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State of the Union Address: Military Sacrifices
Our men and women in uniform are making sacrifices and showing a sense of duty stronger than all fear. They know what it's like to fight house to house in a maze of streets, to wear heavy gear in the desert heat, to see a comrade killed by a roadside bomb. And those who know the costs also know the stakes.
Marine Staff Sgt. Dan Clay was killed last month fighting in Fallujah. He left behind a letter to his family, but his words could just as well be addressed to every American. Here's what Dan wrote: "I know what honor is. It has been an honor to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge that you would not have to. Never falter. Don't hesitate to honor and support those of us who had the honor of protecting that which is worth protecting."
Staff Sgt. Dan Clay's wife, Lisa, and his mom and dad, Sara Jo and Bud, are with us this evening. Welcome. Our nation is grateful to the fallen, who live in the memory of our country. We're grateful to all who volunteer to wear our nation's uniform, and as we honor our brave troops, let us never forget the sacrifices of America's military families.
Our offensive against terror involves more than military action. Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists is to defeat their dark vision of hatred and fear by offering the hopeful alternative of political freedom and peaceful change. So the United States of America supports democratic reform across the broader Middle East.
Elections are vital, but they are only the beginning. Raising up a democracy requires the rule of law, protection of minorities and strong, accountable institutions that last longer than a single vote. The great people of Egypt have voted in a multiparty presidential election, and now their government should open paths of peaceful opposition that will reduce the appeal of radicalism.
The Palestinian people have voted in elections, and now the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and work for lasting peace. Saudi Arabia has taken the first steps of reform. Now it can offer its people a better future by pressing forward with those efforts. Democracies in the Middle East will not look like our own, because they will reflect the traditions of their own citizens. Yet liberty is the future of every nation in the Middle East, because liberty is the right and hope of all humanity.
The same is true of Iran, a nation now held hostage by a small clerical elite that is isolating and repressing its people. The regime in that country sponsors terrorists in the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon, and that must come to an end. The Iranian government is defying the world with its nuclear ambitions, and the nations of the world must not permit the Iranian regime to gain nuclear weapons. America will continue to rally the world to confront these threats.
Tonight, let me speak directly to the citizens of Iran. America respects you, and we respect your country. We respect your right to choose your own future and win your own freedom. And our nation hopes one day to be the closest of friends with a free and democratic Iran.
To overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the offensive by encouraging economic progress and fighting disease and spreading hope in hopeless lands. Isolationism would not only tie our hands in fighting enemies, it would keep us from helping our friends in desperate need. We show compassion abroad, because Americans believe in the God-given dignity and worth of a villager with H.I.V./AIDS or an infant with malaria or a refugee fleeing genocide or a young girl sold into slavery. We also show compassion abroad because regions overwhelmed by poverty, corruption and despair are sources of terrorism and organized crime and human trafficking and the drug trade.
In recent years, you and I have taken unprecedented action to fight AIDS and malaria, expand the education of girls and reward developing nations that are moving forward with economic and political reform. For people everywhere, the United States is a partner for a better life. Shortchanging these efforts would increase the suffering and chaos of our world, undercut our long-term security and dull the conscience of our country. I urge members of Congress to serve the interests of America by showing the compassion of America.
Our country must also remain on the offensive against terrorism here at home. The enemy has not lost the desire or capability to attack us. Fortunately, this nation has superb professionals in law enforcement, intelligence, the military and homeland security. These men and women are dedicating their lives to protecting us all, and they deserve our support and our thanks. They also deserve the same tools they already use to fight drug trafficking and organized crime. So I ask you to reauthorize the Patriot Act.
It is said that prior to the attacks of Sept. 11 our government failed to connect the dots of the conspiracy. We now know that two of the hijackers in the United States placed telephone calls to Al Qaeda operatives overseas. But we did not know about their plans until it was too late. So to prevent another attack, based on authority given to me by the Constitution and by statute, I have authorized a terrorist-surveillance program to aggressively pursue the international communications of suspected Al Qaeda operatives and affiliates to and from America. Previous presidents have used the same constitutional authority I have, and federal courts have approved the use of that authority. Appropriate members of Congress have been kept informed. This terrorist-surveillance program has helped prevent terrorist attacks. It remains essential to the security of America. If there are people inside our country who are talking with Al Qaeda, we want to know about it, because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again.
In all these areas, from the disruption of terror networks to victory in Iraq to the spread of freedom and hope in troubled regions, we need the support of our friends and allies. To draw that support, we must always be clear in our principles and willing to act. The only alternative to American leadership is a dramatically more dangerous and anxious world. Yet we also choose to lead, because it is a privilege to serve the values that gave us birth. American leaders from Roosevelt to Truman to Kennedy to Reagan rejected isolation and retreat, because they knew that America is always more secure when freedom is on the march. Our own generation is in a long war against a determined enemy, a war that will be fought by presidents of both parties, who will need steady bipartisan support from the Congress. And tonight I ask for yours. Together, let us protect our country, support the men and women who defend us and lead this world toward freedom.
