Hasta La Gadget!

Back away from the shrimp cocktail. We repeat, back away from the shrimp cocktail. That is, if it was made with frozen shrimp.

Why? Consumer Reports just published a comprehensive study of the safety of frozen shrimp that uncovered some appalling results. It turns out that all those people who call shrimp “the cockroaches of the sea” are kinda right.

The magazine’s investigators bought 342 packages of frozen shrimp, some raw and some cooked, from several major supermarket chains. They tested the shellfish for pathogens and antibiotics, and found that 60 percent contained one of four types of bacteria that can be cause disease in humans — including 16 percent of the cooked, ready-to-eat samples. These bacteria included vibrio, a potentially lethal bacteria closely associated with raw oysters that is becoming more common as the temperature of the world’s oceans rises.

More worrisome still, Consumer Reports found traces of antibiotics in 11 of the samples, all of them imported from Asia. The FDA forbids the use of antibiotics in shrimp aquaculture because they contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But some producers, especially abroad, use them to ward off disease and increase their output — and 94 percent of the shrimp sold in America is imported from other countries.

If you’re a shrimp fan discouraged by these results, Consumer Reports does have a suggestion: buy sustainably fished wild shrimp. Like any other wild seafood, it may contain pathogens, but it’s very unlikely to contain antibiotics.

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Photo courtesy of Rushion McDonald

Achieving success can be a lonely journey, driven by many personal sacrifices, and an unrelenting quest toward the pursuit of a dream. For entrepreneurs, this can mean working extremely long hours, managing conflicting priorities, struggling to meet others’ time management demands, and much more. These unyielding pursuits to achieve success can lead those within an entrepreneur’s support system to feel less important, left out, or unwanted. Therefore, an entrepreneur’s support system should remember this mindset, “Just because I’m not doing something you want me to do … doesn’t mean that I’m being selfish…”, according to Rushion McDonald.

McDonald is an entertainment powerhouse, a Hollywood writing veteran, a philanthropist, a man who clearly cares about others, and the architect behind the Steve Harvey global media brand. These descriptors are amazing, but his ability to drive this multi-million dollar empire, a brand that’s immediately recognizable, and also commit to giving-back to develop individuals and communities is an achievement that others should emulate.

Prior to working on television and movie productions, McDonald had a successful full-time career at IBM. However, he believed that a corporate job would limit his possibilities and control over his future. These beliefs consumed him as he worked part-time to refine his ability to make others laugh in comedy clubs. Then, after being named by Showtime as one of the fifty funniest people in America (Texas) for three consecutive years, this recognition strengthened his desires and emboldened his decision to leave IBM to pursue success in the entertainment industry.

In 1993, Harvey provided McDonald with his first writing break on the television series “Me and the Boys”, which began their 20+ year Hollywood working relationship. Then, in 2000, these men partnered to launch “The Steve Harvey Morning Show”, which is a radio program that started in the Los Angeles market. It would take this team approximately five years after Harvey’s radio show’s debut before it would become nationally syndicated in 2005.

Someone who is recognized for their comedic talent might be selfish about their craft and sometimes cocky about their ability. However, this wasn’t the case for McDonald — who decided to forego his personal pursuits to focus on the development of the Steve Harvey brand. For him, this decision was easy because he understood Harvey’s connection to his work.

McDonald fondly recounted,

“I saw Steve Harvey on stage … and he did some things on stage that I could never do… I said, ‘Wow, this guy’s passion on stage was far greater than mine. He truly understood his passion and at the time I was still trying to figure out who Rushion was in 1992.’ When I was given an opportunity as a writer and a producer, then I discovered my passion … to produce and create. Once I realized that – being able to stay in my lane – then building Steve’s brand become very easy to do”.

By not allowing his ego to cloud a greater vision, there was a realization that he could do more for himself (and Harvey) by being the strategic architect behind the scenes instead of going after his individual comedic pursuits. This unwavering self-confidence and greater aspirations demonstrates the strength and forethought of this entertainment industry veteran.

This powerful team was already very successful, but their next strategic project would drastically change both of their futures. In 2009, Harvey released his New York Times best seller “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man”. This book would be pivotal to even greater acclaim, the making of a movie based on the book (2012), the launch of the “Steve Harvey” television show (2012), and much more with many of these strategic operational maneuvers spearheaded by McDonald.

