual helps reduce anxiety by providing the brain with a sense of structure, regularity and predictability.

Xygalatas said research now suggests that the brain is not a passive computer but an active predictive machine, registering information and making predictions to help us survive.

We come to expect certain things our brain fills in the missing information for the blind spot in our vision, and prompts us to anticipate the next word in a sentence all of these things are due to this effect because our brain makes active predictions about the state of the world.

Well-practiced rituals, like the one in the study, are repetitive and predictable, and the researchers believe they give our brains the sense of control and structure that we crave, and those feelings help alleviate stress. This stress-reducing effect of rituals could be a way to cope with chronic anxiety.

In todays stressful context, we see ritual taking different forms, from people gathering to applaud health care workers, to virtual choirs singing across the internet. Xygalatas also noted a recent study that tracked the increase in people typing prayer in Google searches. In this unpredictable time, people are continuing to find relief in ritual.

Source: University of Connecticut

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How Ritual Impacts the Brain To Help Ease Anxiety - PsychCentral.com

Human Behavior

Marker raised to memorialize lynching victim in Athens – Chillicothe Gazette

ATHENS- On Mulberry Street, amarker has been raised to honor Christopher Davis, a Black farmhand who was lynched by a mob of white men in November1881.

In October 1881, a local white woman was reported to have been assaulted, and her relatives accused Davis of being her assailant.

Due to threats of lynching, the Athens County sheriffmoved Davis from the jail in Athens to the jail in Chillicothe. In a letter to his wife, Davis said he was innocent and that "for months, I've feared trouble coming over me," according to the plaque raised in his honor.

Davis rode the evening train back to Athens on Nov. 20, to await trial.

Marker commemorating Christopher Davis near the site of the old south bridge in Athens.(Photo: Christopher Davis Remembrance Project)

But Davis would never see his day in court. On the morning of Nov. 21,a mob headed out from nearby Albany, OH, before descending on the Athens Jail.

The mob, at least 30 strong, overpowered the sheriff and proceeded to drag him by a rope around his neck to the South Bridge over the Hocking River in Athens and hanged him over his pleas of innocence.

Some in the mob were leaders in the community.No one was ever brought to justice for murdering Davis, who was 24 years old and a father of two.

Davis was interred inWest State Street cemetery, but his body was reportedly exhumed without his familys permission and taken to Starling Medical College in Columbus, the marker states.

The historical marker was created bythe Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), which coordinated the Christopher Davis Community Remembrance Project along with multiple local partners.

These partners includeShowing Up for Racial Justice of SE Ohio,the Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society,the Southeast Ohio History Center,Ohio University Department of History.the Multicultural Genealogical Center of Chesterhill,and other community members.

This marker helps create an honest accounting of the past, addressing the true history of human behavior, and helps society avoid repeating such acts of violence against our fellow citizens," said Tom O'Grady, Development Director with the Southeast Ohio History Center. "Our history defines us, as individuals, as communities and as a nation. This coalition has helped us better know our past and that can help chart a better future.

The back of the marker, which discusses the history of lynching in america as a form of racial terror.(Photo: Christopher Davis Remembrance Project)

This marker is necessary because truth is necessary," saidRev. Jack Sullivan Jr., Executive Director of the Ohio Council of Churches."It is required because justice is required. It must denote honor because a man of honor was murdered here. It must reflect historical honesty to help us dislodge generations of racist lies and distortions that haunt us even now.

In September 2019, the coalition also sponsored an event to memorialize Davis by collecting soil at the base of the old bridge where he was lynched. Over300 people in attendance listened to speeches drawing connections from this violent past to ongoing injustices, according to a news release from the Christopher Davis Remembrance Project.

Community members also participated in collecting soil that was sent to EJI for display in the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. A duplicate jar of soil was presented to the Southeast Ohio History Center for inclusion in their collection and can be seen as part of an exhibit examining this history at the Museum located at 24 West State Street in Athens.

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Marker raised to memorialize lynching victim in Athens - Chillicothe Gazette

Human Behavior

LETTERS: Thoughts on shared sacrifice, contrasts in faith, community spirit and racial inequity – Waco Tribune-Herald

Caring about others

When our society began to shut down, individuals had no option but to stay at home. And we waited. We waited for COVID-19 cases to drop so that we could go back to work and resume our normal activities. Once businesses started to reopen, we thought it was OK to leave our homes and go back to normal. But it wasnt.

Its unrealistic for any economy to remain closed for long. But what has been sorely missing from this shutting down and reopening is clearly communicating why its critical to do certain things now that we are travelling outside our homes again.

Many officials are sending the message that the main concern is hospital capacities and available ICU beds. But for most people, its difficult to imagine ending up in a hospital from contracting COVID-19. When people are told to wear masks, they think its OK not to wear one because they are responsible for their own health and willing to risk the chances of infection and possible hospitalization.

Wearing a mask in public spaces (with the exception of an N95 mask) doesnt signal you are concerned for your health. It shows you care about the people around you. Wearing a mask protects others our family, our friends, our neighbors, our colleagues, our pastors, our doctors, our teachers, our students, our business owners and employees, our society.

Individual behaviors affect public health but placing blame on specific groups or shaming people for not wearing masks is not the answer either. We should better communicate why our actions matter and find ways to make it easier for people to care for one another.

