Baseball The Way It Used to Be? A Candid Conversation With Jamie Siragusa - Federal Baseball League

As a boy I remember Montreal and of course the Montreal Expos, I even saw them play at Jarry Park, it was a night game. Eventually the team found a new home at Olympic Stadium now known as Stade Olympique. In 2004 the team left and became the Washington Nationals. That left one team Toronto, but that is about to change with the creation of a new league known as the Federal Baseball League.

Jamie Siragusa is the commissioner of the league and I am very pleased to be able to have him join me in a Candid Conversation about the league. Which by the way is expected to launch in 2023. Mr. Commissioner welcome thanks for taking time out to speak to me and my audience here on Candid Conversations.

Jamie S.: Thank you, Cliff, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss our new league with your audience.

Cliff T.: Mention the word baseball in the professional sense and automatically one thins of the MLB format with it's American and National leagues. How close to the level of skill will the Federal Baseball League be to the MLB?

Jamie S.: Quite candidly, although we intend to make this league compete at the highest level possible, there is no way that we can claim that we would expect to be on par with Major League Baseball. What we our striving to achieve, however, is to create a level of baseball that is somewhere in between Triple-A and the big leagues.

Cliff T.: One of the interesting things that caught my eye, besides the Montreal angle was that you intended to be different from the MLB, how do you intend to do that?

Jamie S.: We are going to differentiate ourselves from Major League Baseball in a variety of ways, but, the most important way will be in how we treat the fans. Right now, MLB takes its fans for granted, mostly because they have no direct competition. That, of course, will change when Federal League Baseball begins play.

Another important difference is that Federal League will treat its players are partners. The relationship between the players and management will be cooperative rather than belligerent.

Cliff T.: From what I read you find that the game has a slow pace, can you explain what you mean by that and how the FBL will differ?

Jamie S.: MLB games take far too long and there are too many periods of inaction. We believe that, despite their assertions to the contrary, MLB wants it to be this way. Somehow, their research tells them that it is more profitable to do things that way.

Federal League’s brand of baseball will have games that average two hours and 30 minutes, or less, by design. We will have shorter in between inning breaks. We will keep the batters in the box in between pitches, and, we will instruct our umpires to keep the game moving, just like MLB used to do, a long, long time ago.

Cliff T.: Will the rules of the game be similar to that of the MLB and would that also include a different size of the playing field?

Jamie S.: Federal League Baseball will utilize traditional baseball rules. By that, I mean that we will not employ any of the newer gimmicks introduced in professional baseball recently. We will not have “automatic” runners in extra innings. We will not schedule seven inning doubleheaders. We will not mandate that pitchers have to face any more than one batter, or anything similar to that. Essentially, if you took a Major League rule book from, oh, let’s say, 1971, that would be the style of baseball we will be playing.

We will use the tradition size baseball diamond. There is no need to tamper with perfection.

Cliff T.: Your looking at 18 cities for teams that will number 12 players, besides Montreal what cities are you hoping to put teams into?

Jamie S.: To clarify, the league is designed to have 12 teams (teams will have 25 players on their rosters), with six in each of two divisions. We have at least 18 cities in major markets under consideration. From that list, we will pick the final 12 teams.

New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are, of course the biggest TV markets and we fully expect to pursue those cities. We also have our eye on cities like Vancouver and New Orleans that are underserved by professional baseball.

Cliff T.: Another interesting thing caught my eye Jamie. Your release indicates that you are going to look at getting players from foreign leagues and even former MLB players, that is interesting, any thoughts on whom you might like to have sign to a team?

Jamie S.: With our first pitch still almost two years away, it would be difficult to forecast who we might be able to sign, but, by way of example, look at someone like Felix Hernandez, the former Mariners’ pitcher. He was offered a minor league contract by the Baltimore Orioles this spring and then he opted out of that contract and he is currently a free agent. Someone like that, a former big leaguer looking to resurrect their career, that kind of player would definitely draw our interest.

Cliff T.: Jamie what prompted you and the other founders of the Federal Baseball League to create the league and how long has this process been in the works?

Jamie S.: Quite honestly, the current path of Major League Baseball, its poor and unimaginative leadership, its callous disregard for its fans and its own traditions, its overt politicism, has been the biggest impetus for us. We want baseball to be how it used to be, and we realized that it was never going to happen unless we did it ourselves.

Cliff T.: I have to ask, have you played and when did you and the other founders decide to bring the idea of a new league into the sportsphere?

Jamie S.: All of the founders have playing backgrounds of varying levels.

The idea has been rolling around in my head since the Major League strike in 1994, but, recently, I had noticed that there were a lot of baseball fans, hardcore, lifelong, baseball fans that felt similar to how I feel-that Major League Baseball, while it has the best talent in the world, is poorly run, poorly played, and poorly presented.

Cliff T.: From what I see there already is a Federal Baseball League in Florida, so are you basically expanding this league in hopes of competing with the MLB or offering an alternative to the MLB?

Jamie S.: The league we currently operate in Florida is something that I developed in 1993 for former college and pro players to continue playing the game. Back then, there were few alternatives, other than softball or golf, for accomplished players that loved the game. I started the Florida league to have a place for those players, as well as myself, to keep playing baseball.

However, that league really has nothing to do with our professional league that we are currently organizing. Maybe someday we will use it as a developmental league, but, right now, they are connected in name, and spirit, only.

Cliff T.: As I mentioned earlier I am from Montreal and this release really grabbed my attention. Many in the city and outside of Montreal would love to see baseball come back to the city. What kind of reaction are you getting from the cities you have suggested putting teams into and have other cities reached out with an interest in being part of the league?

Jamie S.: We are just beginning to get a positive reaction from the civic leaders and business communities in our target cities. Naturally, we are initially met with some skepticism, people find it hard to accept that anyone can successfully challenge Major League Baseball for its audience, but when those people hear the details of our plan, they start to see the possibilities.

Cliff T.: Jamie I bet you are working night and day to get ready for 2023, for you what has been like to see this idea through to where you are now and what are you hoping the league will accomplish post launch?

Jamie S.: Like anything else worth doing, it has been a grind. Mostly, right now, the challenge is getting the word out and getting people to believe. Once we are able to complete a broadcast deal for the league, things will begin to happen rapidly.

