"Unfair'' Restaurant Reviews:To Sue Or Not To Sue

In their discussion entitled - “Unfair” Restaurant Reviews: To Sue Or Not To Sue - by John Schroeder and Bruce Lazarus, Assistant Professors, Department of Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management at Purdue University, the authors initially state: “Both advantages and disadvantages exist on bringing lawsuits against restaurant critics who write “unfair” reviews. The authors, both of whom have experience with restaurant criticism, offer practical advice on what realistically can be done by the restaurateur outside of the courtroom to combat unfair criticism.” Well, this is going to be a sticky wicket no matter how you try to defend it, reviews being what they are; very subjective pieces of opinionated journalism, especially in the food industry. And, of course, unless you can prove malicious intent there really is no a basis for a libel suit. So, a restaurateur is at the mercy of written opinion and the press. “Libel is the written or published form of slander which is the statement of false remarks that may damage the reputation of others. It also includes any false and malicious publication which may damage a person's business, trade, or employment,” is the defined form of the law provided by the authors. Anecdotally, Schroeder and Lazarus offer a few of the more scathing pieces reviewers have written about particular eating establishments. And, yes, they can be a bit comical, unless you are the owner of an establishment that appears in the crosshairs of such a reviewer. A bad review can kneecap even a popular eatery. “Because of the large readership of restaurant reviews in the publication (consumer dining out habits indicate that nearly 50 percent of consumers read a review before visiting a new restaurant) your business begins a very dangerous downward tailspin,” the authors reveal, with attribution. “Many restaurant operators contend that a bad review can cost them an immediate trade loss of upward of 50 percent,” Schroeder and Lazarus warn. “The United States Supreme Court has ruled that a restaurant owner can collect damages only if he proves that the statement or statements were made with “actual malice,” even if the statements were untrue,” the authors say by way of citation. And that last portion of the statement cannot be over-emphasized. The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution does wield a heavy hammer, indeed, and it should. So, what recourse does a restaurateur have? The authors cautiously give a guarded thumbs-up to a lawsuit, but you better be prepared to prove a misstatement of fact, as opposed to the distinguishable press protected right of opinion. For the restaurateur the pitfalls are many, the rewards few and far between, Schroeder and Lazarus will have you know. “…after weighing the advantages and disadvantages of a lawsuit against a critic...the disadvantages are overwhelming,” the authors say. “Chicago restaurant critic James Ward said that someone dumped a load of manure on his yard accompanied by a note that read - Stop writing that s--t! - after he wrote a review of a local restaurant.” Such is a novel if not legally measurable tack against an un-mutual review.

Practical secure information flow in programming languages

If we classify variables in a program into various security levels, then a secure information flow analysis aims to verify statically that information in a program can flow only in ways consistent with the specified security levels. One well-studied approach is to formulate the rules of the secure information flow analysis as a type system. A major trend of recent research focuses on how to accommodate various sophisticated modern language features. However, this approach often leads to overly complicated and restrictive type systems, making them unfit for practical use. Also, problems essential to practical use, such as type inference and error reporting, have received little attention. This dissertation identified and solved major theoretical and practical hurdles to the application of secure information flow. ^ We adopted a minimalist approach to designing our language to ensure a simple lenient type system. We started out with a small simple imperative language and only added features that we deemed most important for practical use. One language feature we addressed is arrays. Due to the various leaking channels associated with array operations, arrays have received complicated and restrictive typing rules in other secure languages. We presented a novel approach for lenient array operations, which lead to simple and lenient typing of arrays. ^ Type inference is necessary because usually a user is only concerned with the security types for input/output variables of a program and would like to have all types for auxiliary variables inferred automatically. We presented a type inference algorithm B and proved its soundness and completeness. Moreover, algorithm B stays close to the program and the type system and therefore facilitates informative error reporting that is generated in a cascading fashion. Algorithm B and error reporting have been implemented and tested. ^ Lastly, we presented a novel framework for developing applications that ensure user information privacy. In this framework, core computations are defined as code modules that involve input/output data from multiple parties. Incrementally, secure flow policies are refined based on feedback from the type checking/inference. Core computations only interact with code modules from involved parties through well-defined interfaces. All code modules are digitally signed to ensure their authenticity and integrity. ^

Risks to Hospitality Firms in the International Arena

Much potential for growth in hospitality firms exists in foreign countries, but expansion abroad typicality bears additional risks that could be detrimental to the operations. The authors explore those risks, currency exchange risk, and country risk, and offer practical techniques to access, manage, control, and reduce them. Deriving benefits from global opportunities requires effective management of these areas

Medical advice and diabetes self-management reported by Mexican-American, Black- and White-non-Hispanic adults across the United States

Background Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, particularly among minorities, and if improperly managed can lead to medical complications and death. Healthcare providers play vital roles in communicating standards of care, which include guidance on diabetes self-management. The background of the client may play a role in the patient-provider communication process. The aim of this study was to determine the association between medical advice and diabetes self care management behaviors for a nationally representative sample of adults with diabetes. Moreover, we sought to establish whether or not race/ethnicity was a modifier for reported medical advice received and diabetes self-management behaviors. Methods We analyzed data from 654 adults aged 21 years and over with diagnosed diabetes [130 Mexican-Americans; 224 Black non-Hispanics; and, 300 White non-Hispanics] and an additional 161 with 'undiagnosed diabetes' [N = 815(171 MA, 281 BNH and 364 WNH)] who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2008. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether medical advice to engage in particular self-management behaviors (reduce fat or calories, increase physical activity or exercise, and control or lose weight) predicted actually engaging in the particular behavior and whether the impact of medical advice on engaging in the behavior differed by race/ethnicity. Additional analyses examined whether these relationships were maintained when other factors potentially related to engaging in diabetes self management such as participants' diabetes education, sociodemographics and physical characteristics were controlled. Sample weights were used to account for the complex sample design. Results Although medical advice to the patient is considered a standard of care for diabetes, approximately one-third of the sample reported not receiving dietary, weight management, or physical activity self-management advice. Participants who reported being given medical advice for each specific diabetes self-management behaviors were 4-8 times more likely to report performing the corresponding behaviors, independent of race. These results supported the ecological model with certain caveats. Conclusions Providing standard medical advice appears to lead to diabetes self-management behaviors as reported by adults across the United States. Moreover, it does not appear that race/ethnicity influenced reporting performance of the standard diabetes self-management behavior. Longitudinal studies evaluating patient-provider communication, medical advice and diabetes self-management behaviors are needed to clarify our findings.