EDITORS NOTE: Ms. Lee is an instructor in anthropology at Texas Tech University at Waco and teaches courses that examine culture and human behavior influencing health.

Contrasts in faith

The side-by-side placement of columns by Dr. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church of Dallas and author and religion columnist Bill Tinsley in the June 27 Trib was either a great editorial decision or an example of how it is often better to be lucky than to be good.

The views expressed by Dr. Jeffress epitomize the hypocrisy that is driving so many, especially the young, away from organized religion. God save the Church from leaders like Dr. Jeffress.

Thank God for religious leaders such as Bill Tinsley who regularly remind us that God loves all of us and that our focus should be on our relationships with God and those around us. That message, and the actions it encourages all of us to take in how we live our lives, is not grounded in partisan politics.

I am going to credit you with a great editorial decision on the placement of the two columns. The messages emphasized in each column were in stark contrast to each other. Side-by-side placement of the two columns further emphasized that contrast.

Three cheers!

Three cheers for the girls and their families and neighbors who supported the Lemonade for Love stand. Reading about their project and seeing the picture of the air hug they gave and received from Peaches Henry warmed my heart. What a great project! Their spirit of love and giving to their community is touching the most positive story Ive read in the Waco Trib for some time.

Discrimination against whites?

Could you, the editor, explain why in the last week you have been using Black, instead of black, to describe the skin color of people in the news? I first noticed that Bubba Wallace was the only Black NASCAR driver. Today, the AP reported speaking to more than two dozen police officers from around the country, Black, white, Hispanic and Asian. Why Black and not black? It looks to me like, if not racism on your part, at least discrimination against whites.

EDITORS NOTE: Sharp eyes. The Associated Press changed its writing style guide to capitalize the b in the term Black when referring to people in a racial, ethnic or cultural context. The change conveys an essential and shared sense of history, identity and community among people who identify as Black, including those in the African diaspora and within Africa, said John Daniszewski, APs vice president of standards. The lowercase black is a color, not a person. The AP expects to make a decision soon on whether to capitalize the term white. Given the paucity of staffing at many newspapers, this has resulted in a mix of styles. The Trib opinion page, for instance, will either capitalize both black and white or neither.

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LETTERS: Thoughts on shared sacrifice, contrasts in faith, community spirit and racial inequity - Waco Tribune-Herald

Human Behavior

Season guide to the National Seashore – Wicked Local Cape Cod

WELLFLEET -- This is clearly a summer like no other. This is the first time in history that Cape Cod National Seashore will operate during a global pandemic, Seashore Superintendent Brian Carlstrom said in a statement issued as the season officially began in early July.

Even in these unusual times, we will provide public access and do our best to educate the public about how to safely recreate during the pandemic, while reminding them of regular safety precautions they need to take when visiting the wild and wonderful beaches on the Outer Cape, he added.

The unique coastline of Outer Cape Cod is dynamic and changes from year to year. The tides, wind, and waves all influence regional sediment transport that causes coastline erosion and accretion. In addition, seals and sharks have become more prominent on the Outer Cape, presenting additional challenges to public safety at the beach.

The public needs to understand that with coastline topography changes and sharks and seals in the ocean, any level of activity in the ocean, whether wading, swimming or surfing will pose a different degree of risk. Everyone going into the ocean should exercise caution and be willing to assume the level of risk associated with their behavior prior to entering the water. Modifying human behavior is the most effective form of ocean safety, the statement said.

Two shark attacks on humans cast a pall over the 2018 season, when Arthur Medici died from injuries he sustained in mid-September off Newcomb Hollow, in Wellfleet, and William Lytton survived a serious attack at Truros Longnook, in August.

Neither of the beaches are Seashore-managed, but are in the same general area of the Capes backshore, where the Seashore operates three beaches in addition to Herring Cove, in Provincetown.

Great white sharks, and other sharks, are known to frequent the waters of all the Atlantic beaches and the Herring Cove area, too.

Currently, there is no single alternative or suite of alternatives that can 100 percent guarantee the safety of individuals who choose to enter the water, says the Seashore, which issued these safety guidelines:

Be Shark Smart

Look for products developed by the Regional Shark Working Group to increase public awareness and safety, including beach signage, brochures, purple shark flags, the Sharktivity app, and a shark smart video.

Stay away from seals and schools of fish, as they attract sharks.

Use the Sharktivity app to track and report shark sightings

Know the location of the emergency call box and Stop the Bleed kits at your beach.

Ocean Safety Basics

Never turn your back to the ocean.

Never swim alone. Swim, kayak, paddle, and surf in groups.

Avoid murky and low visibility water.

Stay close to the shore where rescuers could reach you if needed.

Be alert for rip currents, shore break, and strong undertows.

If caught in a rip current, remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly. Don't fight the current. Swim out of the current in a direction parallel to the shoreline. When out of the current, swim towards the shore. If you cannot swim out of the current, float or calmly tread water. If you cannot reach the shore, draw attention to yourself - wave your arms and yell for help. If you see someone in trouble - get help from a lifeguard. If there is no lifeguard on duty, call 911.

Beach Safety Basics

Wear sun protection.

Glass containers are not allowed on Seashore beaches.

Rafts, rubber tubes, masks, and snorkels are not allowed on lifeguarded beaches.

Sand collapses easily. Undercut cliffs can collapse at any time without warning. Deep holes can lead to burial and suffocation. Do not climb slopes and dunes or dig holes deeper than knee level of the smallest person in your group.

