Our series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues continues today with a look at the extensive work being done by the Community Based Services segment of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. https://fb.watch/bHhrh-1oe7/

We continue our series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues with more on the subject of breastfeeding. For the next several days we will look at the important work being done by the Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank and how the PCC is looking to help them. https://fb.watch/dv4YBuc3qS/ https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1532416678121857025?s=20&t=6XAnUbQUJooExYYWxkr1WQ  

6-10-22 Our focus on breastfeeding continues with a look at the increase in public accommodations for breastfeeding moms. https://fb.watch/dz7s3mmxy1/ https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1535283771251085313?s=20&t=d8Pb52gE3vOjcBIAujH0rQ   6-9-22 Our series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues continues with a look back at the passage of the PA law to permit breastfeeding in public. https://fb.watch/dz7zQTeSHv/ https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1534961334323904512?s=20&t=d8Pb52gE3vOjcBIAujH0rQ  

6-16-22 Interesting story here on one person’s belief that the COVID lockdowns are to blame for many moms turning away from breastfeeding and, in turn, contributing to the current shortage in baby formula. pic.twitter.com/1iU3XYFbZF — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) June 16, 2022 https://fb.watch/dHdtLvKsVG/ 6-14-22 Sharing an article that came out Tuesday for our series on breastfeeding about trying to still do it while returning to work. Sharing an article that came out Tuesday for our series on breastfeeding about trying to still do it while returning to work. pic.twitter.com/Fb43upYGpy — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) June 15, 2022 https://fb.watch/dHdp5IzKNN/   6-13-22 Continuing our series on breastfeeding for June. Women of color are less likely to breastfeed than those of other races and that has made them more vulnerable to the baby formula shortage. We look at some of the societal factors involved. https://fb.watch/dHdd4Kl8j6/ https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1536404428735094788?s=20&t=K3d74k2cioFdzcdNNHbHTg

6-30-22 We finish up our stories on breastfeeding by talking again with Colette Acker of the Breastfeeding Resource Center about the culture that exists towards BF in the U.S. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1542502773232631808?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZztlqwT-k/ 6-29-22 As we’ve focused this month on issues involved in breastfeeding, we’ve talked with our advocates and moms about the challenges involved in doing so while going back to work full time. Colette Acker of the Breastfeeding Resource Center shares her views on what’s involved. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1542181083462221833?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZzB2MlLo-/ 6-28-22 Colette Acker of the Breastfeeding Resource Center talks with us about why many new moms give up on breastfeeding within the first several weeks after the birth of their child. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1541812970275180546?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZzHsbhiOH/ 6-27-22 We begin today a series of stories with Colette Acker of the Breastfeeding Resource Center in Montgomery County. They’ve been providing vital support for new moms for nearly 20 years. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1541447488065966082?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZA4NAhnvc/ 6-24-22 We wrap up our conversation on breastfeeding with Amy Wilt by talking about two potential problems that may affect moms during breastfeeding. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1540366512262975488?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZAjWQcR-8/ 6-23-22 We continue our June focus on breastfeeding by talking with doula Amy Wilt about the challenges involved in breastfeeding while returning to work. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1540060616722989056?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZApmYqCFR/ 6-22-22 We continue our chat with Amy Wilt about breastfeeding. Today’s focus is on relactation. A total education for many of us. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1539653795398836224?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZAyeP5WNk/ 6-21-22 We continue the conversation with our doula consultant, Amy Wilt, about the influence and pressure that moms get from those closest to them when trying to decide whether or not to breastfeed their newborns. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1539255591914328065?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZAFgKarE-/ 6-20-22 We continue our series on breastfeeding by talking again with Amy Wilt of Dauphin County Doulas. She has provided a ton of information for us in our nine-month long focus on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues. Today Amy talks about ”the latch.” https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1538962868414169094?s=20&t=y-vWAw8jWy_JOJQb9YkGAw https://fb.watch/dZAMmSazHv/  

