Dr. Oz Responds to Criticism

In a video on his website, Dr. Oz responds to criticism that he promotes products for the advertising income. Ten doctors have called for Oz's removal from the faculty of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where Oz is the vice chairman of the surgery department. 

In a letter to the dean of medicine, the doctors questioned Oz's credibility. 

Lee Goldman, M.D.
Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine
Columbia University

Dear Dr. Goldman:

I am writing to you on behalf of myself and the undersigned colleagues below, all of whom are distinguished physicians.

We are surprised and dismayed that Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons would permit Dr. Mehmet Oz to occupy a faculty appointment, let alone a senior administrative position in the Department of Surgery.

As described here and here, as well as in other publications, Dr. Oz has repeatedly shown disdain for science and for evidence-based medicine, as well as baseless and relentless opposition to the genetic engineering of food crops. Worst of all, he has manifested an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain.

Thus, Dr. Oz is guilty of either outrageous conflicts of interest or flawed judgments [sic] about what constitutes appropriate medical treatments, or both. Whatever the nature of his pathology, members of the public are being misled and endangered, which makes Dr. Oz's presence on the faculty of a prestigious medical institution unacceptable.

In his rebuttal, Oz questions the doctors' ethics and stands by his approach:

"Figuring out how to talk about your health and how to talk to you about it can be difficult, and there's been a backlash to my approach in some parts of the medical community," Oz said. "The 10 doctors who attacked me got what they wanted: sensational headlines and soundbites. I've long believed that doctors should never fight their battles, or each other, in public. But now I believe that I must."

It doesn't help Dr. Oz's case that his 2:20 video starts with a 30-second commercial for Nasacort.

Oz also wrote an opinion piece for Time, defending alternative medicine: 

"My exploration of alternative medicine has never been intended to take the place of conventional medicine, but rather as additive. Critics often imply that any exploration of alternative methods means abandoning conventional approaches. It does not. In fact, many institutions like mine use the names 'complementary' or 'integrative' medicine, which is also appropriate."

Discussion Starters:

• Assess the letter and Dr. Oz's video response. Which are the strongest and weakest arguments of each?
• If you were the dean, what would you do? 

Blue Bell Creameries Recall Several Products

Listeria monocytogenes found in Blue Bell products has been linked to 10 illnesses, including three deaths. The company announced a broad, voluntary recall of "all of its products currently on the market made at all of its facilities including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks . . ."

In a press release on its website, President and CEO Paul Kruse is quoted:

"We're committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe. We are heartbroken about this situation and apologize to all of our loyal Blue Bell fans and customers. Our entire history has been about making the very best and highest quality ice cream and we intend to fix this problem. We want enjoying our ice cream to be a source of joy and pleasure, never a cause for concern, so we are committed to getting this right."

He also said,

"At every step, we have made decisions in the best interest of our customers based on the evidence we had available at the time. At this point, we cannot say with certainty how Listeria was introduced to our facilities and so we have taken this unprecedented step. We continue to work with our team of experts to eliminate this problem."

This must be a difficult time for the 108-year-old company: this is the first recall the management team has had to address.

The news follows a recall of Sabra hummus products also because of potential listeria, although no illnesses have been reported.

Discussion Starters:

• Assess Blue Bell's press release. What principles of persuasive communication does it follow? 
• What else, if anything, should be the management communicate at this point?

Waka Flocka Flame Is Running for President

On April 20, the rapper Waka Flock Flame announced his run for president. (420 is a significant number for so-called "cannabis culture.") Rolling Stone magazine got the story and posted his campaign video, which you can watch here, but be warned: he uses the "F-word" seven times. 

His campaign promises are to legalize marijuana, ban dogs in restaurants, and ban people who wear large shoes from walking on the sidewalk. 

I'm not sure his slogan, "A blunt a day will take the pain away," will work with Conservatives-maybe Libertarians. 

Makes me proud to be an American. 

Discussion Starters:

• It's interesting that Rolling Stone ran the story, isn't it? Why do you think the editors would agree to this? 
• How do you think his campaign will play out in the race? 

Baha Mar Mishandles Delay

The Baha Mar resort in the Bahamas has been delayed for months, and critics say the communication isn't going well. According to a Hotel Chatter article, the original opening was scheduled for March 27, and then May 5, and now it looks like reservations will be accepted for July 1 - 3. 

