THE DR. VIBE SHOW – CAROL BLUESTEIN AND MELVIN LARS – YOU ME AND CTE – MAY 7 – 2018

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease found in people who have had multiple head injuries. Symptoms may include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. This typically does not begin until years after the injuries. It often gets worse over time and can result in dementia. It is unclear if the risk of suicide is altered.

Most documented cases have occurred in athletes involved in contact sports such as American football, wrestling, boxing, ice hockey, rugby and soccer. Other risk factors include being in the military, prior domestic violence, and repeated banging of the head.The exact amount of trauma required for the condition to occur is unknown. Definitive diagnosis can only occur at autopsy. It is a form of tauopathy.

As of 2018, there is no specific treatment. Rates of disease have been found to be about 30% among those with a history of multiple head injuries. Population rates, however, are unclear. Research into brain damage as a result of repeated head injuries began in the 1920s, at which time the condition was known as dementia pugilistica or “punch drunk syndrome”. Changing the rules in some sports has been discussed as a means of prevention.

Over the next few Mondays live at 9 p.m. Eastern at , The Dr. Vibe Show™ and The Good Men Project will hosting You, me & CTE. You, me & CTE is a series of conversations on and about Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

The guests for the first conversation of the You Me & CTE series were: Carol Bluestein and Melvin Lars.

During the conversation, Ms. Bluestein and Mr. Lars talked about:

– Some of their backgrounds and the background behind the series – The impact of CTE on some people that they know – What is it going to take to make sports safer – The list of people scheduled to be interviewed – Young people especially minorities finding other pursuits other than sports

Carol Bluestein lives in Slingerlands, NY and is the author, C.L. Bluestein, of three published fiction/thriller novels in the Seduction Series: #1 – SEDUCTION: Love, Loss, Leverage, Murder (2015), #2 – PERCEPTION: Love, Loss, Leverage, Murder (2016), and #3 – ISOLATION: Love, Loss, Leverage, Murder (2017). She is the author You Want Me To Do What?, a contemporary presentation of the Exodus story which, through a series of interfaith play-lets, lets participants walk in the sandals of our ancestors: free download at http://www.CarolBluestein.com.

She is a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild (IWWG) and a contributor to The Good Men Project.

In addition to her written work, Bluestein’s expressed her entrepreneurial skills in Arts Management, Computer and Business Consulting, Teaching, Public Speaking, and Professional Photography. Her hobbies include #RESIST, gardening, improv, designing and executing functional and decorative projects in wood, metal, cement, and mixed media. She is surrounded by family and two rescued schnoodles.

Ms. Bluestein can can be reached via:

Website Email

Melvin Lars is a native of Bossier City/Shreveport, Louisiana; he received several under graduate and graduate academic degrees from various universities; La. Tech. (BS) Univ. & Centenary (Admin. Cert.) College) in Louisiana, Texas (Tx. Southern (MA) Univ), Michigan (Eastern, Mi Univ, & Saginaw Valley St. Univ.) and has done extensive educational studies in Ohio (Youngstown (Supt., cert.)St Univ) and California (Los Angeles, (CA. cert) City College).

Lars is a certified Violence Prevention/Intervention Specialist, receiving his certification and training through the prestigious Harvard University, with Dr. Renee Prothro-Stith.

He has worked collaboratively with Hall of Famer Jim Brown and his Amer-I-Can Program.

Collaborated and accompanied Dr. Dick Gregory in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, during Mr. Gregory’s international journey of assisting neighborhoods in the eradication of gang and drug related violence.

Mr. Lars is a leukemia cancer survivor and was given less than a five (5%) percent chance to survive Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia in November of 1990.

Lars’ latest publication; Dying On My Feet My Journey Times Two, was inspired and ordained by God; he shares his past struggles and challenges while experiencing Leukemia. This publication is receiving rave reviews and is said to be extremely inspiring and captivating.

Mr. Lars is a former free-agent with the Houston (Practice squads) Oilers, and Oakland Raiders, former Defensive line coach for the Shreveport Pelicans, as well as numerous head and assistant coaching positions from Louisiana to California.

He is a recently retired High School principal; where he served in an administrative capacity for twenty-two (22) years and six and one-half (61/2) years as a class room instructor. He is an academician with an educational publication titled Dare To Be Positive, and had the privilege of instituting this successful academic, non-traditional program at Linear Middle School, Shreveport Louisiana, located in Caddo parish.

His poetry publications have been compared to that of two of the great poets of our time; Dr. Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes.

He is most proud of his instructional tenure at the infamous George Washington Preparatory High School in South Central Los Angeles; with famed, nationally renowned Principal; Dr. George J. McKenna, III of the “George (Movie) McKenna Story”, Portrayed by the renowned, prolific actor; Denzel Washington. During his tenure at Washington Preparatory; Lars served as head football coach/athletic director and administrative assistant to Dr. McKenna.

He is a licensed/ordained Elder/Minister in both the C.O.G.I.C. & C.M.E. Churches. He is the CEO/founder of Brighter Futures Inc.; a Family Wellness, Violence Prevention/Intervention and Academic Enhancement and entertainment Company; an affiliate representative for the NFL ALLPRODADS Initiative. Former interim; Executive Director of Urban League of Greater Muskegon, Former NAACP President of Muskegon County; 2007-2012, employed as a consultant to the Michigan Department of Education as a Compliance Monitor for the (NCLB Highly Qualified) initiative for Highly Qualified Teachers and works collaboratively with Hall of Famer Jim Brown and his Amer-I-Can Program and is a ten (10) time published author of various books, and self-help and academic articles. He is married to Ann Lars and is the father of one adult son (Ernest).

You can contact Mr. Lars via:

Your Brighter Future Twitter Dying On My Feet WeBuyBlack – Melvin Lars Email

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God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith,

Dr. Vibe