We have a timeline for getting things accomplished that lead to a season opening in April 2023 and, so far, we are on target.

Cliff T.: Awesome I really do appreciate your taking time out to talk about this league and I wish you tons of success.

Jamie S.: Thank you, Cliff. I am delighted to have the opportunity to discuss Federal League Baseball with you. Let’s make it a point to meet at the new Montreal team’s home opener in 2023.

Jamie Siragusa is the CEO and Commissioner of the Federal Baseball League. They are planning to launch a new more innovative approach to baseball in 2023 with a game that is faster and more fan friendly. You can follow the progress at https://www.federalleague.com/quadA.htm

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Jamie wrote to us from Fort Lauderdale FL.

Dating Gone To The Dogs Cats and Birdies Via FetchaDate - A Candid Conversation With Sheryl Matthys

Love me love my dog, ever here that expression? Well, there is a rather interesting app that has been developed that has a focus on dogs, though cat and bird owners are also welcome as well. Okay, any animal lover is welcome. I kid not dear animal lover who is looking for love. Or just likes hanging around people with dogs, cats, turtles, horses etc etc, this platform may be the ticket to romance.

I have to say I like the name of this app, check this out it's called FetchaDate. LOL, I think this is really interesting, so I reached out to the founder Sheryl Matthys to share and guide us through this platform.

Sheryl, nice to meet you. Thanks for doing a Candid Conversations chat today.

Sheryl M.: Hi Cliff, I can’t wait to stir up Candid Conversations on pets!

Cliff T.: I am a cat person just an FYI here, married quite some time now 24 years, but let’s say I wanted to meet someone, and I had a big fluffy cat - would you say that FetchaDate is or should be one of the first apps to look at?

Sheryl M.: Definitely! Especially because you know everyone at FetchaDate™ is an animal lover – you’re preaching to the choir. Single pet lovers never have to worry about whether a potential date gets their love of animals. 

And, in the FetchaDate app, the pet introduces you. We “get it” when pet people pull out their phone to show others their pets’ antics photos so it makes perfect sense that in the dating app their pet is the icebreaker.

A close-up pic of a gorgeous big fluffy cat would get more people swiping right and that means more opportunities to chat with pet people. I mean, come on – who could swipe left – unless they’re just not into cats or that much fur or are allergic.

Cliff T.: Off the top we know the attraction of pets, you say in your press release that people want to meet the pet, then the human. How true is that? What kind of science told you that this kind of app would garner an audience?

Sheryl M.: Well, statistics show that 55% of singles are pet owners. In creating the FetchaDate format, it was my experience of interviewing hundreds of dog owners at my dog events, writing my book, Leashes and Lovers along with intuition to showcase their pet first in the app. Walking down the street, people easily strike up conversations with others who have pets as they’re hard to resist! People tend to check out the dog first, then the person. Pets help people appear friendlier, outgoing, and even more attractive. Attendees at my parties made their way around the room asking questions about each other’s pets without asking about their jobs. It was refreshing and people were connecting on a different level.

Featuring pets first in a profile draws people in. Science has shown that staring into animals’ eyes can release oxytocin—that feel-good tingling feeling. Medical News Today reports oxytocin is associated with empathy, trust, and relationships. I call it the “love hormone”. And, looking into a pet’s eyes can make you feel that way.

Also, a 2020 Studyfind.org survey of 2,000 American online dating users finds that about two in five have “swiped right,” or showed interest in another user solely because they wanted to hang out with the dog featured in one of their pictures.

Of the 2,000 participants, 63% of dog owners in the survey said that including their pet in their profile photo helped them find success matching with others online.

The numbers are growing of millennials having pets too, especially guys! According to a 2017 survey, Millennial males in the United States are more likely to be cat and/or dog owners than their female counterparts.
MALES:  48% owned a cat and 71% owned a dog
FEMALES: 35% cat, 62% dog

Cliff T.: And the 64,000-dollar question, how’s it going? What’s the response to FetchaDate?

Sheryl M.: We launched on Valentine’s Day and it’s fun to see it grow. We have people from around the country and around the world creating profiles. We’ve expanded on several platforms @fetchadate on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. We’re at @fetchadateapp on twitter. We love for pet lovers to submit photos of themselves and their pet for us to share in our newsletter and social media.

Cliff T.: Sheryl, there are lots of dating apps and sadly lots of profiles do get set up with regents, for those not in the know these are fake profiles with pictures of models. How are ensuring that this does not happen, or shall I say how do you lessen those profiles impact or presence on the app?

Sheryl M.: Thankfully, modern technology is making it harder to be a fake. At FetchaDate, users sign up with their mobile number and verify it with a code much like when you login to your bank, so there are no fake email signups on the platform. We believe that is a step in preventing illegitimate signups.

We believe ‘pet people’ in general are more truthful in their photos and truly want to show off their pets, and photos of them together.

Also, because you see the pet first (real or virtual) there isn’t the same appeal to post fake photos. Users can report to us what they believe are inappropriate and fake images. We monitor the app as well in efforts to prevent and/or stop quickly any such action.

The good news is especially since the pandemic; online dating apps have seen a rise in new users. The stigma of online dating has worn off and people have become comfortable saying they met on an online dating site or app.Stanford

Sociologist Michael Rosenfeld, who’s studied dating for more than 20 years, says meeting someone through family/friends has been declining while online dating increases. People are trusting new dating technology, and dating apps make it easier to find singles with like-minded interests. Users want to start in a place they’re more likely to find someone with common ground.

Well, that works perfectly for FetchaDate!

Cliff T.: This concept is unique, positively brilliant. How did you come up with FetchaDate?

Sheryl M.: The idea of connecting pet lovers came about because of my first Greyhound, Shiraz. Being a transplant from the Midwest to NYC, at first, it was a little rough making friends. Because we lived in a 4^th floor walkup, Shiraz needed to be walked several times a day. With my dog, the city became a kumbaya moment as if around a campfire. People stopped to talk with me and pet her. They smiled, made eye contact and it felt like the heavens parted. That usually didn’t happen before having her. That’s when I realized this could be the perfect way to help people meet others and build quality relationships.

As a former TV news reporter and then in NYC an actress – I had an idea. This could make a fun TV show. When someone has a pet, meeting other people is easier – it’s the icebreaker.

