Author Archives: tleverett@fullsail.edu

Finding the Positives In Prematurity

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in eight babies is born prematurely in the United States.

Immediately after these early arrivals are born, new parents are inundated with information about the potential illnesses, the likelihood of survival and the long course of treatment their newborns may face.

For some, the stress caused by focusing on these potentially negative outcomes while watching a child endure weeks of medical intervention is almost unbearable, and can lead to severe mental illness and the disruption of normal family life.

Tommy’s, a London based organization that funds research into issues surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, suggests that while most of the focus tends to be on the mother following a premature birth; fathers, siblings and even grandparents can also feel the same levels of overwhelming stress.

In an effort to combat the lasting impact premature birth can have on families, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a series of investigations to determine if intervention programs geared toward creating positive experiences for families of premature infants could change the outcomes for the better. In most of the investigations, intervention programs were found to not only improve the emotional state of families, but also resulted in improved long term outcomes for the babies.

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is one of the many hospitals that provide intervention programs parallel to the NIH guidelines. At their bi-monthly “ICN Parent Coffee Hour”, parents of premature infants meet to talk about their experiences and to do something they don’t often get to do…focus on the positive.

Tracy D. (names changed to protect identity) the mother of 31 “weeker” twins (now two months old) often attends the Coffee Hour to share candid thoughts about her experience.

“I never knew how strong I was until I had my twins at 31 weeks. One of them came out unresponsive and had CPR immediately. I now know I am a strong woman. Having preemies makes you happy for the little things, and until you almost lose them you may not realize how lucky you are to have two screaming babies! It feels good to share that with other mothers who understand that.” Tracy says.

Sydney M., the mother of a 28 “weeker” and a past Coffee Hour participant also discusses her experience.

“I know for me, my faith grew stronger…it had to. My relationship with my husband grew stronger. We readily see the incredible gifts we have been given, and we know that it is only due to God that we have two perfect preemies, now two and a half and five months. We stop to smell the roses and take so much joy in the tiny little developments they make. Having my preemies gave me new heroes. I suppose all of those are indirectly positives for our children because we have become stronger because of them. We learned who our real friends are…the ones who understood why we weren’t social and were still there [at the hospital]. That said, if I never had to go through it again, I would be totally fine with that!”

While the parents of preemies appreciate the camaraderie found at the Penn ICN Coffee Hour and programs similar to it, the full impact of these programs may not be felt until long after the babies are home from the hospital.

According to Dr. Heather French, a Neonatologist at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, outcomes for premature babies are not solely dependent upon medical intervention. She believes that programs like the Coffee Hour provide an important outlet for parents of premature babies, which often helps families adapt to their new lives.

She says, “Although we can look at a range of outcomes from a medical standpoint, when premature babies go home to a loving, stimulating environment they often succeed well beyond what the ‘statistics’ would dictate. It is important for families to be prepared for when their babies come home, and mental health and stability are an integral part of that process.”

5 Ways to Love a Preemie Infographic – T. Leverett

iPreemie: New Apps and Tech Advances work to Calm Parents of Preemies

Parenting a premature infant presents a unique set of challenges, which include selecting the right course of treatment from several confusing options, weighing potentially life-altering decisions with uncertain outcomes and struggling to create a strong bond with a hospitalized baby. Several studies suggest that parents display symptoms of PTSD after their premature babies are released from the hospital. Although there is no way to alleviate the parental stress involved with this experience, technology can help parents as they await the day they can bring their child home.

Dorothy Thompson, freelance writer, “preemie parent counselor” and mother of a premature infant (now thirty years old) reflects on her experience as a premature mother and how much things have changed.

“I had my son when I was six months pregnant, and at that time the outlook was not good at all. Medical intervention has come a long way, but I think the resources out there for parents has come just as far. There is so much information available that people don’t have to feel so alone”, Thompson said.

Premature infant shortly after birth
T. Leverett 2013

Much of the information available to parents of premature babies is found on websites and social media platforms, but the number of apps and other tech products geared toward preemie parents is growing.

Thomas suggests that parents take advantage of all the resources available to them especially when they are new to the neonatal intensive care experience.

“I tell parents to look at the apps, look online for information and always voice your questions and concerns to your child’s care team. They can use technology for two things, to become more informed about what is happening, but also to connect with people who have been where they are. That’s a very important step in this process.”

Some of the apps Thompson suggests to the parents she coaches are MyPreemie, NICU Words and NICU Knowledge Parent Educator. These apps provide information about terminology, medicines and treatments, feeding, growth and other aspects of the rigors of the NICU.

Some hospitals also offer the newly launched NICVIEW app, which allows parents to see their child on their smartphone. Although not available in all areas, Thompson believes this kind of technology can drastically reduce parent’s stress levels.

