Category Archives: Human Behavior

Human Behavior

Safe & Sound Executive Director Bridget Whitaker – Shepherd Express

According to police crime statistics, Milwaukee experienced historically violent years from 2020 through the first third of 2022. The increase in Milwaukees homicide rate was one of the top five highest in the nation. Shootings increased by 25%. Reckless driving is such a hazard that police are stretched thin to control it. According to Shepherd Express interviews with Mayor Johnson, Police Chief Norman, District Attorney John Chisholm and the Public Defender's Office, violence prevention in Milwaukee looms as the most important challenge for 2022.

Enter Safe & Sound, the Milwaukee nonprofit that unites residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe neighborhoods by fostering partnerships between community and police. For nearly 25 years, Safe & Sound has been a nationally recognized model that strives to improve safety in Milwaukee neighborhoods.

As the newly appointed executive director of Safe & Sound, Bridget Whitaker is positioned to help bring about change.

Lets start out with your life story, where you grew up, your parents, the neighborhoods you lived in, schools you attended, and how you established your professional career.

I was born and raised in the central city, lived on 12th and Locust for my early years, but we moved around. Ours was a single mom family. My mom sometimes worked two or three jobs to care for my sister and me. I attended Engleburg Elementary School and Webster Middle School. I was also a teen mom, got pregnant at age 14 and had my baby in the eighth grade. My mom helped out with raising my son so I could continue with school. I went to Hamilton High Schoolan hour commute on the bus. I focused on Hamiltons business program, data entry. I also worked half days as an intern at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance. You might say I grew up fast.

Did you attend college right away after high school?

Yes. I received the Educational Opportunity Program Grant for Marquette University. I had a double major, sociology and human resources management. I liked studying human behavior, why people do what they do. While in college, I met my then-husband and had two more children. By the time I was 21, I had three children. I graduated from college in 2001.

You were handling huge responsibilities at such a young age. What was your work after you got out of college?

My first job was with Target Stores as an HR professional. Worked there for several years and loved my job, but retail is not conducive to raising young children. I started working in human resources for manufacturing companies, first, Synergy, and later as an HR manager for Capital Returns Genco.

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Eventually, you moved out of the corporate world into the nonprofit arena.

I became the HR Director for St Charles Youth & Family Services and had that job for 10 years. I enjoyed the work, but I wanted to make a bigger impact in community issues. In 2019, I joined Safe & Sound as the program director and was able to get involved in youth empowerment and give young people a voice. I also wanted to make neighborhoods safer. I love Milwaukee, and I want the residents to live, work, play here and be safe. During all these working years, I also got my masters degree in management, and then earned a law degree, and then later a nonprofit management certificate from Alverno College. Ive only been the Safe & Sound Executive Director for a short time.

As I understand, the Safe & Sound mission is to unite residents, youth, law enforcement and community resources to build safe neighborhoods. How do you go about that?

We use a three-pronged approach to achieve our theory of change. First, we engage our community organizers to hear about what residents need to feel safe in their neighborhoods. In some cases, that might be a call to action to address reckless driving, or to create places in the neighborhood for children to play, or even to highlight concerns about nuisance properties on the block. The second prong involves amplifying the voice of young people. Our youth organizers work to make sure that we connect young people to organizations that serve them so they feel welcomed at those youth centers. Our youth organizers also partner with the centers to offer positive programming. The third prong involves the engagement with law enforcement and community resources. We know we cant do this work alone, and so we leverage those relationships to further achieve safe neighborhoods.

Our mission has purpose because Milwaukee is not safe. We currently work in 10 neighborhoods across the city, five out of the seven police districts. I can tell you that every neighborhood has the same sentiment, which is We have to do something about safety. That task involves repairing harm and building relationships. Sometimes, when folks do not have an outlet to deal with trauma or mental health, they might resort to drug use or criminal activity. Or they dont know how to handle conflict and resort to violence. We try to help with these issues. This lack of safety problem has to do with harmony and community, people not talking with their neighbors. How do we get people out of their houses to meet each other or resolve conflict and trauma issues?

The Safe & Sound website calls on residents to connect with your neighbors by getting in touch with your Safe & Sound neighborhood team.What exactly is the Safe & Sound neighborhood team?

Each of our 10 neighborhoods has a team: a Youth Organizer, a Community Organizer, and a Safety Coordinator. Our neighborhood Safety Coordinator has a seat at the local police district. Residents sometimes would rather talk to the Safety Coordinator if they dont feel comfortable talking with police. The Safety Coordinator will address nuisances, abandoned housing issues and mobile drug dealing. Our Community Organizers get involved in group activities like block parties or neighborhood cleanups. Our Youth Organizers help young people, giving them something to do after school, group activities. That is our team, three full time, salaried workers per neighborhood

How does Safe & Sound get their information about ongoing stressful situations or violent behavior? Seems like these situations might need immediate responses.

Several ways. Our neighborhood Safety Coordinators all work with a police district, and they can find out right away when there are conflicts or law breaking. We also promote attendance at crime and safety meetings where residents learn about what crimes are trending in their neighborhoods. For instance, are carjackings or home burglaries or reckless driving on the rise? Each police district has a monthly crime and safety meeting, and we like to see residents in attendance. We interact with the youth about their safety concerns including lack of driver education. We also partner with other organizations like the Office of Violence Prevention.

Street leaders like Tory Lowe and Elizabeth Brown try to individually help victims of family and domestic violence. Does Safe & Sound get involved with domestic violence victims?

In domestic violence situations, we dont get involved directly, but we do try to identify residents involved in domestic disputes and offer the access to resources. We are not direct service providers like therapists. We try to tell victims where to go for help if they dont feel safe at home, how to talk with the police, or to connect with people like Tory Lowe or Ms. Brown who are doing excellent work.

Influencers on all levels tell me that many silo organizations often work separately. Do you have any thoughts on how silos might interact or come together?

Lots of these organizations are doing great work. Each of them has a mission its trying to achieve. I believe in the power of collective impact. Meaning there has to be a space where partners can get together and find a common mission that aligns with what residents need. Safe & Sound has been surveying residents across our neighborhoods to find out what these silos should be focusing on. After we find out their priorities, wed like to meet with the other nonprofit organizations to explore strategic alignment so that we are not working in silos. At Safe & Sound, were looking for natural collaboration. Reckless driving may be an issue in one neighborhood, while drug dealing is more prevalent in another neighborhood. We look for nonprofit partners we can connect with. We are the hooker-uppershow can we hook up our residents with the experts.

Lets talk about guns and what can be done to reduce gun violence. You work with the police department, right?

Yes, we do. We try to educate residents on gun safety. Since licensed guns are legal, we talk to gun owners about the proper way to store their guns, or how they can obtain gun locks.

Its too bad, but sometimes we are preaching to the choir, those who are using guns safely. But the folks who really need to hear are not listening.

You are moving to a new headquarters in Sherman Park in the heart of the central city. Tell me about your plans for that facility.

We will be taking over the old Mormon church a few blocks from Sherman Park, an area that is conducive to the process of community building. We will hold crime and safety meetings at that facility. There should also be a space where young people feel welcome, feel safe, and join in and make it their own. I hope our new building can provide that. But our main mission will always be listening to what the residents want and acting on their needs.

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Safe & Sound Executive Director Bridget Whitaker - Shepherd Express

Human Behavior

Wednesday, July 6: ‘The Green Planet’ Reveals the Secret Lives of Plants – Channel Guide Magazine

Courtesy of BBC Studios/Paul WilliamsALSO SEE: 2022 NASCAR TV Schedule on FOX Sports and NBC

All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.

