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KU News: Upcoming speakers on topics of race and sports, innovation

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From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

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ESPN commentator, professor Kevin Blackistone speaking at KU’s ‘Race and Sports’ symposium

The Langston Hughes Center, Kansas Athletics and the Department of African and African-American Studies at the University of Kansas will present “Race and Sports in American Culture: A KU Symposium” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, in the Jayhawk Welcome Center. The seventh annual event will feature a keynote address from Kevin Blackistone, an award-winning sportswriter, author, ESPN commentator and University of Maryland professor, as well as a panel discussion with former KU student-athletes Derek Fine (football) and Austin Richardson (women’s basketball).

 

Second annual KU School of Business entrepreneurship celebration to feature leader in innovation

Bestselling author and leader in innovation Steven Johnson will be the keynote speaker of the second annual Startup Jayhawk, a University of Kansas School of Business multiday event celebrating entrepreneurship. Johnson’s talk, set for 6:30 p.m. March 26, will take place in the Dicus Family Auditorium, 1111 Capitol Federal Hall. It is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Shawn Alexander, 785-864-5044, [email protected]

ESPN commentator, professor Kevin Blackistone speaking at KU’s ‘Race and Sports’ symposium

LAWRENCE — The Langston Hughes Center, Kansas Athletics and the Department of African and African-American Studies at the University of Kansas will present “Race and Sports in American Culture: A KU Symposium” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, in the Jayhawk Welcome Center.

 

The seventh annual event will feature a keynote address from Kevin Blackistone, an award-winning sportswriter, author, ESPN commentator and University of Maryland professor, as well as a panel discussion with former KU student-athletes Derek Fine (football) and Austin Richardson (women’s basketball).

 

The event is free and open to the public. Donations benefiting the Langston Hughes Center will be accepted.

 

Shawn Leigh Alexander, professor and current chair of African & African-American Studies and director of the Langston Hughes Center, said the world of sport allows for a multi-level discussion about many issues, including corporate power, race, gender, homophobia, urban planning, health and labor.

 

“Sport, while occupying a central place in American culture and society, also has served as symbolic sites of protest, power, inclusion and discrimination for America’s racial minorities,” Alexander said. “For the past seven years, KU has been at the forefront of this discussion with its annual symposium, and we look forward to continuing our demonstrating leadership in this field and conversation with this year’s spectacular event.”

 

Blackistone has been an influential voice among African-American writers and editors throughout his journalism and academic career. He has been a longtime columnist at the Boston Globe, Chicago Reporter, Dallas Morning New and the Washington Post, among other positions. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN’s “Around the Horn,” a contributor to NPR, the co-author of “A Gift for Ron: Friendship and Sacrifice On and Off the Gridiron,” with Everson Walls.

 

He is also the co-producer and co-writer of the award-winning documentary “Imagining the Indian: The Fight Against Native American Mascoting.” Blackistone has received numerous honors and awards for sports column writing and other scholarly works.

 

Past events featured keynote addresses from sports sociologist Harry Edwards, The Nation’s sports editor and author Dave Zirin, author and former New York Times sports columnist William Rhoden, sportswriter Kavitha Davidson, sports historian Lou Moore and award-winning sports columnist and ESPN contributor Claire Smith.

 

This year’s co-sponsors include the School of Journalism & Mass Communications, the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, KU Native American Initiatives and the KU departments of Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences, History and Political Science.

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Refollow @KUnews for KU News Service stories, discoveries and experts.

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Contact: Lauren Cunningham, 785-864-9540, [email protected]

Second annual KU School of Business entrepreneurship celebration to feature leader in innovation

LAWRENCE — Bestselling author and leader in innovation Steven Johnson will be the keynote speaker of the second annual Startup Jayhawk, a University of Kansas School of Business multiday event celebrating entrepreneurship.

 

Johnson’s talk, set for 6:30 p.m. March 26, will take place in the Dicus Family Auditorium, 1111 Capitol Federal Hall. It is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

 

Johnson will present “Where Good Ideas Come From: Patterns of Innovation and How We Got to Now,” examining the cultural, environmental, biological and historical factors that fuel major developments. He is the editorial director at Google Labs, a cornerstone of Google’s artificial intelligence division. He also is one of the creators of NotebookLM, Google’s experimental AI-powered research tool designed to generate insights and information based on a user’s notes or other selected sources.

