Filed under: Uncategorized
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Episode 2021:8
It can be argued these 45 words are the most important in this country. The breadth of protections offered by the amendment is in some ways the entire foundation for the democratic structure of the United States. But like any right, there have been challenges; some nefarious, others cultural. The current challenge comes from technology.
The rise of any new technology that expands our capabilities is often met with irrational exuberance. We almost always fall for the utopian visions put forward by the technology’s proponents, forgetting that it will be human beings – good, bad, and indifferent – who will mold the technology going forward. Thus, what evolves is both a blessing and a bane. The Internet is the 21st Century’s ultimate example of this phenomenon (so far).
What impact has the Internet had on the 1st Amendment, primarily free speech? My next guest on Did You Know That? is well versed on this question. Lyrissa Lidsky is the Dean of the University of Missouri School of Law and an authority on the intersection of free speech and the Internet. It’s a timely conversation that may change your thoughts about what you write/read on the World Wide Web.
To learn more about Lyrissa and her extensive work around the 1st Amendment, follow her via the links below:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyrissa-lidsky-192815103/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LidskyLidsky
MizzouLaw on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MizzouLaw
Research on SSRN Author page: https://ssrn.com/author=247860
#1stamendment #freedomofspeech #dataprivacy #didyouknowthat #indulgeyourcuriosity #youtubechannel
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: geometry, hyperbolic geometry, mathematics
“The beauty of mathematics only shows itself to more patient followers.” Maryam Mirzakhani
Episode 2021:7
Addition. Subtraction. Multiplication. Division. Algebra. Euclidian Geometry. Trigonometry. Calculus. For the vast majority of us, our formal study of math ends somewhere along this list. But this list doesn’t get us to space. Doesn’t get us mobile phones/tablets/devices. Doesn’t get us the Internet.
It’s not hyperbole to say mathematics can explain virtually the entire universe. That’s astounding if you really think about it. So does that mean mathematicians see the world differently than the rest of us? That’s one of the many questions I pose to Ara Basmajian, professor of hyperbolic geometry at Hunter College (part of the CUNY system), on this episode (2021:7) of Did You Know That?
If you want to dive into a whole new world and language, visit Ara’s links below:
Teaching: https://sites.google.com/view/basmajian/home/teaching
Research: https://sites.google.com/view/basmajian/home/research
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBSnPsGsH6U
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJWk_oAGlxo
Music: “Make Me Mad – instrumental Version” by Ofrin via Artlist
#mathematics #geometry #hyperbolicgeometry #universallanguage #didyouknowthat #indulgeyourcuriosity #youtubechannel
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Combs & Company, Did You Know That?, Lexi Arnold, Sean O'Rourke
“The strongest people are those who win battles we know nothing about.” Unknown
Episode 2021:6
Host: Sean O’Rourke
Health can be a perplexing topic for all of us. Unless afflicted with a condition at birth or in early childhood, we typically grow up believing we control our minds and bodies. We jump when we want, we say what comes to mind, we sleep when we’re tired, we laugh when amused, we… well, you get the picture.
Lexi Arnold started life with that same belief but was disabused of the notion at a young age. Her struggles started early and caused mounting physical and mental challenges that affected her quality of life. Treating the physical issues was the easy part (and I use the term easy in a very loose sense, as you will find out during our conversation); the mental and emotional weight Lexi carried required more understanding, both for Lexi and her family.
In this episode of Did You Know That?, Lexi and I talk about the “shadow” she describes in the essay below. We discuss how she broached the subject with her parents, why she decided to be so open about her struggles, and what she’s doing to help others. This is one of the more inspiring episodes I’ve done thus far.
Lexi’s essay: https://lexismentalhealthmatters.jimdofree.com/2019/10/08/the-shadow
Learn more about Lexi at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexiarnold/
Instagram: @lexiarnold
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Colleen Blum, Rob Pecha, Tenacious Tuesday, Try & Stop Me Podcast
Check out the latest episode of the Try & Stop Me Podcast with host, Colleen Blum.
Lessons In The Redirection
Rob Pecha dreamed about fighting for his country but after 2 years of training he was told he could no longer continue.
Listen along as he sits down to tell us all about the lessons he was able to take from those day and turn them into motivation still to this day in his life and career.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lessons-in-the-redirection/id1525146944?i=1000508125920
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Colleen Blum, Petia Abdur-Razzaaq, The Stylista Group
Influencing The Brands with Guest Petia Abdur-Razzaaq
Host: Colleen Blum
How many times have we’ve seen big brands just miss the mark?
Petia Abdur-Razzaaq, Founder of the Stylista Group is a top marketing strategist and tackling just that. She has teamed up with powerful females to flip the script on this problem. Listen how she shares her journey which has lead her to co-creating “Mosaic Mommies”.
Mosaic Mommies is a community of multi-ethnic moms and micro-influencers who share information about their favorite everyday products and services.
Their mission is to become the one-stop destination for mom influencers of all cultural backgrounds to connect, learn and nurture their unique needs.
Influencing the brands by branding through influencers.
Check Petia out at:
LinkedIn or at The Stylista Group
Don’t have time to watch and want to listen on your way to work? Click Here to list at Apple Podcasts!
Check out the latest episode of “Did You Know That?” with host Sean O’Rourke
“In 10 years the electronic medical record will be the minor player, in terms of where a person’s health history lives.” Leslie Saxon
For better or worse, your health information is moving or has already moved into a digital format. Best known as electronic medical records (EMR’s), these digital footprints can be accessed by doctors, nurses, dentists, caregivers, employers; basically any entity that requires even a small bit about your medical condition. Like all things digital, there are regulations that look to protect that information from being stolen or misused.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has been around since the mid-1990’s, but in the last six to seven years, it has roared into the consciousness of all who hold EMR’s due to the increased threat to these records by hackers. Understanding the obligations under HIPAA is where my next guest on Did You Know That? comes into play.