The Green PlanetPBS, 8pmNew Series!Sir David Attenborough, the legendary naturalist who has become a familiar narrator/host for documentaries spotlighting animals, now travels the globe to reveal the secret lives of plants in this five-part series that comes from the BBC and PBS. The Green Planet uses pioneering technology including motion-control robotics systems, thermal cameras, ultra-high-speed cameras and the latest developments in microscopy to open up this often-overlooked world to viewers in a new way and show that plants are as aggressive, competitive and dramatic as animals locked in life-and-death struggles for food and light, taking part in fierce battles for territory, and desperately trying to reproduce and scatter their young. Among the stunning revelations on display in this series: Plants are surprisingly social, and can communicate with each other, care for their young, and help the weak and injured; they can plan, count and remember; and some plants can even hunt animals. We would starve without plants, says Attenborough. We wouldnt be able to breathe without plants. Yet peoples understanding about plants, except in a very kind of narrow way, has not kept up with that [awareness]. I think this series will bring it home. Jeff Pfeiffer

MaggieHuluNew Series!This 13-episode comedy chronicles the challenges of dating while psychic. Maggie (Rebecca Rittenhouse) is able to see into the future of her friends, parents, clients and random people on the street. When she begins to see glimpses into her own destiny after meeting a stranger, her love life suddenly gets a lot more complicated. All episodes are available today.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In BetweenNetflixOriginal Film!This young-adult romantic comedy comes from the producers of the To All the Boys franchise and is based on the bestseller by Jennifer E. Smith. After making a pact to break up before college, Clare (Talia Ryder) and Aidan (Jordan Fisher) spend their last evening as a couple on one final epic date. As they retrace the steps of their relationship, from their first hello and kiss to their first argument, they edge toward a turning point in a search for answers. Should they stay together, or say goodbye forever?

King of StonksNetflixNew Series!This German series is a thriller inspired by real events in the financial world, and is centered on narcissism, megalomania and double standards. Felix Armand, the mastermind behind the most successful tech company in Germany, wants to be at the top, because once hes there, he can finally be a decent human being. Unfortunately, everything is already blowing up in his face during the IPO, including money laundering, investor deception and internet pornography.

Audrey Hepburn Icon-a-thonMOVIES!, beginning at 10amCatch a Classic!Enjoy legendary actress Audrey Hepburn in four of her most memorable films from the 1960s, across various genres: Two for the Road (1967), a British romantic road trip comedy/drama costarring Albert Finney; How to Steal a Million (1966), William Wylers heist comedy that also features Peter OToole, Eli Wallach and Charles Boyer; Charade (1963), the famed romantic comedy/mystery directed by Stanley Donen and costarring Cary Grant; and Wait Until Dark (1967), the classic thriller featuring Hepburn in a Best Actress Oscar-nominated performance as a blind woman terrorized by three criminals (led by an incredibly chilling Alan Arkin, along with Richard Crenna and Jack Weston) trying to retrieve a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is hidden in her apartment.

Big BrotherCBS, 8pmSeason Premiere!Big Brother kicks off Season 24 as a new group of Houseguests move in for a summer full of unique twists and turns to challenge them. Julie Chen Moonves returns as host.

Mysteries DecodedThe CW, 8pmSeason Premiere!A new season of unsolved mysteries awaits in Season 2 of this investigative documentary series, which uses newly discovered evidence and high-tech tools to dive deep into some of Americas greatest mysteries. Jennifer Marshall (Stranger Things), a U.S. Navy veteran, private investigator and actress, leads a team that aims to bring closure to long-lingering historical puzzles.

Married at First SightLifetime, 8pmSeason Premiere!For the first time in its 15 seasons, Married at First Sight sets its sights on the West Coast as it heads to San Diego, where 10 courageous singles are taking the plunge and marrying a complete stranger. These brides and grooms will see each other for the first time at the altar, when they take their vows in a legally binding ceremony under the palm trees of beautiful Southern California.

Carpathian PredatorsSmithsonian Channel, 8pmNew Series!See what it takes to find a mate, raise a family and stay alive in Eastern Europes Carpathian Mountains. Spend summer and autumn in the Carpathians as wild creatures and humans prep for the harsh winter ahead. In the premiere, Realm of the Bear, watch a mother brown bear race to fatten up her family for winter slumber as her cubs learn the ways of the forest.

The Murder TapesInvestigation Discovery, 9pmSeason Premiere!The true-crime series is back, with each episode again providing up-close perspectives on homicide investigations, incorporating body-cam footage from the initial crime scene, surveillance video and interrogation-room recordings.

The Challenge: USACBS, 9:30pmNew Series!This special edition of the blockbuster MTV franchise brings together fan favorites from Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race and Love Island to compete in one of the most unpredictable and demanding games of their lives, living in a constant state of paranoia and unable to trust anyone but themselves. T.J. Lavin serves as host.

Neighborhood WarsA&E, 10pmNew Episodes!Revenge in Reverse kicks off more Season 2 episodes of this series documenting the conflict and kindness between real-life neighbors across the country. In Pasco County, Florida, a feud gets out of hand when a man intentionally backs his car into his neighbors kitchen. A San Jose familys Christmas is nearly ruined when a neighborhood thief steals their Nativity set. In Boulder, Colorado, a musician serenades his neighbor on his banjo.

More PowerHistory, 10pmI like to see where the edge is. When theres a big red button that says Do not touch, I right away go to touch it, says Tim Allen. The actor-comedian happily (and hilariously) tests the limits of tools in this new series the title was, of course, his catchphrase on Tool Time, the handyman show-within-a-show on his 1991-99 sitcom Home Improvement. Hes joined by buddy Richard Karn, who played his cohost, and DIY pro April Wilkerson. (The trio previously hosted the History competition Assembly Required.) They present an iconic tool, its origins and some very creative applications.

American Detective With Lt. Joe KendaInvestigation Discovery, 10pmSeason Premiere!Season 2 of the true-crime series begins its linear ID run. In each episode, former homicide detective Joe Kenda chronicles astounding investigations from across the country, profiling a different homicide detective whose tireless efforts helped bring justice for the murder victim.

Expedition With Steve BackshallPBS, 10pmSeason Premiere!Naturalist Steve Backshall returns for Season 2 of his series in which he explores some of the most remote locations on Earth, on a mission with his handpicked team of experts to discover fresh insights that could help secure a future for the worlds wildlife. The season premiere finds Backshall on Russias Kamchatka peninsula, where he tackles whitewater so extreme it has never been attempted. Then, in the pristine wilderness, he and his team explore an area packed with more brown bears than almost anywhere else on the planet.

Road WarsA&E, 10:30pmNew Series!Violent road rage incidents are on the rise, and road raging is a human behavior that has become widely known. This new docuseries takes a deep dive into American roadways and examines extreme human behavior, wild weather, insane accidents and a few refreshing instances of acts of kindness.

MoonhavenAMC+New Series!The new six-episode series Moonhaven is set in a future when Earth has been rendered almost uninhabitable, but a utopian colony of humans with the aid of a powerful artificial intelligence has transformed a patch of the moons surface into a lush paradise. Over three generations, the people of Moonhaven have developed technology and culture with the sole purpose of saving Mother Earth. But a murder case on Moonhaven leads to the discovery of a dark conspiracy and sinister forces that seek to control Earths last hope. Dominic Monaghan, Emma McDonald, Joe Manganiello, Kadeem Hardison and Ayelet Zurer star. Moonhaven premieres with the first two episodes tonight, and subsequent episodes debuting Thursdays.

Star Trek: Strange New WorldsParamount+Season Finale!The first season of this latest Star Trek spinoff series, which chronicles the adventures of the starship Enterprise roughly 10 years before Capt. Kirks command in Star Trek: The Original Series, concludes. The series is already in production on Season 2, which has cast Paul Wesley as Kirk and is expected to debut in 2023.

Noir to Die For Presents: Ida LupinoMOVIES!, beginning at 12pmCatch a Classic!Famed actress/filmmaker Ida Lupino is the focus of this lineup of five film noir classics featuring the star: They Drive by Night (1940), directed by Raoul Walsh and costarring George Raft, Ann Sheridan and Humphrey Bogart; the Oscar-nominated Ladies in Retirement (1941), also starring Louis Hayward; The Man I Love (1947), another Walsh-helmed production, with Robert Alda starring alongside Lupino; On Dangerous Ground (1951), which also featured Lupino in an uncredited codirector role with Nicholas Ray; and Womens Prison (1955), with Lupino as the cruel warden in one of the earlier women-in-prison pictures.

Press Your LuckABC, 8pmSeason Premiere!The reboot of the popular game show begins its fourth season with Elizabeth Banks returning as host. Three contestants aim to avoid the iconic and devilish WHAMMY as they compete against each other answering questions to earn spins on the Big Board. The spins are used to win cash and prizes, as long as they avoid the WHAMMY.

Heartland: Brand New DayUPtv, 8pmHudson hosts a lumberjack competition, and Amy (Amber Marshall) must retrain a Clydesdale and his owner to compete in the draft horse race; Tim (Chris Potter) throws his hat into the ring; and Lou (Michelle Morgan) tries to avoid a date with Fred Garland (Ivan Cermak).

Generation GapABC, 9pmNew Series!Kelly Ripa hosts this comedy quiz show that pairs teams of grandparents and grandkids, challenging them to answer questions about pop culture from each others generation.