Hotel guests are angry. Some claim they didn't know about the delay until 48 hours before they left for their trip and that they found out on Facebook. 

Hotel Chatter quotes Mike Webster, a hotel consultant: 

"The starting point in dealing with any kind of crisis is good communication. And taking a passive-aggressive stance like posting something on your Facebook page is the opposite of proactive communication. To rely on Facebook to get the message out is just ridiculous."

A Wall Street Journal article questions whether this embarrassing delay will affect China's hopes for new business in the United States and the Caribbean. 

The property did receive some nice comments on its Facebook page, complimenting the staff's help in finding new accommodations. Baha Mar is offering one free night to guests to compensate for the delay.

Image source. 

Discussion Starters: 

• Read comments on the Facebook page. How would you suggest the management team respond at this point? 
• What principles of crisis communication would you recommend the hotel staff follow in the future?  

Target Apologizes for Sold-Out Clothes

First, Target was criticized for offering plus-sized clothing only online. Now the company is apologizing for selling out items from the new Lilly Pulitzer collection within minutes.

Customers thought the site crashed, but Target explained that it tried to manage traffic by closing down the site temporarily and by limiting access to parts of the site.

A Target spokesperson said, "We never want our guests to be disappointed. We share their disappointment with the experience of shopping online. It doesn't match what we aim to provide them, which is an easy, seamless, consistent experience."

Although shoppers were disappointed, some having stayed up all night waiting for the products to be available (which happened at 5 a.m., on a two-hour delay), the results for Target are positive overall. As the spokesperson said, "At this point, Lilly Pulitzer is the most talked about designer collection in our ­history."

Discussion Starters:

• One shopper tweeted, "Next time either 1) don't promote something that most people will never see or 2) significantly increase production #whatafiasco." Do you agree? 
• Can you make an argument that the entire situation was intentional? What do you think? 

Email Marketing for Millennials

A Marketing Land article provides good justification for marketing to Millennials via email. Going against earlier advice to put dollars in social media, a  NextWeb article quotes a marketing director:

"If you look at Facebook and Twitter today, they are very different than they were years back. In addition, you have even more new platforms that have come about like Instagram, Pinterest and SnapChat. In the midst of all this change and new innovation, one thing remains constant. You need an email address to create an account on all of them. As these tools change, improve or go by the wayside, but email remains."

Sure, Millennials use social media, but they use it to be social. When interacting with businesses, they prefer email.

NextWeb offers these suggestions for getting Millennials to open and act on your marketing emails:

• Content is key: Information has to be relevant and "relatable."
• Test for the best: Although most emails are sent on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are opened after 12:00, test to see when your market responds.
• Check that list twice: Make sure you have updated addresses, and offer emails as "opt-in."
• Make it mobile: Millennials want information on their phone and main points up front.
• Click and share: Social share buttons should be tagged to specific content in the email.
• Special is better: Millennials respond to special discounts and to the word "exclusive."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your own experience with email? Are you always connected as these articles suggest?
• How do you assess the advice for email marketers? With which points do you agree and disagree?

Marco Rubio Is Cool but at a Cost

Marco Rubio is differentiating himself with technology and music, but he's not entirely successful. The U.S. Republican from Florida may have a edge in the presidential campaign because he's just 43 years old, considerably younger than Hillary Clinton. 

PR Daily tells us how Rubio is showing his tech-savvy side on social media: 

The Florida senator's youth-focused approach isn't limited to rhetoric, either. Social media is a huge part of his campaign. For instance, staffers live-tweeted his Monday speech. Tweets and Facebook posts counted down the hours to the announcement. One tweet played on young viewers' love of the HBO series "Game of Thrones."

He's also joined Snapchat and created an emoji design in a tweet. 

He's also using contemporary music, such as "Something New," by the Swedish group Axwell ^ Ingrosso, but the band isn't happy about the association: 

"Axwell ^ Ingrosso didn't give their permission for this song to be used and don't want to be affiliated with a particular party during the upcoming presidential race."

Discussion Starters: 

• Someone tweeted: "@marcorubio STOP." Do you agree or do you find this campaign approach effective? 
• What, if anything, should Hillary Clinton do in response?