So, I created a reality-show pilot called, Heads or Tails and pitched it at NYTVF and a TV Pilot competition. Meanwhile, I wanted to take immediate action and started holding single dog lover events called, Leashes and Lovers.

Leashes and Lovers events connected dog lovers – some found dates, some made everlasting friends. At the events, I’d interview dog lovers about their dating dilemmas and other issues that arose like, “Does your dog sleep in your bed?” And “Would there be a 2^nd date if someone didn’t like your dog?”

This became such useful research and information that I wrote a book, “Leashes and Lovers: What Your Dog Can Teach You About Love, Life, and Happiness”

I discovered first-hand how important it is to dog lovers to connect with a date and potential partner who is fond of dogs. Especially for women, it’s at the top of their list. I created the name ‘FetchaDate’ early on and decided the ‘dating app’ aspect would be most clear with that name and to include other pets as well, so the slogan is, Where Pet Lovers Meet!

Cliff T.: How long did it take to develop it and besides pet owners who are you looking to attract with this app?

Sheryl M.: After many late nights and decisions, FetchaDate app launched in the App Store and Google Play in 2021 after a few years in the making. It’s geared to single pet lovers looking to date and find their perfect match in a partner. The person doesn’t have to currently have a pet, but a desire to meet others who have an affinity to a pet household lifestyle. Sometimes it’s easier if only one of the daters have a pet – fewer things to go wrong such as one pet not liking the other.

One doesn’t have to be “Must love dogs” to be in the app, but users may attest to the idea to at least be ‘Like My Pet’ for there to be a 2^nd date.

Cliff T.: Sheryl, you mention that subscribers don’t have to have a pet and can instead use a WingPet. Okay, what’s a WingPet?

Sheryl M.: In FetchaDate, your WingPet™ is your trusted adviser, front person to represent you. It showcases your personality, and even leaves clues about your interests, character, and values. It can be one of your real pets or one of our several virtual pets you pick from within the FetchaDate app. The virtual pets are animated so you recognize when someone has a virtual pet versus confusing it with a photo of a real pet.

A virtual pet simply says this person may not currently own a pet but is a pet lover. At FetchaDate, we understand some people may be in between pets for a myriad of reasons. In that case, “No Pet, No Problem™”. Choose a virtual pet!

The virtual pet could signify a type of pet they’ve had or plan to have; or simply represent an extension of the person’s personality. They could have a virtual horse, cat, parrot, snake, dog, pig, turtle… yet never intend to own one. For instance, they may feel connected to a virtual horse’s beauty, speed, grace to represent their own personality. Most of all it’s that the people in FetchaDate are animal lovers, accepting of other animal lovers.

Here's how it works in “fetch Who’s Behind” search area. First, you see the pet (real or virtual). Then you have a few choices. A. You can scroll up to see clues on the person behind that pet. B. Swipe right on their WingPet for a potential match. Or C. tap the blurred image with the ?-mark leash over it, to instantly see the person and then decide yes or no.

Cliff T.: So hypothetically I could use a WingPet like a cat, since I am a cat guy to showcase my profile, but is that being tricky? If I do not have a pet, how would the person on the other side know if that I really do not have a pet?

Sheryl M.:To be most clear that you don’t currently have a cat, you pick one of our several “virtual” cats. Virtual cats include Bengal, American Curl (it’s fully), Canadian Sphynx, Grumpy Cat, Japanese Bobtail, Maine Coon (very fluffy), Munchkin, Persian, and Siamese.

Or you could upload a photo of a previous real cat you had or one you desire. In the ‘About’ section is a good place to describe your pet situation. You may have a wonderful story to share about your previous pets.

Cliff T.: Besides dogs and cats, can subscribers showcase other animals and what kinds of animals are not permitted on the site? Let me guess monkeys and elephants, and other exotic animals, correct?

Sheryl M.: Pet lovers can show any animal as their WingPet™ they feel may represent their personality, values, interests. It doesn’t mean they have that pet. If they don’t though, it’d be good of them to explain in their ‘About’ section why they have that pet as their WingPet and if it’s for real or a virtual pet.

Showcasing exotic animals on FetchaDate does not mean we endorse it. If we feel an image is inappropriate, we may remove it, or others can report an image, and we’ll evaluate it.

In FetchaDate, we match people through their values and personality. The human’s profile consists of name, age, location, motto, work, about.  And they ‘fetch 5’ predetermined interests from our list, and personality attributes which are included in their profile. 

Pets (real or virtual) also get a profile which include name, breed, and ‘fetch 3’ personality attributes.

Cliff T.: FetchaDate offers free subscription, and paid what is the difference between the two or should I say what do you get with a paid vs free account?

Sheryl M.: Creating a profile and chatting with matches on FetchaDate is free! This includes the human and one pet profile (real or virtual pet). While FetchaDate offers a free version to all users, subscribers can unlock enhanced features like Profile Boost, message your favorites (who may not have matched with you yet), and the ability to add up to 4 pets (real or virtual) for $1.99/week, $2.99/month, or just $15.99/year.

Cliff T.: I know that managing a business like this is hard work, but I bet it's lots of fun to see this platform grow as well. What are you enjoying most about it and has creating this app given you some insights you’ve not had before regarding people and relationships?

Sheryl M.: I LOVE connecting with pet people! They are the best people I know, and we can share stories all day long. I’m excited to assist single pet people to connect for dates and potentially love. I offer private and group coaching programs too.

I’m learning more about posting on social media like TikTok. I can see how that platform is addictive as I catch myself scrolling through hilarious pet people’s videos. We’re holding social media contests too.

Regarding insights, I’ve been adding many relationship topics to the FetchaDate blog. I’m loving it and it’s my mission to help others find love and create healthy relationships and boundaries while inspiring more people to have pets as part of their pack. I couldn’t ever imagine my life without pets (particularly dogs) and I hope to share that love with others.

Cliff T.: I have to say this has been one of the more fun conversations I have had. Sheryl Matthys, thanks so much for taking time out to talk about FetchaDate.

Sheryl M.: Thank you, Cliff!

Sheryl Matthys, Founder of FetchaDate, the dating app for single pet lovers. She’s a former TV news reporter, NYC actress, Amazon best-selling author of Leashes and Lovers, and is a certified dog trainer/sitter who’s gained national media talking about dogs and how they impact our human relationships.  She's been featured on Animal Planet, E!, Bravo, ABC News Now, Fox & Friends, Sirius/XM, and The New York Times.