Good TroubleFreeform, 10pmNew Episodes!The second half of Season 4 begins with the episode What I Wouldnt Give for Love. Davia (Emma Hunton) musters the courage to tell Dennis (Josh Pence) how she feels, while Malika (Zuri Adele) deals with Angelica (Yasmine Aker) seeing other people. Also, Alice (Sherry Cola) hires a new manager and the FCG throw a party to celebrate the launch of their app.

Fright Club: Spies in the SkyTravel Channel, 10pm; also streams on discovery+Jack Osbourne and the Ghost Brothers crack the shell on an avian conspiracy theory; comedian/actor Tommy Davidson sheds light on a goblin strutting down a dark driveway; and a ghost thinks its a ninja.

Terror Lake DriveWE tv, 10pmNew Series!Leap kicks off the six-episode first season of this drama about a single mother trying to dodge her past by relocating to Atlanta with her defiant teenager, only to discover that some forces are impossible to outrun.

Black BirdApple TV+New Series!Inspired by actual events, this six-episode psychological thriller begins when high school football hero, decorated policemans son and convicted drug dealer Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison. There, he is given a choice enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser) to gain information, or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession from Hall and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before the suspected killers appeal goes through. But is Hall telling the truth? The series costars Greg Kinnear and Ray Liotta, in one of the actors final roles before his death on May 26. The first two episodes drop today; subsequent new episodes are available Fridays.

Duck & GooseApple TV+New Series!Inspired by the bestselling books by Tad Hills, this animated preschool series celebrates the unique friendship of Duck and Goose, two best feathered friends who dont always see beak to beak. That is, until they discover that embracing and appreciating each others differences can help them think up entirely new ideas to help solve everyday challenges both big and small.

Conjuring Keshadiscovery+New Series!Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Kesha hosts this paranormal investigation series. Over six hourlong episodes, she explores the nations biggest mysteries, haunted locations and supernatural phenomena with celebrity guests and experts in the unexplained. The first two episodes drop today: In Not Today, Satan, Kesha and comedian Whitney Cummings investigate a demonic force in a closed Tennessee penitentiary that once housed the worst of the worst; and in Songs for the Dead, pop star Betty Who joins Kesha on a quest to unravel the mysteries of Tennessees Antoinette Hall, one of Americas oldest and most haunted opera houses. Subsequent new episodes are available Fridays.

Boo, B@#$%NetflixNew Series!Lana Condor (To All the Boys Ive Loved Before) is also an executive producer of and leads this teen series as Erika, a high school senior who has lived most of her life flying safely under the radar. When she realizes that, over the course of one night, she is able to alter her narrative and start living an epic life, Erika jumps at the opportunity only to wake up the next morning and learn that she is a ghost.

Dangerous LiaisonsNetflixOriginal Film!In this adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos 1782 novel, Paola Locatelli stars as idealistic 17-year-old Clne, who is getting ready to live apart from her fianc for a while as she leaves Paris for her new school in southwestern France. There, she has to face an evil clique of elites ruled over by Vanessa (Ella Pellegrini) and Tristan (Simon Rrolle), who is both dangerous and seductive. Clne falls for Tristan, but doesnt suspect that she is at the center of a cruel bet made between him and Vanessa.

The Longest NightNetflixNew Series!This six-episode Spanish series takes place at a psychiatric prison and follows a group of people there who are completely cut off from all outside communication. Meanwhile, there are armed men surrounding the building with the primary goal of catching a serial killer (Luis Callejo).

The Sea BeastNetflixOriginal Film!This animated film directed by Chris Williams (director of Big Hero 6 and codirector of Moana) is set in an era when terrifying beasts swam the seas and monster hunters were celebrated heroes. None of these heroes is more beloved than Jacob Holland (voice of Karl Urban), but when young Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator) stows away on his fabled ship, Jacob is saddled with an unexpected ally. Together they embark on an epic journey into uncharted waters and make history.

Trigger PointPeacockNew Series!This British thriller is set in the high-pressure world of bomb disposal and stars Vicky McClure and Adrian Lester as Lana Washington and Joel Nutkins, frontline explosives officers who risk their lives during a terrorist campaign in the heart of London. When attacks threaten the capital over one summer, the Expos are at the forefront of urgent efforts to find out who is behind the bombings before fatalities escalate. Under extreme pressure and searching for answers, Lana becomes suspicious that the bomber is premeditatedly targeting her unit but how does she prove it and discover the bombers real identity? All six episodes are available today.

The BoysPrime VideoSeason Finale!Season 3 of the acclaimed, very adult-themed satirical superhero series concludes. The show has been renewed for a fourth season.

Warriors on the FieldPrime VideoThis Australian Amazon original documentary explores the personal and poignant stories of three Indigenous players in the Australian Football League (AFL). AFL legend Michael OLoughlin narrates the film, which was directed by Indigenous academic and filmmaker Larissa Behrendt.

Golf: American Century Championship: First RoundGolf Channel, 7:30pm LiveThe brightest stars in sports and entertainment tee off at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Nevada for this celebrity charity golf tournament. Luminaries in the field include Justin Timberlake, Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, Ray Romano, Colin Jost, Annika Sorenstam, Michael Strahan, Anthony Anderson, Miles Teller and WWEs Mike The Miz Mizanin. Golf Channel and NBC share coverage through Sunday.

Keeping Up With the JonesesLMN, 8pmOriginal Film Series!Vivica A. Fox returns as the matriarch of the wealthy Jones family, who, along with her four stepdaughters, will stop at nothing to protect their business and family after they are threatened. Kandi Burruss returns to narrate the films, along with stars Ted McGinley, Michael Pare, Arie Thompson, Ciarra Carter, Jasmine Aivaliotis, Marcos James and Shellie Sterling.

Roswell Crash 75th AnniversaryTCM, beginning at 8pmCatch a Classic!On July 8, 1947, balloon debris was recovered from a ranch near Roswell Army Air Field in New Mexico. The reports surrounding this ended up leading, decades later, to conspiracy theories that what was found there was actually wreckage from an alien spacecraft, and the mythology that grew around the Roswell incident made itself quite at home in an American pop culture that had already been imagining beings from other worlds visiting Earth often with sinister intentions for a while, particularly in motion pictures. In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Roswell incident, Turner Classic Movies is airing a triple feature of terrific films that, while not dealing specifically with Roswell, are among the finest cinematic examples of our strong fascination with the possibility of alien visitors that led to such a mythology being able to take root in our popular consciousness. First up is Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), produced within the initial decade when reports of, and interest in, what were originally called flying saucers but later more familiarly known as UFOs, were on the rise. The film is a simple, but fun, tale of alien invasion, with iconic stop-motion animation effects for the titular ships created by the legendary Ray Harryhausen, and scenes of those ships crashing into famous landmarks that clearly must have influenced similar moments 40 years later in 1996s Independence Day and Mars Attacks! Next is John Carpenters The Thing (1982), a remake of 1951s The Thing From Another World. Both films were inspired by John W. Campbell Jr.s novella Who Goes There?, but Carpenters is a more faithful adaptation, bringing the shape-shifting element to its antagonistic alien that torments an isolated Antarctic research team. The suspense of wondering who or what the Thing is currently impersonating, along with the intensely horrifying practical and makeup effects that still hold up quite well, and great performances from a cast led by Kurt Russell, make this one of the best sci-fi remakes (and the original was quite good in its own way). The evening concludes with another fantastic remake of a film whose original is also a classic: 1978s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, a reimagined adaptation of Don Siegels 1956 film (both based on Jack Finneys novel The Body Snatchers). Led by Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy and Jeff Goldblum, this movie, like the original, manages to be both a suspenseful thriller about alien seed pods taking over and replicating human beings one body at a time, and an insightful commentary on the political and social mores of its particular era.

Dynasty: Theres No One Around to Watch You DrownThe CW, 9pmGuest star Charisma Carpenter (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) stirs up some bad blood among the Carringtons as their former nanny, who has some interesting memories of her days taking care of the now-grown Fallon (Elizabeth Gillies).

My Lottery Dream HomeHGTV, 9pmSeason Premiere!Season 12 of this series about recent lottery winners hunting for their new dream homes kicks off with Millionaire Mama. A single mom who raised her three girls in a Miami apartment is looking for a stand-alone home, but host David Bromstad knows some gorgeous townhouses that may just change her mind.