July 18th We continue our look at Early Childhood Screenings by talking with Kris Bowman of Ramsey Educational and Development Institute, or REDI. They administer the PA Early Intervention Program in Montgomery County. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1549094658478903299?s=20&t=bfxurJPODSGTJUaDird-pg https://fb.watch/elp1XOaQ3p/   July 15th As part of look at Early Childhood Screenings, we are looking to find out about screenings in PA for newborns suffering from their mothers’ drug addiction. We’d love to talk with the state task force created to help those children but haven’t had much help from the Wolf Admin. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1548004337758060544?s=20&t=bfxurJPODSGTJUaDird-pg https://fb.watch/elp7An1dbk/   July 14th Continuing our series for July on Early Childhood Screenings with a quick look at the first big test for the newborn, the blood test. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1547690893766930437?s=20&t=bfxurJPODSGTJUaDird-pg https://fb.watch/elpe8tHA1I/   July 13th Continuing our series on Early Childhood Screenings… it was a crisis in Michigan that sparked lawmakers here in Pennsylvania to put an emphasis on testing children for the presence of lead. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1547429183864840192?s=20&t=bfxurJPODSGTJUaDird-pg https://fb.watch/elpkHkI4mB/   July 12th  We wrap up the conversation with our friend Victoria about the tests, screenings and milestones designed for children after they come home from the hospital. It’s part of our July focus on Early Childhood Screenings. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1546897353843539968?s=20&t=bfxurJPODSGTJUaDird-pg https://fb.watch/elpDdGWIN8/ July 11th As part of our continuing look at Early Childhood Screenings for July, we talk with a young mother about all the tests that we went through. https://twitter.com/PAcatholic/status/1546491903083945984?s=20&t=bfxurJPODSGTJUaDird-pg    

We talked with Jim Lee of Susquehanna Polling & Research about his latest poll on the Presidential race. Here is how we shared the comments on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/eFvLAT1aT9FYqFRY/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/NdQXTChmWarrunmi/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/hjjie61Pso2UFX7A/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ztTnwXpFqx7Leb6u/?mibextid=WC7FNe    

The 4th installment of our series on Maternal and Early Childhood Issues looks at the role the Wolf Administration has played in curtailing Catholic adoption efforts in Pennsylvania. https://fb.watch/bBXX1F6m97/ A woman we’ll call Kelly talked with me about her adoption a number of years ago through Catholic charities. She learned details of what happened as she got older. Kelly says it could have worked out any better. Kelly’s story was a familiar one for decades, but one that is happening less and less in many states across the country, as officials have placed restrictions on adoption agencies that contradict their long-held beliefs. Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf several years ago joined Democratic governors in other states to require adoption agencies to place children with same-sex parents in order to get funding. That requirement by Governor Wolf would be in direct contrast with the long-standing Catholic belief that a marriage is between a man and a woman. It is that parental combination, Catholics believe, that is the best way to raise a child. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference appealed to the Wolf Administration for a religious exemption. It was denied in 2018, basically causing most adoption efforts by Catholic organizations in PA to grind to a halt. Similar regulations have been shutting down Catholic adoption agencies across the U.S. ever since Boston Catholic Charities did so in 2006. The efforts by the PCC to remove this burden continued on both the state and federal level. We sent an appeal to the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington to grant us a religious exemption. We worked closely with U.S. Congressman Mike Kelly on getting federal relief. A number of state senators sent a letter to President Trump asking him to provide relief for our efforts. We’re hoping that a recent Supreme Court ruling involving foster care services by Catholic Charities in Philadelphia. Fulton vs. the City of Philadelphia started when the city said it would no longer contract with Catholic Social Services because CSS would not certify same-sex couples to be foster parents In response, two foster mothers—Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch—and the CSS sued the city, arguing that severing the contract violated their religious freedom. Fulton and Simms-Busch, the mothers who are plaintiffs, claim it was their Catholic faith that inspired them to be foster mothers.After losing in two lower courts, they petitioned the Supreme Court, which first agreed to hear the case in February 2020. Over a year later  the Court ruled that the city’s refusal due to the agency’s same-sex couple policy violated the Free Exercise Clause. Great news and a big win for religious liberty. The PCC is hoping the principal will carry over into adoptions, but the damage may have already been done. In 2019 the Diocese of Greensburg closed its adoption and foster care program after 65 years because of the decision by the Wolf Administration. Adoptions were halted by Catholic agencies in other parts of the state.  Will the adoption work done by these organizations ever return to what it once was? We can only hope and pray.

