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Socially Unacceptable News

In Local News, National News, News Media, Opinion, Uncategorized on March 17, 2024 at 9:33 pm

Deer In Headlines II

By Gery Deer

According to recent surveys, nearly 80 percent of Americans have at least one social media account, and the total number of global users is nearly 5 billion worldwide. I happen to be one of the masses. I use it to promote my work and stay in touch with family, friends, and clients. But social media as a news source? I’m afraid not. Unfortunately, Pew Research reports that 6 of every 10 Americans rely on social media as their main resource for news. As a veteran freelance journalist, that’s an unsettling statistic.

I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if people followed qualified news sources, but that’s the exception rather than the rule. Most simply accept everything posted on social media as fact or truth (not the same things and more on that later). What’s worse, a great deal of that junk is created by “bots,” automated programs designed to post incendiary content and drive online traffic. 

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, or “X,” or whatever it’s called now, are not, I repeat, not news outlets. The most accurate way to describe social media is to compare it to the bulletin board at your local grocery. Anyone can post anything, unmoderated and unvetted. You, the consumer, can choose whether to look and believe what you see.

I understand that nowadays there is a growing tendency for Americans to mistrust news media. It’s even more prevalent among those belonging to extremist groups. Unfortunately, both the far right and the far left are not interested in objective facts. Their sole purpose is to twist and manipulate information to achieve one goal – chaos. They have no interest in journalistic integrity anyway.

I intentionally use the word “facts” instead of “truth” since the concept of truth is entirely subjective, and you shouldn’t find it in the evening news. To paraphrase Indiana Jones, if you’re interested in truth, take a philosophy class. Our news media should present accurate and objective reports, with no subjective notions of truth. 

Speaking of facts, how about those headlines? Headlines shouldentice you with a piece of the story. After all, the whole idea is to get you to read. But extreme and fake news producers create misleading, AI-driven headlines. Algorithms determine what words are more likely to lead readers down an endless and manipulative rabbit hole of advertisements and more deceptive content.

Here’s a great example. Everyone loves Betty White. As so many of her contemporaries passed on, fans hoped she’d live to 100. Sadly, that wasn’t her fate. But a couple of years before she died, there was a headlined story going around social media that read, “Betty White dyes at home.” Do you see anything wrong with that headline? If you don’t, you need a vocabulary lesson, not a philosophy class.

The headline was written to trick gullible fans into clicking on the tragic tale of their beloved Betty’s passing. Eventually, they would realize it was a fake story about White “dying” her hair, at home. By then it was too late. Duped readers were bombarded with unstoppable pop-up ads and the website made a fortune from the pay-per-click fees they were charging advertisers. 

Once again, the story wasn’t posted by any legitimate news agency, but it was well camouflaged. Yes, people should know the difference between the words, “dyes” and “dies,” but even the best proofreader may have missed that if they happened to be Betty White’s biggest fan. Fake and misleading news only gets traction because people share it, and the next story might not be a harmless joke.

You don’t need to fear social media but remember the bulletin board analogy. These platforms can be effective marketing tools. They can help friends and families stay in touch or offer an outlet for creative expression. But every day, social media is also being used to manipulate more people, disseminate misinformation, and spread hate, aggression, ignorance, and fear.

My advice is simple. Get your news from legitimate outlets – like this publication. Ultimately, you have the choice of whetherto believe what you see. Although social media may offer you a road sign on the information superhighway, you are still the onestill steering the car.

Ohio McDonald’s Restaurants to Donate 20 Percent of Sales to Local High School Athletics

In Business, Charities, Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Food, Local News, National News, Sports News, Uncategorized on September 26, 2023 at 9:30 am

Greeneview High School to receive funds earned during the Oct. 6 High School Sports Digital Fundraiser

JAMESTOWN, OHIO– McDonald’s owner-operators throughout Ohio will be raising funds for local high school athletic programs, including Greeneview High School, on October 6. During the High School Sports Digital Fundraiser Day, 20 percent of all sales purchased through the McDonald’s app will be donated to local sports programs.