The Great American Recipe: Love LanguagePBS, 9pmThe eight remaining cooks share favorite comfort foods and a dish inspired by a loved one. From first-date cuisine to sentimental recipes passed down through generations, love is definitely in the air.

American Anthems: Soldier on All FoursPBS, 10pmDecorated veteran Jason Johnsons Project K-9 Hero saves retired military and police dogs from being euthanized. Fellow veteran Michael Trotter Jr. and his wife, Tanya Blount, who comprise the music duo The War and Treaty, write and perform a powerful and soulful ballad that honors Jasons advocacy and raises awareness of the challenges these hero dogs face after service.

Antiques Roadshow Recut: Winterthur Museum, Hour 1PBS, 10:30pmWatch Roadshows first ever visit to Delaware in this half-hour recut episode featuring incredible appraisals such as Broadway costume sketches, a Tiffany diamond pendant and a 1923 Frank Schoonover oil painting. Learn which one is appraised at $125,000.

Tennis: Wimbledon: Ladies Singles FinalESPN, 9am LiveThe Wimbledon ladies singles final match at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club airs live on ESPN.

OthelloTCM, 3:30pmCatch a Classic!Despite working through a tough, three-year shoot at various locales in Italy and North Africa that was plagued by stops and starts due to logistical and financial problems, star/writer/director Orson Welles persevered with his creative genius to make this 1951 adaptation of Shakespeares classic tragedy every bit as visually inventive and compelling as his other Bard-inspired big-screen features: 1948s Macbeth and 1966s Chimes at Midnight. Welles (unfortunately working in blackface) leads the cast as the famed Moor of Venice, alongside Suzanne Cloutier as his innocent wife, Desdemona, and Michel MacLiammir as the scheming Iago. Othello was co-recipient of the top prize at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival.

My Grown-Up Christmas ListHallmark Channel, 8pmOriginal Film!Journalist Taylor and Kevin, a member of the military, share a special bond that grows between them over the course of several Christmases that they spend together and apart. Stars Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry.

Flowers in the Attic: The OriginLifetime, 8pmOriginal Film Series!Based on the popular book series by V.C. Andrews, this four-part movie series starts with Part 1: The Marriage, introducing us to Olivia Winfield (Jemima Rooper) as she gives up her career, her home and her name to become Mrs. Malcolm Foxworth (Max Irons), the wife of the nations richest man. When she arrives at her new home, Olivia soon realizes that life at Foxworth Hall is far from the fairy tale she imagined it would be and begins to question the choices that led her down this path of eventual destruction.

Transplant: SavioursNBC, 8pmBash (Hamza Haq) saves a hostile man during his commute and gets some shocking news about his future.

Say Yes to the DressTLC, 8pmSeason Premiere!You Went From Snickers Bar to Caviar begins Season 21 of this reality series that makes wedding dress dreams come true for brides. Randy and the Kleinfeld team think they have seen everything, but this seasons brides are unlike any theyve experienced before including a bride-to-be who got engaged hours before her appointment, and a bride who uses her feet instead of her hands.

Would I Lie to You?The CW, 8:30pmSeason Finale!In Child Toy Model, the Season 1 finale of the comedy panel show, celebrity contestants Krysta Rodriguez, Amy Hoggart, Andrea Martin and Casey Jost form pairs and must determine who is sharing facts and who is spreading fiction. Aasif Mandvi hosts, and team captains are Matt Walsh and Sabrina Jalees.

Steal This HouseHGTV, 9pmNew Series!Celebrity IOU: Joyride and Garage Squads Cristy Lee stars in this new Detroit-based home renovation series. While she is known for her expertise in fixing cars, trucks and bikes, Cristys heart is also in home improvement. In the series, she helps frustrated home buyers see the potential in the most unexpected, inexpensive properties and works to turn them into astonishing homes. For her clients, Cristy proves that its worth the risk to buy a lower-priced house that needs work, create a smart renovation budget and invest in a renovation to transform the place into the home of their dreams.

Living With a Serial KillerOxygen, 9pmSeason Premiere!Season 2 of this true crime docuseries covers the criminal investigations of serial killers across the United States and United Kingdom, interviewing the people who knew them best. It explores the question of what it is like to learn that someone you shared your life with was actually a vicious murderer.

BET Her Presents: The CouchBET Her, 10pmSeason Premiere!This series returns for a third season, with two dramatic short films aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues affecting Black women. Thin, Like Me! is directed by Meagan Good and centers on a fitness models unhealthy relationship with food and body issues that comes to a head with her mother as they plan an anniversary celebration. Behind the Smile! is directed by Naturi Naughton and focuses on a newly promoted anchorwoman who falls into a deep depression when she is forced to choose between her dream job and her vitiligo support group.

Heartland Docs, DVMNat Geo Wild, 10pmSeason Finale!In the Season 4 finale, The Plot Chickens, the Schroeders solve a slate of mysterious cases: Dr. Erin gets to the bottom of a cats labored breathing, while Dr. Ben provides relief for a flock of featherless chickens and a bull with a bum hoof. Later, a bald eagle is rushed in with a life-threatening wound before the vets join forces to remove a pit bulls cancerous lump. And between cases, the docs motivate each other to shed a few unwanted pounds.

Ghost Brothers: Lights OutTravel Channel, 10pmNew Series!This paranormal series that has already been available on the discovery+ streaming service makes its linear Travel Channel premiere tonight. It follows the Ghost Brothers Dalen Spratt, Juwan Mass and Marcus Harvey as they explore haunted hot spots across the country, checking out and sizing up local legends and supernatural stories. In the premiere episode, Roff Family Rituals, when the spirit of an infamously possessed girl starts calling, the Ghost Brothers pick up the line.

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Wednesday, July 6: 'The Green Planet' Reveals the Secret Lives of Plants - Channel Guide Magazine

Human Behavior

Insights on the Eye Tracking Global Market to 2027 – by Type, Component, Location, Application and Region – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Eye Tracking Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global eye tracking market reached a value of US$ 725.8 Million in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 2,939.4 Million by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 26.25% during 2021-2027.

Companies Mentioned

Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.

Eye tracking refers to the process of monitoring and observing eye behavior such as pupil dilation and movement. It accurately and objectively quantifies visual attention to study human behavior by measuring the length of the user's gaze and determining at what and where an individual is looking. Eye trackers use invisible near-infrared light and high-definition cameras to project light onto the eyes. They record a wide range of activities that include blinking, looking, ignoring and other noticeable reaction of the pupil to stimuli. As a result, they find application in psychological research, packaging designs, and intelligent security systems.

The global eye tracking market is primarily driven by the growing applications of eye trackers in various industries. In the retail sector, eye trackers are used for gaining insights into consumer behavior by ascertaining how much time a consumer spends browsing a product. It can also be integrated with artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR).

Eye trackers are also employed by prison management systems and defense organizations to deploy biometric iris scanners for identifying individuals and tighten their security arrangements. Besides this, the vision tracker technology can be mounted directly on a tablet or desktop, which is further integrated within a wheelchair to allow users to control the wheelchair using vision movements. Furthermore, extensive investments in smart and wearable technology are providing a positive impact on the market growth.

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Preface

2 Scope and Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends

5 Global Eye Tracking Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast

6 Market Breakup by Type

7 Market Breakup by Component

8 Market Breakup by Location

9 Market Breakup by Application

10 Market Breakup by Region

11 SWOT Analysis

12 Value Chain Analysis

13 Porters Five Forces Analysis

14 Price Analysis

15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yax6t0

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Insights on the Eye Tracking Global Market to 2027 - by Type, Component, Location, Application and Region - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Human Behavior

The Backyard Monarchs of the Bay Area – Bay Nature

Monarch butterfly. (Photo by James St. John, Creative Commons BY)

It should be early for monarchs. But as a flutter of brown and orange sighs past me, windblown and lonely, during a long amble along the Marin Headlands in April, I exclaim, and I freeze. I watch it land with delightful poise on a Franciscan paintbrush. A monarch! But it is off and fluttering far from me before I can be certain. The internet, killer of dreams, proclaims that it was obviously a Hoffmans checkerspot, or, perhaps, a northern checkerspot, or a painted lady, or a Mylitta crescent.

But I am in need of a kind of optimism-of-the-unexpected. And so, I wonder whether it could have been a locally breeding monarchharbingers all at once of apocalypse and rebirthakin to those monitored by entomologist David James in the winter and spring of 2021.

These are the facts of the western monarch: they migrate in late fall, spend the winter in coastal California, and disperse across the western United States to breed in spring and summer. In the 1980s a recorded 4.5 million gathered in the winter sites. But by January 2021, the migrating butterflies had all but vanished, with less than 2,000 butterflies spread across the edge of a continent.