Our series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues continues today with a look the work being done by Morning Star Pregnancy Services in Harrisburg to help kids build a foundation for strong relationships and avoid problems down the road. https://fb.watch/bECfSEse06/ We’ve all had our fair share of relationships that have not gone well over the years, whether they were romantic or just friendly in nature. Wouldn’t it be nice to have gotten some advice before sailing on those waters and crashing into the rocks? The folks at Morning Star Pregnancy Services in Harrisburg are offering just such advice to teenagers and also actually to moms and dads through a program called Unfiltered Truth. Leslie Moyer is the Director of Educational Programs at Morning Star. She works with Ann Deegan from an established curriculum called “Real Essentials” to present different lessons to try to teach kids to build a foundation for strong relationships. Leslie Moyer : “So what are people expecting and what are your boundaries and do you have boundaries and how do you make sure the person knows?” The program is –not- lecture based. Moyer says that would never work. They have discussions so the kids will take ownership of the concepts they are presented and make them their own.  They are getting a lot of positive feedback. Moyer :  “I believe it was woman, she said I wish I’d had this when I was younger. I needed to know about those relationship red flags, the break up skills, which is two lessons that we do. I needed that two years ago when I was in a really bad relationship.” One of the lessons is on living together, which is something that many young people see as the go-to route for couples in love. Ann Deegan : “So many people are living together and so we talk about what are the benefits and what it really looks like and what are some of the myths surrounding living together and why it isn’t a good thing to do. Most of the classes have been with high school students. Moyer says they’re hoping to get more time with middle school kids to help them build their skills by the time they get to high school. There are also classes for adults. Deegan  : “The focus isn’t just on mothering skills, like taking care of a baby. The focus is on what do your relationships look like? And what do you want to pass on to your children? What is the legacy? What do you want to pass on to your children and have your children receive from you?” There is also the goal of having kids take a more deliberate and thoughtful approach to having sex. It may prevent many problems down the road, not the least of which being an unwanted pregnancy. Moyer shares a recurring sentiment that she hears from returning clients. Moyer  : “Over and over again I will hear ‘I would not change the fact that I had my child. But I wish I had waited. I wish I had waited just a little bit longer. I wish I was married. I can’t tell you how many times I hear that.”

Assistant Professor Richard Crowley from SMU’s School of Accountancy examines financial accounting using both archival and analytical methods for his research. Much of his archival work deals with large sets of unstructured data using high-powered computing algorithms to address accounting issues that are otherwise infeasible to approach. He has recently written two research articles on using a machine learning technique to assess the content of companies’ disclosures. In this podcast, he discusses how fraud and misreporting can be detected by studying a company’s financial statement using a machine learning technique, and shares how companies disclose financial information on Twitter, and how feedback from investors and others can influence this.

The rise of new technologies is changing the way companies raise funds. Along with increased popularity of crowdfunding in recent years, a new form of funding has emerged – that is, the use of Initial Coin Offerings, or ICOs. In 2017, companies in the United States raised over $4 billion through ICOs; in 2018, more than $21 billion has been raised. ICOs generate many challenges for securities regulators, and also give rise to other issues including corporate governance, data protection, anti-money laundering and insolvency. Assistant Professor Aurelio Gurrea-Martínez from the SMU School of Law has conducted legal research on financial regulation. In this podcast, he shares his recent comparative and interdisciplinary study which addresses the issue of ICOs and makes recommendations to regulators and policy makers in a way that aims to promote innovation and firms’ access to finance without harming investor protection, market integrity and the stability of the financial system.

Assistant Prof Liang Hao – Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR in short, is an evolving business practice that incorporates sustainable development or ‘doing good’ into a company's business model. In today's socially conscious environment, customers and employees place a premium on spending their money with or working for businesses that prioritise CSR. As such, socially responsible companies can cultivate positive brand recognition, increase customer loyalty, and attract top-tier employees. Taking a fresh approach on CSR research, Assistant Professor of Finance and DBS Sustainability Fellow LIANG Hao from the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, has written two award-winning papers that studied how a firms’ CSR behaviour can influence that of its suppliers as well as its peer firms. In this podcast, he shares the findings and implications of these studies.