Here at home, America also has a great opportunity. We will build the prosperity of our country by strengthening our economic leadership in the world.
Our economy is healthy and vigorous, and growing faster than other major industrialized nations. In the last two and a half years, America has created 4.6 million new jobs, more than Japan and the European Union combined. Even in the face of higher energy prices and natural disasters, the American people have turned in an economic performance that is the envy of the world.
The American economy is pre-eminent, but we cannot afford to be complacent. In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new competitors like China and India. And this creates uncertainty, which makes it easier to feed people's fears. So we're seeing some old temptations return. Protectionists want to escape competition, pretending that we can keep our high standard of living while walling off our economy. Others say that the government needs to take a larger role in directing the economy, centralizing more power in Washington and increasing taxes. We hear claims that immigrants are somehow bad for the economy, even though this economy could not function without them. All these are forms of economic retreat, and they lead in the same direction, toward a stagnant and second-rate economy.


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"I don't think Audience wants to see a 'Skinny' Girl": Pooja Misrra
After a long time we caught up with the 'Spare Me' girl Pooja Misrra at the recent Color's Screen Awards 2013 where Ms Misrra was dressed up in her black and nude Lace-Outfit and looked a little over-weight. But the actress doesn't seemed to be worried about it. According to Pooja, Models or Actresses with Zero Figure is not the 'In' thing with Aam Janta.
"Models are skinny and i don't think our Indian Audience can relate to 'Zero Figures' and Skinny Babes. I have noticed that in the Indian Film industry you have to have a little weight on you, Also more importantly, My producer told me to put on some weight for my upcoming film 'Hum Baaja Bajaa Dengey' in which i do a spicy Item Number which is releasing in March." Said the outspoken Pooja Misrra.
Apart from Hum Baaja Bajaa Dengey, Pooja is also doing the most 'In-News' film 'The City That Never Sleeps', In which she claims to break the Guiness Book of World Records. The makers are also planning to take the film in Cannes Film Festival once it get's completed informed Pooja.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bellagio® Gourmet Cocoa White Chocolate a unique, rich and satisfying treat. A white chocolate fantasy, smooth, subtle and decadent.
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product description
Related Products:
Arbuckle, Jim, J.S.
Fixed Blade Knives
Work by Journeyman Smiths
Artisan Made
Chef Knives & Santoku
Stainless - 154CM
Stainless Steel
Wood - Sycamore
Kitchen Knives
Maker: Jim Arbuckle, J.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 91389
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***Blade length: 7.50 in.Total length: 12.25 in.Blade height (at heel): 1.80 in.Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.08 in.Item weight: 4.80 oz.Blade: 154CM stainless steel with a triple temper, Hrc 58-59Handle: Stabilized snakeskin sycamore set with nickel silver pins
Description: If you spend any time in the kitchen, would like to have a knife that is as attractive as it is useful, and don't want the typical off-the shelf chef's knives, check out this handmade beauty by Jim Arbuckle. This chef's knife is a perfect choice as a primary knife in the kitchen. The long, deep-bellied blade is well suited for slicing vegetables and meats. The gentle arc of the cutting edge is perfect for a rocking, chopping motion with plenty of finger clearance over a cutting board.
The blade is made from 154CM high carbon stainless steel. It is hardened and triple tempered to about Hrc 58-59, then hand rubbed to an heirloom quality satin finish. The blade is quite hard and takes an excellent edge.
The handle is formed from snakewood sycamore. This tightly striated wood has a nice mix of light and dark tones and is immediately captivating. The wood is carved to swell at the palm for a secure, comfortable grip. It utilizes a very deep choil (cut-out) for the forefinger to rest in. This makes the knife easy to hold onto even with slippery hands. The handle offers several different grip options and is perfect for extended use. Modified serpentine filework travels along the tang between the grips.
Excellent work throughout!
Availability: Not currently available


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For all you Reader's Digest fans out there, here's a deal for you! Get a one year's subscription to the magazine for only $3.99 – that's only $.36 per issue! Put in the code: consumerqueen at check out and you're on your way to an awesome money saver! CLICK to get started. Offer only good thru Saturday at 9:59 am!
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If Reader's Digest is not for you, use the same code to get 20% off just about every other title available 🙂


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Whether it's a matter of taking a stroll through town or going off on a bike tour around the world, bike bags and backpacks by ORTLIEB are ideal for those who want to venture outdoors no matter what the weather. Waterproof, built to last, multifunctional and produced according to principles of sustainability, our bike bags and backpacks stand for adventure and responsibility. With equipment by ORTLIEB, the world is your home.