For more info, visit https://fetchadate.com. The FetchaDate app is available in the Apple Store or on Google Play.

She wrote to us from Indianapolis, IN

Understanding Adult Guardianship - A Candid Conversation With Pamela Wilson

Have you seen the movie I Care A Lot on Prime? I did, quite a disturbing film so much so as a person who is getting closer to my 60's I thought about what happens if I am not able to make decisions for myself and what happens to my family i.e. my wife and other interested family members if I am made a ward.

This movie really did draw attention to the matter of elder abuse and fraud in the system mostly in the US but, I am sure here in Canada. So I reached out to experts in this area and am glad to welcome Advocate, and former Guardian Pamela Wilson to talk about what it is and is not fact re the subject of guardian law.

Pamela welcome to Candid Conversations. I know this is not the most fun topic but it is important and I am very please have you here to discuss this rather prickly topic.

Pam w.: Cliff, thank you. The movie and guardianship is a confusing topic for many reasons.

Cliff T.: Did you see the movie, and if so what was your reaction to it from yourself and other providers and guardians?

Pam w.: I did see the movie. My first reaction was that it is a movie intended to sensationalize and frighten viewers about guardianship. Some people I know were disturbed by the film, and others angry about the court's power over people for whom a guardian is appointed.

Cliff T.: Did you experience any kind of backlash against guardianship due to this film?

Pam w.: I did not. However, there are reputable and caring guardians, just as there as neglectful and abusive guardians. It is important to understand that not all guardians are professionals like the actress portrayed in the film. Many guardians are family members: husbands, wives, sons, or daughters.

Cliff T.: Pamela is it really that easy to gain guardianship of an adult?

Pam w. :No. The film did not accurately portray the petitioning process for a court hearing nor the substantiation necessary to deem an individual incompetent. Additionally, the ward (the woman for whom the guardian was appointed) was not allowed to hire an attorney and appear in court to disagree with the guardianship appointment. Court procedures exist for all guardianship hearings. Depending on the state, here in the United States, the term may be guardian or conservator of the person. So many of the legal aspects of appointing a guardian and the court process are not portrayed in the movie.

Cliff T.: Do the laws differ state to state, or are they pretty much the same when it comes to becoming a guardian and managing the affairs of the ward?

Pam w.: The laws do differ by state. As I mentioned, the terminology can be different as well as the powers granted to the guardian. However, generally, least restrictive means apply. Least restrictive means supporting an individual to be as independent as possible for as long as possible in all aspects of life. Not taking over a person's life as the actress did in the film.

For example, the actress showed up at the woman's home, presented her with legal papers, and immediately moved her out of her home and sold the home and her property. There was no effort by the guardian in the movie to prove that the woman could not live independently or with less restrictive means. Meaning the support of in-home caregivers. It was clear that financial means existed to pay for this type of care. Separately, a provision can be placed in a guardian order, stating a person cannot be moved from the home without first petitioning and gaining approval from the court.

Cliff T.: In this movie the guardian is allowed to and proceeds to seize and sell property and essentially isolate the elders in her care going so far as to have them drugged and confiscating cell phones is that a thing? And what can a guardian do and not do in general?

Pam w.: Cliff, thank you for asking this question. Guardianship or conservatorship grant broad and far-reaching powers, which is why this movie is controversial. Any individual appointed as a guardian who has poor intentions or no experience with the legal responsibilities plus who has no oversight—meaning no one watching over the guardian's actions—can do great harm.

In most situations where the ward's home is sold, an experienced professional guardian will petition the court for approval. Additionally, an inventory of all assets is reported to the court as well as how funds are spent. So the diamonds portrayed in the movie would have been disclosed.

On the topic of drugging a person and denying access to communicate with family and friends this was also misleading. Guardians do have control over medical decision making that includes medications. An inexperienced guardian can certainly do harm by making bad medical decisions—this can happen in any situation where a person needs care. Most care communities, especially nursing homes have regulations that regularly review medications that can be harmful for the elderly and support discontinuing these medications.

With respect to denying visitation, professional guardianship guidelines support contact with family. This is an area where there is a lot of concern and news in the press about celebrities has brought positive attention to the issue. One celebrity daughter, Catherine Falk, has been an advocate for the rights of family visitation in guardianship cases. The Peter Falk law was passed years ago and many of the states in the U.S. have adopted their own versions of the law.

Cliff T.: We know that there is a need for guardians, adults lose capacity this happens, what is the best way to deal with this reality? Pamela, when should a guardianship be considered? And should it be done via a professional like yourself or via family?

Pam w.: Cliff, this is a topic that we could talk about this for hours. I have an online webinar course How to Get Guardianship of a Parent that discusses the difference between being an agent under a medical power of attorney versus a guardian, when or why guardianship is necessary, and the court process.

I will answer from the perspective of being proactive to avoid the events occurring in the movie. Discussions about legal responsibilities to make decisions about health and money should happen long before individuals need care. Persons wishing to direct their healthcare and money management—when they can no longer manage this themselves—can initiate legal documents to appoint an agent under a medical or financial power of attorney to act for them. The document can stipulate that the agent is to be appointed as the guardian or conservator if this becomes necessary.

The critical factor is for the principal (the person appointing the agent) to have full faith that the agent has the experience and knowledge to act as the principal desires or would have done for him or herself. This gap in trust—or lack of creating legal documents before a diagnosis of mental incapacity—is the reason that professional guardians are appointed instead of family members. In some cases, there may be no family or any personal contacts willing to accept the responsibility and a professional is appointed.

Cliff T.: I would say that there are lots of truths and falsehoods regarding guardianship, can you give us a top 5 what is true and what is not true re guardianship?

Pam w.: My apologies, this is not a question that I can answer without going into lengthy explanations. I will be doing your audience a disservice—much like the movie—if I give brief responses. Let me answer from two perspectives that address the controversy about this film.

The first is that because guardianship and conservatorship are serious legal responsibilities, obtaining these powers requires a court process with a great deal of documentation and substantiation for the need for a guardian of the elderly. Judges, attorneys, guardians, and care communities are not in collusion like the movie depicts to take away the rights of the elderly.