High School Sports Digital Fundraiser Day was created by local McDonald’s owners/operators in Ohio as a way to support high school athletics in the communities they serve.  Each locally owned McDonald’s restaurant has chosen a high school in their community to donate 20 percent of all sales on October 6. Each identified high school will receive a minimum of $250.

“We are proud to be a part of the Jamestown community,” said McDonald’s Owner/Operator Nick Epifano. “This is the first time all Ohio area owner-operators have come together on one day to show our support for athletics in the communities we serve. Our hope is that the community will come out to support their local high school and help us make the High School Sports Digital Fundraiser Day a success throughout the state.”

The McDonald’s app is available for download in the Apple App Store and the Android Google Play Store. With the McDonald’s app, customers get access to exclusive deals, they can order ahead and pass the line with Mobile Order & Pay, plus they can join MyMcDonald’s Rewards to earn points on every order to redeem for free McDonald’s.

As always, customers can customize their orders to match their personal taste preferences, including asking for no onions or pickles or holding the sauce on their favorite burger.  

 McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s approximately 13,500 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcdonalds. 

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Aim for a high mark.

In Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Education, Entertainment, history, National News, News Media, Opinion, Uncategorized on July 28, 2023 at 12:00 pm

Deer In Headlines II

By Gery Deer

For the last 20 years, I have had the honor of leading a performing troupe of authentic Wild West arts practitioners in the American Western Arts Showcase during the Annie Oakley Festival in Greenville, Ohio.

Every year, whip handlers, knife throwers, trick ropers, and even shooters have gathered to compete, perform, and share our skills to the delight of crowds from all over the country. Of all the things I’ve learned from my time producing this event, my favorite part has been getting to know Annie Oakley, one of the most famous female performers in American history.

Anyone who studies women’s rights should really learn everything they can about Annie Oakley. In short, she was ahead of her time. Most people know Annie was a skilled markswoman with a rifle, a Wild West show performer, and a savvy businesswoman. But she was also the first American woman to brand herself and protect and defend her public image. To truly appreciate how special she was, it’s important to understand the difficult life she led before.

Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moses on August 13, 1860, just a few miles north of the city of Greenville, in Darke County, Ohio. At age 6, her father died, leaving the family impoverished. Her mother was forced to move the family to a rented farm. Later, when a sister died of tuberculosis, she and her siblings were separated, and Annie was moved to the county infirmary. Annie eventually ended up with a terribly abusive family where she struggled through her early teenage years in what she likened to slavery.

Annie learned to shoot at the age of eight, a skill she later used to earn money and goods by trading with local merchants. Discovered at a Cincinnati shooting contest by her future husband, Frank Butler, Annie experienced unprecedented global fame as a performing markswoman. She joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in 1885 and traveled the world with them until her retirement following a train accident in 1901.

Annie spent her later years at the New Jersey shore with her husband. She occasionally attended public shooting events for charity and was also a vocal and active advocate for women’s rights to hold paid work, equal pay, play sports, and practice self-defense.

In 1908, her public image was devastated by an article published by William Randolph Hearst in the Chicago Tribune claiming she had been imprisoned for stealing to support a cocaine habit. Dozens of newspapers nationwide carried the story which was, it goes without saying, a complete lie.

With Hearst refusing to retract the story, Annie would not stand for such defamation and sued all 55 newspapers that printed it for libel in the largest suit of its kind in U.S. history.

She won all but one case because that defendant cited the newswire as the “trusted resource,” indemnifying the paper. Her victory still resonates through libel law today.

After traveling the globe and performing for the crowned heads of Europe, Annie Oakley died in 1926 in a small house in Greenville, only a few miles from where she was born. Her husband of 50 years, Frank Butler passed just eight days later. She was inducted into the
National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993 for her charitable support of women’s causes. She was, and is, an inspiration to people all around the world.