Here you find specific information about dealers and support for ORTLIEB inside the US:
Show the local content of my country
Guaranteed waterproof and incredibly durable, ORTLIEB bike bags, backpacks and travel bags have long enjoyed an excellent reputation among bike and outdoor enthusiasts. Our bike bags make for the perfect companion when you're out biking, bikepacking or touring! Hikers, climbers, canoeists and many other adventurers rely on the quality of our outstanding gear. You'll encounter waterproof ORTLIEB backpacks throughout the world, accompanying their owners on hikes in the Catskills, expeditions in the Himalayas and bike tours in the Australian Outback.
Among bikers, the ORTLIEB bike bag has enjoyed a reputation as indestructible from the very beginning. We are immensely proud of that reputation. Indeed, when it comes to manufacturing all of our bags and backpacks, we place just as much value on durability and service life as we do on their waterproof quality. This is why we offer a 5-year guarantee on all of our bike bags, courier bags and backpacks, hiking backpacks and trekking backpacks. We're certain our ORTLIEB products will never leave you in the lurch!
You can rest assured that the reliable waterproof properties of ORTLIEB backpacks, bike bags and travel bags will keep your equipment dry while you're out on an extended bikepacking trip in the mountains or simply biking through the urban canyons of Manhattan on your way to work. ORTLIEB bike bags, camera bags, backpacks, courier bags and motorcycle bags offer you not-a-drop protection!
In addition to offering waterproof quality that can withstand the most inclement of weather, ORTLIEB bike bags and backpacks are manufactured at our facility in Germany in a way that helps to protect our climate. This is based on our commitment to resource conservation in all of our production stages as we aim to keep our carbon footprint as small as possible. Every waterproof bike bag and backpack by ORTLIEB is a case of applied sustainability.


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Thu 13th Mar 2008 21:50 UTC
dwm 4.8 has been released. "dwm is a dynamic window manager for X. It manages windows in tiled and floating layouts. Either layout can be applied dynamically, optimizing the environment for the application in use and the task performed."


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Wilmington Savings Fund Society v Collart et al
Plaintiff: Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB
Defendant: Nina B. Collart and Thomas D. Mann, Jr.
Case Number: 1:2017cv12204
Filed: November 8, 2017
Court: Massachusetts District Court
Office: Boston Office
County: Barnstable
Presiding Judge: Richard G. Stearns
Nature of Suit: All Other Real Property
Cause of Action: 28:1331
Jury Demanded By: None
Access additional case information on PACER
Use the links below to access additional information about this case on the US Court's PACER system. A subscription to PACER is required.
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Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.


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Theron and Humbelina Shiver of North Charleston vote in almost every election and were puzzled why their precinct and polling place weren't listed in Tuesday's newspaper.
Only later did they learn why: Their Evanston Estates home off Dorchester Road is now in the 6th Congressional District.
"It's a confusing thing, I'll tell you," Humbelina Shiver said.
Election officials expected such questions: The 1st District's lines were redrawn last year, resulting in some precincts being split between the 1st and 6th congressional districts. Other Lowcountry precincts and polling places are entirely in the 6th District, so they didn't open Tuesday.
Meanwhile, voters in the 6th District heard just as much about the 1st District primaries from television ads, mailings, robocalls and news stories — without realizing they couldn't vote in it.
"I'm not surprised (about the confusion)," said Scott Marshall, director of the Beaufort County Board of Elections. "When you take a look at the media market the candidates are covering, it reaches into the 6th District as well."
Margaret Martin of Meggett said she didn't have time to vote, but she and her husband Walter went anyway — only to learn they weren't in the district. "It was very frustrating to hear you cannot vote," she said.
Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.


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Interthinx White Paper on Retail Loan Portfolio Stress Testing Offers Best Practices
Forecasting accuracy improved by targeting stress to correct model components
Feb 20, 2013, 05:38 ET
AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Predictive Analytics group at Interthinx announced today the availability of a white paper outlining its recommendations for conducting stress testing on retail lending portfolios. The white paper, "A Proven Approach to Stress Testing Consumer Loan Portfolios," details the measurements, data sets, and procedures needed to develop more sophisticated economic models to assist lenders in meeting stress-testing requirements.
"Scenario-based forecasting is a critical aspect in assessing a lender's ability to withstand economic stressors," said Michael Smith, chief technology officer and chief architect at Interthinx. "By quantifying the factors driving portfolio performance, we can provide transparency in the modeling process so managers can see why performance changes."
At the crux of this methodology is the isolation of portfolio performance components to separate the noneconomic factors that often skew portfolio analyses and provide imprecise results. By considering economic factors separately, retail lenders are able to predict more accurately how different economic scenarios would affect both their portfolios and the overall health of their capital reserves.
When conducting the analysis on behalf of its clients, Interthinx relies on its patented Dual-time Dynamics (DtD) technology, which uses a two-stage decomposition process to analyze rates of change in delinquency, default, and other variables. DtD is able to distill historical portfolio performance down to its core drivers and isolate macroeconomic structure.