Capacity planning methodology for concurrent engineer -to -order operations

This research focuses on developing a capacity planning methodology for the emerging concurrent engineer-to-order (ETO) operations. The primary focus is placed on the capacity planning at sales stage. This study examines the characteristics of capacity planning in a concurrent ETO operation environment, models the problem analytically, and proposes a practical capacity planning methodology for concurrent ETO operations in the industry. A computer program that mimics a concurrent ETO operation environment was written to validate the proposed methodology and test a set of rules that affect the performance of a concurrent ETO operation. ^ This study takes a systems engineering approach to the problem and employs systems engineering concepts and tools for the modeling and analysis of the problem, as well as for developing a practical solution to this problem. This study depicts a concurrent ETO environment in which capacity is planned. The capacity planning problem is modeled into a mixed integer program and then solved for smaller-sized applications to evaluate its validity and solution complexity. The objective is to select the best set of available jobs to maximize the profit, while having sufficient capacity to meet each due date expectation. ^ The nature of capacity planning for concurrent ETO operations is different from other operation modes. The search for an effective solution to this problem has been an emerging research field. This study characterizes the problem of capacity planning and proposes a solution approach to the problem. This mathematical model relates work requirements to capacity over the planning horizon. The methodology is proposed for solving industry-scale problems. Along with the capacity planning methodology, a set of heuristic rules was evaluated for improving concurrent ETO planning. ^

Effect of Medical Advice for Diet on Diabetes Self-Management and Glycemic Control for Haitian and African Americans with Type 2 Diabetes

Adequate care of type 2 diabetes is reflected by the individual’s adherence to dietary guidance; yet, few patients are engaged in diabetes self-care at the recommended level, regardless of race/ethnicity. Few studies on the effect of dietary medical advice on diabetes self-management (DSM) and glycemic control have been conducted on Haitian and African American adults with type 2 diabetes. These relationships were assessed in total of 254 Blacks with type 2 diabetes (Haitian Americans = 129; African Americans = 125) recruited from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, Florida by community outreach methods. Although dietary advice received was not significantly different between the two Black ethnicities, given advice “to follow a diet” as a predictor of “using food groups” was significant for Haitian Americans, but not for African Americans. Haitian Americans who were advised to follow a diet were approximately 3 times more likely to sometimes or often use food groups (or exchange lists) in planning meals. Less than optimal glycemic control (A1C > 7.2) was inversely related to DSM for African Americans; but the relationship was not significant for Haitian Americans. A one unit increase in DSM score decreased the odds ratio point estimate of having less than optimal glycemic control (A1C > 7.2%) by a factor of 0.94 in African Americans. These results suggest that medical advice for diet plans may not be communicated effectively for DSM for some races/ethnicities. Research aimed at uncovering the enablers and barriers of diet management specific to Black ethnicities with type 2 diabetes is recommended.

Medical Advice and Diabetes Self-Management Reported by Mexican-American, Black- and White-Non-Hispanic Adults Across the United States

Background: Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, particularly among minorities, and if improperly managed can lead to medical complications and death. Healthcare providers play vital roles in communicating standards of care, which include guidance on diabetes self-management. The background of the client may play a role in the patient-provider communication process. The aim of this study was to determine the association between medical advice and diabetes self care management behaviors for a nationally representative sample of adults with diabetes. Moreover, we sought to establish whether or not race/ethnicity was a modifier for reported medical advice received and diabetes self-management behaviors. Methods: We analyzed data from 654 adults aged 21 years and over with diagnosed diabetes [130 MexicanAmericans; 224 Black non-Hispanics; and, 300 White non-Hispanics] and an additional 161 with ‘undiagnosed diabetes’ [N = 815(171 MA, 281 BNH and 364 WNH)] who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2008. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate whether medical advice to engage in particular self-management behaviors (reduce fat or calories, increase physical activity or exercise, and control or lose weight) predicted actually engaging in the particular behavior and whether the impact of medical advice on engaging in the behavior differed by race/ethnicity. Additional analyses examined whether these relationships were maintained when other factors potentially related to engaging in diabetes self management such as participants’ diabetes education, sociodemographics and physical characteristics were controlled. Sample weights were used to account for the complex sample design. Results: Although medical advice to the patient is considered a standard of care for diabetes, approximately onethird of the sample reported not receiving dietary, weight management, or physical activity self-management advice. Participants who reported being given medical advice for each specific diabetes self-management behaviors were 4-8 times more likely to report performing the corresponding behaviors, independent of race. These results supported the ecological model with certain caveats. Conclusions: Providing standard medical advice appears to lead to diabetes self-management behaviors as reported by adults across the United States. Moreover, it does not appear that race/ethnicity influenced reporting performance of the standard diabetes self-management behavior. Longitudinal studies evaluating patient-provider communication, medical advice and diabetes self-management behaviors are needed to clarify our findings.