Second, family members watching this film with experience with adult protective services or the court system may find the movie offering valid concerns about how powerless individuals or families can feel when guardianship petitions are submitted to the court. A common question asked by caregivers is can adult protective services put my parent into a nursing home?

If elder abuse or self-neglect exists—because an elderly person cannot take care of him or herself or lacks mental capacity to make good decisions about health—and family is not willing or able to provide care—then adult protective services or the police may become involved. A guardianship petition may be submitted to the court to protect and move an older adult into a situation where care is provided.

My personal experience with these situations is that family members lack the experience to notice when a parent has Alzheimer's or dementia and may need care. Add to this not wanting to argue or disagree with a parent who denies needing help. These family situations can become very conflictive and adult children or a spouse may feel powerless and not know what to do. This can be when a neighbor makes a report to the county about neglect and adult protectives services or the police become involved. Family members can feel this involvement to be intrusive or over reaching.

Cliff T.: Pamela you were a guardian for quite some time. What do you want to say to people who may be looking into this, how would you prepare families to deal with this so the risk of something going wrong is not high?

Pam w.: Talking about the potential need for care before care is needed is the way to be prepared for eventually needing care. Discussions about aging, needing care, or dying are uncomfortable. Caregiving most often happens because of an emergency like a hip fracture or another health issue. Then families are scrambling, trying to figure out what to do.

Dealing with the legal, healthcare and financial systems can be intimidating. All are involved when care is needed. Consulting with an eldercare expert or a care manager can give families the knowledge and confidence they need to become advocates and manage care situations.

Cliff T.: How did you get involved in this line of work and what was it like to be a guardian?

Pam w.: I became involved in this specialty area because of family experience and a sincere desire to help older adults. I enjoyed being a guardian because of the positive effect I had on the lives of my clients, many of whom had no one devoted to their care. It is important for anyone considering this role to know that it is a serious legal responsibility. I was available 24/7 to respond to unexpected events and to make life and death decisions. Being a guardian is not for everyone. It can be time-consuming and emotionally draining for many family members.

Cliff T.: I bet you met some very interesting people along the way, what did you enjoy about doing this work and what are you doing now to help people who need care and those providing care?

Pam w: My gift in doing this work is being a problem-solver. Because I have been working in this area for over twenty years, I have a breadth of experience with the industry—working with hospitals, nursing homes, home health, hospice, palliative care, the legal system, financial planners and others—that is valuable to family members and aging adults to help them plan and manage care. I am a caregiver subject matter expert who today seeks to educate family caregivers, and companies and groups who have a desire to offer their employees and members information and education about caregiving and aging.

Cliff T.: There is so much information on this subject. What resources can you provide to help people understand how this works and what they can do to help themselves and loved ones?

Pam w.: On the topic of guardianship specifically, each state in the United States has probate divisions at the county level. This is one place to begin and seek information. Consulting with a professional guardian can offer additional insights into the responsibilities of being a guardian or a conservator. Elder law, probate, or estate planning attorneys are also good contacts to understand the legal process of guardianship that is missing from the film.

Then additionally, my website, PamelaDWilson.com. Consumers will find my caregiving library, caregiver blog, my weekly podcast called The Caring Generation, my book The Caregiving Trap: Solutions for Life’s Unexpected changes, online courses about taking care of elderly parents and guardianship and the ability to schedule an eldercare consultation with me. Additionally, my YouTube channel also features hundreds of videos about caregiving and aging.

Cliff T.: Pamela thank you for giving some insights on this topic. It's greatly appreciated.

Pam w.: Cliff, it’s been my pleasure. I hope I was able to alleviate concerns by anyone watching the movie I Care A Lot that the information portrayed in the movie is fiction—not fact. My recommendation is that when in doubt always seek information to become more educated rather than being swayed by information in a movie or in the press.

Pamela Wilson MS, BS/BA, CSA, NCG Caregiving & Health Expert, Advocate and Speaker. Her site, https://pameladwilson.com/, is a great place to visit with a great deal of knowledge about the topic of caregiving and related topics. Her website listed above has a lot of good information on the subject. Pamela wrote to us from somewhere in Colorado.

NOTE: We are not saying that I Care A Lot is a bad movie, but it is fiction with a lot of factors and facts not entered into the mix. I recommend that if you watch the movie you watch with a skeptical view. Ask questions and seek legal and medical advice before making any decisions regarding elder care.

Albert Nerenberg - Candid Conversation About the World Laughing Championships

There are all kinds of contests out there. Wikipedia has a list full of them, there are so many out there that it just boggles the mind, but I heard about one that really got my attention. The World Laughing Championships. Albert Nerenberg is involved in the event which recently happened via Zoom and I got in touch with him to get the inside scoop on the giggle fest.

Albert nice to meet you welcome to Candid Conversations. World Laughing Championships. Interesting competition, who came up with this and how long has it been going on for?

Albert N.: This was the first ever World Laughing Championships but laughing championships have been going on for at least 7 or 8 years. There were live Championships in about 15 countries but actually surprisingly the Pandemic helped. The reason we never had a World Laughing Championship before is the cost of flying everyone to the event would have been prohibitive. COVID fixed that. On Zoom contagious laughing works.

Cliff T.: How did you end up getting involved in the World Laughing Championships?

Albert N.: We organized the Canadian Laughing Championships on Zoom to see if it work and it did. We were amazed how fun it was. So we thought why don’t we go big and try the first ever world champs?

Cliff T.: Are there different levels of competition or do you just have one and everyone gets a crack at the title? And, how does the winner get determined?

Albert N.: I should probably explain how it all started I had just finished a documentary Laughology for CTV, the Canadian TV network. It was the first feature documentary on laughter at the time and I was kind of blown away by what I found out. Anyway, one idea a friend bought to a MMA fight. A mixed-martial arts fight. Anyway before the fight, the two opponents squared off and did a stare down. At one point even though they were trying to intimidate each other they both cracked up. I was reminded if the old game where two people have to stare at each other. The first one who smiles loses. It’s actually quite hard to win. What was interesting was I thought I was looking at the two sides of humanity right there. When two humans confront each other it either turns into smiling and laughter or it can turn into hostility and violence. The violence side has been heavily explored. That’s boxing or MMA etc.. But what about the other side. What if you elevated some of our positive qualities into a sport. If punching people in the face can be a sport, what about elevating human joy.