That same winter, amid a profusion of red, gold, and creamy purple milkweed, amid sun-yellow Euryops, in fragrant, spiky rosemary, and on rounded petals of common weedy field mustard, careful observers noted flutters of brown and orange. Soon, they saw dozens of soft, crawly larvae, and then, on the undersides of leaves, found first one small white-and-pale-green egg, and then another, and then another, and then more! Clustered together in colorful urban patches of nature in the South Bay, specifically the Googleplex in Mountain View and Rinconada Community Garden in Palo Alto, the monarchs were breeding. In the winter!

It is known that small populations of monarchs breed in the winter. They have set up permanent shop in Los Angeles, for instance. But the population boom in the Bay Area had not been seen before. It was unusually warm that fall, which may have accounted for the numbers. And tropical milkweed, which, unlike native milkweed, flowers through the winter and creates a suitable habitat for breeding, was abundant in gardens.

Whats more, reports of backyard monarchs breeding in summer in cities have increased dramatically since 2014, though of course that might be because more people want to report monarch sightings. But the growth of local, breeding monarchs is seen, at least by some, as a sign of the resilience of the monarchs, their ability to find new ways to persist in the face of an increasingly threatened migration. Might we be seeing the growth of a resident population of monarchs in the Bay Area?

A lot of people have this feeling that without the migration, the monarch is nothing, says James. Thats not necessarily true. If we got rid of the migration, the butterflies could still continue. For humans, that would be a pity. But in the ecology of thingsits not that bad.

The question may be whether we can separate the human from the butterfly. At almost every stage of life, the butterflies are threatened by climate change, habitat degradation, and increased use of neonicotinoid pesticides. At the same time, monarchs flourished in habitats that people made particularly habitable. People and monarchs are inextricably woven together, orange and brown, creating one pattern.

To James, the monarchs will do what they must to survive. And carving out small niches in urban dwellings is only the latest way butterflies have always exploited human behavior. It is humans who may struggle to adapt. I have a lot of confidence and faith in the adaptability of the monarch to outlive us, he says. [But] we are so used to seeing it abundant and common. It may be a shock for people to see that it becomes a rare butterfly, for a while at least. Thats the thing that gets most people. It might be something we have to cope with in the future. But, he adds, the butterfly will still have the ability to bounce back. Its like a cockroach.

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The story of the monarch has never been only about facts. It is about interest, attention, and proximity. To be close to something, perhaps close enough to brush its wing with the tip of a finger, is to be thrown into attention and, maybe, into love. The monarch migration may yet bounce backthe winter of 2022 saw the highest number of migrating monarchs since 2016. But it cannot be denied that the monarch population in the Western United States is declining, and small, urban populations are not likely to replace them. Many of usif we are not lucky enough to live near a local populationmay need to find new ways to be in proximity.

To tell a story is to summon phantoms from the dark, and in the brief illuminationin the millisecond it takes for wings to beat, for wind to catch, for something cherished to move onto try to pin it there. It is to say: these are the details worth repeating, this is what I would like to hold on to.

We do not know what will become of the monarchs. But what we tell ourselves about their changes may help us change. Deciding which details to hold on to, which story to tell, can be a way of finding proximity, and attention, and love, which is hope, again.

Here is where I land: I saw a monarch in the Marin Headlands last weekend. A new Bay Area neighbor, adapting to a changing world, making do with what is available, as we all must.

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The Backyard Monarchs of the Bay Area - Bay Nature

Human Behavior

The Rundown: July 4, 2022 Multiversity Comics – Multiversity Comics

Welcome back to The Rundown, our daily breakdown on comic news stories we missed from the previous day. Have a link to share? Email our team at rundown@multiversitycomics.com.

In case you missed it, Marvel announced a new ongoing Spider-Man series by writer Dan Slott and artist Mark Bagley.

Artwork by Mike Del Mundoand Mike Huddleston

Jonathan Hickman, Mike Del Mundo, and Mike Huddlestons 3 Worlds / 3 Moons universe will be debuting in print with an issue called Foundations, which is set for release at San Diego Comic-Con. Joining the creative trio on the issue will be designer Sasha E. Head, letterer Rus Wooton, and editor-in-chief Stephen Wacker. Foundations is set to follow a scientist called Doctor Tajo R. Vallar, who works for the Institute, an organization that seeks to maintain the scientific status quo by systematically covering up the existence of magic across the universe. Hickman, Del Mundo, and Huddleston had previously kept the development of the 3W/3M universe on their Substack, with digital and special editions of Foundations having already been made or set to be made available to different tiered subscribers. There will also be a booth and a panel for 3 Worlds / 3 Moons at SDCC, which takes place on July 21 through July 24. Check out a preview of Foundations over at Popverse.

WhatNot Inc. and Massive Publishing will be launching WhatNot Publishing with two launch titles: Alpha Betas and The Exiled. The four-part Alpha Betas series is based on the animated series of the same name, and was written by Kyle Starks with art by Michael Calero and Trevor Richardson. The series will chronicle four elite-level gamers hired by the government to enter video game worlds, preventing real-world problems from occurring as a consequence of the digital worlds collapsing. The Exiled is a sci-fi graphic novel by Wesley Snipes, Keith Arem, Adam Lawson, Gabriel Eskivo Santos, and Valentina Bianconi; it will follow Detective Niles Roach Washington in the pursuit of a serial killer five thousand years in the making. Launched as a Kickstarter project, The Exileds preview book was the result of Lawson and Arem teaming with WhatNot Publishing, but this partnership has expanded to see the graphic novel get a full release. Alpha Betas #1 is scheduled for release on October 12, with The Exiled set for early 2023, though its preview comic will be available at SDCC.

Publishers Weekly reported on six graphic novel deals this week. These included:

All three graphic novels are set to debut in Winter 2025. You can read the full details about all of the graphic novel deals this week here.

Syfy revealed that Resident Alien season 2 is set to return with the second half of its 16 episodes on Wednesday, August 10. In a teaser trailer, we see how the alien intended to wipe out humanity, Harry Vanderspeigle (Alan Tudyk), is adopting more and more identifiable human behaviors despite his insistence that becoming more human is an awful thing; regardless of his behavior though, the trailer highlights that the survival of the world is at stake, and he is the only individual potentially capable of saving it. The series is based on the comic series of the same name by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. The trailer is available here.

Skip ahead if you want to avoid possible Black Adam spoilers: the action figures from the upcoming film have revealed the villain of the Dwayne Johnson-starring film to be none other than Sabbac. By way of the description for the figure, it was revealed that Sabbac will originally be a military Intergang leader that has been possessed by a demon, and has powers that are equal to those of Black Adam; with these powers, Sabbac intends to take over Kahndaq and maybe the whole world. Sabbac first debuted in Captain Marvel Jr. #4 by Otto Binder and Al Carreno in 1943. You can check out the action figure for Sabbac, as well as figures for a host of the other Black Adam characters here ahead of the films release on October 21.

Finally, to celebrate Pride Month, Square Enix released a short story called Marvel Avengers: A Sunset with You by writer Leyla K., with variant covers being provided by artists Paulina Ganucheau, Kris Anka, and Derek Charm. The story is an official expansion of the video games lore, and sees a trainee member of the Dora Milaje called Ayo trying to impress and charm her captain and crush, Aneka, with help from Ms. Marvel. Head over to the Marvels Avengers website to read or download the story.

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The Rundown: July 4, 2022 Multiversity Comics - Multiversity Comics

Human Behavior

New omicron-specific COVID-19 boosters are coming this fall. What you need to know. – UCHealth Today

New omicron-specific COVID booster shots are coming this fall. Learn more about these new booster shots and who likely will need to get them. Photo: Getty Images.

New COVID-19 booster shots specially formulated to fight multiple omicron variants will be available by fall.

An advisory panel for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended approval of the new tailored COVID-19 booster vaccines, and the U.S. government plans to buy millions of vaccine doses for a fall booster campaign.

We consulted with infectious disease and COVID-19 expert,Dr. Thomas Campbell, to answer your questions about the newest COVID-19 booster shots and to learn more about who should get them.

Campbell ran clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines atUCHealth University of Colorado Hospitalon theAnschutz Medical Campus. He is alsoa professor of medicine and infectious diseasesat theUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine.