Other changes

As earlier reported, the Seashore this season does not have lifeguards assigned to either Herring Cove, in Provincetown, or Head of the Meadow, in Truro.

Due to the seashores health precautions during Covid-19, there is not enough housing to allow for proper social distancing protocols for seasonal staff. Therefore, fewer lifeguards will staff the beaches this summer, a statement in late June said.

All other Seashore beaches have lifeguards through Labor Day: Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach in Eastham, Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, and Race Point Beach in Provincetown.

The daily entry fee for vehicles at all Seashore beaches was increased to $25. (The Seashore is not charging entry fees at Head of the Meadow.)

Visitor centers and public showers are closed.

Bathroom facilities are available at all beaches. They will be sanitized on a regular basis.

Rangers will provide information and orientation services outdoors on the visitor center grounds. There will be no programs, and historic buildings, such as the Old Lifesaving Station at Race Point, will remain closed.

Covid-19 safety

The Seashore says visitors should adjust their expectations and should practice social distancing, personal hygiene, and other behaviors to avoid infection in public areas.

* Keep at least 6 feet between you and others.

* Place beach blankets at least 12 feet apart so there is walking room between you and others.

* Wear a face covering where social distancing cannot be maintained.

* Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

* Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

* Stay home if you feel sick.

* Avoid touching eyes, nose, mouth.

For more information on the Cape Cod National Seashore, go to nps.gov/caco

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Season guide to the National Seashore - Wicked Local Cape Cod

Human Behavior

Is There a Right or Wrong Way to Identify With a Disability? – Yahoo Lifestyle

Drawing of a group of people with various disabilities talking. Amputees, wheelchair user and a person on crutches.

Disabled people oops, I mean, people with disabilities wait a minute, is it supposed to be people with different abilities? Special needs? I saw a post on social media about the word handicapped. I saw a video where someone used humor and self-identified as crippled. Is that OK? People in wheelchairs I mean, wheelchair users wheelchair-bound isnt correct, right? Can someone look this up?

In the field of psychotherapy, we talk about identity as something that refers to how we see ourselves. The term identity is used when describing our individual sense of self, our self-expression, and the degree to which feel a sense of belonging to groups. Developing ones identity begins in adolescence and continues through adulthood as new experiences and relationships shape human behavior. Forming a solid identity is desirable for most people because it generates a strong sense of comfort and security. On the other hand, people with little identity insight tend to struggle with insecurity and confusion about who they are.

For this reason, it can be helpful to think about what makes up your identity. This involves determining what descriptive language you find yourself most comfortable using.

But nowadays, debates over what is politically correct are widespread, and can lead to interpersonal conflicts as people may fear using the wrong language when conversing with someone from a minority group. For example, the idea behind person-first language, such as the phrase person with a disability, is that it intentionally puts the person before the label to guard against stereotypes that negatively define people by their disability-labels. On the other hand, the idea behind identity-first language, such as the phrase disabled person, is that it intentionally recognizes the disability-label as a part of a persons identity, something to be embraced rather than hidden out of fear of negative connotation.

These concepts are not isolated to the disabled minority group. We see the same language debates when defining other minorities as well. People of color vs. Black or Brown people. Which is correct in our efforts to acknowledge race? Acknowledgment is critical for meaningful dialogue and relationships because most people would agree that being color-blind or saying I dont see color is highly offensive to this community. The lack of identity acknowledgment translates as the act of ignoring ones racial difference, ignoring the oppression they face, and ignoring their entire culture.

Similarly, most people would agree that ignoring a persons disability would also be hurtful to this community. Acknowledgment is important, but it seems there is a constant debate in the disability community over language, arguably more so than any other minority group. This is because disability-related terminology is vast and perhaps the most widespread due to the wide spectrum of disabilities and the amount of diversity that exists from one disability to another, whether it be a mobility impairment, sensory condition, learning challenge, mental health disorder, medical disease, or any other number of ability differences.

So how do we approach disability identity and have meaningful conversations with people in the disability community without fearing political incorrectness?

Story continues

Related: Download The Mighty app to connect in real time with people who can relate to what you're going through.

1. Respect How Different People Identify

People with disabilities are going to identify differently and have different philosophies about what disability means. Disability is far too prevalent for a universal descriptive label to be accepted by all people. If you have a disability, you may identify in a way that would be unacceptable to another person even with the same type of disability. Regardless, having respect for how people identify is essential for meaningful dialogue among the community. The same is true for minorities of other types. We must acknowledge that people throughout the world may have stark differences in identity-language preferences. Holding respect for others and for their identity preferences is a prerequisite for positive engagement with people who are unlike ourselves.

Related: Disability and Mental Health Take Center-Stage at 'America's Got Talent' Auditions

2. Ask Questions If You Dont Know

If you are unsure how a person identifies as it relates to their disability, avoiding the subject and hoping someone else informs you probably wont turn out well. Plus, getting the information from anyone other than the person with a disability directly will come across as cowardly. In general, most people will appreciate you asking questions about how they identify. Asking questions shows that you are interested in learning more about them and it demonstrates a level of respect. Remember their response may not align with your assumptions, so it may be an opportunity to expand your mindset and develop a closer relationship with that person.