"Job one at Interthinx is to develop technology and processes that support our clients' strategic planning and risk mitigation initiatives," said Jeff Moyer, president of Interthinx. "When combined with best practices in selecting economic variables, the information distillation that DtD decomposition provides can be invaluable for organizations seeking to create economic response models for stress testing."
To download a copy of the white paper, visit http://www2.interthinx.com/Predictive_Analytics_Stress_Testing
About Interthinx:
Interthinx, a Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ: VRSK) subsidiary, provides essential products and services to mitigate risk in the mortgage and retail lending marketplace. Interthinx offers solutions in mortgage fraud and verification, property valuation, compliance, quality control, loss mitigation, retail loan loss forecasting, and capital planning that are used by the nation's top financial institutions. Interthinx helps its clients minimize risk, increase operational efficiencies, satisfy regulator demands, manage data verification, and remain compliant. For more information, visit www.interthinx.com or call 1-800-333-4510.
This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.Send2Press.com
SOURCE Interthinx


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How To Build A Raised Bed in a Metal Trough
Whether you call it a stock tank, a galvanized metal container, or a cattle trough (being from Texas, I prefer the latter), one thing's for sure: these metal bins make for perfect and visually interesting raised garden beds. They're cheap and come in a variety of sizes, so surely you'll find one for your space. Then, follow these steps to create your own raised bed.
What You Need
Galvanized metal cattle trough/tank in your preferred size
Dirt and compost
Seeds or seedlings to plant
Filling for bottom of container (optional)
Drill with metal drilling bit
1. Choose the size trough that's right for your space and decide where to install it. (We went with one four feet wide, two feet deep, and two feet tall, to fit in front of our kitchen window.)
2. Prep the space. You could just set the tank on the grass or patio; we chose to dig down about two inches and lay weed cloth down in the hole (we saved the displaced dirt for step 5).
3. Using a drill fitted with a metal drill bit, carefully drill drainage holes in the bottom of the tank. For a large tank, drill at least ten holes. You can also remove the stopper for additional drainage.
4. Center and level the trough. It's important to make sure the tank is exactly where you want it, and level, at this point--because once it's full of dirt, trust us, you won't want to move it.
5. Fill the tank. We chose to use filler materials at the bottom: old tree stumps from our burn pile and some old plastic planters (you could use rocks or bricks as well). This filler material creates more space at the bottom of the container for drainage, and also means you'll need less dirt to fill up the bed.
6. Add dirt and compost. The proper dirt mix all depends on what you're planting. If you're planting xeric plants, you'll want to choose a soil mix that drains well. But if you're planting veggies or herbs, be sure to fill the tank with a high-quality soil mixed with good compost. We put our displaced dirt toward the bottom, then added approximately two cubic yards of high-quality garden mix and an additional half-cubic-yard of good compost.
7. Get ready to plant. Our plan was for an herb garden; in hopes of visual interest and symmetry, we chose to plant the tallest herb in the middle (dill, in our case), and shorter herbs around it (parsley, basil, chives, thyme, and oregano). A note of caution if you're planting herbs: rosemary and mint varieties can quickly take over a bed, so plant those in separate containers. And of course, be sure to label the seeds or seedlings as you go. If you're planting seeds, plant two in each hole and then thin out once they reach a couple of inches tall. And one more thing before you plant: know the amount of sunlight this spot gets, and plant accordingly. Most culinary herbs do fine with some shade, as do lettuces and other leafy greens.
8. Water your seeds or seedlings to get them started in their new home.
9. Protect from any known dangers. We know we have cats in the 'hood, so we protected our seeds with bird netting staked down around the bed. Once the plants grow, we'll remove the bird netting and add pine straw to detract the cats. Netting is also helpful to deter other wildlife like birds, deer, and squirrels.
10. Patiently wait for your harvest! (We have a long way to go until our herb garden looks like this galvanized metal bed, but we're looking forward to our fresh culinary herbs!)
(Images: Amber Byfield)
(Re-edited from a post originally published on 2.24.2011 - CM)


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Don't bother arguing with Carole Patton over which is the better hospitality: Southern or Midwestern.
She's got both, and for about 11 hours every Election Day, Morrison residents fortunate enough to vote at her polling location get a sample of such a happy marriage. Not to mention that charming Southern drawl that she can't – and, hopefully, never will – shake after living in Morrison for 44 years.
I'll even give her a pass for not calling me Monday night to confirm our Election Day interview at Odell Library. She seemed startled when I introduced myself Tuesday morning – "You really did come," she said as we shook hands – but what unfolded was perhaps my favorite conversation for The People's Voice thus far.
Click here to listen to the podcast. (Right click and "Save As" to download the mp3)
I'm more than happy to give her a pass because she had bigger fish to fry than this wayward swimmer on the eve of one of her favorite days of the year. She spent a few hours at Resthave Nursing Home on Monday, helping residents vote by absentee ballots.