Google Responds to Antitrust Charges

In a data-filled blog post, Google's senior vice president of search responds to antitrust allegations. The first formal charge comes from the European Union, which claims that the company's own results are favored during searches. According to EU competition commissioner, "If the investigation confirmed our concerns, Google would have to face the legal consequences and change the way it does business in Europe." 

In his response for Google, Amit Singhal includes evidence to the contrary. Google's argument is that its own results fair far worse than other sites' results in a user's search.

Within the post, Singhal offer four charts, including this about German travel sites, as evidence: 

Read the entire post. 

Discussion Starters: 

• Read Google's entire post. Which arguments do you find most and least convincing? 
• How could Singhal have improved his visual displays of data?

USPS Misquotes Maya Angelou on Stamp

The Unites States Postal Service is acknowledging Maya Angelou in a "Forever" stamp, but the quote isn't hers.  Joan Walsh Anglund said this but replaced "it" with "he."

The designers may have confused the quote with her famous book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Another issue, of course, is the comma splice.

NPR summarizes responses from USPS:

USPS spokesman Mark Saunders responded to The Post, noting, "Had we known about this issue beforehand, we would have used one of [Angelou's] many other works. ... The sentence held great meaning for her and she is publicly identified with its popularity."

On Tuesday, David Partenheimer, another spokesman for the Postal Service, added: "The sentence was chosen to accompany her image on the stamp to reflect her passion for the written and spoken word."

In other words, the stamp stays.

Anglund was gracious about the error: 

It's an interesting connection, and interesting it would happen and already be printed and on her stamp. I love her and all she's done, and I also love my own private thinking that also comes to the public because it comes from what I've been thinking and how I've been feeling."

Discussion Starters:

• How does a mistake like this happen, and how could it have been avoided?
• Assess USPS's response: tone, word choice, and the decision not to retract the stamp.

Marco Rubio: "Yesterday Is Over"

In a speech at Miami's Freedom Tower, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio announced his run for president in 2016.  

Under a banner that reads, "A New American Century," Rubio positioned himself as the young candidate with new ideas. He is 43 years old, while Hillary Clinton, who announced her plan to run yesterday,  is 67.

Rubio is the third Republican to throw his hat in the ring along with U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. The New York Times identifies nine others as probable Republican candidates.

If nothing else, he learns from his mistakes. His water bottle became a joke after his speech following President Obama's State of the Union Address in February 2013.

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess Rubio's announcement: tone, organization, messages, and delivery skills. If you were  a speech coach, what advice would you give him for the rest of the campaign?
• Which rhetorical devices do you hear in this segment of Rubio's speech?

Hillary Announces Her Campaign for President

In a YouTube video, Hillary Clinton announced she will run for president in 2016.

The video is a fresh approach, but it's getting its share of criticism. A Washington Post article described the strategy:

"Notably, all the people in the video express cautious optimism about the next chapter in their lives. The key here is the tone. Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that Clinton's advisers, after pondering how to handle GOP efforts to link her to Obama, had concluded that her best bet is not to distance herself from Obama's record, but to praise the economic progress he has made, and promise a 'new chapter' designed to build on it, one focused on giving those "everyday Americans" a better shot at getting ahead."

Some see the video as too "corporate" and unclear. Others are surprised that she doesn't mention foreign policy, particularly because she was Secretary of State for five years and has plenty of international experience.

Her logo isn't going unscathed either. Critics say it looks like it was designed by a third-grader or in MS Paint. Others say it's reminiscent of a hospital sign or FedEx's logo.

Comparing her announcement for 2016 to 2008, we see clear differences in style and focus. Some contrast her focus on domestic issues now with the Iraq War in 2008. At the time, she was criticized for initially supporting the Iraq War, and some speculate that caused trouble for her in the race against President Obama. 

Discussion Starters:

• How would you describe the key messages of Clinton's 2016 campaign video?
• What's your view of the video? Assess the content, tone, graphics, and so on?
• What other differences between these two videos do you find relevant?

Clorox Apologizes for Emoji Tweet

Let's give Clorox's social media manager the benefit of the doubt: no harm was intended with this tweet about bleaching the new, diverse emojis. 

It took me too long to get the intended joke: the emojis are dirty?  

As you might guess, most people took the tweet to mean that darker skin should be whitened. Clorox's explanation doesn't help much: 

Music? Bathtub? Wine? Sorry, still confusing. 