3. Most Importantly, Understand There Is No Right or Wrong

If you have a disability and identify in perhaps the most mainstream way as a person with a disability, that is perfectly fine, but it does not discount the ways other people with disabilities identify. Whether you are a disabled person or a kickass wheelchair queen, you are the expert on your own life. You are the only person who can decide how you relate to your disability and how you relate to every other aspect of your identity. Maybe disability is a huge part of your life and you define yourself as a strong disability leader. Or maybe your disability is rarely mentioned because its an insignificant part of your identity. Thats OK, too. Whether you have a disability or not, remember there is no right or wrong way to identify. It has no impact on your worth or value as a person.

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Is There a Right or Wrong Way to Identify With a Disability? - Yahoo Lifestyle

Human Behavior

The undeniable reality of systemic racism in America – The Bethel Citizen

The May 25 death of George Floyd has caused white America to re-examine its view of race and policing to an extent thats unparalleled since the height of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

Why has it taken so long to raise public awareness on the issue of racism in society, in general, and in law enforcement, in particular?

Part of the reason is certainly due to willful blindness by those who gain politically or financially from inequality. However, the major reason, I believe, is a phenomenon known as the availability heuristic or availability bias the psychological sleight of hand that makes our brain believe an idea to be true based solely on the number of supporting examples we can immediately recall from our own experience.

Simply put, few white Americans have had personal experience with unwarranted scrutiny or excessive force by police, while for most Black Americans, its a routine part of life.

Mass protests and a national outcry for change in law enforcement practices were triggered by the video of a white Minneapolis police officer nonchalantly kneeling on the 46-year-old Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes an image so powerful it ranks with those of the bloated, mutilated body of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American lynched by whites in Mississippi in 1955, and the Birmingham, Alabama, civil rights demonstrations of May 1963 where local police aimed high-power hoses at and unleashed snarling dogs on, Black men, women and children.

In public discourse, the debate over the meaning of Floyds death has been reduced to two competing slogans. Either it was the product of pervasive systemic racism in law enforcement, which can only be resolved only through a thoroughgoing overhaul of the system, or it was the result of isolated misconduct by a bad apple cop, which merely requires disciplining the bad apples.

Unsurprisingly President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have opted for the latter. The bad apple theory allows Republicans to advocate cosmetic changes to law enforcement such as a partial prohibition against choke holds and creating a national register for officers who have been disciplined without unduly upsetting the law and order crowd, police unions or the former Confederate states of the GOP South.

But is the bad apple theory objectively valid?

If so, it should be reflected in statistics, which show trends of human behavior over a large swath of population rather than in isolated individuals. In other words, there should be no significant statistical disparity between the incidences of deadly police force against African Americans as opposed to white people. Yet quite the opposite is true.

A recent Washington Post study revealed that, though African-Americans constitute less than 13% of the nations population, between 2015 and 2020 they are shot to death by police at a rate more than twice that of white Americans (31 versus 13 per million).

While the interpretation of this statistic is controversial, additional studies bolster the notion of systemic racism in law enforcement and criminal justice. At least one study found that Black people were 2 times more likely to be killed by police while unarmed. Others showed they were far more likely to be pulled over for traffic stops than white people and three to four times more likely to be searched following stops.

Theyre more apt to be jailed pending trial due to inability to make bail. They represent over 50% of juvenile offenders bound over for trial as adults. Theyre incarcerated at more than five times the rate of white people, and their prison sentences are approximately 10% longer. They represent almost a third of the sentenced prison population and about 30% of those on probation or parole.

Few white people, myself included, have had the chance to walk in the shoes of African-Americans, so, unlike our Black counterparts, we recall few examples of police mistreatment and have experienced almost none first-hand.

I grew up in a largely white New Jersey suburb just outside New York City. My high school yearbook displayed pictures of only about two dozen people of color in a senior class of 746. I attended college in at Georgetown University, located in an affluent white enclave of Washington, D.C. Black people accounted for about 71% of Washingtons total population, yet my college yearbook depicted just three in a graduating class of about 650. In 1975, I moved to Maine, one of the whitest states in the country, where Black people constitute 2% of the population.

In those environments, my sporadic interactions with police have always turned out to be benign, brief and respectful. Ive certainly never been arbitrarily stopped and frisked, clubbed, kicked, cuffed, tasered, carted off to jail or had a gun pointed, let alone fired, at me. Therefore, I have no personal experiences of abuse by law enforcement officers to draw upon.

Its not that Ive been totally unaware of the plight of African-Americans. During my high school years, my brain was imprinted with the dramatic television news scenes of violent Southern white mob and police violence against Civil Rights protestors.

While I was a college student, Black sections of the District of Columbia boiled over in anger in the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr.s assassination in April 1968 and became the scene of rioting, looting and arson. Later the same year, working as an assistant to an ABC network news reporter, I waded into the Poor Peoples Campaign tent city on the Washington Mall and sensed the simmering resentment of thousands of African-Americans protesting the miserable living conditions of Black America. Besides what Ive personally observed, Ive read extensively about the history of slavery and segregation in America and, as an attorney, have worked for over 40 years in the justice system that has produced racially skewed racial results.

Yet my own lifes experience persuaded me that, though racism still had its stubborn pockets, flare-ups and bad apples, the United States offered at least a rough equality of justice for all. It was the availability heuristic at work.

For me, and probably for millions like me, it took the gripping video of George Floyds death to break through the distorted prism of the availability heuristic and drive home that systemic racism isnt a slogan but an undeniable reality.

