Adult correctional systems supervised an estimated 6,851,000 persons at year-end 2014.

Bureau of Justice Statistics

The United States had the highest prison population rate in the world, at 716 per 100,000 people. More than half of the countries and territories had rates below 150 per 100,000. The United States had a much higher rate compared to other developed countries: about six times Canada’s rate, between six to nine times Western European countries, and between two to 10 times Northern European countries.

Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, noted that the unprecedented rise in prisoners over four decades has been a function of changes in policy, and not crime rates.

Washington Post

Time we demand a reality check for political candidates?

Every once in a while we hear the old refrain of someone being tired of hearing nothing but bad news.  Well I am going to change that, at least for today, with this post.  This is some really, really good news. Really good news. Really.

Good news from around the world

In California a healthy baby was born to someone who did not use crack;

In Tokyo a healthy baby was born to parents who were married;

In Calcutta a baby was born to parents who never knew starvation;

In Hawaii someone won a surfing competition;

Today, at the White House, someone smiled;

Right now, in the highest levels of government, someone cares about their job;

In New York a lady received her money back on a defective item;

Thousands of planes will land worldwide just fine;

Even as you are reading this millions of individuals are getting home from work with no injuries;

Millions of kids had a great day at school;

Scientists discovered something;

Food was grown;

Thousands upon thousands of couples are being married;

Even more are leaving to go on vacation;

A couple who wanted to get pregnant did;

Any number of people got a great deal on a car;

Someone is being kissed for the first time and they are ecstatic;

Someone just got her or his first job;

Someone is being kissed goodnight;

A chef is creating the finest dessert ever made;

An honest politician is going to work;

An honest attorney is going to work;

An honest doctor is donating time;

A teacher is looking forward to teaching – for the 4,000^th day;

A writer is getting inspired;

A child helped with dinner without being asked;

A wife remembered that the person she is married to really is a pretty good person;

A husband remembered that the person he is married to really is a pretty good person;

Someone won some money is Las Vegas who really needed it;

Someone won the California Lottery who really needed it;

A nurse was inspired;

A religious leader was inspired;

A cop was inspired;

A firefighter was inspired;

A musician was inspired;

A painter was inspired;

A sculptor was inspired;

A mechanic was inspired;

A construction worker was inspired;

A chef was inspired;

A garment worker was inspired;

A baker was inspired.

Today millions of women and men, girls and boys and being inspired to do all kinds of things – some wonderful, some not.  But here’s the point: who are you inspiring today?  Who are you working with today to make 2016 the best year of their lives?  Who are you helping?

It’s possible for 2016 to be the very best year of your life.  It’s equally possible for 2016 to be the worst year of your life.  Which do you want it to be?  How are you working to help it be the year you want it to be?

 

With profound sorrow I must announce the passing of Wendy Chung, PhD.

“Dr. Chung was an Associate Professor in Alliant School of Management at Alliant International University.  She published in the fields of global leadership, organizational culture and integrated marketing communications and presented and spoke at international and national conferences on issues of diversity, cross-cultural management, global leadership and negotiating the organizational culture of diversity in global organizations. Dr. Chung received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Organizational Communication from Howard University.”

Dr. Chung was my research and writing partner and together we published articles and presented at conferences in Hawaii and Alaska. She was one of the authors of Disabled Literature.  Once a week or so Wendy and I would speak on the phone or text until after midnight.  Occasionally it ran until 1 or 2 in the morning. We discussed our book, classes, research, presentation trips and more.  We wrote a book that way. We wrote articles and designed courses that way. She will be missed by her colleagues, friends, family, and most certainly me.

Wendy loved what she did. She loved the pursuit of understanding. The accumulation and dissemination of knowledge yes, but even more was understanding the knowledge. She insisted that her students understand and how to use what they understood.  She genuinely liked students, and their futures mattered to her.

When it came to education she was fearless. She would take on a new project, write a new paper, present at a new conference, and speak anywhere if it helped the school or helped someone – anyone – learn something new.  Simply put, people mattered to her.

One of my fondest memories is watching her in a snowball fight in Anchorage, Alaska after a presentation we did. Her son, my son, and Wendy, in 15 degree weather, snow falling, and they’re in a snowball fight. She could move from intellectual to snowball fighter in a breath. That was Dr. Wendy Chung.

She made a quiet impact that will last – because of her students – for generations.