Officially you have to win a national championship to make it to the worlds. In most cases that was true of the contenders with a few exceptions.

When we first starting holding championships the loudest boldest people tended to win. But when we made “Who is the most contagious” as judged by the audience. Everything changed. Having a contagious laugh is tough. You must be bold, loud and let go and release a true joy or hilarity. That’s when laughing championships really took off.

Cliff T.: Albert how does one go about entering the competition? What is the process?

Albert N.: Win a local championship. Then a national championship. Then go to the worlds. It’s more developed in some places more than others. Quebec has actually had both a Montreal and Quebec championship.

Cliff T.: Besides bragging rights what else does the winner get?

Albert N.: You get a big Cup award but usually a ton of publicity. The guy who won the World’s Dmitry Efimov has become a national celebrity in Russia getting tons of press. In fact almost every contender got press. The Iranian, the Malaysian and the contender from Uruguay who won Sexiest Laugh in the World naturally.

Cliff T.: Have you competed in the contest and how did you do if you did?

Albert N.: Yes. At the early stages but because I’m often a host a stay out of it beyond demonstrating laughs.

Cliff T.: What role do you play in the competition today?

Albert N.: I guess I’m currently the head organizer and often host.

Cliff T.: I am assuming that this year was different because of the pandemic I saw fro m your site that you did it via zoom, how did that go?

Albert N.: In a weird way, the World Championship would never have been possible without Zoom and the Pandemic. But, we plan and doing it every year now.

Cliff T.; Besides the competition I see that you are a film maker Journalist Hypnotist and Laughologist. A lot of hats for sure. Can you describe what a Laughologist does?

Albert N.: Laughter is more important than we realize and is somewhat repressed. I am often brought into to animate events for companies, schools etc.. where I demonstrate you can laugh really hard just by sharing laughter behaviors without jokes. I am also asked to comment in media about laughter in the news. I also try to promote research which demonstrates how healthy laughter is and how it’s important to laugh more. Which is also the point of laughter championships.

I also directed several documentaries about laughter including Laughology, Extreme Laughter and You Are What You Act. Did a lot of research.

Cliff T.: What is the reaction you get when you tell people what you do and what the contest is about?

Albert N.: People often laugh!

But people think it’s a crazy idea until they understand how it’s done. I think people think it’s a bunch of people sitting around laughing until someone decides who is the funniest. It’s actually quite structured and sport like. There are several rounds of laugh and many kinds of laughs included the Diabolical, The Snort Laugh, The Alabama Knee slapper etc…

Cliff T.: Albert it sounds like a whole lot of fun, along with a lot of hard work putting the competition together and doing other things along the way. Thanks for taking the time to do a Candid Conversation.

Albert Nerenberg, Film Maker, Author Hypnotist and one of the team behind the World Laughing Championships.

You can find out more about him and the competition below.

Alberts Laughology and Hypnosis pages https://www.laughologist.info/

https://www.hypnologist.net/

World Laughing Championships https://www.worldlaughingchampionship.com/

Albert wrote to us from somewhere in Canada.

Candid Conversations is like a radio show in email format.  We feature stories and people from around world on this blog.  My name is Cliff and I am the creator and blogger behind Candid Conversations.  Want to do a Candid Conversation about what you do, your company or product, book event etc.  Write me at candidconversations@hotmail.com and we'll get your tale out. 

Cyber Security, it's Your Business - Scott Schober Author Senior Cyber Explains on Candid Conversations

I have been working with computers since the 80's and have been online since the early days of the internet. I remember the first webpages and also how slow a connection could be due to connection vial dial-up. The rise of DSL and then cable internet has given way to huge growth of the internet. There a lot of great places to hang out and then there some that are not so great and yes there is that place called the dark web.

Briefly the dark web is a part of the internet you and I do not see, search engines like Google can not see it either. It's a great place for those challenging regimes like the one in Burma to get the message out about what is going on in country. But, it's also a dangerous part of the web where just about anything goes. For safety and security I am not going to disclose how to access the dark web, though it's not hard to find out how, yes you can Google it.

Instead I want to talk about protecting yourself so that people who use the dark web and other tactics online and via phone don't take advantage of you and to help me I connected with Scott Schober. He is an author inventor and head of a company that helps improve on security in the online word. His latest book Senior Cyber Best Security Practices for Your Golden Years discusses how to keep yourself safe while still working playing and connecting online Scott thanks for taking time out to do a Candid Conversation nice to have you.

Scott S.: Cliff so great to join this conversation. Thank you for having me.

Cliff T.: COVID has really changed a lot of things. People are working from home, retired folks have become a little more distanced from family members and kids are online more or less all day. Has this caused a spike in security concerns and if so what are the biggest ones?

Scott S.: We saw almost overnight a migration to remote working environments from the home office. Often when a home office is set up quickly security is an afterthought or not even considered. When employees are remotely working they need to sign into their corporate networks and use a cloud-based application. This shift from office to home is often where security risks are introduced. Think about WiFi and the connected devices we have in our home. When we initially installed these IoT (Internet of Things) wireless devices we likely did not spend much time worrying about security. Perhaps we used that same old password we use everywhere else because it is the only one we can remember, or perhaps we were so excited to set up our new IoT device we left the default ADMIN password in place. Our home WiFi network and all the IoT device we plug into the internet are conduits for hackers to get into our computer and work toward getting into our companies’ network. When setting up these devices it is imperative that we create long and strong secure passwords unique to each device. I recommend that when setting up numerous passwords that individuals consider using a good password manager which will discipline them to create that strong password to keep their devices protected from hackers.

Cliff T.: Which age group is at the highest risk when it comes to security threats online?

Scott S.: It is a bit sad, but seniors 65+ have been heavily targeted and often are victimized with online scams by cyber criminals because they tend to be a bit more trusting. Seniors also tend to have more income that they have accumulated over their lives and are much better at saving and growing wealth than current generations. Unfortunately, these facts cybercriminals know all too well and therefore continually target innocent seniors through various online scams, phone scams, and email scams every day. In much of my research I was trying to find good information that would help myself and my senior parents and grandparent stay safe on the internet and from scammers, but I found very little material that was not filled with tech jargon and acronyms that turn seniors off or intimidate them, so I decided to author Senior Cyber in hopes to educate and empower Seniors.