Elliott Epstein is a trial lawyer with Andrucki & King in Lewiston. His Rearview Mirror column, which has appeared in the Sun Journal for 10 years, analyzes current events in an historical context. He is also the author of Lucifers Child, a book about the notorious 1984 child murder of Angela Palmer. He may be contacted at [emailprotected]

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The undeniable reality of systemic racism in America - The Bethel Citizen

Human Behavior

Reddit asked our medical expert, director of reporting about coronavirus. Heres what they said. – 9News.com KUSA

9Health Expert Dr. Payal Kohli and 9NEWS Director of Reporting Chris Vanderveen hosted a Reddit AMA.

DENVER 9NEWS Director of Reporting Chris Vanderveen and 9Health Expert Dr. Payal Kohli hosted a Reddit Ask Me Anything (its generally called an AMA) on Thursday to answer a wide range of questions about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those ran the gamut from everything about why the media isnt reporting good news about hospitalizations and recoveries (spoiler alert: it actually is) to if its safe for schools to reopen in Denver.

Dr. Kohli and Vanderveen have been reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic for months, and offered their insights about the trends theyre seeing, when its right to be skeptical, and where we go from here. Check out some of the questions and answers below.

Questions about numbers

Question: "Cases have been spiking but deaths have been steadily falling. Obviously we should expect a delay in deaths, but when should we expect to see deaths start to rise again?"

Answer:"Remember that death is a lagging metric. So there is a lag at every step of the way. First exposure ... then lag ... then positive case ... then lag ... then hospitalizations ... then lag ... then come deaths. So deaths can occur three to four weeks after infection exposure and two to three weeks after case counts increase." - Dr. Kohli

Question:"Do you have any insight into why Dr. Samet's COVID model for Colorado has been consistently one of the most dire predictions for our state but has been the least accurate as well?"

Answer:"A few thoughts of mine I want to share on models:

1. No model is perfect, by definition. It is full of intelligent scientific assumptions, but assumptions nonetheless.

2. Models are meant to be adaptive. So one of the biggest inputs in the models is human behavior, which keeps changing. So as the inputs change, the outputs change.

3. Models are meant to predict the worst case scenario. A good model makes us change our behavior so that the future predictable by the model is never actually realized."

Is a clear face shield safe?

Question:"Hello. I have a clear plastic face shield. Are there any situations in which this more comfortable option could stand in for a face mask?"

Answer:"There is evidence that face shields do provide barrier protection and have some efficacy in protecting the wearer from droplets getting in as they cover the portals of entry (mouth, eyes, nose). Whether they offer protection from droplets getting out (protect others) is not as well established.

"Face shields offer a number of advantages. While medical masks have limited durability and little potential for reprocessing, face shields can be reused indefinitely and are easily cleaned with soap and water, or common household disinfectants. They are comfortable to wear, protect the portals of viral entry, and reduce the potential for autoincoculation by preventing the wearer from touching their face. People wearing masks often have to wear them to communicate with others around them; this is not necessary with face shields. The use of a face shield is also a reminder to maintain social distancing, but allows visibility of facial expressions and lip movements for speech perception.

"Most importantly, face shields appear to significantly reduce the amount of inhalation exposure to influenza virus, another droplet-spread respiratory virus." - Dr. Kohli

States that are seeing surges in cases

Question:"If you were to describe the situations in Arizona, Texas, Florida, etc ... who are spiking using terms non-medical people can understand, how would you do that? What's the score/quarter of the game so far?"

Answer:"What happened in those states is relatively straightforward. These states opened too early without following the White House gating criteria (which were checkpoints). They also opened aggressively with an "all or nothing" approach to opening up everything at once.

"It's simple: if you put people together, the virus spreads. If the virus is around, it spreads. If you have both situations occurring together, the virus spreads exponentially." - Dr. Kohli

Bonus Answer:"I think it's still early. Minus a vaccine, we are going to see some states pop at various -- and oftentimes unpredictable ways. I'm a firm believer in taking a note of hospitalizations, ICU utilization, vents and positivity. I know it seems like a tired cliche, but I really do want to see what happens with hospitalizations and ICU use in two weeks in those states. I know some cities are already popping (Houston, for example), but the key is can the system handle the influx of patients. As for what quarter we are in? I'd say midway through second quarter. But hey... I'm just a journalist :)" - Chris Vanderveen

Question:"Why in the world are we even discussing re-opening in the middle of a pandemic?"

Answer: "I think there is general consensus that keeping the economy closed carries with it massive problems as well. Millions and millions out of work with no way to pay rent or bills. That's not insignificant. And people will die as a result of that as well. The key is to handle it in a way that doesn't overwhelm the medical system. We can't eradicate it, but we can keep it at a low level that poses a more insignificant risk." - Chris Vanderveen

Disinformation about the virus

Question: "What do you say to people who believe all the disinformation that is downplaying the seriousness of the situation and arguing against preventative measures such as wearing masks and shutdowns of public places (restaurants, theme parks etc ...)?

"I am in Upstate NY and while were not NYC, we took most of the same preventative measures that NYC did and shut down early. Weve never had a massive blow up in cases/hospitalizations because of those measures and it has a lot of people in my area believing that COVID-19 is over-hyped or a hoax.