One of the questions that individuals ask him is, “Do I need an agent or a manager”? According to McDonald, this isn’t required. He said that individuals need to have talent, be organized, know their brand, be consistent, and have something that consumers want to buy. He also stressed that individuals must have reasonable expectations; success doesn’t normally happen overnight. Moreover, he emphasized that it’s critical to build relationships and a dynamic network. Anyone who pursues their dream(s) must be ready for negative feedback, because individuals can be judgmental.

McDonald offered these additional comments about managing one’s brand:

• Your brand should be treated like a business;

• It should be promoted daily;

• Market yourself in a way that it’s clear that you understand yourself and your capabilities.

The journey toward success can be very lonely and it also can have lots of doubters, per McDonald. Furthermore, he said, “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something; you can’t allow that to happen; you have to give 100%; be willing to change if the opportunity presents itself; wake-up afraid every day; have a willingness to … accept new information”.

Some might think that someone with his accomplishments might not be accessible; however, this isn’t the case. McDonald is committed to helping others and also giving free advice. Every Monday from 12 – 1 p.m. EST, he answers questions on his Facebook fan page. The goal of these sessions are to engage and drive real solutions. These weekly town halls are an incredible opportunity for individuals to engage with a successful entrepreneur. For those who aren’t able to attend his sessions, McDonald offers this advice: be patient, be consistent, have a long-term perspective, have a plan, and be willing to make adjustments.

Another community initiative associated with McDonald is the “Ford Neighborhood Awards; affectionately known as the “Hoodie Awards”. These awards were created to celebrate the many individuals who engage in countless activities and priceless work to uplift their communities. A lot of the work that’s done within these communities are self-funded by individuals who really care about making others’ lives better. These awards recognize community-based programs and leaders who provide gateways for those who want to be enriched, informed, and uplifted (spiritually and personally).

Sage advice offered by McDonald for building a successful business:

• Be realistic about the things you want to do in life; ask yourself, “How much do you want to commit to it?”;

• Sometimes you don’t want to continue to push forward, but there’s no rest for the weary;

• Don’t let frustration stop you from being successful;

• The value you give to frustration will impact the amount of success you’ll achieve;

• If you want to be successful, you have to be selfish. “The average person … doesn’t look inside their soul … doesn’t go deep enough inside themselves to ask: am I morally happy; am I doing things that make me feel good every day”?

McDonald is an oracle of very thoughtful commentary and suggestions. He wants individuals to know from his experiences that “I don’t think anybody were doubters. I think the average person just doesn’t conceptualize it as possibilities; doubters don’t understand; they can’t conceptualize”. However, he quickly added, “Haters are people who no matter how much success you get they (always) have something bad to say about you”. One of the most salient points McDonald offered was, “Stop devaluing your contribution to life and start helping other people. Then, you’ll get a better understanding of your value”.

Who is Rushion McDonald? According to him,

“A very talented individual who exploits all of his talents that God has given him. … I don’t fear change. I welcome opportunity and when opportunity presents itself, I try to take advantage of that. … My philosophy is that every day that you wake-up … You need to prepare for that opportunity or that challenge that is presented to you and not be discouraged by it”.

He also added, “Individuals maintain routines. For him, everything is a challenge and a new day”. Undoubtedly, McDonald isn’t afraid of change and continues to drive things his way every day.

This post originally appeared on S. L. Young’s blog on his website at: www.slyoung.com

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Regarding the wellbeing of kids with divorced parents, the debate over what kind of custody arrangement is best rages on. But a new study, published Monday in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, suggests that children fare better when they spend time living with both of their parents.

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WASHINGTON — If the Supreme Court rules in favor of marriage equality in June, many advocates believe it will be in large part because the court of public opinion has already decided that it’s time. Support for same-sex marriage is at a record high and continues to grow as social conservatives fight to push back the tide.

That dynamic was on full view Tuesday morning outside the Supreme Court, with a large pro-marriage equality crowd and a smaller anti-equality faction confronting each other face to face, sometimes passionately. People began gathering before 8 a.m. and stayed well into the afternoon, taking advantage of the exceptionally pleasant spring day.