Response tweets are much funnier: 

• I can DM my resume if yall need a new social media manager @Clorox
• .@Clorox social media meeting: "Hey, they added emojis with darker skin color!" "OK, COOL. Tweet a bleaching joke. Make it funny."

Discussion Starters: 

• Should the Twitter manager have known better? Is the insult obvious or not? 
• One person tweeted, "If you're offended by Clorox's tweet, just get off of social media and look for actual racism elsewhere. #IHatePeopleSometimes." What's your view?

Lord & Taylor Pays to Promote Clothes

An AdWeek article described how Lord & Taylor department store paid people to promote its clothes on Instagram. The campaign advertised a new Design Lab Collection and featured 50 women wearing one particular dress.

Lord & Taylor CMO Michael Crotty told AdWeek the purpose of the campaign:

"The program was designed to introduce Design Lab to this customer where she is engaging and consuming content every day. The goal was to make her stop in her feed and ask why all her favorite bloggers are wearing this dress and what is Design Lab? Using Instagram as that vehicle is a logical choice, especially when it comes to fashion."

This photo received more than 13,000 likes-a big number, even for a cute dress, which sold out quickly.

The strategy worked, but critics questioned whether the company "crossed the line" of ethics. According to Federal Trade Commission guidelines, companies and those who promote their products must make compensation arrangements explicit. Just as bloggers need to identify when they're paid, people posting pictures of themselves on Instagram need to reveal their relationship with the company.

An article in Marketing Land tells us more:

"That's a clear violation of U.S. Federal Trade Commission guidelines for digital advertising, says Ted Murphy, founder and CEO of IZEA, a company that acts as middleman between brands and social media influencers. The FTC rules state that when people are paid to post they must disclose that fact in a 'clear and conspicuous' way.

"'There's really no excuse for not disclosing that there's a material relationship there,' Murphy told Marketing Land. 'These FTC guidelines have been out there since 2009.'"

Following Marketing Land's article, some Instagram posts were modified to include "#ad," which could serve as disclosure of the paid relationship. Also, Marketing Land received this statement from Lord & Taylor:

"We are proud of this campaign and our partnerships but want to reiterate that our influencers were compensated by Lord & Taylor, as is customary in these types of programs. We are always looking for ways to improve our process and communications with our customers. We look forward to continuing to build great marketing campaigns."

Discussion Starters:

• What do you see as the purpose of the FTC guidelines? Do you think the guidelines apply in this case?
• How well did Lord & Taylor handle the criticism?

Starbucks Pays for College

Starbucks has announced a new College Advancement Program to pay for partners' (employees') education (read the press release). The initiative is a revised version of one revealed last summer, which was limited to juniors and seniors. Already, the program includes about 2,000 participants. Now, the program will expand to freshmen and sophomores, and courses are offered through  Arizona State University's online program.

A LinkedIn article describes CEO Howard Schultz' interest in offering assistance:

"My mother drilled into me that ‘you are going to college,'" says Schultz, who grew up working-poor in the projects of Brooklyn's Canarsie neighborhood. "So there was no way I wasn't going to college in some way. Second, she instilled in all of us this level of self-esteem that our station in life was not going to define us. That's the promise of America and the American dream was and is real. And I believe that today. That's why I fight so hard for the things that I believe threaten it. That the American promise, the American dream has to be available to everybody."

Unlike some tuition assistance programs, Starbucks' doesn't require people to stay with the company after they receive their degree.

Discussion Starters:

• The reaction has been almost entirely positive, unlike Starbucks' recent "Race Together" initiative. What's the difference here?
• If you were to criticize the initiative, what would you suggest that Starbucks change?
• Analyze the press release: content, organization, and so on.

RBS Executive Leaves After Snapchat Photos Become Known

Rory Cullinan, the chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland's investment bank, will leave the company by agreement. The news followed shortly after Snapchat images became publicly known.

Last year, Cullinan sent his daughter Snapchats with captions saying, "Not a fan of board meetings xx," "Boring meeting xx," and "Another friggin meeting." Snapchats don't last-unless, of course, someone takes a screenshot and posts them to Instagram, as his daughter did, with the message, "Happy Father's Day to the indisputable king of Snapchat."