"I really struggle when talking with people that I like/love and they tell me 'masks dont do anything' or 'this is the mainstream media trying to make sure Trump doesnt get re-elected.' People that I used to respect and value their opinions have almost instantly lost that from me due to these comments and their behaviors regarding our current situation."

Answer:"Here's where I say skepticism is better than cynicism. I think it's healthy in our time to want to question why we would shutter the economy for weeks in order to try to quash a virus. But it's not ok to be cynical here. Makes for bad decisions. Here in Colorado we are doing quite well, and, I believe, that has something to do with our early decisions to close along with an early spike. I would say handle this like anything these days. Have a civil conversation and when someone elects to continue to stay uncivil, maybe it's time to walk away." -Chris Vanderveen

Question:"Why is the USA taking the virus so lightly compared to the rest of the world? I see people walking in the streets without protection, bars opened, no social distance ... Are U.S. people less prone to contract the virus?"

Answer:"Great point! I think one of our biggest challenges here in the U.S. has been lack of consistent messaging from the leadership about the risks of the virus and the advantages of wearing masks.

"Imagine this.. if you could actually see the virus particles coming out of someone's cough or see the virus floating around in the air, wouldn't you want to cover your mouth and nose and socially distance from others? Of course you would!

"So I think one of the reasons for the lack of compliance is a plain and simple lack of understanding and the second among some others is a lack of belief in the science or what the experts are saying." - Dr. Kohli

Question: "Why do you and the others in the media continually post stories about spikes and surges rather than talking about falling deaths and how the ICUs are not overloaded?

"Does the media have an incentive to continually push fear with so-called spikes and surges? What numbers quantify a 'surge' or a 'spike' to NEWS 9 - or are those completely arbitrary words with no numbers behind them?

Do good news stories about non-overloaded ICUs and falling death counts bring fewer views than those about spikes and surges?"

Answer: "I think the key (and honestly something us in the press have not done a great job with) is always trying to add perspective to a story. Numbers without context can seem scary. I will say here in Denver -- a state that right now is doing quite well -- we have not shied away from good stories. Stories on recovery. Stories that our hospitals are well below capacity. It's one of the reasons why I also stay away from case counts alone. Cases alone don't mean much. I want to see hospitalizations, vent use and positivity. That's where I go... Thanks for question." - Chris Vanderveen

The COVID-19 recovery period

Question:"I know someone who has corona virus, but claims to be better over a week and a half period. In the past 48 hours they have been downtown Denver, had drinks at DIA and got on a plane. What can I do? Im sure they didnt recover so fast? Is it possible to recover completely in a week and a half?"

Answer:"The 'recovery period' for coronavirus is highly variable and largely depends on how sick you even got with the virus. Some people who are asymptomatic don't really need to 'recover' because they didn't have significant symptoms. On the other hand, some have been reporting symptoms for months after infection.

This is different from the period that someone is infectious or 'shedding virus' in their secretions which can infect others. In general, before we call someone 'noninfectious' the CDC recommends a 'testing-based strategy' that they have two consecutive negative tests for coronavirus and then we can be sure that they are likely not actively infectious to others. -Dr. Kohli

The psychological toll of the virus

Question:"Hi, thanks for doing this AMA! My question is regarding the psychological toll of the virus. Personally, I have noticed an intense fear about my familys health, worry about finances, anger at political entities for not doing more, and frankly missing the physical contact of people I love. I imagine most people have experienced a higher amount of anxiety and depression. Do you have any recommendations for how to cope? Most of what I have seen comes down to 'self care' and meditation but it barely scratches the surface of something so stressful. Thank you!"

Answer: "Great question. [It's] one that I have pondered for some time as a journalist working this remarkable story. I think it's best to give yourself some time to take a break. It's become a cliche, but this really will be a marathon, not a sprint. And -- based upon what's happening in TX and AZ, for example, we still have months to go. Rely on support systems. Take care of yourself. And don't hesitate to take a day off (if you can)... I have actively encouraged our staff here to do that. We need some time away." - Chris Vanderveen

Contact tracing

Question:What barriers are preventing app-based contact tracing in the U.S.? I'm aware that the apps struggle to fill the entire niche of support that people-based contact tracing provides, but it seems at this point that app + people will be needed to fulfill the massive spikes in cases across the country.

Answer:One of the biggest barriers has been privacy concerns about using such technology and whether the American people would allow this type of surveillance on their phones/devices. - Dr. Kohli

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Reddit asked our medical expert, director of reporting about coronavirus. Heres what they said. - 9News.com KUSA

Human Behavior

Everything to Know About Netflixs Love on the Spectrum – Screen Rant

Netflix is all set to launch Love on the Spectrum that follows young adults on the autism spectrum through their dating lives on July 22.

It doesnt matter whether youre on the spectrum or not, everyone has a basic human right and a basic human need of connection and love, says Jodi Rodgers, the relationship specialist from Netflixs soon to launch dating reality show, Love on the Spectrum. The streaming giant has now acquired global streaming rights to Northern Pictures Love on the Spectrum, an ABC-commissioned docuseries that follows individuals whoare on the autism spectrum and showcases their dating experiences.Arriving on July 22, the show that first debuted on ABC Australia in November 2019 is all about love and the fact that it doesnt discriminate.