Premature infant in NICU
T. Leverett 2013

Thompson says, “This is the kind of thing that can help keep parents sane, and I wish there was something like this when I had my son. I think a huge part of the problem is the fact that parents can’t see their kids whenever they want to while they are in the hospital. With this app, they can feel much closer to their babies which at the end of the day helps both the baby and the parents”.

Philadelphia Schools Still Struggling to Pass

Although the school bells rang on September tenth to signify the start of the school year, most of the schools in the Philadelphia Public School District remain understaffed and underfunded.

Philadelphia Sign – T Leverett 2013

According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, “twenty-four schools were closed; the district has a junk credit rating; contracts have expired for many school employees; and the district is running a deficit of $304 million. Music and sports will only be available for the first semester. Gov. Tom Corbett (R) was still withholding $45 million in federal money as he sought $104 million in concessions, including a massive pay cut, from the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers union.

Patience from parents of the affected students continues to wane as the first month of school comes to a close.

“There is no guidance counselor here to help my child, who happens to be in MG {mentally gifted program} apply to the magnet high school…she needs to start this process now, not whenever they decide to get their act together,” said Adrienne Robinson, parent of an eighth grader at Dobson Elementary in Northwest Philadelphia.

With over 20 percent of school employees laid off, the outlook for the remainder of the year is still unclear, and debates about state and city funding for the school districts continue.

Robinson concludes, “At first I believed things would be worked out, but I am not so sure now. I’ll still go to the meetings but I don’t really hear anything that sounds like a resolution any time soon. I’m afraid that my daughter will be the one to lose out.”

The Work-For-Hire Question

As opportunities for employment continue to dwindle, many people have turned to freelancing as a source of supplementary income. Although these opportunities have often kept households afloat, there are some legalities surrounding them that are confusing and can lead to protracted legal battles if not properly addressed.

T. Leverett – Elance Logo Shot

The “work-for-hire” concept provides the context for freelance and independent contracting opportunities. CopyLaw.com, describes this doctrine as a scenario in which, “all of the attributes of copyright ownership — including credit and control — vest in the hiring party, not the creator.”

There are only two instances in which this law applies; the work must be completed by an independent contractor or by an employee performing work that falls within the scope of their employment. Each of these instances have restrictive stipulations that further define the type of work that can be completed.

T. Leverett freelance writer logo

For freelance workers there are only nine specific areas in which work can be completed, and any content that falls outside of those areas still belongs to the creator; not the person who hired them to complete the work. The nine areas are:

1. As a contribution to a collective work

2. As a part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work

3 As a translation

4 As a supplementary work

5 As a compilation

6 As an instructional text

7 As a test

8 As answer material for a test

9 As an atlas

*taken from copyright.gov

Many freelancers don’t find out about these rules until it is too late.

“I never really paid attention to all of these laws and rules because I just needed to get paid,” said Adrienne Levis a freelance graphic artist, “That is until I got burned one too many times and said this was too much for me to continue to deal with, and I got a lawyer to draw up an airtight contract for me.”

According to The Freelance Strategist, the best way to avoid issues with work-for-hire is to have a clear, legal understanding of the work to be completed before the project starts.

A recent article on the site states, “Even if your work falls into one of these nine categories, there must also be a written agreement stating that it’s a “work made for hire” (or “work for hire”). To be safe, the agreement should be signed before the work is created.”

Also, if the work requested doesn’t fit into at least one of the nine categories it is not a “work made for hire” …even if the contract states that it is.

Levis says, “It is a mess to navigate as a freelancer, but since I lost my job at a major news outlet, I didn’t really have much of a choice. It is much better to know upfront what I am getting myself into before I even draw one sketch for a client.”

Would The “Real” Journalists Please Stand Up? A New Definition for “Shield Laws”

Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Free Flow of Information Act, a bill that allows “anyone associated or once associated with a news-gathering operation — including freelancers, student reporters and bloggers — who is working with the intent to convey information on important matters to the public.”

Although the rights granted by the First Amendment are the “umbrella” that shields the practice of journalism as a whole, the Free Flow of Information Act further defines who benefits from those protections. Identifying who falls under the category of journalist has been an issue of debate as access to the industry exponentially expands, and the role this plays in reporting on the government is often the center of the argument.

T Leverett 2013

A recent article in the Washington Post explains, “When the Obama administration wages an aggressive campaign against leaks or, as in previous administrations, journalists are threatened with or sent to jail because they refuse to give up their sources, people think twice about talking, and reporters are deterred from pursuing their mission. It’s long past time for Congress to pass a law protecting journalists from being forced to disclose information about the sources, methods and content of their reporting to the government.”

According to an article in techdirt, The Free Flow of Information Act defines journalists as, “as someone employed by or in contract with a media outlet for at least one year within the last 20 years or three months within the last five years; someone with a substantial track record of freelancing in the last five years; or a student journalist. In addition, the law would protect a person deemed appropriate by a federal judge, so long as their newsgathering practices have been consistent with the law.”