Patton would go to great lengths to help folks carry out their patriotic privilege because, as a freshly minted voter in Arkansas, she fell in love with democracy. More accurately, perhaps, she fell in love with John F. Kennedy.
"I was young. I was in high school. I was excited. Here was this young president. Oh, my gosh. All these other guys are old and playing golf … pffft," she said. "Do you know what I'm saying? He was young. He had a young, beautiful wife, and little bitty children. It was awesome, somebody who would think like we did. Or a little closer.
"That's why I'm a Democrat today. You had to choose a party."
That said, she did cross the aisle once. And she has no regrets.
"Actually, once – long ago, …" she pauses, then giggles, "I crossed over and voted Republican in the primary. Then I couldn't be an election judge for 10 years."
Seriously. No regrets.
"We can't just have one party – then we might as well be communists," Patton said. "We need the opportunity to choose. We need the two parties, so that we have options.
"It didn't kill me, did it? I'm here, and I'm OK."
You can do the math to figure out Patton's age range, but I can tell you I almost fell out of my chair when she revealed it. It's a deadbeat scramble between which is more deceiving: her looks or her cat-quick wit.
And then she shared with me the mother of all anecdotes. Almost all of the Resthave residents "were already lined up, and excited to vote," as Patton puts it. For the most part, they'd done their homework. Their ponies were picked.
But Patton had to take a few extra minutes with a soft-spoken, good-hearted woman. Nearly 90, she could barely speak, and her right arm was paralyzed. So Patton said that when she offered to fill in the circles, the woman answered, "Yes, please."
But when they got to contested Republican races, the woman got emotional. She didn't know Bruce Rauner from Adam. Not Kinzinger; that guy from the Bible.
"We can tell them, 'I'm sure these are really nice people. A lot of people have already voted for them, or they wouldn't be there. Your party likes them. But I don't know them. It's up to you. I can't help you,'" Patton said.
So she told the woman that they'd "let other people pick that one," and watched her face light up when she moved on to uncontested races, in which the woman could pick the man who would square off with the Democratic candidate this November.
And Patton was also able to explain the 1 percent sales tax referendum. Even though a few questions went unanswered, the woman beamed with pride when she received what had to feel like a badge of honor.
"I gave her her little ['I voted'] sticker, and she was so proud of it," Patton said. "Even if people can't do 100 percent, they can still do a lot to help."
Patton left the home, her heart swelling with patriotic pride.
Now, if only she could put that feeling in a bottle and share that "with the people who are just mad at the world," she finished my sentence, "because things aren't going well for them at home. And it's his fault or her fault, and we wouldn't be in this shape, if it wasn't for this. They need to just be getting out and doing better for themselves.
"That's not very nice, is it?" Patton said, feeling as if she was being a bit too forward.
But she wasn't. Folks who bellyache but don't get off their duff to do something about it surrender their right to complain. Just because Patton's gentle-meaning charm made her backpedal a little bit doesn't mean she wasn't right.
I love this column for a lot of reasons. At its core, it's because I love people. But meeting Patton gave me the urge to bang the same drum I've pounded a few times in my weekly allotted space.
I love this area. Love it, with its small-town America charms.
She considered moving back to the South, where her son and daughter were living, but couldn't bear to endure the hustle, bustle and hornet's nest of interstate highways.
But then, in a fortuitous twist of fate, her son couldn't bear the fact that there were no sidewalks for his children – 9 months, as of Wednesday, and 4 years – to walk to school.
"There's none of that personal stuff. The South is a great place to be … from," Patton qualified. "Here, there's no bad side of town. All the people are really friendly, and they'll do anything for you. It's a very homey town. It's close-knit."
And that's how you end up with a roomful of kind souls like the one I encountered Tuesday.


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Motrin Moms – Case Study
Posted January 28, 2009on:
- In: Case Study
- 3 Comments
Motrin Moms
Case Study
Crisis Description
In September, Motrin launched a new ad campaign online and in magazines. The ad, which you can see above, focuses on how wearing a baby can give you a backache. It also gives the impression that baby slings are worn as a fashion statement.
After the ad aired, there was an online explosion of negative PR. One story in USA Today said it perfectly: "Offended moms get tweet revenge over Motrin ads." The controversy also was one of Advertising Age's Stories of the Year.
Jessica Gottlieb posted her response to the ad on Twitter, a popular micro-blogging platform. A Twitter hashtag, #MotrinMoms, began to be used when other moms joined the conversation.
The viral controversy spread throughout the various social media outlets. Women, like this one, posted their response on YouTube. There are currently more than 1,300 members of the Facebook group boyotting Motrin.
A graph of the viral activity is available here.
The ad agency wasn't really aware of what was going on at first, according to Joyce Schwarz.