Netflixs original unscripted dating reality shows have slowly become a staple of the platforms programming, with the team now open to exploring interestingness in its content. Be it with Dating Around that keeps things simple without relying on gimmicks and plot twists or The Circle, which acts as a social experiment more than a competition, Netflix has aced the unscripted dating show genre by providing content that isnt just entertaining but also aspirational. Then there are Love Is Blind that had couples falling in love despite never having seen each other and Too Hot to Handle with hot singles that arent allowed to indulge in any sexual touching- not to each other, and not even to themselves - without incurring a literal fine from a collective $100k. Concepts such as these came as a refresher to Netflixs audience, especially after being stuck at home and looking for something new to watch in the lockdown. The formula of taking something familiar and giving it an unexpected twist has helped the popular platform forage a new path not just for dating shows, but unscripted content in general. Be it picking up Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, that most broadcast companies and also cable has passed on, or creating a reboot of Bravos feel-good Queer Eye, Netflix made all the right moves to spark a buzz in the progressively crowding reality TV space. Although dating shows usually are known to thrive on drama and the OMG factor, it is refreshing to see Netflix further venture into diverse, non-scandalous experiences with the latest Say I Do and upcoming shows like Indian Matchmaking or Love on the Spectrum. After all its high time reality TV got a taste of "real," isnt it?

Related:Netflix To Get Two New Unscripted Dating Shows In July

All set to launch worldwide come July 22, Love on the Spectrum is a four-part documentary series following young adults on the autism spectrum as they explore the unpredictable world of love, dating and relationships. With an objective to combat the misconception that autistic people cant have meaningful relationships, the show features a bunch of 20-somethings that are new to dating, and also those who are navigating long term relationships. The Aussie dating series has already won major accolades for shedding light on what love is like when youre not neurotypical and has also been reviewed for a second season. The most unique aspect of Love on the Spectrum is how the show beautifully explores each cast members unique experience of autism, thereby giving the audience a much broader understanding of the subject of neurodiversity. What all of them have in common though, is the fact that theyre all looking for love. By making the audience realize that most people on the spectrum also have the same desires for intimacy and belonging as the rest of the world, the show also speaks about how social interaction and communication is what makes finding love a difficult experience for the individuals. As well as following individuals seeking love, the makers have also included couples in the series because they felt it was important to tell positive stories that can serve as inspiration for people out there who are struggling to find someone special. The participants receive advice on social skills and dating tips from the show's experts Jodi Rodgers, and Dr Elizabeth Laugeson. Dr Laugeson is a licensed clinical psychologistand an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She is also the Founder and Director of the UCLA PEERS Clinic, which is an outpatient hospital-based program providing parent-assisted social skills training for preschoolers, adolescents and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other social impairments. Meanwhile, relationship coach and specialist Jodi Rodgers started her career as a special education teacher and spent twelve years with ASPECT (Autism Spectrum Australia). Since then, she has worked in Australia and internationally for over 20 years helping people equip themselves with life tools that will move them out of the rut and towards finding life and work relationships that are true to who they are. The casting process too, has been extensive with the team speaking to hundreds of people who were interested in being a part of the show, which confirmed the real need for assistance. They also worked closely with autism and disability organisations to ensure the production was sensitive to the needs of people on the spectrum. You can watch the show's trailer here:

As the participants on the show invite the cameras into their lives and allow the audience to get up close and personal with their love stories, they also clear out any misconceptions about autism and romance. For instance, the first episode features Ruth 22, and Thomas, 25, both of whom are on the spectrum and have been engaged for over a year. They are a unique couple who compliment and accept each others quirks. As they approach their fourth anniversary, Thomas has a surprise planned. Theres 19-year-old Chloe, who hopes to find someone that sees beyond her disabilities, and who like many women, wasn't diagnosed with ASD until the end of primary school. She doesnt know what it feels like be in love or have a crush, but she does know that she wants to experience it. Sadly, it is common for people with autism to be bullied and as a young girl on the spectrum with a hearing impairment Chloe was not immune from being a target. Then theres Michael, 25, who makes the viewers smile and go "aww"with everything that he says. His greatest dream in life is to become a husband but admits to have not been on any dates in spite of being a romantic person. He already has a ring selected for his future wife, one shaped like a crown, to symbolize that she will be the queen of his heart.

To sum it up, their stories are diverse, personal, and the couples are warm, generously open, with a great sense of humor. There are awkward moments, yes, especially ones that would be expected from two people going on a date for the very first time, but the show handles them delicately and makes them endearing. Like series producer and director, Cian OClery adds, As a storyteller, I felt we had an opportunity to explore this issue by shining a light on the struggles many people on the spectrum face in seeking out meaningful relationships. I hope this series will start conversations, help bring about understanding and acceptance, and ultimately inspire people with Autism, their families and society at large to find ways to help people on the spectrum find love. OClery, who also created an Australian series titled Employable Me that features neurodiverse job seekers had expressed that he got the idea of making Love on the Spectrum because he kept encountering the myth that people on the spectrum arent interested in love. The representation of autism on our screens is fairly limited, he thinks and hopes that Love on the Spectrum will help broaden the picture.

Next:How to Nominate Someone to Be on Queer Eyes Next Season

All episodes of Love on the Spectrum will be streaming on Netflix starting July 22.

Source: ABCTV

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Saylee Padwal is a blogger, social media manager, photographer, and now a Reality TV Features Writer for Screen Rant.Over the years, she has worked in the content creation process for many well-known brands, while growing her passion towards all things pop-culture. Apart from being a full-time food lover, you can always find her double-tapping her way through Instagram, reading mysteries and thrillers, and listening to her latest obsession - BTS - on loop.