Cullinan was with the bank for six years but in his current role for only two months. The Telegraph reported that critics didn't think McEwan took his role seriously, particularly because the bank is mostly owned by the government. RBS CEO Ross McEwan gave this statement:

"We would like to express our thanks to Rory for his very significant contribution to the rebuild of RBS over the past 6 years. He has built and led APS, Non-Core, RCR and recently completed the very successful follow-on sale of Citizens post its IPO last year. We wish him every success in the future."

Cullinan said, "I am pleased and proud to have played a significant part in restoring RBS to a safe and sound agenda over the past 6 years. I wish all my colleagues continued success."

In his defense, someone wrote on the Telegraph site: "Personally I think any sane well adjusted adult would find those sort of meetings boring. If there any grounds for criticism it is that he didn't cut the number of unnecessary meetings typical in large banks."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Was it the right decision for Cullinan to leave the bank after six years? Why or why not?
• What's your view of the comment about boring meetings in large banks?
• In what ways, if at all, does it matter that the bank is mostly government owned?
• Does anyone else find it strange for a father to send such messages to his daughter and for her to post them on Instagram? 

Report About Rolling Stone Article Causes Retraction

In December, Rolling Stone admitted failures in its damning article about a "culture of rape" at the University of Virginia. Now, following an independent report, the magazine has offered a full retraction.

The report was issued by a group at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, hired to investigate the magazine's report. Concluding that Rolling Stone's investigation was "a failure that was unavoidable," the report identified terrible consequences of the article for the University and for the fraternity members who were accused. 

In addition, the report warns that the shoddy article may do further damage to rape victims:

"Erdely [the author] and her editors had hoped their investigation would sound an alarm about campus sexual assault and would challenge Virginia and other universities to do better. Instead, the magazine's failure may have spread the idea that many women invent rape allegations. (Social scientists analyzing crime records report that the rate of false rape allegations is 2 to 8 percent.) At the University of Virginia, 'It's going to be more difficult now to engage some people … because they have a preconceived notion that women lie about sexual assault,' said Alex Pinkleton, a UVA student and rape survivor who was one of Erdely's sources."

In part, the report identifies challenges in writing a good story: 

"There is a tension in magazine and narrative editing between crafting a readable story-a story that flows-and providing clear attribution of quotations and facts. It can be clunky and disruptive to write ‘she said' over and over. There should be room in magazine journalism for diverse narrative voicing-if the underlying reporting is solid."

Sabrina Rubin Erdely wrote an apology statement about her investigation and reporting: 

"The past few months, since my Rolling Stone article 'A Rape on Campus' was first called into question, have been among the most painful of my life. Reading the Columbia account of the mistakes and misjudgments in my reporting was a brutal and humbling experience. I want to offer my deepest apologies: to Rolling Stone's readers, to my Rolling Stone editors and colleagues, to the U.V.A. community, and to any victims of sexual assault who may feel fearful as a result of my article.

"Over my 20 years of working as an investigative journalist - including at Rolling Stone, a magazine I grew up loving and am honored to work for - I have often dealt with sensitive topics and sources. In writing each of these stories I must weigh my compassion against my journalistic duty to find the truth. However, in the case of Jackie and her account of her traumatic rape, I did not go far enough to verify her story. I allowed my concern for Jackie's well-being, my fear of re-traumatizing her, and my confidence in her credibility to take the place of more questioning and more facts. These are mistakes I will not make again.

"Reporting on rape has unique challenges, but the journalist still has the responsibility to get it right. I hope that my mistakes in reporting this story do not silence the voices of victims that need to be heard."

University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan said the story "...did nothing to combat sexual violence, and it damaged serious efforts to address the issue. Irresponsible journalism unjustly damaged the reputations of many innocent individuals and the University of Virginia.  

Discussion Starters: 

• Some have reminded us that, although the story wasn't verified, some of the incidents described (or something else) may still have happened. How, if at all, is this relevant? 
• Erdely was not terminated from her position at Rolling Stone. Should she have been? 
• A writer for The New Yorker wrote a poignant summary of the situation. What else do you learn from reading this article?

"Tricky" Interview Questions

Business Insider has compiled "17 interview questions that are designed to trick you."

Depending on your experience and comfort level answering questions, you may find some easier than others. Of course, some of these, technically, would require a yes-or-no answer, but that's not the intent.

• Can you tell me about yourself? 
• How would you describe yourself in one word?
• How does this position compare to others you are applying for?
• Can you name three of your strengths and weaknesses?

• Why do you want to work here?

• Why do you want to leave your current job?