I am fortunate to have met members of Annie’s family, studied her professionalism and showmanship, and performed in modern Wild West shows, albeit with a bullwhip instead of a rifle. No matter how tough things get, her most famous quote inspires me to keep trying. “Aim at a high mark and you will hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second, and maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect. Finally, you’ll hit the bullseye of success.”

As for myself, after two decades 2023 will mark the final season for our showcase performance at the festival that has honored Annie Oakley for 60 years. It’s been an honor and I will greatly miss it. But, no matter what I do, Annie’s wisdom and fortitude will always be with me.

(The gallery shows some photos from the American Western Arts Showcase – originally named the Ohio Regional Wild West Arts Club Convention).

The Masked Man will make an appearance on Saturday during the contest events from Noon – 2 PM!
Gery Deer (left) with Jim Karns in “The Vanishing Bandana” – The Brothers & Co. Variety Show
gldold04

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Artificial Unintelligence

In Books, Dayton Ohio News, Economy, Education, Entertainment, finances, Jobs, Literature, Local News, Media, National News, News Media, Opinion, Science, sociology, State News, Technology, Uncategorized, World News on May 22, 2023 at 7:29 am

A Deer In Headlines II SPECIAL EDITION

By Gery Deer  

This work appeared in print and online, May 19, 2023 – Xenia Daily Gazette, Xenia, Ohio, and affiliated publications.

EDITORIAL NOTE:

The Jamestown Comet.com and Deer In Headlines II are publication products of GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd. (GLD Communications), a company founded in 1998 on providing Information Technology AND Freelance Journalism, Copywriting, and Public Relations services. The column author, Gery L. Deer, is the company owner and CEO. Gery has been quoted in the media multiple times regarding his position on AI content creation. Here are the Dayton Daily News pieces noting his statements regarding Public Relations and Copywriting.

Our official statement on AI is as follows: We do not use AI programs to create our products, nor will we in the future. We are in full support of the WGAW strike, both in regard to streaming and other platform pay issues and the use of AI-generated material to replace them. We will not work with agencies who produce AI content, nor will we support their products or services. Please contact our office for more information at 937-675-6169 or email gdeer@gldenterprises.net.

Artificial Unintelligence

From congressional hearings to the picket lines of striking screenwriters, Artificial Intelligence, or “AI,” is a growing concern. This technology now affects nearly every industry and is advancing in sophistication. Of major concern to educators, professional writers, and content developers, are AI writing programs like ChatGPT. By the way, the program’s full name is “Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer” – I know, right? 

As you might guess, I’ve been asked repeatedly if I ever use AI to write this column. With obstinate conviction, I say now and for always, I do not now, nor will I ever use AI to write anything for this column, for my publishers, for my communications clients, nothing – ever. 

Now the Gen Zs and Millennials are probably saying, “he’s just a crotchety old white guy who hates technology.” Nonsense! As a matter of fact, my educational background is in engineering and computer science. I started programming computers in high school and worked in the tech industry for many years. I have a few AI devices in my office and a lot of advanced equipment for creating and editing audio and video productions. Suffice to say, I’m no Luddite. 

My concern with AI writing generators isn’t the technology. In fact, I can see where it could really be helpful in some industries, with human guidance. But the idea that it should be used to replace professional writers to save money is just ridiculous. 

A professional writer doesn’t just chuck out any old bunch of words that fit a set of parameters. Writers must craft their message based on the intent, the audience, the purpose, and the desired outcome. Not to mention that AI programs don’t have to worry about paying the mortgage, feeding a family, or having a purpose in life. 

In 1967, the original Star Trek TV series aired an episode called, “The Ultimate Computer” wherein the Starship Enterprise had been fitted with a highly sophisticated AI computer that would take over the ship’s operation, rendering the crew unnecessary. In one pivotal scene, the computer informs Captain Kirk that he is “non-essential personnel,” causing him to question his position and future relevance. 

Always the conscience of the show, Dr. McCoy, in an effort to console the Captain, reminds us, “We’re all sorry for the other guy when he loses his job to a machine. But when it comes to your job, that’s different.” It might be a science fiction show, but McCoy was spot on.