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Everything to Know About Netflixs Love on the Spectrum - Screen Rant

Human Behavior

Meteorological factors may influence COVID-19 transmission and spread in the US, according to research by App State and NCICS – Appalachian State…

BOONE, N.C. A new study by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at Appalachian State University and the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS) indicates a significant association between COVID-19 transmission and humidity in some U.S. cities.

The study titled Short-term effects of specific humidity and temperature on COVID-19 morbidity in select US cities, was recently published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

Our results suggest that weather should be considered in infectious disease modeling efforts. Future work is needed over a longer time period and across different locations to clearly establish the weather-COVID19 relationship.

the papers authors from Appalachian State University and the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies (NCICS)

The authors wrote that, compared to solar radiation and temperature, the humidity was the most predominant predictor of COVID-19 transmission in U.S. cities considered among early hot spots in the pandemic.

Specifically, there was a higher risk of transmission in ranges of lower humidity and which resulted in as much as a two-fold increased risk of transmission in some areas. Early research in China and other international locations reported a similar relationship, according to the researchers.

With respiratory viruses, humidity is often a main driver of transmission and we had hypothesized this may be the same for the coronavirus, which is a type of respiratory virus. Our results identified a significant relationship between COVID-19 transmission and humidity in three cities: Albany, Georgia, New Orleans and Chicago, said author Dr. Maggie Sugg, an assistant professor in Appalachian State Universitys Department of Geography and Planning who studies climate and health.

Exposureresponse curves for temperature (left), specific humidity (middle) and solar radiation (right) for 30 days in New Orleans, Louisiana, after adjusting for social distancing. Image courtesy of Dr. Maggie Sugg

Other cities included in the study were Seattle, New York City, Detroit, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Bridgeport, Connecticut.

The studys results may be helpful in informing public health interventions, the authors said.

Our study is in many ways preliminary, but our results suggest that even though weather is secondary there are behaviors such as handwashing, wearing a mask, adhering to social distancing guidance that are more important, weather is a factor. And, weather is a factor that is often omitted in infectious disease modeling, said Dr. Jennifer Runkle, an environmental epidemiologist at NCICS and research assistant professor at Appalachian.

Dr. Maggie Sugg, assistant professor in Appalachian State Universitys Department of Geography and Planning. She studies climate and health. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Dr. Jennifer Runkle, an environmental epidemiologist at North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies and research assistant professor at Appalachian. Photo submitted

The researchers analyzed 266,760 cases and 19,729 deaths during a 40-50 day period across the cities in association with environmental factors, using data from the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering repository, which continually assembles global COVID-19 cases, and meteorological data from the European Center for Median Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) atmospheric reanalysis dataset. Results varied among the cities despite researchers accounting for social distancing measures.

Sugg said her groups paper is the first published study in the U.S. using methods beyond simple correlation to examine weather parameters and COVID-19.

As an initial step, the authors generated density heatmaps that plotted daily cases across all eight cities against different combinations of daily air temperature and humidity for various lead times between the observed weather condition and the observed case count. These heatmaps suggested that COVID-19 cases were more common in conditions with low humidity (26 g/kg) and low temperature (35.6 51.8F).

To explore these associations in more detail, the team then applied an innovative research design that used each person as their own control during a short window of exposure and allowed the researchers to measure the delayed effect of weather on COVID-19 transmission. The research design accounted for the presence or absence of social-distancing measures on a daily basis.

The authors wrote in the published paper, Our results suggest that weather should be considered in infectious disease modeling efforts. Future work is needed over a longer time period and across different locations to clearly establish the weather-COVID19 relationship.

Sugg and Runkle said they soon plan to expand the study to more cities and for longer timeframes.

Dr. Maggie Sugg, assistant professor in Appalachian State Universitys Department of Geography and Planning. She studies climate and health. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Dr. Jennifer Runkle, an environmental epidemiologist at North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies and research assistant professor at Appalachian. Photo submitted

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July 17, 2018

Drs. Maggie Sugg and Jennifer Runkle, the grant recipients, said they plan to translate the studys findings into new prevention strategies that would ensure optimal worker performance and protection in such environments.

Nov. 11, 2019

With its 201819 awards, the College of Arts and Sciences recognized members of its faculty and staff for their teaching excellence, outstanding service, scholarly work and engagement efforts.

Aug. 26, 2016

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has awarded $10,356 to Dr. Margaret Sugg, a professor in Appalachians Department of Geography and Planning.

May 1, 2020

Nearly 40 members of Appalachians faculty are working collaboratively to address topics related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Such topics include the viruss economic impact on the region and how to support rural, socially vulnerable community members living alone.

The Department of Geography and Planning promotes the understanding of the spatial dimensions of human behavior within the physical and cultural systems of the earth, and the role of planning in achieving improvement in those systems. The department offers degrees in geography and in community and regional planning. Learn more at https://geo.appstate.edu.

The College of Arts and Sciences is home to 16 academic departments, one stand-alone academic program, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and unique location. The colleges values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. There are approximately 6,100 student majors in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing Appalachian's general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the state of North Carolina, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls more than 19,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

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Meteorological factors may influence COVID-19 transmission and spread in the US, according to research by App State and NCICS - Appalachian State...