 

Johnson has written more than a dozen books centered on how innovations drive societal change. His next book, titled “The Infernal Machine,” will be released in May and explores anarchism, the rise of the “modern detective” and the emerging surveillance state. Johnson also regularly contributes to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Wired magazine and other publications. He hosts the TED Interview podcast and has delivered several TED Talks.

 

The KU School of Business’ Startup Jayhawk celebrates the KU student entrepreneurial ecosystem and the communities the university serves. KU students are invited to participate in additional Startup Jayhawk events, which include a Kansas City startup tour March 22 and a 60-minute challenge leveraging AI tools March 25. More information about the events, including registration links, can be found at the Startup Jayhawk website.

 

The inaugural Startup Jayhawk took place in April 2023 and featured keynote speaker Jeni Britton, founder and chief creative officer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, among a lineup of other activities.

 

More information about KU School of Business entrepreneurship curricular and co-curricular programming and events, which are open to all KU students, can be found on the School of Business website.

 

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Subscribe to KU Today, the campus newsletter,

for additional news about the University of Kansas.

 

http://www.news.ku.edu

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KU News Service

1450 Jayhawk Blvd.

Lawrence KS 66045

Phone: 785-864-3256

Fax: 785-864-3339

[email protected]

http://www.news.ku.edu

 

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

 

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

Seeds Versus Transplants

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If you follow the garden calendar in the newsletter you’ve noticed you’re instructed to plant some vegetables by seed and others by transplant. New gardeners may be wondering why this matters.

Starting plants from seed can initially be less expensive. Seed packets can be purchased from most home improvement and even grocery stores for $2-4 each. There’s also the cost of the seed-starting mix, containers and labels, but you can grow a lot of plants with minimal cost.

Transplants are often sold as four to six young plants in a pack. A pack of four may cost $3 – $4 depending on plant variety, but they already have established roots. This gives the gardener a jumpstart on the growing season without having to nurture tender seedlings.

It is important to note the proper timing for starting seeds or transplanting into the garden because of the impact of temperature. When the garden calendar says you can “direct sow” at a certain date, this means it is generally safe to start seeds for that vegetable variety in the garden soil. If the garden calendar states you can transplant at a certain date, that means it is time to move transplants that were started indoors or purchased at a garden center into the garden beds. This time of year, the garden calendar often states you can “start seeds indoors”. This is for gardeners who wish to grow their own transplants to later be moved into the garden when the weather warms.

Some plants are recommended to start from seed while others are recommended as transplants. Root vegetables, such as carrots, turnips and beets tend to not transplant well. In these cases, direct-seeding into the garden is safest.

Cole crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts can successfully be transplanted into the garden. In fact, transplanting is preferred so the plants will mature before the heat arrives and slows down production.

Peppers and tomatoes are two examples where transplanting is a better option. If we waited to start these plants from seed in the garden when the weather is warm enough to safely grow, our harvest would be significantly delayed. By transplanting, the plants can reach maturity sooner which means the harvest comes earlier.

Planting Fruit Trees

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It’s time for establishing new fruit trees in Kansas. Here are a few tips to get started.

  • Whether bare root or potted trees, store them in a shady location and keep watered until planting. Bare root trees may be potted temporarily to prevent against drying out if they won’t be planted right away. Do not store bare root trees in water.
  • Remove wires, labels and anything else attached to the tree to prevent damage to the trunk and branches.
  • Roots may require pruning prior to planting to avoid girdling which can result in nutrient deficiencies and poor growth.
  • Dig a hole approximately three times the width of the root ball.
  • Backfill the soil to completely cover the root ball, but avoid covering the graft.

​You can access our complete publication for planning your fruit garden through the KSRE bookstore: Planning your Fruit Garden.

As storm season arrives, make sure you are not underinsured

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Guest Columnist
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As Severe Weather Preparedness Week draws to a close, many across Kansas have made
plans for the arrival of storm season. But while you should certainly prepare your home and family for the risk of severe weather, do not overlook your insurance policies in your preparation. If you have not checked in with you agent or reviewed your policies recently, you could be underinsured and not know it.

“If you are underinsured and a storm causes major damage to your property, you could have a nasty surprise when you are stuck paying thousands of dollars out-of-pocket,” said Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. “Take the time now to check with your agent to understand and address any coverage gaps you may have before storm season arrives.”