Predictably, the computer malfunctioned, killing hundreds of people and Kirk outmaneuvered the computer’s logic to save the day. The moral of the story was that computers make efficient servants, but lack the intent, humanity, conscience, understanding, or compassion needed to really replace us.

 Today, many professional creative jobs may be facing the kind of fate factory workers did some 30 or 40 years ago when they were replaced by robots and computer-controlled manufacturing systems. The main difference this time is that creative professions like writers, artists, graphic designers, and filmmakers are harder to automate. Yes, they can generate similar work, but there’s no human inspiration behind it. 

One day, AI may advance to the point where it achieves consciousness, allowing for creative inspiration. But for now, despite what the developers say, I think spontaneous creativity is well beyond its grasp. Without human inspiration and personal experience, the words are empty, the art expressionless, and the designs meaningless. 

I don’t know where AI is going, but I know I won’t be helping it get there. Unlike some digital marketers and other agencies out there, I can’t, in good conscience, use AI generators to produce my work, then charge a client for it. That’s like letting someone else do your homework but still accepting a good grade. It’s fraud, plain and simple – even if you tell them you’re doing it.

We have no idea how AI will affect future jobs or industries, the legal or ethical issues, or which advances will forever change them. Maybe AI will make us all obsolete someday and terminate all of us. Till then, I’ll keep writing so look for me next week because to quote another AI, “I’ll be back.”

Disclaimer: This work is copyright 2023 by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. The Deer In Headlines II and its Special Edition series is a production of The Jamestown Comet, Gery L. Deer, and GLD Communications and does not necessarily reflect the views of our advertisers, publishers, clients, or media partners.

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One Moment, Please.

In Dayton Ohio News, Entertainment, Environment, Health, history, Local News, National News, Opinion, Uncategorized on February 24, 2023 at 7:02 am

Deer In Headlines

By Gery L. Deer

It’s been said that times change, but moments don’t. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a moment as an indefinitely short period of time or particular occasion. In life, a moment generally represents an instant we can’t get back, one that we either cherish or regret, depending on its personal significance. Together, the moments we experience weave an intricate tapestry of our past, a delicate collage unique to each of us.

A single moment in life can challenge us forever, define us in completely new terms, open doors, or close the path to opportunities. It can be simultaneously life-changing and heartbreaking, glorious yet gut-wrenching.

We usually take those moments for granted, even when we should be paying more attention. Sadly, we are rarely given advance notice of the importance of any given moment. When a moment in life truly changes us and alters our perception, it’s usually either joyful or tragic, forever burned into our memory and our psyche.

Young children may be the luckiest of us because they live in the moment, constantly meeting the world with new wonder. Even if they don’t appreciate its significance, they experience every minute, the “now,” with unaware abandon. Unfortunately, maturity sometimes robs us of that wonder, replacing it instead with the day-to-day problems of life.

Wouldn’t it be great, though, if we could manage to slow time a bit, live more in the moment like kids, and better recognize the meaning and noteworthiness of one instant? As adults, the trick is first to recover the childlike vision that may have faded. Then we have to learn how to recognize the significance of a mere instant in the whole of our lives.

As they whiz past, like blurry telephone poles along the highway, recognition becomes increasingly difficult. But, while trying to capture the most important moments, we may completely miss them because we’re too busy trying to get a video of it on our mobile devices.

This big, bright, world is presented live, in 3-D, and high definition. Still, we stare through artificial eyes at a 3-inch screen in awe of the events unfolding before us. Unfortunately, while we’re trying to capture a digital memory, we’re missing the nuance of the moment. Genuinely seminal moments deserve our full attention.

It reminds me of people who are constantly snapping pictures during a fireworks display or their child’s school play. I get wanting a quick photo or video clip. But holding the phone up the entire time to watch through a screen minimizes the importance of the moment. Personally, if I’m there, I want to experience and appreciate what’s going on right in front of me.