The original vaccines are still very effective in preventing hospitalization and death from COVID-19. They are particularly effective in people who have received the recommended boosters, Campbell said.

But its normal for viruses to change and for variants to develop, Campbell said.

In the case of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, multiple omicron variants have spread and become dominant throughout 2022. They include omicron variants known as BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5.

The original vaccines and boosters did not specifically fight these omicron variants because they hadnt developed yet. The proliferation of omicron variants has prompted the primary vaccine makers who are supplying COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. Pfizer and Moderna to create new, tailored versions of their booster shots that will better combat omicron variants. The vaccine makers have pledged to deliver the new doses by fall.

No. Not yet, Campbell said.

While its possible that well be able to get combined flu/COVID-19 vaccines in the future, for now, vaccine makers and health experts have not yet created a new double-duty flu/COVID-19 vaccine.

No. People who have never gotten COVID-19 vaccines should get their first two doses of the original vaccines as soon as possible. The new recipe of the booster shots was tested on people who already had their initial vaccine doses and one booster shot.

I would strongly advise people who are not vaccinated at all to complete the primary series of two shots (with the original vaccine), Campbell said.

No. People who have not received their first two vaccine doses known as the primary series still will receive the original vaccines. The original versions protect well against most strains of the virus. Its important to note that no one knows yet precisely which strains of the virus will be circulating this fall or in the future.

Even though we are dealing with omicron variants now, its still possible that another version of the virus like delta or the original strain could come back at a later time. So, we all need to make sure that were protected against the older variants, Campbell said.

When the new omicron-specific booster vaccines are authorized (and delivered), they likely will only be given to people who have already completed a primary series with the prototype vaccine.

Do not wait, Campbell advised.

If you have gotten your first two vaccine doses and are eligible for a booster shot, get it now. And if youre eligible for a second booster shot, get it as soon as possible, Campbell said.

The newest variants are highly contagious and are spreading widely now. The current vaccines and boosters are helping to reduce the severity of illness and are preventing some hospitalizations. So, its wise to get fully boosted now, Campbell said.

Adults who are ages 50 and older should get two booster doses. Thats also true for younger people who are immunocompromised or are especially vulnerable to getting severely ill with COVID-19.

Everyone ages 5 and older should get a booster dose after completing their primary series.

Babies and toddlers are now eligible for their first vaccine doses and are not yet getting booster shots.

It can be confusing to figure out who is eligible for booster shots and what the proper timing is. If you need help sorting out your specific situation and deciding when to get a booster shot, you can use a handy tool that health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have created.

There are three main reasons.

First, the newest omicron variants spread much more easily than previous versions, Campbell said.

Second, many people are not fully vaccinated.

In the United States, only a small portion of the population has received one booster, and an even smaller portion of the population has received two boosters, he said.

If more people can fully vaccinated and boosted, the spread of the current variants may decrease.

And third, antibodies from vaccines, booster shots or a COVID-19 infection decrease over time, making it easier for people to get infected for the first time or to get the illness again.

With the omicron variant, after the first booster dose, the protection starts to really drop off by about six months, Campbell said.

Researchers do not know yet how long the immunity after a second booster dose lasts.

Yes. Research is showing that most people who have had a recent case of COVID-19 should have high antibody levels for about three months. So, they can wait 90 days after a COVID-19 infection to get their next booster dose.

If youve just had COVID, theres no rush to go out and get the booster. You can safely delay getting it for at least three months, Campbell said.

The vaccine makers have told FDA medical experts that they plan to deliver the newest booster doses by about mid-October.

Federal health officials have not decided yet who will be eligible to receive them.

Campbell expects that FDA and CDC experts will want vulnerable people including those who are older, immunosuppressed or at risk for bad outcomes if they get COVID-19 to be first in line to get the newest booster shots.

Its possible, however, that federal officials will recommend the new omicron-specific booster shots for everyone, including younger people.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are a newer type of vaccine, known as mRNA vaccines. Its faster to create and change these types of vaccines, which is why the vaccine makers can incorporate new protection against omicron variants.

Its encouraging that well have these newer versions of the boosters, Campbell said.

He credits good science and attentive researchers.

They have paid very close attention to what the virus is doing, he said. And one of the advantages of the mRNA technology is that it can be changed fairly quickly to reflect what the virus is doing.

They do not, Campbell said.

Its important to know that researchers and vaccines makers must do the best they can to predict which vaccines will be spreading. No vaccine can be a perfect match for the future spread of a virus.

Under the best case scenario, the best technology is still three months behind, Campbell said.

Even so, people around the world are lucky that vaccine development is moving much more rapidly than it did in the past. And, it makes sense to have COVID-19 vaccines that protect people from a broad range of variants, not just omicron-specific vaccines, Campbell said.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is here to stay, Campbell said.

Its important to plan for another wave in the fall and winter because theres a good probability that it will happen, Campbell said.

Both vaccine-induced immunity and immunity from natural infection wane over time. We have a virus thats still here along with waning immunity. And human behavior changes in the fall, Campbell said. Kids will go back to school. The weather will be colder. The daylight hours will be shorter, so people will be indoors more and having more contact with other people. Then, well have Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years and travel associated with the holidays.

All of those patterns point to the continued spread of COVID-19, he said.

We have all the ingredients necessary to create a new wave, Campbell said.

So, he encourages everyone to pay attention to FDA and CDC guidance and to stay up to date on vaccines and boosters.

These recommendations are based on evolving information that comes from good science, Campbell said.

Get your booster per the authorization, whether its for everybody or people ages 50 and older. Once its authorized, get boosters sooner rather than later so your immunity levels are high by November and December, when all of the conditions for a fall spike are likely to converge.

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New omicron-specific COVID-19 boosters are coming this fall. What you need to know. - UCHealth Today

Human Behavior

Types of Counseling Careers: Addictions Counseling – Troy Today – Troy University

Addiction impacts all areas of life. It contributes to public health challenges, mental illness, crime, and family and societal breakdown. Despite changing attitudes, the problem of addiction is still often perceived as a shameful flaw rather than the chronic illness it is. Its the job of anaddictions specialistto look beyond this prejudice and help clients rebuild their lives in recovery through varioustypes of counselingservices.

With more than 20 years of experience working in the mental health andaddictions counselingfield, Dr. Shelley Reed has worked with clients across various settings, including differenttypes of counselinggroups, hospitals, courts and prison systems.

As an assistant professor, clinical director and coordinator for theaddictions counseling graduate certificate at Troy University, Dr. Reed now helps counseling and psychology students develop their skills in diagnosing and treating addictions.

What Is Addiction?

According to Dr. Reed, addiction is typically defined as a compulsive and difficult to control use of a substance such as drugs or alcohol that negatively impacts the ability of the individual to function.

Dr. Reed was initially drawn to the field ofaddiction counselingby a general interest in human behavior.

My interest in human behavior turned into an interest in counseling, says Dr. Reed. I figured if I could understand the whys, then I could work out how to help.

Dr. Reed soon discovered that addiction was often a more complex issue that carried with it other serious challenges beyond the addiction itself.

When clients with addiction came along, it really intrigued me because it was common to have co-occurring mental health and substance use issues, says Dr. Reed.

Highlighting the prevalence of addiction, she describes addiction as an equal opportunities problem.

Ive never met anyone who didnt have some form of addiction in their family, says Dr. Reed.

According to Dr. Reed, many counselors have personal or family experiences that contribute to their desire to go into the counseling profession.

Many of the students in this certificate program have had the experience of addiction personally, either themselves or with their family, says Dr. Reed. Its very common to want to understand themselves or their family members. They also want to give back to help prevent it from happening to other people.

Models of Addiction

Dr. Reed explains that many different contributory factors can lead to addiction.

Theres a lot of debate in psychology regarding the nature versus nurture aspect of addiction, says Dr. Reed. Are you born with a predetermined risk of addiction, or is it a result of your environment or experience? There are genetic components of addiction. Its been strongly shown, particularly with alcoholism, that there is a big hereditary component.

This doesnt mean that addiction is automatically passed down through the generations.

It doesnt make you want to misuse drugs or alcohol from the get-go, says Dr. Reed. But it can contribute to becoming physically dependent on the substance, whereas others might use it socially or recreationally, go about their business and not necessarily become physically addicted.

Breaking the Cycle of Addiction

The desire to break the cycle of addiction in the community is a common trait among many of Dr. Reeds students.

Dr. Tammy W. Montgomerygraduated from TROYscounseling and psychology masters program with a certificate in substance addiction in 2017 before studying for her Ph.D. and becoming a licensed counselor in the greater Columbus area.