Social Media Communication
This crisis is a great lesson in how quickly things can go viral through social media. Social media offers the opportunity to engage and enter in a dialogue with an audience. You can see a graph of the viral activity here.
With the rise of social media, companies need to begin to at least track what is being said on blogs, Twitter and other media. They also should consider taking part in social media in order to build relationships with their audiences.
Shannon Paul, who works in new media communications, said in a blog post, "At some point, merely listening won't be enough. More brands, especially big brands, will either need to learn to engage in social media culture at all levels, or enlist the help of social media natives to carry the message to the community."
Crisis Communication
The apology below (from the Mom 101 blog) was sent to some of the bloggers who protested the campaign.
I am the Vice President of Marketing for McNeil Consumer Healthcare. I have responsibility for the Motrin Brand, and am responding to concerns about recent advertising on our website. I am, myself, a mom of 3 daughters.
We certainly did not mean to offend moms through our advertising. Instead, we had intended to demonstrate genuine sympathy and appreciation for all that parents do for their babies. We believe deeply that moms know best and we sincerely apologize for disappointing you. Please know that we take your feedback seriously and will take swift action with regard to this ad. We are in process of removing it from our website. It will take longer, unfortunately, for it to be removed from magazine print as it is currently on newstands and in distribution.
This apology was on Motrin's Web site (found at this blog):
With regard to the recent Motrin advertisement, we have heard you.
On behalf of McNeil Consumer Healthcare and all of us who work on the Motrin Brand, please accept our sincere apology.
We have heard your complaints about the ad that was featured on our website. We are parents ourselves and take feedback from moms very seriously.
We are in the process of removing this ad from all media. It will, unfortunately, take a bit of time to remove it from our magazine advertising, as it is on newsstands and in distribution.
Thank you for your feedback. Its very important to us."
Kathy Widmer
Vice President of Marketing
McNeil Consumer Healthcare
Seth Godin said that the apology sounded as if it was put together by a committee. Blueprint Creative Group said there was a need for a more sincere statement.
Advertising Age's Tom Martin said Motrin may have overreacted. By simply "shutting down," Motrin missed out on an opportunity to engage in a conversation with its consumers. According to Wired, only about 1,000 Twitter users responded, out of an estimated 3 million users.
Comparing to Other Situations
In crisis communication, the apology to an audience is very important. It gives the company an opportunity to acknowledge the problem and inform the audience of how the problem will be fixed. Motrin might have looked to other controversial crises for ideas.
In a 2007 crisis, JetBlue's CEO gave an unscripted apology after its crisis (Public Relations Strategist, 2007).
Motrin's vice president of marketing was the one to apologize in this situation, which was appropriate since it was an ad campaign controversy. But, it also might have helped if the CEO was more involved.
In the Rutgers University crisis, President Francis Lawrence made an apology in a statement to the press, then in 48,000 letters to the community and also in person at campus meetings. He also focused on open meetings with his constituents (Public Relations Strategist, 1995).
But, if Motrin had done more than apologize online (for example, if they had done a live press conference), more attention would have been drawn to the ad. This would have increased awareness of the problem and may have caused more of a problem.
Motrin did keep the apology short and did not try to justify their actions. Motrin also stated what was to be done to correct the situation, which is another important factor in crisis communication and apologies.
What could have been done differently
One problem was the slowness of updating a Web site.
"If your site has to be taken down in order to respond to a crisis, re-design it so that it can be updated quickly and easily without having to throw your organization and agencies into a panic," said David Armano on Logic + Emotion.
I think that having an established social media presence also would have been immensely helpful for Motrin.
Blueprint Creative Group said in a post that you need to monitor more than just traditional media. Tracking social media conversations about your company is very important. Google Alerts and Twitter Alerts are easy ways to this.
If I were in Motrin's PR department, I would suggest starting a parenting blog sponsored by Motrin. The blog wouldn't write about Motrin, but focus more on useful parenting tips and maybe feature some of the more prominent "mommy bloggers."
After establishing a blog presence, Motrin could expand its audience with micro parenting tips and ideas through Twitter. A credible Twitter account would have assisted in a more immediate response to the tweets about the ad campaign.
The blog also would have a secondary purpose: giving Motrin access to its target audience. Motrin would have the opportunity to feel out ad campaigns before launching them.
For example, Motrin could have found out what mothers think about baby slings if they had been using social media. Motrin would have then realized the ad campaign was off target if they had been utilizing a social media community through a blog or Twitter account.
Sandra Fathi, president of Affect Strategies and chair of the New Media and Technology Committee of PRSA's New York Chapter, said Twitter can be used to foster customer loyalty (Public Relations Tactics, 2008).
"Companies can search tweets from their customers to see what questions and critiques they may have," Fathi said.
With reputation management, "companies can search tweets from their customers to see what questions and critiques they may have," (Fathi, 2008).