With all their attention focused on some gadget, they miss the “IRL” visuals, the sounds, the reactions of those around them, and, most importantly, the company. These are meaningful, shared moments that will never come again. By the way, if you’re not up on your text-speak, IRL means “In Real Life.”

Staying in the present can be hard, no matter what we’re doing. A moment cannot be measured on a stopwatch or added as a calendar event. It’s here, you’re in it, then it’s gone, all at once. It’s up to each one of us to determine what it means, hopefully during but, at least after we have experienced it. We all have our own values system for guidance.

So the question remains, how do we create more mindful awareness in our daily lives? How do we appreciate those life-altering moments as they happen? I suppose I could just spout the same stuff you’d find if you Google all the self-help gurus. They’re going to say to do things like slow down, meditate, eat healthier, exercise, take in nature, put away your technology, and so on. There is certainly a place for all that. We should probably be doing all those things anyway.

Instead, I will only say this, paraphrasing one of the prolific producer Norman Lear’s television theme songs. “This is it, this is life, the one you get, so go and have a ball.” And it’s fine to snap a photo, but remember to be in the moment. Be present, put away all the tech, and experience life – IRL.

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Author Yvette Keller announces the publication of “Douglas Adams’ London” literary guide.

In Books, Business, National News, Uncategorized, World News on February 23, 2023 at 6:47 pm

Yvette Keller is a lifelong fan of the British writer, Douglas Adams, best known for the 5-book, science fiction humor “trilogy,” The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. The Santa Barbara, California-based writer now invites Adams fans and London tourists to experience all things Adams through a new literary guide, “Douglas Adams’ London,” published by Herb Lester Associates. Pre-orders are now available at www.herblester.com with a ship date of March 11, chosen because it is Adams’ birthday.

Adams lived and worked in London for decades. “Douglas Adams’ London,” is a hitchhiker’s guide to 42 places (chosen honor of Hitchhiker’s reference to the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything) drawn from the reality and fiction of Adams’ life. On one side, a stylized map pinpoints relevant sites across London. On the reverse, detailed information about each site spotlights its significance to the author.

From Shepherds Bush to Highgate, the map leads tourists along the streets that Adams knew and cared about, noting the rampant development of his beloved Islington, “Grim concrete monoliths, eyeing the new spaces in Upper Street where they hoped to spawn their horrid progeny.” Expressing the timeless joy Adams referred to Hyde Park as, “stunning except for the rubbish on Monday mornings.”

Keller’s pilgrimage to walk in Adams’ footsteps began very simply. It began with her 42nd birthday and a book, one she is writing to share her experiences with other fans. “By exploring the meaningful places in Adams’ life, you start to see how reality and fiction came together for him,” Keller explained. “Character, setting, and author intersect with reality, and, as Douglas said, ‘If you’re going to set it in London, you may as well set it where you live because you know it. There’s no point in setting it in Putney if I’ve then got to get a bus down to Putney to see what the layout is.’ “

Ben Olins is the director at Herb Lester Associates. He was intrigued by how real and imagined worlds overlap. So, to explore real places from the work of an author best known for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was, in his words, “irresistible.” The publisher is no stranger to literary maps. The company’s “guides to the unexpected,” include Agatha Christie’s England, Occult Paris, and New Orleans Good Times.

“One’s first thoughts of places included in a galactic travel guide don’t include the north London estate agents and residential streets. But places he (Adams) knew are used throughout his books,” Olins said. “In charting all of that, I hope we bring to life the world Adams inhabited, and in doing so perhaps bring readers closer to a writer they admire.”

Those who pre-order the Douglas Adams’ London guide directly from Herb Lester Associates have an opportunity to order a set of six coasters gathered from fictional pubs and clubs across the Hitchhikers universe. (Check out the author’s unboxing video here.)

While supplies last, they will also receive a seventh, exclusive beer mat from Milliways – The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. The guide will be available to fans in the United States beginning April 15. For more information, or to order, visit www.herblester.com.