Dr. Montgomery developed an interest in addiction counseling while working as an elementary educator.

I taught in public school as an elementary educator for 15 years, says Dr. Montgomery. During my time as an elementary educator, I witnessed several families needing mental health awareness and support. I also saw substance addiction and other impulsive behaviors as major factors that seemed to keep them in debilitating cycles.

Dr. Montgomery found herself spending significant time providing resources to meet her students basic needs before learning could take place.

Although I helped my students gain success academically and personally, I burned out and felt ineffective, says Dr. Montgomery. I was essentially working in two roles. First, I was an educator a role in which I was highly trained and skilled. But I also took on the role as a counselor without proper skills and tools.

She agrees that addiction and mental health go hand in hand. I believe it is vital for every incoming counselor to learn about substance addiction or abuse and its impact on a persons mental health and social well-being, she says. Understanding the unhealthy correlation between these factors might be the very ingredient needed to help a client reach and maintain stability.

What Is an Addictive Personality?

Dr. Reed explains that it is important to understand thepsychology of addictionbecause addicts often substitute one problem for another.

People do substitute one addiction for another, says Dr. Reed. They quit using alcohol and start using cocaine or vice versa. This is why thetreatment of addictionslike the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step program tells you to abstain fromallsubstance use.

The experience of co-occurring disorders is commonly seen in Dr. Montgomerys practice.

Many of my clients experience co-occurring disorders, mental illness and substance addiction or substance abuse, says Dr. Montgomery. As anaddiction specialist,I am always educating clients on how using substances will negatively impact their mental health and wellness. For example, for clients who smoke marijuana and experience anxiety, I usually share how the drug imposes positive and negative effects.

However, not all addiction counselors prescribe a zero-tolerance approach, and treatment strategies often need to be more nuanced.

I use an eclectic approach to therapy, explains Dr. Montgomery. Although my theoretical orientation is cognitive-behavioral therapy, I tend to incorporate techniques from mindfulness therapy, trauma-focused CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy], and dialectical behavioral therapy, to name a few.

The Changing Face of Addiction

Dr. Reed explains that addiction has always been a problem in society.

You could probably go back to any decade or century and see a particular epidemic of addiction at that point, she says. Right now, synthetic opiates are the most visible problem. Fentanyl terrifies me its just so dangerous. But I can remember when I was studying, it was heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

Dr. Reed believes that widespread media coverage of the opiate crisis in the United States may have reduced some of the stigma related to addiction. However, she is also quick to highlight another recent event that has contributed to the problem of addiction.

The pandemic didnt help, she says. It contributed to isolation, loneliness, financial worries and health worries, all of which can increase the use of alcohol and drugs. Perhaps someone was trying to get better and begin their recovery. The pandemic certainly may have contributed to their not being able to continue that recovery.

When Dr. Reed considers the question, What does addiction mean?she primarily talks about substance-use disorders. However, she also points out that behavioral disorders can also be addictive.

We use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual [DSM] to identify all the substances and criteria to meet the diagnosis of addiction, says Dr. Reed. But they also list a behavioral disorder in the DSM, which is the gambling disorder.

Dr. Reed explains that research is being carried out to determine if other behavioral disorders should be included in the DSM.

Behavioral addictions absolutely need to be considered, says Dr. Reed, whether thats gaming or internet, sexual behaviors or compulsive buying. Theres additional research ongoing to see if they can be included in future diagnostic manuals, but currently, theyre not.

Both Drs. Reed and Montgomery are particularly concerned about addictions impact on young lives.

My clients come with diverse needs, says Dr. Montgomery. Some widespread areas that require constant focus include childhood trauma, depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior and unhealthy communication.

Reducing the Stigma ofMental Health and Addiction

Dr. Reed is an advocate of improving the general publics understanding of addiction and reducing the stigma commonly associated with the illness.

Im a strong believer in: The more we know, the better we can do, says Dr. Reed. Im also the president of our local affiliate of theNational Alliance on Mental Illness. One of our big imperatives is to reduce stigma. Because if we can reduce stigma, we can reduce some of the barriers associated with seeking treatment. I think that strongly applies to substance use as well.

Promoting awareness around mental health is also essential for counselors who must develop strategies for looking after their own well-being while performing a difficult job.

Self-care is so important, says Dr. Reed. Being able to take care of your own mental health so that you can take care of others is vital. Its like the safety talk on an airplane. You put your mask on first before you put on someone elses mask. With addiction specifically, it can be frustrating if youve worked with a client for a long time and theres a relapse.

According to Dr. Reed, relapse is often part of the journey to recovery.

We can be disappointed, blame ourselves, or think we just didnt do enough, she says. So weve got to be careful and understand its part of the journey. We just have to get back to it and regain that stability and continue to help with the recovery.

Dr. Montgomery amplifies Dr. Reeds advice.

Dont be afraid to seek therapy for yourself and engage in self-care consistently, advises Dr. Montgomery. Plan to become a lifelong learner. This profession is always changing and growing, and it requires each of us to continue educating ourselves to remain effective practitioners.

How To Get a Counseling Certificate

According to Dr. Reed, there are typically two ways a student can obtain anaddictions counselingcertificate from TROY.

They can be working on the certificate while theyre also getting their graduate degree in either clinical mental health counseling or rehabilitation counseling, says Dr. Reed. Or they can come back and get it post-masters.

She explains that the certificate program consists of three term-long courses. In addition, students are also required to complete two internships.

If youre a current clinical mental health counseling student, these three courses can count as your electives required as part of your clinical degree, says Dr. Reed. Then, if you do the internship at an approved site, those internships can count toward the clinical degree and addiction certificate. So really, there is no extra coursework, just specialized coursework.

Online Counseling Certificate Programs

The TROY counseling certificate programs are available online, making classes more accessible for adult learners.

Most of our students are working, have families and are doing this in the evenings online, says Dr. Reed. Many of them are already working in the field in some capacity. Maybe they are case managers or administrative assistants and want to progress in their careers. (While the coursework is entirely online, the two required internships that are part of the program require weekly in-person classes.)

The program is also popular with retired military personnel and their spouses.

Theres a correlation between PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) and substance use, says Dr. Reed. PTSD can be common for veterans. A lot of individuals start using drugs to self-medicate for whatever reason that may be. So, absolutely, it can be a concern among veterans and those who have retired or have been discharged.

Where Do Addiction Counselors Work?

Dr. Reed explains that addiction counselors are employed in a variety of settings.

It varies greatly, says Dr. Reed. Many counselors find themselves working in community agencies that have residential programs, inpatient programs, day treatment programs and outpatient programs. Youll also find them working in crisis intervention, mostly in hospitals but also in the criminal justice system.

As demonstrated by Dr. Montgomery, there are also opportunities to follow an extremely rewarding career in private practice.

I enjoy helping people re-narrate their stories, says Montgomery, helping clients to challenge their negative thinking by reframing them, incorporating new perspectives on addressing their issues and managing unwanted moods.

According to theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors are set to grow by 23% through 2030, requiring an additional 75,100 qualified counselors across the United States.

Why TROY?

As a graduate of TROY herself, Dr. Reed is quick to highlight the quality of her experience studying at the University.

Most of our faculty here at TROY within the counseling division are currently or have long worked in the field, she says. I think that extra expertise and experience makes the information more real and demonstrates to our students how they can apply what they learn in real-world settings. I think that really helps us stand out.

Dr. Montgomery echoes the positive experience. As well as providing the skills and tools to make a career transition from educator or counselor, Dr. Montgomery cites the certificate program at TROY as a time of significant career skills development.

I am so glad I chose TROY, she says. It was a wonderful experience. It was where my leadership skills were enhanced and amplified.

Anaddictions counselingcertificate from TROY can help clinical mental health and rehabilitation professionals expand their careers and help clients with informed diagnosis and treatment plans. To learn more about how you can help clients with addictions re-narrate their life stories,visit thecounseling certificates program page on our website.

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Types of Counseling Careers: Addictions Counseling - Troy Today - Troy University

Human Behavior

Look to the Cloud to Improve Human-Robot Social Understanding & Behavior – Robotics Business Review

AMR BenefitsYour workers and customers will also miss out on the benefits AMRs offer them. And what are those benefits? Consider the results of a recent double-blind Warehousing Vision Study, recently commissioned by Zebra Technologies. In that study, 83% of warehouse associates who work alongside AMRs today claim the autonomous robots have helped increase their productivity and reduce walking/travel time a win-win for you and your front-line teams. Whats more, three-quarters of associates say AMRs have helped reduce errors, which is good for you and your customers, while nearly two-thirds (65%) credit AMRs with career advancement opportunities, which helps with employee retention.