Although this provides a more defined description of who can be protected by the laws, it raises several questions as to who is not considered a journalist.

Jeanette Noel, a journalism student states, “I think it’s nice that this bill includes students, but what about someone who just started out and somehow had the luck to break a big story? Not likely, but it could happen. Would they be forced to give up a source just because they didn’t have experience? That does not seem like free speech to me at all.”

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s a Super-Injunction

United States’ law defines a Gag Order as “a judge’s order prohibiting the attorneys and the parties to a pending lawsuit or criminal prosecution from talking to the media or the public about the case. The supposed intent is to prevent prejudice due to pre-trial publicity which would influence potential jurors.,

Since 1976, when use of this law became more prominent, there have been a multitude of cases in which the order has been enacted.

In Peterson v California, the case in which Peterson was tried for the murder of his wife, Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Al Girolami issued a Gag Order to protect the safety of the defendant.

Girolami explains, “although the Court is extremely concerned with the due process and fair trial rights in this case, it is also keenly aware of the public’s right of access to the proceedings herein and the right of free speech of the participants. However, after balancing these rights, and in order to protect against the disruption of the proper administration of justice, the Court finds that good cause exists for the issuance of a pre-trial protective order.” (From KTVU.com)

In Hallowich v Range Resources (Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Pennsylvania), the latter was accused of creating a hazardous environment near the Hallowich’s property through unsafe oil drilling practices (fracking). Although a settlement between the parties was ultimately reached, as condition of the agreement a gag order was issues which prevented not only the Hallowichs from speaking about any adverse results of fracking, but also included their minor children. The children, aged seven and ten at the time, were forbidden to speak about fracking for the rest of their lives. The gag order on the children has since been removed.

PA Welcome Sign PA Turnpike – T Leverett 2013

To many Americans, the idea of the gag order seems to eviscerate the First Amendment, prevents the public from receiving the proverbial “whole story,” and insults the intelligence of citizens.

Lawrence Jemison, New York resident and security worker at a New York court building says, “The fact that a court can tell me what to say just seems like I live in some other country or something. I can understand if it has to do with my safety or the safety of someone else, but let me make that judgment. If you can trust a person to be in the jury and decide someone’s fate, you should trust them to keep their mouths shut when they have to.”

Apparently across the Atlantic, there is even less trust that citizens or press will “keep their mouths shut” when involved in high profile cases.

West London Skyline – T Leverett 2013

In the United Kingdom, the “Super-Injunction” serves as a beefed up version of the gag order. This order states, “In its purest form, a ‘super-injunction’ refers to a legal gagging order which not only prevents the media from reporting the details of a story, but also forbids mention of the existence of the injunction itself.

They have their legal basis in the UK’s 1998 Human Rights Act, but have come to prominence in recent years.”

Although British celebrities primarily use this order, it has also been a tool for British government officials to avoid scrutiny for questionable behavior. London residents in particular are not happy with the concept of the Super Injunction, and many feel that is simply a farce created by the press.

“It’s simply another distraction thrown to us to take away from poor reporting on what is really happening. Reporters can say they are restricted by this “super injunction” and somehow they are absolved from covering the story,” said Amenah Abiola, a university student in London.

Verizon Joins the Battle to Modify Net Neutrality in Favor of Cable Moguls

Net Neutrality was again called into question today in a DC Circuit Court.

Oral arguments were presented in a case between the FCC and Verizon Inc. after an ongoing battle to either strike down or to uphold the Open Internet Framework. The Open Internet Framework is a set of rules that prevents internet service providers from surcharging companies to place content on their networks and from arbitrarily blocking content based on company preferences. Essentially, the rules were designed to keep the internet free and equal; and to provide an balanced range of content for consumers.

Net Neutrality, the concept suggesting that internet providers cannot discriminate or provide preferential treatment to specific content, has remained an issue for big business, as they battle with the government to determine how much control they can wield over content and bandwidth accessibility.

In 2012, Comcast, the Philadelphia based cable provider and owner of NBC Networks, was again brought to trial on net neutrality issues when it proposed internet usage caps for consumers. The plan was to limit bandwidth accessibility for customers who exceeded a predetermined usage level, yet several of Comcast’s on-demand programs and streaming apps were exempt from usage accounting.

Comcast Headquarters, Philadelphia - Tieast Leverett 2013

Comcast Headquarters T. Leverett 2013

While the FCC ultimately ruled against the company, which resulted in more relaxed usage caps, Comcast consumers are still concerned about what controls cable providers have over the programming and internet access they pay for each month.

“I can barely understand my bill, much less all of the stuff that goes on down there on 17^th and Arch…I’m sure they are watching what I watch, and recording what I do, so it doesn’t really surprise me that they can limit my internet access and force me to watch the channels that they promote,” says Philadelphia resident and Comcast subscriber Jana Scott.

