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Archives for December 2016

Top US Diplomat, former Time Editor to Harvard Kennedy School

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Former State Department Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and former Time Managing Editor Richard Stengel has been named Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

His fellowship studies will concentrate on the connection between government and media.  While in residence at the Shorenstein Center, Stengel will meet with students and faculty, conduct study groups, and speak for the Harvard community at events.  His term as fellow will last from February 1, 2017 through May 2017.

“Mr. Stengel’s combination of experience—from leading one of the nation’s premier news publications to guiding America’s public diplomacy in the Obama administration, not to mention his experience around the world, especially in covering South Africa—make him an unusual and exceptional fit for the Kennedy School,” said Center Director Nicco Mele.  “We look forward to welcoming him to our community.”

Stengel is the longest-serving U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in history.  He was Managing Editor of Time from 2006 through 2013, including 2012 when Time won Magazine of the Year.

The Shorenstein Center is based at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.  Its mission is to study and analyze the effects of media and technology, public policy and politics.

Denzel Washington Blasts Media for “B.S.”

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Washington at the premiere of The Equalizer in 2014. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Washington at the premiere of The Equalizer in 2014. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Hollywood star Denzel Washington, in DC Wednesday for the premier of his new film “Fences,” blasted the mainstream media for selling “B.S.”

“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do read it, you’re misinformed,” Washington told ITK at the movie premier, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Denzel Washington is no stranger to false news reports. During the presidential election, a fake news story was wildly circulated that he was changing his support from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump. He blasted those picking up and circulating the story on “the need to be first,” instead of the motivation on reporting the truth.

“In our society, now it’s just first — who cares, get it out there. We don’t care who it hurts. We don’t care who we destroy. We don’t care if it’s true,” Washington said.

“Just say it, sell it. Anything you practice you’ll get good at — including B.S.”

Washington’s new film “Fences,” based on an award-winning play of the same name and featuring Viola Davis, centers on the life of a black family in 1950s Pittsburgh. Washington also starred in the film and directed it. The movie is set to be released on Christmas.

Arianna Huffington Helping U THRIVE

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Hilary Rosen, Steve Case, Jean Case, Arianna Huffington and Nicolas Berggruen. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Hilary Rosen, Steve Case, Jean Case, Arianna Huffington and Nicolas Berggruen. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

After leaving the Huffington Post earlier in 2016 after 11 years, Arianna Huffington has already launched a new relaxing endeavor.

Thrive Global launched November 20 and in true Arianna tradition has found a way to make you successful and happy. Thrive is focused on ending the collective delusion that burnout is the price we must pay for success.

“We’re more aware than ever that this way of living leaves us depleted, distracted and unfulfilled. Thrive Global is born in response to the need to take control of our lives, offering new strategies and tools, based on the latest science, to address the unintended consequences of these profound and invasive changes.”

Speaking to ABC’s Rebecca Jarvis, she said, “the reason why I became such an evangelist of this new way of living, that we call ‘thriving,’ is because I now know that we can actually get to that place where we are achieving and creating and getting things done without burning out.”

Thank you Arianna for pushing us all to achieve solid, restful sleep and sound mental well-being! Thrive Global offers a variety of apps using technology to “set boundaries.” Thrive Global’s website will also provide content, events and corporate offerings such as workshops and seminars. A pop-up store on Broom Street in SoHo will sell items through January 15.

You can visit Arianna’s new venture at ThriveGlobal.com.