In regards to trends and news, Twitter is "a great place to listen to chatter in the market and follow key influencers to learn what they are discovering on a daily basis," (Fathi).
If Motrin had kept its eye on social media before, the company may have realized the negative feedback before it turned into a crisis.
News Sources:
Industry Sources:
- Did Motrin overreact to Twitter complaints? – Advertising Age
- J&J apologizes, says it missed the mark with Motrin mom ad – PR Week
- Motrin ad riles up mommy bloggers – PR Week
Blog Sources:
- Motrin's mommy headache: A lesson in social media experimentation – Wired
- Moms give Motrin a headache – Logic + Emotion
- The groundswell gives Motrin a headache – Groundswell
- The Motrin Moms backlash by the numbers – Web Strategy by Jeremiah
- Motrin Moms – LA Moms Blog
- Data on the Motrin Moms outbreak – TruthyPR
- Motrin Moms: Social media fail whale – Mashable
- The Motrin storm: Breathtaking speed and scale – Neville Lobson
- You could say that IF you were one of us – Very Official Blog
- Bad PR rewinded: WWWD? Motrin's expensive marketing mistake – Blueprint Creative Group
Print Sources:
Fathi, Sandra. (Oct. 2008). "From generating awareness to managing reputations: Why your company needs to Twitter." Public Relations Tactics.
Langley, James M. (Winter 1995). Vol 1, No 4. "Lessons learned from Rutgers' racial ruckus." Public Relations Strategist.
3 Responses to "Motrin Moms – Case Study"
Wow, exhaustively researched and well written. I would have liked to have seen some of the complaints, verbatim. Otherwise, stellar work!


text:
Here are a few things I am thankful for--
Supportive family and friends and people I have never met in person.
Early morning ferries and fog.
A writing date with a friend that included not just writing and poetry, but lunch, 3 consignment shops, an art supply store, organic chocolate with cranberries, white chocolate creme brulee with rosewater for two, two full hours of being productive, and a fashion show with shoes from Africa.
The universe, not just listening, but responding in a matter of 45 minutes. Thanks, universe.
Good news that will happen October 6th on one of my favorite websites (more on this later)
A trophy for awarded for absolutely nothing and everything.
A $16 furry pink coat in the consignment shop that someone else more braver than myself is going to find and going to love.
Seeing a woman take her chihuahua into the dressing (and no, this is not a metaphor).
Late night ferries that get me home and being able to walk long distances without the fear someone is lurking (or doing worse) in the bushes.
Driving home and seeing a raccoon by the mudflats and knowing he got off the road safely and was probably eating some good fish.
The orange wedge moon last night, rising at 11:36 tonight. Incredible


text:
Caitlin A. Chirello and Jeffrey C. Besio exchanged wedding vows on Aug. 4, 2012 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Baldwinsville. Rev. John Finnegan and Rev. Robert Stevenson celebrated the nuptial mass.
The bride is the daughter of Steve and Cathy Chirello of Fulton. The groom is the son of Mr. Stephen Besio of Liverpool and Ms. Cynthia Besio of Liverpool.
Maid of honor was Mary Chirello, sister of the bride and Best man was Eric Price. Bridesmaids included: Chelsea Foley, sister of the groom, Laura Finocchiaro, Dr. Sarah Finocchiaro, Michaelina Carrese. Groomsmen included: Mike Foley, brother-in-law of the groom; Jason Disco, Ashtion Holmes, and Chris Berry.
A reception was held at Bellevue Country Club, Syracuse.
The bride is a graduate of LeMoyne College and earned a Master's Degree in Literacy from Nazareth College. She teaches special education in the Fulton School District. The groom is a graduate of Cicero-North Syracuse High School and he attended St. John Fisher College. He is in sales at Shapiro Motors, Oswego.


text:
Work on the economy
What is the fiscal cliff?
It's a deal made between Democrats and Republicans in Washington that would raise taxes and slash spending. This took place when an agreement to lower the deficit couldn't be reached in 2012. It would take effect Dec. 31 this year, unless a new agreement is reached.
Democrats want to raise taxes on people who can afford it. Republicans want to cut benefits with no new taxes. Here's what will happen if no new agreement is reached by year's end:
Bush tax cuts will expire.
The Social Security tax will expire, raising the rate from 4.2 to 6.2 percent.
Certain tax credits will end.
Some ObamaCare taxes, mostly on high earners, will kick in.
Automatic spending cuts of 218 billion will kick in.
Extended unemployment benefits will end.
Medicare "Doc Fix." The rates at which Medicare pays physicians will decrease nearly 30 percent on Dec. 31.
Many critics believe that long-term deficit reduction is of primary importance. Many economics think otherwise.
"Is the deficit the nation's highest priority? It isn't. Speeding up economic growth is the most important thing now," says E.J. Dionne, an American journalist. I agree with Dionne.