Cliff T.: Scott what are the most common types of attack?

Scott S.: I am constantly hearing of phishing and spear phishing attacks paralyzing small businesses, hospitals, schools, and municipalities. Phishing attacks are the practice of sending emails that appear to be from a friend or co-worker (a trusted source we know) with the ultimate goal of gaining personal information or even influencing someone to do something. Much of these attacks are growing in sophistications and appear to be legitimate emails because they so carefully craft them with convincing logos, graphics, text, phone numbers you would actually believe the phishing email was from your bank and you actually click on the link. I always warn email users to not be so quick to click and rather pause and carefully analyze the incoming email asking yourself a few questions such as were you expecting this email? You can easily hover over the links with your mouse (without clicking on them) so you can see where the link might take you. When you analyze the URL you get a clue to where you might be sent and if it even remotely seems legit.

Cliff T.: in your book you cover security for seniors what are the topics covered in the book?

Scott S.: I cover many basic tech and security topics such as:

Email, browsers, search engines

Big data pitfalls, privacy, security

Healthcare cyber security

Computers and smartphone basics

Politics of technology

Internet and phone scams to avoid

Video chatting in the age of Covid-19

I also focus in a few more advanced security topics that seniors need to learn about:

Spotting email phishing scams

Dealing with spam and junk mail

Creating strong passwords

Keeps your searches private

Avoiding big data collection

Stopping identity theft before and after death

Securing your digital footprint

Cliff T.: Why the focus on seniors, Was there a specific event or did this topic just sort of pop out to you?

Scott S.: For the past decade, I have been speaking and writing on cybersecurity topics but my audience was typically other cyber security experts or small business owners. When I found myself helping my aging parents and my grandfather on a more regular basis I asked myself what resources might be available to seniors that can better aid them to use computers and the internet while staying safe from scammers. I quickly learned there is very little information available that talks to the senior audience. The little bit of information that was available seemed to talk down to seniors rather than trying to relate to them.  

Cliff T.: So what would you say are the 3 most important things you want readers of Senior Cyber to get from the book?

Scott S.: Great question… I hope that all readers both seniors and perhaps even caregivers can walk away feeling they do not need to live in fear of scammers and cyber criminals. I hope that they can relate to technological advances they have witnessed first-hand in their lives and take progressive steps to gain confidence using computers, smart phones, the internet, and technology in general. As they gain further knowledge, insight, and experience I hope they can share that with other seniors so in the end cyber criminals will ultimately give up.

Cliff T.: Cybersecurity is every ones’ business, why or should I say what are the consequences if people don't take cybersecurity seriously?

Scott S.: Back in 2013 when we first heard of the Target credit card data breach likely we were concerned if we shopped at Target and became a victim. Breach after breach has hit the headlines and for the most part people have grown somewhat complacent not educating themselves and their loved ones on the importance of implementing best cyber practices in their lives. Now when we fast forward to 2021, everyone I know has been a victim of a data breach and had their personal credentials stolen, their debit card hacked, or their credit card used by thieves. To stay safe when we use a computer and go on the internet we need to realize that cybersecurity is now everyone’s business and take necessary precautions.

Cliff T.: What is the first thing you would suggest anyone and in particular seniors do to protect themselves while online?

Scott S.: Just about every cyber breach that I have researched over the past decade it seems that weak passwords always played a part. As humans, we are not too good at remembering more than about 7 digits in our working memory. Now when you are told that passwords should be minimum of 12 to 14 digits long, with numbers, upper/lower case letters, as well as symbols you quickly see why people end up using PASSWORD123 or other simple passwords they can recall. The other challenge is that seniors and for that matter pretty much everyone else tends to re-use the same password across multiple login accounts. The tremendous danger this opens up is if a cyber-criminal hacks our account figuring out one of our passwords.

Cliff T.: That said what are absolute do not do's? And if confronted with someone attempting an attack what should they do?

Sometimes the simplest things can be some of the best things to keep seniors safe and yet are overlooked. Shredding junk mail as well as any documents you want to discard with personal information on it is essential. I always recommend everyone invests in a micro cross-cut shredder that will turn any document into over 2,000 pieces of confetti. These shredders cost around $100 but are well worth every penny. DO NOT cheap out and buy a regular $20-$30 shedder as they simply don’t ‘cut it’ (no pun intended) as they only will shred in long strips which cyber criminals can piece together with relative ease especially with the assistance of software that can rebuild documents from taking a picture of the shredded pieces.

Another important DO NOT DO is do not reuse the same password across multiple web sites. If/when your password is compromised cyber thieves will likely try that same password across multiple sites to see if you did in fact re-use.

Amazingly, I often see/hear people share their password with other colleagues. DO NOT DO this even if they are a trusted friend. The other day I had a friend that wanted to host a Zoom call but did not have a paid account so they asked for my password. I would not provide them with my password, but rather I offered to start and host the meeting and when they came on I assigned them as co-host. When I left the meeting, I shifted all hosting over to them so I could leave and they could stay on and finish up their meeting. Regardless of how inconvenient it may seem…DO NOT share your password with anyone ever.

Cliff T.: Scott besides being an author you are the head of a company that works in the field of online security how did you get into this line of work and what is the most fascinating part of it?

Scott S.: Everyday, I go to work I do not fully know what is in store for me which can be exciting and challenging. I therefore need to stay focused and be able to pivot from one challenge or problem to the next. I like to make a physical check list on my desk each morning as I have my coffee so I can work toward accomplishing several key things throughout my day. Since BVS is a 49 year-old company.  We are privately held family business, this is the only job I have ever had since 6^th grade. BVS has enabled me to try many different facets of jobs all working under the same roof which helps me gain perspective as to what each employee does every day everything from jobs they love to do to stuff they hate. For the more mundane and tedious jobs that employees hate I can personally understand since I was in their ‘shoes’ doing that same job and can help motivate them or challenge them to find a better way to design or build what they are working on. One of the more fascinating parts that I am proud of is that I can continue to run a successful company and carry on the legacy that my father worked so hard to build when the company was founded almost 50 years ago.

Cliff T. Senior Cyber is the latest book, where can people get a copy and do you have other books, and are planning more in the future?