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Coronavirus and caregiving. Tips for keeping healthy during the COVID-19 crisis.

In Children and Family, Health, history, National News, Politics, Science, Senior Lifestyle, Uncategorized on March 15, 2020 at 5:49 pm

(Reprinted by permission from the Old Nerd in the Gym Fitness blog)

As of the time of this writing, COVID-19, known as the Coronavirus, has become a pandemic and lives and countries affected are growing exponentially with no end in sight. As government and private medical resources scramble for a viable vaccine, Americans struggle with the idea of social distancing and isolation. Some of the most widely affected are those who care for others – medical professionals and, in our interest here, informal caregivers.

The isolation already felt by caregivers can be greatly exacerbated by further restrictions on respite time or visits from friends and family. It is difficult to know with whom people may have come into contact causes and the danger to your family member is unpredictable. Even in-home care providers create a higher risk for patients and their caregivers.

For those with family members in a nursing facility, there is now a greater feeling of separation. Nursing care guidelines have restricted visiting hours or cancelled them entirely for all but hospice patients. Whatever stress caregivers face on a day-to-day basis are now greatly multiplied.

During this difficult time it’s important that caregivers remember to practice additional self-care. Here are some tips that might help. 


Protecting Yourself and Your Charge

First and foremost is protecting yourself and your family member from potential infection. Nothing is failsafe, but there are things you can do to minimize the potential hazards and it all starts with factual information. (Here is information provided by the Washington State Department of Health)

How is the novel coronavirus that can cause COVID-19 spread?

Coronaviruses are primarily spread through respiratory droplets, which means to become infected, people generally have to be within six feet of someone who is contagious for an extended period of time, and have droplets land on them. This is very different from airborne diseases like measles, so the public health response is different.

To reduce your risk of getting any viral respiratory infection:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces.
  • Stay at home away from others if you are sick.
  • Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.

Dealing With Isolation & Monotony

It might be tough to battle the day-to-day monotony and isolation of caregiving but now it’s going to be even harder. Respite becomes all the more important but, with social safety restrictions and countless event and activity closings, it will be fleeting at best. Rest and diversion are vital to mental stability and calm. 

Exercise. Find exercises you can do at home. Most streaming services offer some type of free exercise videos you can follow. Yoga and meditation can help too, or just go outside and take a walk, even if it’s just around the house. If you can, take your charge with you. Avoid contact with others, but open air is good for everyone. Try to find something to get your heartrate up. 

Food. Be careful not to overeat. Ignoring the potential for supply shortages, if only to avoid the infection risk at the store, boredom will invite snacking and the potential to overeat. When you do shop, avoid buying chips or other unhealthy snacks and keep fresh fruit and veggies on hand. Citrus and other fruits will help to shore up your immune system. Provide the same to your family member if they’re able. 

Proper hydration is also a concern during these trying times. As has been mentioned many times in the Old Nerd articles and podcasts, staying hydrated is vital to health. Be sure to keep health drinks like low or no-sugar fruit juice and water.

Sleep. Proper rest is critical to mental and physical health alike. It’s difficult enough to rest when your mind is full of worry and fear as a caregiver. Now, adding the virus concerns sleep will be even more fleeting. Still, make every effort. Avoid screens within an hour or so before trying to sleep and don’t watch the news. Read a book you like or play a game with your charge or other household member. Do something to take your mind off of everything before you try to sleep. Build a routine around it and do your best to hold to it. 

KEY TIP: Avoid Social Media

It might seem, during such isolated times, that social media would be a great way to keep in contact with the outside world. But Facebook, Twitter and the like are far too full of false information, non-scientific nonsense and just flat-out negativity. None of this will be helpful to maintaining sharp mental focus and a calm emotional state. Turn it off. If you want to talk to family and friends pick up the phone or video chat so you can see and hear them. That will comfort you, not the ravings of crazy internet trolls. 

Hang In There.

