garyconkling

[garyconkling]

The Back Stories of Our Origin Story

Major Projects, Echoes of Today and Some Comic Relief We shared our CFM origin story, now we pull back the curtain on CFM back stories that reflect the array of issues we addressed and the adventures we experienced. Some back stories became part of Oregon history. Many influenced our professional and personal lives. A few made us chuckle. Many firms like ours specialize in certain issue areas.…

[garyconkling]

Public Schools Need a Classroom Makeover

To Adapt to Learning Styles of Digital Native Students School districts with sagging student enrollments are turning to pitchmen to recruit students to attend their neighborhood public schools. Public education in America faces deeper problems that require fundamental changes rather than recruitment brochures. The most fundamental challenge is recasting classroom teaching techniques to match…

[garyconkling]

Unlearning the Habit of Judging Others

Good Judgment Is Great. Being Judgmental Not So Great. One of the hardest lessons in life is unlearning how to be judgmental. Making judgments is a skill learned early. Good judgment is a critical life skill. Judging other people and their behavior seems to develop naturally. Learning not to judge others is hard. For too many people, it seems like an impossibility. Learning Judgment and…

[garyconkling]

Mutant Wolves Offer Clue to Cancer Cure

Another Example of Scientific Research Left in the Lurch Studies of mutant wolves thriving in thick forests within Chernobyl’s radioactive exclusion zone may shine light on potential human adaptation to fight cancer. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1968 forced 116,000 people to evacuate and led to creation of a 1,0000-square-mile radioactive zone deemed uninhabitable for…

[garyconkling]

ASMR Videos Excite 'Brain Orgasms'

Gentle Whispering and Crinkling Paper May Ease Your Mind  In a loud and raucous world, some people find refuge in the tingling sounds and whispered words of ASMR videos on YouTube. They call it a brain orgasm. Others say it’s creepy. ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, has become popular as evidenced by millions of video views on YouTube and Instagram. The typical ASMR…

[garyconkling]

CFM’s 35-Year-Old Origin Story

How Improbable Entrepreneurs Stumbled Into Success More than 35 years ago, a college classmate, a coworker and I decided to go out on a limb and start a public affairs company. Friends thought we were nuts. Our families were understandingly nervous. The rest is history. Dave Fiskum, Pat McCormick and I were improbable entrepreneurs. We had worked in the media, held government jobs and…

[garyconkling]

Advice for New World of AI-Aided Search

AI Role in Search Will Rival Its Role in Content Creation Much attention has focused on how to use AI to create content. Sarah Evans of Zen Media makes the case for creating content with “AI-layered visibility” so it’s easier for search engines to find. In a LinkedIn post, Evans says it will become increasingly important to structure content so generative AI search platforms can index, cite and…

[garyconkling]

Picking the Personality of Our Robot Pals

Will We Prefer Neurotics Like C-3PO or Chummy Companions? Photo Credit: Neuroscience News We’re doomed to be surrounded by robots. So, as robots assume human characteristics, we need to decide whether we want neurotic or cheerful robotic companions. Like humans, it may be too much to hope for a combination of both personality types in a single robot. This fundamental robot design question is…

[garyconkling]

The Cautionary Tale of Apple, China and Tariffs

Competing Against China Requires a Strategy Not Bluster The story of Apple in China explains a great deal about China, reshoring U.S. manufacturing and the folly of tariffs as a winning economic strategy. Patrick McGee, author of Apple in China: The Capture of the World’s Greatest Company, appeared on NPR’s On Point to explain how Apple, which started in a California garage, became the world’s…

[garyconkling]

Mastering the Mechanics of Messaging

A Great Key Message Needs a Great Message Delivery System Communicators focus much of their attention on developing a key message that clicks. They also should spend time ensuring key messages are heard in all the right places. Kathleen Stuart, founder of PUBLIC in Portland that provides PR counsel to public interest groups, offers practical advice on the mechanics of messaging, including how…

[garyconkling]

Science Lessons for Kids of All Ages

Three Hours of Innovation, Conservation and Love for Animals You don’t have to read scientific journals to catch a glimpse of innovation, conservation and jobs with a future. Just tune in to CBS WKND for a morning brimming with informational and educational TV shows. The Saturday morning shows underscore the value of being good caretakers of animals, ecosystems, forests and oceans. The peppy,…

[garyconkling]

How to Marry Machines and Moxie in Writing

AI and Creativity Aren’t Antithetical, But They Aren’t Identical PR professionals face competing trends – increased reliance on AI tools and a greater emphasis on personalized content. The trends aren’t completely antithetical but they aren’t always compatible. Coming into 2025, media seers predicted PR practitioners would become more dependent on AI tools for research and rough drafts. The…

[garyconkling]

When Did We Start Talking – and Why?

Theories Include God’s Gift, Animal Imitations and Stand Up For humans, sunlight, water and words hold mysteries that inspire imagination. Science has helped us understand the world around us, yet we still struggle to know when, how and why we began speaking. It’s an important question because human language could be the lynchpin to understand the process of human evolution, how humans came to…

[garyconkling]

The Secret Power of Human Interest Stories

In an Age of Insults and Division, Human Interest Stories Share Our Humanity In a time of media rants, insults and middle-finger flip-offs, human interest stories can fill a societal empathy gap. As online polarization drives us apart, human interest stories provide space to share our humanity.  For many Americans who barely know their next door neighbors, Steve Hartman’s On the Road series on…

[garyconkling]

Keeping America Great Through Innovation

Investing in Research and Researchers Will Achieve What Tariffs Won’t Donald Trump wears his political promise on his hat – Make America Great Again. But by any credible objective measures, his policies will achieve the exact opposite. In a recent column titled “Trump Is Winning the Race to the Bottom”, David Brooks says the United States is surrendering its post-war dominance to chase a fairy…

[garyconkling]

Clear Communication Key to Effective Collaboration

Lack of Clarity in Business Wastes Time, Causes Pitfalls and Misses Opportunities A lack of clarity in communication can sabotage business success and sour interpersonal relationships. Communicating clearly requires self-awareness, commitment and a good ear. Clear communication and careful listening are not inborn traits. They are skills that must be learned and practiced, then used to good…

[garyconkling]

Eating Bugs to Get a Taste of Antiquity

Experimental Archaeologists Recreate Ancient Structures, Weapons and Dinners to test Theories Based on Artifacts Lots of professions involve deep immersion into subject matter. Experimental archaeology takes professional immersion to new depths, as described by Sam Kean in his latest book Dinner with King Tut.  The book’s subtitle aptly describes the plot: How Rogue Archaeologists Are…