Underinsurance refers to when you have an insurance policy that does not provide enough coverage to pay for the full cost of a claim. Often homeowners can become underinsured if they have made changes to their property like renovations or additions, or they have not updated their coverage to keep up with construction costs.

Here are a few tips to make sure that your policies are up to date before severe weather season:
Check with your agent or insurance company. First and foremost, review your current coverages with your agent or insurer right away. It is always a good idea to do a yearly insurance review, but even more so if you have made major changes to your property.

Consider your auto coverage as well. Hail and wind can take their toll on your vehicle just as much as your home. If you have liability coverage only, you may want to weigh the benefits of getting comprehensive coverage. Liability alone won’t cover hail damage or if a tree branch falls on your car. Just like your home coverage, review and understand what your policy does and does not cover when it comes to your vehicle.

Shop around for better coverages and premiums. With inflation and rising costs, it can feel like you are spending more than you should for coverage. But there are options, and shopping around for coverage that better fits your needs can lead to savings that help offset rising premiums. Additionally, be sure to check ifnthere are discounts you may qualify for.

The Kansas Department of Insurance has several insurance shopping guides that you can find online at insurance.ks.gov/department/publications.php. This storm season, if you are If you or someone you know is having trouble with an insurance claim, please contact the Department’s Consumer Assistance Division toll-free at 1-800-432-2484, by email at [email protected] or online at insurance.kansas.gov for any claims-
related questions or concerns.

What does the Farmers’ Almanac predict for Kansas upcoming spring? Here’s what to expect.

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As Kansas prepares for winter to end, many are crossing their fingers for warmer, mild weather.

However, if the Farmers’ Almanac has predicted correctly, Kansans should prepare for colder temperatures, as well as thunder and snowstorms, this spring.

The almanac, which has been predicting weather (with varying accuracy) since 1818, recently released its extended weather forecast for the upcoming spring, titled “Polar Coaster Spring.”

Here’s what the Farmers’ Almanac has predicted for the spring and how that could impact Kansans.

What is the Farmers’ Almanac predicting for Kansas’s upcoming spring weather forecast?

“Ski-lovers rejoice,” the almanac writes. “We’re heading for a ‘Polar Coaster Spring.’ Farmers’ Almanac long-range weather forecast calls for many days of cold temperatures.”

The almanac’s 200-year-old mathematical and astrological formula indicates the Great Plains will see plenty of cold temperatures and “occasional bouts of storminess,” bringing widespread rains and snows.

March will bring wild swings in the thermometer, the almanac writes, so Kansans should expect March to go out like a lion, with similar “cool and stormy” conditions predicted for the majority of the United States into the spring.

Over Easter weekend ― Thursday, March 28, through Sunday, March 31 ― Kansas and the north-central U.S. region should expect mixed clouds … at least according to the almanac, as well as the possibility of snow in April.

The almanac predicts cool temps and storms will continue into May.

Kansas should expect cool and drier weather.

How accurate is the Farmers’ Almanac forecast?

The Farmers’ Almanac has released extended weather forecasts every year since 1818, using the same forecast formula. The almanac states that its readers find its predictions to be accurate about 80% to 85% of the time. However, the Columbus Dispatch found that most analyses of the almanac’s predictions have indicated an accuracy rate of 50%. If that’s the case, you might as well flip a coin.

Last year, the almanac predicted a “cold and stormy” winter for Midwest states in its extended winter weather forecast for winter 2023-2024.

Topeka saw 3.1 inches of snow in early January. Snowfall totals were reported of 5.1 inches at McLouth, 5 inches at Ottawa, 4.5 inches at Abilene and 4 inches at Lawrence, said Matt Wolters, meteorologist for National Weather Service’s Topeka office.

Snow, followed by high winds, had the Evergy electrical utility scrambling to keep up with the number of power outages it was seeing in northeast Kansas. More than 2,100 homes and businesses in the Topeka area were affected with more than 22,000 affected in the greater Kansas City area, Evergy said on an online power outage map it maintains.

So, as we go through March, it’s safe to say that the almanac’s extended winter forecast has been relatively accurate so far.

Where can I find the Farmers’ Almanac spring weather forecast?

The Farmers’ Almanac “Polar Coaster Spring” spring 2024 extended weather forecast can be found online.

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