Scott S.: My first book was called ‘Hacked Again’ https://amzn.to/39Nrxzz

My second book was ‘Cybersecurity is Everybody’s Business’ https://amzn.to/3wp8eGt

The most recent release that just came out is ‘Senior Cyber’ https://amzn.to/3dImfGO

If you are wondering… yes I have already started research and writing on book#4 ‘Teen Cyber’ that will help teens better understand some of the risks about being too social on social media and how sometimes putting too much personal information out there can come back to bite you later when you are applying for a job.

Cliff T.: Scott thanks for dropping in here to Candid Conversations it's been interesting.

Scott S.: Thank you for taking some time with me to have this important conversation – Stay Safe !

Scott Schober, CEO of Berkley Varitronics Systems https://www.bvsystems.com/

Author of Senior Cyber Best Security Practices for Your Golden Years. https://www.amazon.ca/Senior-Cyber-Security-Practices-Golden/dp/1736315803

https://scottschober.com/ Author inventor and cybersecurity expert.

Scott wrote to us from Metuchen, NJ

Daniel Whiteson Physics, Writing and Podcasting - A Candid Conversation About Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe

 I am an avid podcast listener, 62 of them are on my phone including Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe. It's found on Iheart and in other apps like Apple and on mine called Podcast Republic. The pair collaborated on a book about physics Daniel the physicist and Jorge the cartoonist. That led to the current incarnation a podcast that has circled the globe and garnered a lot of listeners and for the pair a fan base with lots of questions. Daniel has graciously taken time to do a Candid Conversation and I am excited to jump in and hear or in this case read more about what he has to say so here we go. Daniel Welcome to Candid Conversations.

Daniel W: Thanks so much for your interest and invitation!

Cliff T.: You are a pretty busy person, at least that is my assumption. Doing a book and now a podcast along with your work at UC Irvine that is a a lot of juggling to do. I bet there are lots of times in the day where coffee is involved to keep you going. Seriously how do you manage doing Explain Universe?

Daniel W.: My day job as a professor keeps me pretty busy, but the outreach work is a labor of love, and so it doesn’t feel hard to make time for it. Jorge and I have a lot of fun talking and writing about science, so it’s something I enjoy doing. The podcast is less work than you might imagine, since unlike other podcasts it’s not scripted. I work out the basic concept and then it’s a spontaneous conversation with Jorge, often going in directions I hadn’t anticipated. I hope that makes it sound more like a real conversation, but it also is much less work to prepare.

Cliff T.: Is it me or do you and Jorge seem to be tacking black holes a lot? What would you say are the top 3 to 5 subjects you get questions about?

Daniel W: People are very curious about black holes, especially because we seem to be making real progress in understanding them recently. A lot of people ask: what’s it like to fall into a black hole, what’s inside a black hole, and is our entire Universe inside a massive black hole?

Cliff T.: Have you gotten questions that you have said umm not going to touch that?

Daniel W.: Haha, not yet. We get a few dozen messages a day with questions, but they are all science or science-adjacent.

Cliff T.: Have you gotten a question that you have said, wow I don't even know that but, I want to, and if so have you researched and answered or tried to answer it yet?

Daniel W.: Many times! My specific expertise is particle physics, but the podcast ranges far beyond that, into cosmology and astrophysics and sometimes the physics of new technology. If it’s not something I already am very familiar with, I’ll read some papers and reach out to a colleague in that area to get a deeper understanding. That’s one of the things I love about the podcast: it gives me an excuse to dive into a subject that’s out of my area but I’ve always been curious about, such as galaxy formation or bonkers theories of the pre-big-bang Universe.

Cliff T.: I believe you have explained how the podcast was created but, just refresh people what got you and Jorge interested in doing a podcast, was this an idea inspired by the book you guys worked on?

Daniel W.: We started collaborating by working on some science explainer videos. Then we wrote “We Have No Idea”. To promote the book, we travelled the country and gave presentations about the ideas in it. Jorge and I had fun in those talks joking around and riffing, and someone connected us with the podcast folks at Stuff Media, who helped us turn our fun conversations about science into podcasts.

Cliff T.: What got you interested in physics?

Daniel W.: I talk about curiosity a lot in the podcast, but I see the Universe as a grand mystery for us to unravel. I’m desperately curious about what the basic rules of the Universe are, and getting into physics is my way of scratching that curiosity itch.

Cliff T.: So with that history in mind how do you and Jorge decide on what subjects you are going to cover? Do you guys hang out and toss ideas around then choose the topic or is there a process you use?

Daniel W.: We get a lot of suggestions from listeners, something in physics that they heard about but never understood. We also follow my interests: topics that I’ve long wanted to get a deeper handle on. Last year I started a series of episodes where we interview science-fiction authors about the science of the Universe they created, which is fun for me because I get to chat with some of my favorite authors!

Cliff T.: Have you gotten feedback from your physics peers on your show? And if so what has been the most notable thing they have said about Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe

Daniel W.: The reaction tends to be of two kinds, positive and negative. Many people are positive, because they agree that science communication is important and vital, both for science and the public. Some are negative, because they think that this kind of work is less important than the actual research, and it makes them doubt my devotion to doing the science. My response is that doing the outreach makes me a better scientist, by giving me a chance to learn about related topics that inform my own research.

Cliff T.: What do you and Jorge have planned for the future another book perhaps?

Daniel W.: We have a book coming out in November 2021, called “Frequently Asked Questions about the Universe”, inspired by the most common questions we get about the podcast. Last year, we launched a children’s television series on PBS, called “Elinor Wonders Why”, which teaches kids about the natural world and encourages their curiosity.

Cliff T.: Daniel thanks again it's been interesting to chat. I hope you and Jorge continue to have success in whatever you do in future and of course outside of the podcast.

Daniel W.: Thanks so much for your kind words!

Daniel Whiteson is a Particle Physicist, professor, author and podcaster.

Here are some links you can view about Daniel and the podcast.

https://www.physics.uci.edu/people/daniel-o-whiteson

http://pbskids.org/elinor

http://wehavenoidea.com/

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-daniel-and-jorge-explain-t-29862087/?fbclid=IwAR1B7F43IfrC74s1hMZwlnQi2dKkZOH4C-B2mO-rHHUGPZD3hce9UATXJtE

https://www.facebook.com/DanielAndJorge/

https://sites.uci.edu/daniel/

Daniel wrote to us from Irvine CA USA