Hundreds of people from across the country gathered as the nine justices heard oral arguments in Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that is widely expected to determine whether there is a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates waved rainbow flags, held signs showing loving same-sex families and talked about what an affirmative Supreme Court ruling would mean for them.

“It’s important for long-term couples like Frank and I to be here today to show that America is an incredibly diverse place. We deserve equal treatment. All people deserve equal treatment under the law,” said a man who identified himself as Joe from Oakland, California.

Joe and his husband, Frank, were holding an American flag and a sign reading “15 years” in honor of how long they’ve been together. They married in San Francisco in 2008, the first day that marriage equality became legal in the state and before California passed Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court essentially invalidated that ban in 2013.

Right next to Joe and Frank were members of the Westboro Baptist Church, who stood by the road holding signs that read “God H8s Fag Marriage” and singing covers of pop songs with the words changed to be anti-gay, such as Pink’s “Just Give Me A Reason.” (Westboro packed up and left around 10 a.m. to get to the Pentagon, which one member described as “just as perverse as this place.”)

David Grisham, from the Christian fundamentalist group Repent Amarillo in Texas, shouted at same-sex marriage supporters using a microphone and speakers that they were going to hell. He told a woman who said she was a Christian that she wasn’t one, and mocked a gay man for his voice and for wearing a pink hat.

When Cristina Meadows, a 16-year-old from Arlington, Virginia, told Grisham she had two mothers, he said her family wasn’t healthy and that’s why she’d turned out how she was.

Meadows said afterward that she took the first half of the day off school to be there. She didn’t think she was going to convince Grisham of anything, but she wanted to speak out in support of her parents anyway. She said they are not married but want to be.

“We were over there just trying to drown him out with our love with everybody,” Meadows said. “I don’t think there’s much potential to change their mind, but I think it is pretty cool that we can stand there and say that to him. It makes me feel better because I know that I’m right.”

Sam Pahl, an 18-year-old student from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, who had an American flag wrapped around his shoulders, certainly didn’t expect be arguing about the Bible on the steps of the Supreme Court on his class trip to the nation’s capital. But he said he simply couldn’t stand to hear some of the religious arguments the same-sex marriage opponents were shouting.

“I believe in Jesus, and I believe in the resurrection, and I’m fully Christian,” said Pahl. “But I don’t believe in not allowing others to marry. First of all, it’s nothing I can control. … It’s not my duty to stop others from being happy. Moreover, it’s the foundation of our nation. I’m going into the Navy next year, and I will swear with my life to protect this Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic.”

Many of the opponents to same-sex marriage who spoke at the podium tried to make the case that it was their views that were being repressed. Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas) cited the states where legislators and voters had banned same-sex marriage.

“This is not just a debate about marriage, although that is critically important,” Flores said. “Today we ask ourselves, should the Supreme Court decide how we define marriage, or should we the people be the ones who define that?”

Flores and other speakers were interrupted by booing and chants. “What do we want? Equality,” supporters shouted. “When do we want it? Now!”

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., also walked around and sang, using their melodies to drown out some of the anti-gay rhetoric.

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A few black same-sex marriage supporters laughed as Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said at the microphones that gay rights couldn’t be compared to the civil rights movement.

“Just a reminder, when you hear the gay community talk about how their struggle is the same as the struggle for civil rights of African Americans, we want to remind them that gays could produce films and plays. African Americans were not allowed into movie theaters,” Mahoney said. “Gays could own restaurants; African Americans could not eat at those restaurants.”

But for most LGBT advocates at the Supreme Court Tuesday, even these opponents couldn’t detract from the celebratory nature of the day.

“I grew up in the ’50s, and today was absolutely unimaginable as I was growing up,” said Gene Robinson, who was the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. “To stand here today and to have all this happen in one lifetime is just astounding to me. We would never have dreamt such a thing.”

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Each Spring, our environment transforms as bare tree branches sprout new buds that blossom into a refreshing palette of color that replaces the muted tones of winter. While this year’s peak bloom has come and gone in many cities, a different blossoming occurred this past week that befits business owners, building operators, and city leaders across the country.

Transformation is underway in our built environment–and last week there were three developments of note.

First, last Monday, Atlanta became the first major Southeast city to adopt an energy efficiency policy that focuses on tackling building energy use and waste through measures such as benchmarking, transparency, and energy audits.