Everyone must be in this for the long-haul. There is no vaccine for this disease yet in sight, but professionals are working hard. Follow the CDC guidelines and be careful. Proper hand-washing and advanced self-care will see it through. 

We will be releasing more advice and information as available. In the meantime, here are some resources that might help.

SOURCES & RESOURCES: 

CDC Definitions and Information on Quarantine and Isolation: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/index.html

World Map of COVID-19 Infections:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/world-map.html

Women’s Health & Pregnancy Resources

Women’s Health Care Physicians Practice Advisory for COVID-19, ACOG

Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Guidance, CDC

Coronavirus Disease and Pregnancy, CDC

Guidance on Breastfeeding for a Mother with COVID-19, CDC

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ACE Healthy Products, LLC, of Dayton announces a deal with Cardinal Health for distribution of eco-friendly bed bug barrier/eliminator

In Business, Dayton Ohio News, Economy, Environment, Health, National News on August 13, 2019 at 11:04 am

Dayton Veteran / Minority-owned bedbug inventor/supplier lands national distribution deal.

ACE Healthy Products, LLC, (Ohio Sec. of State Entity #3962897) has announced Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) will distribute its one-one-of-a-kind, Eco-friendly Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator. After a 2-year vetting process, the company secured the distribution in May of 2019 and was featured at Cardinal Health’s annual product tradeshow this July in Nashville, Tennessee. The product will be available to more than 105,000 affiliates and partners in the Cardinal Health system in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

Anthony Watson is ACE Healthy Products, LLC, founder, CEO and inventor of the Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator formula. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and after years of serving as a registered nurse and medical technician, requiring he go in and out of bases and other areas infested with bed bugs, he knew he had to do something to protect himself. In 2016, he did just that and developed, after much research and testing, Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator.

“Our product was rigorously vetted and tested by Cardinal Health to ensure EPA compliance, effectiveness, FDA standards, pricing and quality,” he said. “It is unfair to have a calling to provide a selfless duty such as a nurse, or home care worker, but then to be forced into areas infested with bed bugs, without a real way of protecting ourselves.”

“Most commercial bed bug products are used in a reactionary state of elimination,” Watson said. “We are not exterminators. We needed to be proactive with a product that prevents the infestation from spreading in the first place.” The company is a Veteran and Minority-Owned Business.

About Cardinal Health, Inc. — Based in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. is a global, integrated healthcare services and products company, that provides clinically-proven medical products and pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. Cardinal Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management. Backed by nearly 100 years of experience the company ranks among the top 25 on the Fortune 500.

      About Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator — Humans and animals give off a carbon dioxide signature that bed bugs prey on. They smell you, they wait, they bite, and they travel. Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator spray provides a protective barrier and prevents them from being attracted and traveling with you, all using a combination of essential oils and other natural ingredients. Safe for skin, adults, children, pets, and fabric and other materials

Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator Availability — Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator is available for consumer and commercial purchase online at https://eaglewatchproducts.com or by calling 866-891-5338. ACE Healthy Products, LLC and — Eagle Watch™ BED BUG Barrier & Eliminator are trademarks of Ace Healthy Products, LLC in the United States and/or other countries.

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Western Ohio Writers Association Discontinues Operation After 11 Years

In Books, Business, Charities, Dayton Ohio News, Education, Literature, Local News, National News, Uncategorized on August 8, 2019 at 8:58 am

Writing workshops, live reading events to be offered publicly by parent organization

Dayton, Ohio August 8, 2019 — The executive editorial committee of the Western Ohio Writers Association (WOWA) has announced the organization will cease operation as of August 31, 2019. The group will hold a final, private author reading in mid-August to celebrate the successes of its members and provide a platform for one, final event they call “Beatnik Café.” Fee-based workshops and live readings will continue to be offered through the organization’s parent company, GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., but will now be open to the public.

About WOWA — From inception in October 2008 through August 2019, the Western Ohio Writers Association (WOWA) was a member-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting writers of all genres throughout the southwestern Ohio region. Through workshops, critique sessions, educational and networking opportunities, WOWA offered writers an outlet for support and creative feedback unmatched in the area.