Stephanie Rodin is an attorney specializing in the medical/healthcare world, and you can’t play in this sandbox without understanding HIPAA. What makes our conversation well worth your time is her knowledge of how HIPAA is starting to impact even businesses that don’t have anything to do with medicine. It’s a tricky topic.
To learn more about Stephanie and her practice, visit:
Website: http://www.rodinlegal.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanierodin/
Twitter: @Rodinlegal
Music: “Ghost” by Sunny Fruit via Artlist
#hipaa #healthcare #electronicmedicalrecords #didyouknowthat #indulgeyourcuriosity #youtubechannel
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Combs & Company, PPP Loan, Second Round PPP Loan, The Art of Money Matters, Tricia Taitt
Author: Tricia M. Taitt

Congress just passed a new COVID-19 “survival”stimulus package. Changes include the reopening of the $10,000 EIDL grant program and updates to the PPP loan program.
As a reminder, those eligible for the PPP include:
- New borrowers
- Businesses that exhausted their first PPP loans
- with less than 300 employees and;
- that suffered a 25% or more reduction in gross revenue in one quarter in 2020 versus the same quarter in 2019
The second draw PPP loan program works similarly to the first round. Newly added policies include:
- The max loan amount for most businesses at 2.5x the average monthly payroll cost for 2019 or over a trailing 12-month period
- The max loan amount for hospitality and food-service businesses at 3.5 x that average monthly payroll costs for 2019 over the past 12 months
- The list of expenses that qualify for loan forgiveness has expanded to include: operational expenses, supplier costs, PPE and worker protection costs and eligible payroll costs, including group insurance payments
The bottom line:
- Move fast. Get your documents and calculations ready for when lenders make applications available.
- Stay informed. But take some things with a grain of salt. There is a lot of false information out there. Rely on experts and your lender for updates.
- Keep an eye out. As of now expenses paid with PPP loan funds are tax-deductible and the PPP monies are nontaxable income. The IRS may push back against that.
Click here to get some guidance on loan forgiveness for the 1st round borrowers!
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About Tricia & The Art of Money Matters:
The Art of Money Matters is led by its President and Chief Financial Officer, Tricia Taitt, who has a strong track record of managing and improving the financial operations of growth-oriented, small to mid sized companies in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Ms. Taitt is adept at helping senior leaders decode the numbers so that they can better understand their business and make strategic decisions more confidently.
Host: Sean C O’Rourke
Quick personal story – when I was asked to be a mentor for the program we discuss in this episode, my first thought was: “Am I even qualified to be a mentor?” After talking to my mentee for about 15 minutes, I knew this was going to be a great gig. Not due to any superior knowledge on my part, but because the student was just looking for help and I was willing to do so.
Good mentors are guides through unknown landscapes. They don’t always show us the way, but they can teach us how to find our path and navigate it successfully (or with minimal backtracking). But how do you find a good mentor? Well my next guest on Did You Know That? has some ideas.
Dr. Kimberly Chu is the Director of the Executives on Campus (EOC) program at Baruch College (NY, NY). The program is designed to match undergrad and graduate students with mentors, who ideally work or have worked in the profession the student is pursuing. Kimberly and her team have built a pioneering program and we talk about why it should be a model for institutions across the country.
You can learn more about Kimberly and EOC by visiting the links below.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chukimberly/
Website: https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/eoc/
Music: “A Big Adventure” by FASSounds via Artlist
#mentors #mentoring #barchcollege #payitforward #didyouknowthat #indulgeyourcuriosity #youtubechannel
Filed under: Uncategorized
Title: Can Blockchain Change the World?
Copy:
“The blockchain symbolizes a shift in power from the centers to the edges of the networks.” William Mougayar
There are few things as dubious as definitive proclamations. History is littered with such utterances by those known and obscure. Most were just contributors to the Earth’s CO2 levels.
This brings us to blockchain. Blockchain is a burgeoning technology sector that shows a lot of promise to change a wide breadth of industries. But for certain instances, blockchain remains more promise than actual change.
So why all the hype? Well Jeremy Epstein has some answers on episode 2020.14 of Did You Know That? Jeremy and I try to explain blockchain in terms that will resonate with most viewers, and we look at the potential uses of such technology. There is some geek-speak sprinkled throughout, but if you’re looking for insight into a new technology landscape, this is a chat you’ll get into.
And if you want to stay informed, be sure to check out Jeremy’s various social media profiles.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jer979
Instagram: @jer979
Twitter: @jer979
Music: “Runnin’ In Circles – Instrumental” by Ziv Moran via Artlist
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Did You Know That?, Feature Friday, Kat Thomas, Sean C O'Rourke
“I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.” Maya Angelou
Took me a long time to write this video description. Went through numerous drafts talking about the courage of sexual violence survivors, the evil of the perpetrators, and many other aspects of this topic. None of them felt right, so I thought it best to let the video speak for itself.
Kat Thomas is an attorney and advocate for survivors of sexual violence. Her job is to work in the darkest recesses of humanity, and her gift is that you would never know it if you simply talked to her. That takes a special strength, that comes through loud and clear on this episode.
To learn more about Kat and her practice, visit her firm’s website.
Website: https://tlcpc.law/
Music: “Normalize” by Stanley Gurvich via Artlist