So, it is critical we eliminate the biases that result from a me, myself and I mindset or preconceived notions. We must ensure neither AMRs nor human workers fall victim to sole agent syndrome. The best way to do that is to put our heads (together) in the cloud.

New Techniques for Teaching TrustworthinessFor as long as I can remember, robotics automation innovation has been driven by three things repeatability, scalability and increased throughput. Thats why many robotic arms, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and static robots have been built to complete tasks within enclosed work cells, along conveyor lines or in travel lanes.

It is also why most robots are programmed to complete tasks using pre-defined motions, with behaviors fully controlled by a person. Most robots do not need to figure things out. They just need to do what a person tells them to do.

AMRs are different, however. While they collaborate and interact with people, they are reliant on a person guiding their every move telling them when to stop, start or move in a different direction. They must be able to make both decisions and the right moves, on their own, without a person intervening.

Behaving Like PeopleAt Zebra Technologies, we use customer scenarios, simulation, and the cloud to understand current AMR behaviors, as well as the changes needed to achieve desired behaviors. We then develop navigation behaviors for the robots, which are based on heuristics/biases that we encode into their navigation and planning code.

These heuristics/biases help AMRs behave more like people socially. For example, robots will drive down the right side of hallways in the United States and the left side of hallways in Great Britain because those are the social norms in those countries. By encoding these behaviors into AMRs navigation and planning, associates have a better understanding of how the robots will behave as they drive around the facility, which results in trust, better collaboration and improved robot performance.

Because our AMRs are managed via the cloud, it is also easy to record data that helps us understand each robots performance in the facility. We use velocity and path conformance for low frequency and high frequency interactions as a baseline to understand how changes to the navigation code improve performance. This allows us to create a vibrant diagram of how each robot performed in different facilities and then make refinements. Using these techniques, we have been able to measure as much as a 54% improvement in robot velocity as it moves through the facility with improved robot social behaviors.

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Look to the Cloud to Improve Human-Robot Social Understanding & Behavior - Robotics Business Review

Human Behavior

The 5 Roadblocks of Security Culture and How to Avoid Them – CEOWORLD magazine

Experts predict that global businesses will spend a whopping $172 billion on cybersecurity this year (up from $150 billion in 2021). Despite such steep investments in cybersecurity systems, cyber-attacks continue to break new records. This is because most attacks have more to do with faults in human behavior rather than security technology itself.

Human behavior can neither be predicted, programmed, or controlled by technological defenses. Thats why security culture is becoming an increasingly important defense strategy. Security culture can be defined as a combination of beliefs (an internal feeling regarding cybersecurity which usually stems from ones own experiences and external influences), values (what employees consider important from a security perspective), attitudes (how employees perceive security and approach situations that result in a behavior), behaviors (actions that employees can do when they encounter a potential cyber threat) and social pressures (the shared expectations and modeled behaviors that comprise a groups unwritten rules) that are reflected in the daily actions of employees.

Sculpting human behavior is a complex process and even the most security-savvy organizations can find it challenging to sustain a robust security culture over the long term. Some of the roadblocks that organizations encounter while building a security culture include:

Keep in mind that security culture isnt something that can be built overnight. Having said that, sustained investments in security culture will bring better security ROI in the long run and help organizations build a human defense layer that every industry today desperately needs.

Written by Perry Carpenter.Have you read?Managing Cybersecurity in the Workplace.Positive Impact Through PhilanthropybyRon Book.The COO as a new CEO Revenue PartnerbyBrent Keltner.Out of the Destruction of the Pandemic, Healthier Businesses That Will Flourish Over the Long Run Will EmergebySteve Schwartz.Evvy Explains Its New Equal Research Day Initiative.The Joy of Achievement and the Thrill of Creative Effort: The exclusive interview with Evgeniya Kuzmina.

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Human Behavior

What Emojis In Text Messages Actually Mean, According To Experts – Elite Daily

Is a text thread really a text thread without a few smiley face emojis? IMHO, the answer is no and Ive got scientific research on my side. Yes, emojis brighten up a message and make endless lines of text more readable, but they also reveal something about the person who sent them. People who are rated higher in agreeableness use more emojis in general, Lara Jones, associate professor of psychology at Wayne State University, tells Elite Daily. And no, its not just people-pleasing for the sake of avoiding confrontation using emojis in messages can actually help you make your points more effectively.

Jones researches the psychological aspects of emojis, looking at differences in how individuals and groups use them, how theyre positively or negatively perceived, and the interpretation of an emojis intended meaning. She says people process emojis similarly to facial expressions, so starting an interaction with an objectively positive emoji, like a smiley face, primes the receiver of the message for a positive interaction. They want to make sure that the positivity of the message comes through, and depending on the emojis used, they want to show their creativity and playfulness, Jones says of frequent emoji users.

As youre messaging, peppering in related emojis can help you get your point across: A study published by researchers at the University of Ottawa in Volume 119 of Computers in Human Behavior in June 2021 concluded that congruent emojis enhance comprehension of text messages. (Jones was not a part of this study.) This means that using plenty of relevant emojis in your messages helps the receiver better understand what youre trying to say and the person on the other end may even comprehend the message more quickly. This is true for both positive and negative messages: Positive messages with correlating emojis (like smileys and heart eyes) and negative messages with negative emojis (like a sad face) magnify their perceived emotional intensity, according to the authors of the study.

So, if youre happy and you (want other people to) know it, keep those smiley emojis comin. Plus, the study found that messages meant to convey something negative, like criticism or an insult, were seen by the receiver as less intense when a smiley emoji was added.

The authors of the study concluded that the results support the use of emojis, and in particular positive emojis, to improve communication, express feelings, and make a positive impression during socially-driven digital interactions. If your knee-jerk reaction is to simply respond with a smiley emoji when the group chat starts making plans, youre not being lazy, youre actually letting everyone know youre ready to have a good time. When you want to put in your two cents, you can add in some positive emojis to make sure theres no doubt about where you stand on the weekend plans.

In a February 2020 study published in Volume 108 of Computers in Human Behavior by Jones and researchers at Wayne State University, they looked at sex differences in emoji use, familiarity, and valence. Using the gender binary of male and female, the study concluded that women rated the negative emojis as more negative than the men did, and women were more familiar with and used emojis more often. However, there was no difference in valence (positivity/negativity) judgments for the positive emojis between men and women.

To keep the vibes immaculate in your most frequently used emojis, take a cue from the highest-rated positive emoji overall in the study: smiling face with heart-eyes, which was followed by face with tears of joy and face blowing a kiss. Smiling face with smiling eyes was the fifth most positive emoji, just behind smiling face with halo.

Not all emojis are created equal once youre out of smiley territory, so its best to make sure whoever you message is on the same emoji-meaning page. When Jones was tapped by WhatsApp as the messaging app introduced emoji reactions in May 2022, she revealed that the folded hands emoji, for instance, has a range of meanings across cultures. It can mean different things across different regions, different cultures, even just within the [United States], she tells Elite Daily, adding that it can indicate praying, humble gratitude, or showing thanks. It can vary by both the culture and the context.

But dont let ambiguity keep you from sending non-smiley emojis. If youre chatting with, say, your best friend or SO, you can free yourself up to get more creative. Youre more likely to have some emojis that are just meaningful to the two of you, Jones explains of the phenomenon called lexical entrainment. She says lexical entrainment is when you have the meaning developed from the conversation back and forth and just knowing each other from the relationship that exists. Messages you have with people you talk to the most might even have strings of emojis that make no sense to anyone but the two of you.

When youre not sure what to send someone you dont message as often, its best to keep it simple and send that yellow smiley face when in doubt, (positive) emoji it out.

Studies referenced:

Boutet, I., LeBlanc, M., Chamberland, J. A., & Collin, C. A. (2021). Emojis influence emotional communication, social attributions, and information processing. Computers in Human Behavior, 119, 106722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106722

Jones, L. L., Wurm, L. H., Norville, G. A., & Mullins, K. L. (2020). Sex differences in emoji use, familiarity, and Valence. Computers in Human Behavior, 108, 106305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106305

Experts:

Lara Jones, associate professor of psychology at Wayne State University, Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Georgia

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What Emojis In Text Messages Actually Mean, According To Experts - Elite Daily