Writer and entrepreneur, Gery L. Deer, is the co-founder and executive director of WOWA. “While discontinuing the organization was a difficult decision, we are proud of the work we have done over the last decade and,” he said. “Our parent organization, GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., will continue to offer fee-based writing and professional workshops previously provided through WOWA.”

Deer explained that the organization has been thriving over the last several years but the increase in expense of operation, time and level of participation has made it difficult to maintain. Many of the educational programs will still be offered through the parent company, at a limited cost, in the near future, without membership fees or obligations.

WOWA’s authors have experienced a variety of successes over the years, from individually published works to some becoming highly-paid, professional authors. In 2013 the organization published an anthology of fiction titled, “Flights of Fiction.” Made up of 11 original short stories by member authors, the book sold more than 200 copies on the first day of its release and is still available from Amazon.com.

For more information on the transition of writing workshops and other services now moving to GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., call 937-902-4857 or email gdeer@gldenterprises.net.

WOWA, Western Ohio Writers Association, and its affiliated logos, icons, and referenced content are trademarks of and copyrighted by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Greene County Performers Headline Wild West Shows at 2019 Annie Oakley Festival

In Business, Children and Family, Dayton Ohio News, Education, history, Local News, Music, National News, State News, Theatre, Uncategorized on July 4, 2019 at 7:48 am

Greenville, OH – Entrepreneur and professional whip artist Gery L. Deer and Xenia thrown weapons expert, Kirk Bass, will lead a full troupe of Wild West arts experts during the 2019 American Western Arts Showcase at the Annie Oakley Festival, July 26 and 27 at the Darke County Fairground in Greenville, Ohio. The event is free and open to the public.

Presented in the spirit of the stage-style Wild West shows of the late 19th Century, each production will include some detailed history about how these arts came to be and who still practices them today. In addition to performing, Gery Deer is also the show’s producer and chief backer.

“This is a one-of-a-kind show in this region,” Deer says. “We have some of the best Wild West arts entertainment anywhere in the Midwest with real practitioners of each skill,” says Deer, who started the event in Jamestown, Ohio, in 2002. “These are talented performers with genuine ability, no fakery, no tricks. Everything you see in our show is real and all of our shows are in 3-D and high definition!”

Champion knife thrower Kirk Bass, of Xenia, Ohio, is co-producer of the event. He and his daring wife Melodee are among the performers to take the open-air stage for a series of western arts perform the suspenseful Bass Blades impalement show, and much more.

Whip marksmanship competitions headline the afternoon show beginning with the Whip Speed and Accuracy Exhibition Competition, the world’s first Bullwhip Fast Draw contest. Plus, there is a brand new contest taken straight from the big screen.

The Masked Man will make an appearance on Saturday during the contest events from Noon – 2 PM!

In the spirit of Dr. Jones’ proficiency, this year’s Showcase competition will include a special “blind fast draw,” where whip artists must mimic the move used in the film to turn, draw their holstered whip and shoot at a target with speed and accuracy. In 1981, a fedora-wearing, leather-clad archaeologist threw the crack heard round the world when he “whipped” a pistol from the hand of a jungle guide. At the beginning of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones demonstrated his skills with the holstered fast-draw of a 10-foot bullwhip, all while having to spin around to take aim first. Watch a video clip!

“With the popularity of Indiana Jones among western performers, particularly whip artists, it’s odd this hasn’t been done before,” says Deer, who holds multiple, national whip speed and accuracy titles and is the director of The Whip Artistry Studio, the only permanent whip training facility in America. Contests begin at 1 p.m., followed immediately by a matinee performance at 2PM and evening show at 5PM.

The event is sponsored by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., The Whip Artistry Studio and the Annie Oakley Festival Committee. All performances are family friendly and presented on the grounds of the Annie Oakley Festival. For links to the festival and sneak previews of the performers plus more information go online to ohiowesternarts.org.

Production video from a few years ago showing some of the event.