• What are you most proud of in your career?

• What kind of boss and coworkers have you had the most and least success with, and why?

• Have you ever considered being an entrepreneur?

• If you could work for any company, where would you work?

• Why were you laid off?

• What would you do if you won $5 million tomorrow?

• Have you ever been asked to compromise your integrity by your supervisor or colleague? Tell us about it.

• Can you give us a reason someone may not like working with you?

• Why have you been out of work for so long?

• How did you make time for this interview? Where does your boss think you are right now?

• Tell me about a time you disagreed with a company policy.

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• Which do you find most difficult and easiest? 
• Do you agree with Business Insider's advice for handling each question?
• With a partner, try to answer each question that is relevant to you. How do you do? 

Days Inn Explains Employee Separation

A Days Inn employee was interviewed by The Washington Post about wages and subsequently left or lost her job. The article was about the pending 25-cent wage increase. Days Inn and other employers, such as Wal-Mart, have promised small increases in hourly wages, particularly following protests from Fight for $15 and other organizations. 

Although Shanna Tippen said the increase would be helpful, but in the long-run, it was "not much difference" except for buying diapers: "The diapers, they're $24.98 at Wal-Mart." The article also quoted the Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Days Inn manager, Herry Patel, about the increase: "[The referendum] was bad.  Bad for Arkansas. Everybody wants free money in Pine Bluff."

After the story was published, Patel called the reporter to dispute the quotation, and Tippen called to say she was fired: "He said I was stupid and dumb for talking to [The Post]. . . . He said it was wrong for me to talk to you."  

Patel denied terminating Tippen. Rather, he said, "She walked out herself. I didn't fire her." Tippen reiterated her story to the Post author.

Wyndham, the Days Inn's operator, gave this statement to the Post:

"...while we do not control or oversee staffing decisions at our franchised locations, we do require that each independently owned and operated hotel comply with all local, state and federal laws, especially as it relates to employment practices. While we can't speak to the specifics of this or any particular situation at a franchised location, please know that ours is an organization which values and respects the contributions of all associates and that we encourage each of our franchisees to do the same."

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• Read more about the situation. Which version of the story do you believe?
• Did the employee make the wrong decision by talking to the press? She's out of a job now and desperately needs one. 

Companies Respond to Data Breaches

British Airways, GitHub, and Uber have responded to potential security attacks in different ways. 

British Airways' Executive Club members complained of unknown hotel bookings and phone number changes, but the company said only a few frequent flier members were affected. Critics say that BA shouldn't ask users to click a link to change their password, which is confusing because this is a common phishing scheme. The company sent an email to Club members. 

GitHub blamed China for a DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack, but a representative from the Chinese government denied the claim: 

"It is quite odd that every time a website in the US or any other country is under attack, there will be speculation that Chinese hackers are behind it. I'd like to remind you that China is one of the major victims of cyber-attacks."

Although users complained that their Uber accounts were hijacked, the company denied a breach: 

"We take any issue of this nature very seriously and after investigating have found no evidence of a breach at Uber.

"Attempting to fraudulently access and use Uber accounts is illegal and we notify the authorities about such activity.

"We would like to remind people to use strong and unique usernames and passwords and to avoid reusing the same credentials across multiple sites and services."

Discussion Starters: 

• Compare messages from British Airways (above), GitHub, and Uber. How do you account for the differences? Consider the industries, company culture, circumstances, and so on. 
• If companies such as British Airways shouldn't use an email link for people to change their passwords, what is a better approach?

AP Style Guide Updates

The AP Style Guide has provided new guidance on usage in several areas.

PR Daily summarizes the changes, and here are some of the highlights:

• In the sports chapter are changes for several sports. Advice includes avoiding exaggeration: ("A team losing a game is not a 'disaster'") and using lower case for skating moves even if they're named after someone.
• You may write BLT without defining the ingredients.
• Although climate change is more accurate, global warming may be used interchangeably. 

• The guide suggests  avoiding "the term committed suicide except in direct quotations from authorities." 

  Instead, write "killed himself, took her own life or died by suicide."

Discussion Starters: 

• Who uses the AP Style Guide, and why are these changes important?
• The Guide's Facebook page suggests writing "April Fools' Day." What do you think? 
• Notice that the last bullet, above, includes a quotation from the experts but no serial (or Oxford comma). Explain!