As several major cable providers continue to face lawsuits and engage in debate that could potentially weaken regulations like Net Neutrality and the Open Internet Framework, consumers may have to deal with several changes in what their current providers offer and how much content they can access.

Scott considers a way to avoid the confusion, “I know there are a few websites out there that just let you choose shows to watch and you pay a few bucks each month to watch them online. I feel like that is what I would rather do…I’m paying way too much for cable and internet services anyway. I guess that wouldn’t matter anyway, then they would probably cut off my internet for not watching their shows.”

Detroit Grand Prix Provides small Stimulus to Struggling City

On a cloudy Sunday afternoon on Belle Isle, a park in the center of Detroit, the peaceful sounds of children playing and jazz music coming from portable radios was broken by the sound of a raging car engine.

But not just any engine…a 550 horsepower Indy Car engine.

Detroit Grand Prix Car

This car, along with the twenty-five other competitors in the 2013 Detroit Grand Prix, are part of a legacy of Detroit racing that reaches back over thirty years, and has historically had a positive financial impact on the city of Detroit. In this time of financial woes for the Motor City, any event that brings positive attention is a welcome one.

Over 50,000 fans packed the stands that lined the 2.3-mile track, which featured a completely new design this year. Updates include over 700,000 sq. ft. of concrete and road improvements, new pedestrian bridges and playscapes, and fan interactive areas; all designed to enhance the racing environment for the racers and spectators.

Detroit Grand Prix

Racing fan Rensu Chan drove in from Windsor, Canada to watch this year’s race.

“I’ve come to a few of these races, and I am glad to see the new look. The standing areas and the whole surroundings look better, and there is more space to get a bit closer to the action. I hope they keep this kind of set-up for next year, but either way, I’ll be back to watch.”

In past years, the race has generated over $53 million in revenue for the area, and has provided a stimulus for local businesses. City financial analysts predict a similar outcome for this year’s race.

Racing fan, Reuben Alexander says this time the race has come at the perfect time.

“If nothing else, the businesses downtown get some money, and since the Grand Prix is such a big deal, people will come. I’m sure the downtown area really appreciates the race being back for the past two years. Anytime we are talking about selling the artwork out of the museums here, anything can help.”

Facilitating the “Behind the Scenes” Response to the Oklahoma Tornado Crisis

When natural disasters take place, a great deal of attention is focused on the victims of the events. Property damage, casualties and the rescue of any survivors are the center of the news coverage, and while these pieces of the story are crucial to a complete understanding of the events, the efforts of those who respond to the crisis often remain behind the scenes.

As a result of the recent tornado tragedy in Oklahoma, the need for the “behind the scenes” worker was evident, and one of the organizations that has maintained a continuous presence when major catastrophic events occur is the National Guard.

Jay Webb, a training specialist with the Department of Defense has a complete understanding of emergency response; in particular, what happens during a national crisis. He works for a government contractor in Northern Virginia that provides extensive training for National Guard soldiers on emergency crisis response systems. Essentially, when major catastrophic events occur; events like Hurricane Katrina, Boston Marathon bombing, Super storm Sandy and similar events, he assists the National Guard units as they are deployed to assist and to maintain order in distressed areas.

“We work really hard over here to make sure we can get these guys where they need to be when things happen. We’ve recently ramped up for the inauguration, for pretty much any storm that comes through the east coast, and for the Boston Marathon incident. In my role I have to make sure that the units have the things they need to take care of the people in need and as a former soldier, I know how important logistics are to how the whole thing flows. When the tornados hit Oklahoma, we knew what to do.” Webb said.

In order to do this job effectively, Webb and his team of trainers work to ensure that the personnel in these units are fully prepared to implement their response tactics, and that they have the tools, equipment and personnel in place to do so quickly. This takes a great deal of preparation before crises occur to make sure the teams are ready to go.

“Sometimes,” Webb says, “we have to maintain several units in a specific area, and we have to make sure everything works together smoothly so that these units can get out there and rescue people, assist local law enforcement, build shelters, serve as tactical escorts; pretty much anything can happen and we need to be ready for whatever comes down the pipeline. We need to make sure people get back to their regular lives as soon as possible.”

When the tornado struck Oklahoma, Webb’s team sprung into action immediately, and initiated what is called the “response sequence.” This includes sending National Guard troops to the areas that need assistance and providing continuous support throughout the duration of the exercise.

“It is always difficult to deal with a scenario when lives are in danger. We work long hours and we have to facilitate a lot of fine moving parts to make this all work, but my team always looks at the bigger picture…we know we are working for some child, or for some family and we keep that in mind during those long hours. Most of us have families ourselves, and we know we would want someone working on our behalf if we were in need as well.”