Second, the unanimous City Council approval of Atlanta’s Commercial Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance was followed by Portland, Oregon’s City Council unanimously approving an Energy Performance Reporting Policy for buildings over 20,000 square feet.

This is not a situation where two events are just a coincidence. What we are seeing is energy efficiency blooming across the country. The passage of Atlanta and Portland’s policies make them the 12th and 13th city, respectively, to adopt benchmarking as a way to drive energy efficiency investment and improvements, joining the ranks of leading U.S. cities such as Austin, Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., in passing this type of legislation.

If you still need convincing that there is a market shift underway, look to the U.S. Congress, which on Tuesday passed the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015, a targeted energy efficiency bill that, among other provisions, addresses energy use benchmarking in federal leased buildings. It’s the first energy bill passed by Congress since 2007, and makes three notable building energy policies passed in three days. (In full disclosure, my nonprofit, the Institute for Market Transformation, advised city leaders in both Atlanta and Portland on the development of their policies, and provided input to Congressional staff as they drafted the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015.)

Savvy building owners and city leaders are already aware of the benefits that these types of practical policies offer–energy savings and financial savings (such as 2.4 percent energy use reductions annually or 7 percent over three years), along with job creation and market competitiveness. Atlanta’s policy alone is expected to generate more than 1,000 local jobs, and local businesses in other markets with existing benchmarking and transparency laws have reported significant new demand for energy efficiency services, and are hiring new employees after the adoption of a benchmarking ordinance in response to demand driven by increased awareness of building energy efficiency opportunities. As for market competitiveness, studies have shown that nationally, energy efficient properties have occupancy levels up to 10 percent higher, rental premiums over 10 percent higher, and sale prices up to 25 percent higher than less-efficient properties.

Consumers benefit from efficient buildings, too. In 2009, CBRE and the University of San Diego surveyed managers of companies who had moved from standard buildings into more-efficient buildings (as qualified by an ENERGY STAR label or LEED certification). Of the respondents, 42.5 percent reported that employees were more productive after the move, and 45 percent agreed that employees were taking fewer sick days. In addition, 15 to 25 percent of respondents perceived higher employee morale, less turnover, and greater ease of recruitment in the energy efficient buildings.The Federal government is aware of the opportunity here. In an Executive Order issued on March 19 titled Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, President Obama specifically identified building energy efficiency as a main step in meeting sustainability and greenhouse gas reduction targets, and directed Federal agencies to conform, “when feasible, to city energy performance benchmarking and reporting requirements.”

Across the country, improving building energy use should be top of mind for all building owners and city leaders. After its citizens, buildings are typically a city’s most valuable assets, and property costs have a direct impact on building owners’ bottom lines. In many cases, however, it’s shocking how little is known about these structures.

The building sector is the single largest user of energy in the United States, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total energy consumption. Each year, we spend $450 billion on energy for our buildings, with a good chunk of that money being wasted on inefficient systems and structures–the poorest performing buildings consume three to seven times the energy of the highest performing buildings for the exact same use. The widespread lack of knowledge about how our buildings are performing translates to a massive missed opportunity.

Building energy use policies begin to address this critical knowledge gap. Atlanta’s new ordinance, for example, combines several powerful tools that together can provide unparalleled insight into these valuable assets. Benchmarking–the process of measuring a building’s energy use over time–establishes a baseline as to how a building is currently performing and allows for comparison to past performance as well as peers. In conjunction with this information, energy audits (which examine potential opportunities for improvement through new or upgraded building systems) empower owners to focus on the most cost-effective options for their building and their business.

In a national survey by Building Operating Management magazine, more than 70 percent of facility managers surveyed used benchmarking information to guide energy efficiency upgrade plans, and 67 percent used it to help justify energy efficiency improvements. Providing building performance to the public through transparency policies better informs leasing and purchasing decisions; it enables the market to function properly and reward efficient buildings with higher occupancy and faster lease-up, creating a virtuous cycle of competition to operate buildings efficiently.

Last week’s developments show that the transformation to a future where every building is an efficient building is underway, as a growing number of public and private sector leaders make their buildings more efficient and healthier and, by doing so, make their cities and businesses more prosperous and resilient. Will your city or business be next?

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