As the profile of businesses engaged in disputes is now more diverse than ever, there is a need for dispute resolution mechanisms that are culturally responsive as well as internationally robust. Mediation is one mechanism that offers a flexible and confidential forum for business to resolve their differences in an effective and efficient way. Interest in mediation to resolve cross-border disputes has increased dramatically in recent years due to increasing access to the Internet and the growing number of smaller enterprises doing business internationally. Nadja Alexander is Professor of Law at SMU School of Law. She also heads the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy as its Director, and a prominent mediator, educator, consultant and writer. In a recent study, Prof Alexander had identified some of the top trends impacting the nature and practice of international mediation. She discusses these key trends and developments in this podcast.

Financial literacy in Singapore has not been analysed in much detail, despite the fact that this is one of the world’s most rapidly aging nations. In this podcast, Professor of Finance Benedict Koh from the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, discusses the key findings of his research jointly conducted with Olivia Mitchell from the University of Pennsylvania and Susann Rohwedder, Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation and Associate Director of the RAND Center for the Study of Aging. Using a unique new data-set and nationally representative survey - the Singapore Life Panel, they conducted an analysis of older Singaporeans’ financial literacy. Here, Professor Koh discusses his key findings, including: Do older Singaporeans score better on financial knowledge compared to their counterparts in the United States? What are the empirical linkages between financial literacy and retirement preparedness in Singapore? And is financial literacy positively associated with greater wealth and diversity of portfolios?

Global warming and climate change have created an unprecedented global interest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, especially in energy production. Biomass, or organic matter, which is a renewable energy source that can replace fossil fuels in energy production is gaining popularity. Consequently, commercialising agricultural residues as biomass is gaining momentum in many countries. In a pioneering study, Onur Boyabatli, Associate Professor of Operations Management and DBS Sustainability Fellow at SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business, together with Assistant Professor of Operations Management Buket Avci, and PhD student Li Bin, studied the economic and environmental implications of biomass commercialisation in agricultural processing industries. In this podcast, Associate Professor Boyabatli shares his insights into this trending subject and the policy implications of their research findings.

Rapid urbanisation, coupled with the lack of coordination in the use of resources, such as taxis and security personnel, has negatively affected a wide array of quality-of-life metrics. These include waiting time in queues, response time for emergencies, and the number of traffic violations in cities. Using AI and Machine Learning methods, aggregation systems have been developed and adopted to improve the matching of resources and demand, thereby enhancing the efficiency of real-world transportation, emergency response and security systems. In this podcast, Associate Professor Pradeep Varakantham from the SMU School of Information Systems shares how AI can be used to improve transportation and security.

Data has emerged as the most important driver for modern economic development. New industries have arisen from the use of data with personal information as the core asset, while many traditional models of business are ‘disrupted’ or drastically transformed. Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) has also become an integral tool for the management and processing of data, including personal data, as it provides greater accuracy and capability. How should the use of A.I. in data management be regulated and should it be treated any differently under the data protection regime? What role can A.I. play in regulating the use of personal data and as a cybersecurity tool? Is creating a form of propertisation of personal data and ‘data ownership’ useful? These are just some of the lingering questions that regulators and organisations are currently grappling with. Central to the issue is how A.I. can best serve and safeguard humanity’s interests. Warren Chik is Associate Professor of Law at SMU School of Law, and concurrently Deputy Director at SMU’s Centre for AI and Data Governance. In this podcast, he shares his recent research into Artificial Intelligence and Data Protection in Singapore, which takes a deeper look into consumers’ trust, organisational security and government regulation.

11/14/2024 - 5:00 PM - Venue: Chaos Games and More

11/14/2024 - 3:30 PM - Venue: Temple Baptist Church

11/14/2024 - 1:00 PM - Venue: Casper's Donuts

11/13/2024 - 7:00 PM - Venue: Holy Family Church

11/13/2024 - 6:00 PM - Venue: Chaos Games and More

11/13/2024 - 9:30 AM - Venue: Temple Baptist Church

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) today announced the launch of the 2015 Defeat Hunger℠ campaign which is scheduled to run from the spring of 2015 through the last day of PROCESS EXPO, September 18th at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

This year, we compiled an overall, more robust top food and beverage packaging companies list. The list may look different all in one, but there are the same placements near the top.

