The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.
We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.
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The High-Stakes Race to Engineer New Psychedelic Drugs – As of July, 38 states had legalized marijuana to varying degrees, with several states considering it in upcoming elections. But what many don’t realize is there is a growing movement to legalize LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and MDMA (ecstasy). Researchers at New York University, Johns Hopkins and other universities are calling it a “psychedelic renaissance,” and believe these and other currently illegal drugs could be critical tools for the treatment of addiction, PTSD and many other ailments. Wired takes a deep look at the race to engineer new psychedelic drugs.
Are You Sure You’re Not Guilty of ‘Millennial Pause’? – The day has finally come. Gen Z is making fun of millennials in the same way millennials made fun of boomers. Last year, @nisipisa, a 28-year-old TikToker, coined the term ‘millennial pause’ in a TikTok about how even Taylor Swift can’t avoid the cringey pause in her videos. It’s easy to miss, but millennials (like their parents) tend to briefly pause before speaking in a video, apparently to make sure it’s recording. And this is just one of several tells that lets Gen Z know you are of a certain age. The Atlantic takes a look at what is making Gen Z cringe.
4 Ways to Communicate With More Empathy – Most would agree the world, and the business world, in particular, needs more empathy. The ability to look at a situation through someone else’s eyes to understand their perspective and challenges is a skill that sets great leaders apart. Harvard Business Review looks at the power of empathy and provides a sharp way for anyone to be more empathetic.
Tito’s is Trolling Canned Cocktails With $20 Empty Cans – It seemed like the seltzer craze would never end. But end, it has. With seltzer sales in a free fall, it seems ready-to-drink canned cocktails are the new thing. Everyone is doing it. Everyone except Tito’s. CNN has the story.
How Vin Scully Scored His Dodgers Gig at 22 years Old – Vin Scully was a prolific sports broadcaster. Over his 67-year career (beginning with the Brooklyn Dodgers), Scully called more than 4% of the games in MLB history. Think about that. He called games managed by Connie Mack who was born in 1862, and he called games with players born in 1996. But the story of how it all began isn’t that well known. The Conversation explains.
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Feed Your Head:
Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales on 20 Years of Tech
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flack
: one who provides publicity
flack
: to act as a press agent or promoter for something
The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.