PA and PulPac created the Blister Pack Collective to limit the use of non-recyclable plastics in over-the-counter and prescription drug packaging through cross-industry collaboration.

To date, that program has kept over 500,000 coffee pods and capsules out of landfills, and more than $10,000 has been raised for charities. 

Bazooka Candy Brands is introducing a new product unique packaging to allow customers to create their own eating experiences.

We caught up with Darek Lewis, director of packaging for Veritiv, about innovations helping to bridge the sustainability gap with from-home shopping.

Leading manufacturer and supplier of rigid plastic-molded packaging products seeks to use M&A as a strategic tool to drive inorganic growth – as a complement to continued organic growth – with the goal of doubling sales by 2030.

The new TamperFlag rigid containers, made by Novolex brand Waddington North America (WNA), feature a tamper-evident “flag” that pops up and stays raised once opened. The feature alerts consumers that the container has been unsealed.

Despite the steady drumbeat of “less is more” when it comes to packaging, Eldon Schaffer of TekniPlex Consumer Products makes a case for the continued use of container liners, citing several of their invaluable contributions.

Tata Elxsi played a pivotal role in crafting a fresh design language system, which visually represented Vatika’s commitment to sustainability and connoted as a natural haircare brand.

The rebrand cements Wilkinson Sword's role as the ultimate challenger to brand leader Gillette in the face of new market entrants and direct-to-consumer offerings. 

The Better With Less – Design Challenge had an international jury including packaging design experts from various fields related to packaging, design, brand strategy and innovation. After the judging concluded and the finalists chosen, a roundtable panel discussed what they saw as well as the challenges facing the packaging community.

The new packaging for toilet cleaners is made with less plastic and more recycled material.

In this year’s research by Industrial Physics, 47% of packaging professionals surveyed shared that they’ve had to delay innovation while they search for an external packaging and material testing expert. 

Meet Babitha George, Portfolio Manager for Packaging Solutions at Tetra Pak U.S. & Canada.

Do you know how to prepare your packaging for the grocery side of e-commerce? This Q&A, with Tetra Pak's Alexandre de Souza Carvalho, will answer this question and more for food and beverage manufacturers, producers and retailers.

Automation & Modular Components, LLC. (AMC) is a manufacturer of material handling automation systems with integrated controls, as well as conveyors for integration into assembly systems and production lines, headquartered in Davisburg, Michigan, USA.

This new plant allows CL&D to increase its flexographic production capabilities, particularly thanks to the inclusion of its brand new 52” wide web press.

Packaging Strategies had a conversation with Romaco's Nicola Orsini about track & trace challenges, solutions and the future.

The global track and trace solutions market is expected to reach $28.9 billion by 2032, with companies in various industries utilizing these solutions for production and sales tracing and compliance. Notable firms such as MM Packaging, Antares Vision Group, and Deitz Co. have developed innovative solutions for these needs.

Tamper evident packaging is a stalwart of safety and awareness in packaging. It features strong materials that keep the products inside safe and alerts consumers to contamination or foul play. But what exactly is it? 

Building on the success of Rippatape – the original market-leading tape-based opening device for board and paper-based packaging – Essentra Tear Tapes has launched Rippatape X.

Leading European wheat adhesive specialist improves service for corrugated board manufacturers in Latin America.

In this interview, two experts at Sun Chemical discuss the evolution and commercial breakthroughs of inks, coatings and adhesives and how they are helping the flexible packaging sector achieve sustainability.

Club Zero Refillable Milk is designed to cut the carbon footprint of Abel & Cole’s single-use milk bottles in half, with Abel & Cole estimating a saving of up to 450,000 single-use plastic milk bottles annually.

The maker of all-natural dog treats transitioned from plastic to paper-based shipping and packing materials.

This large-format quad-seal pouch is designed to meet the growing demand for recyclable packaging solutions for premium pet food, lawn and garden care, and dry foods for products up to 40 lbs.