I believe Obama and his majority in the Senate (with increased power in the House) should forget the deficit and work on the economy. Raise taxes on those who can afford it and stop trying to fix the deficit on the backs of the poor and middle class.
Anne Vance
Hood River
Return to sender
I need my rural post office! While Mosier and Parkdale post offices are slated to cut their hours of operation, thousands of other rural post offices and parcel processing centers across the country are slated for closure.
The United States Postal Service is setting a dangerous precedent in our rural communities by creating less than full-time USPS jobs as a standard, and insisting that rural folks travel to the next-nearest community with a post office for services. Well, for the very rural poor, young, old, disabled, and people without a car, that is not a simple option. In fact, it's an undue burden on the populous of this country.
This is all result of a ludicrous Congressional standard that made the USPS fully fund employee retirement accounts over 50 years in the future. The USPS has long been the only bureaucracy that is self-sufficient (due to its postage and box fees), requiring no federal dollars to support itself — until, that is, Congressional oversight required the over-funding of retirement accounts for USPS employees not even hired yet!
Sign the petitions and talk to Rep. Walden: Save our post offices!
Corie Lahr
No coal shipment
In the early 1980s I worked at the Boardman Coal-Fired Plant. The plant has been a cost-effective base-load resource. With investments to meet more stringent air quality standards, Boardman could continue to operate for many years. Instead, it will be phased out by 2020.
At the time Boardman was built there was concern over nuclear winter, not global warming. The decision to limit the future of Boardman reflects new concerns both about air quality and climate change.
PGE and its ratepayers will bear the costs and risks of an energy future that relies more heavily on renewable resources, while the benefits will flow primarily to those outside PGE's service territory.
I support the decision. The solution to environmental problems often requires individuals and corporations to forgo actions that benefit them, but harm others. Individuals and corporations acting out of self-interest cannot be counted on to protect the planet.
At the same time that we are phasing out coal-fired plants in the Northwest, there are proposals to send the same Wyoming coal to power plants overseas. Coal companies, miners, railroads and port terminals each have an economic incentive to move this coal through the Gorge. Pushing to export this coal is individually rational for each of these players, but the resulting outcome would be harmful to the rest of us.
There is a degree of craziness in choosing to bear the costs of closing Northwest coal plants, while we export the same coal and have it returned to us as pollution, droughts, hurricanes and rising seas.
One of the functions of government is establish regulations and incentives to encourage actions that favor the common good over private interests. I encourage our political leaders to take action to oppose the shipment of coal to foreign markets.
Richard Davis
The Dalles
Coal dust correction
I would like to submit a correction to my letter on coal dust last week. (My mistake.)
I should have said that up to a pound PER MILE of coal dust could be lost from each car of coal. I refer readers to the railroad itself: BNSF Railway stated, "… that from 500 pounds to a ton (2,000 pounds) of coal can escape from a single loaded coal car" (2011). This amounts to about a pound a mile.
This information is from the BNSF website, "Coal Dust Frequently Asked Questions," downloaded in March 2011 by physicians in Portland.
The website has been subsequently changed to remove the question: How extensive is the coal dust problem? The website now has information about how coal companies might reduce the loss of coal dust and there are several references to a lawsuit.
If anyone would like a copy of the 2011 website, please let me know.
Linda De Sitter
Hood River
Coal export hearings
Starting the week of Dec. 3 there are three important government hearings on the proposals to export massive quantities of coal through the Columbia Gorge.
If these projects are built they will degrade our quality of life in the Columbia Gorge in multiple ways: double train and barge traffic in the Gorge, increase air and water pollution, increase train noise, cause delays at RR crossings and the list goes on.
The cities of The Dalles, Mosier, Dallesport, Hood River, Stevenson, Washougal and Camas as well as many others in the Northwest have already expressed concern or opposition to coal exports.
Now is your chance to express your concerns to the state and federal agencies that have jurisdiction over these proposals. There is one remaining hearing, Dec. 12 in Vancouver, Wash., at 4 p.m. A bus from Hood River to the hearing will be available.
To find out more contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com or 971-634-2038.
Peter Cornelison
Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Hood River
We deserve better
It is time for all of us who love the Gorge to wake up about what is going to happen with the coal coming our way. The devil is at the doorstep!
Eight-hundred-fifty-plus people attended a meeting put on by the DEQ in Portland last night. Sadly, the DEQ is refusing to look at the cumulative impact of all the coal proposals (EIS study) and is poised to sign off on the coal terminal in Boardman.
Please contact the governor's office and demand that an Environmental Impact Study be done that looks at the total picture. (Also contact our representatives and the Army Corps of Engineers.)
The people of Oregon and Washington deserve better. Future generations deserve better.
Sue Gay
Hood River
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California Expected to Set Mandatory Water Curbs
Reservoirs' Water Levels Have Fallen to Less Than Half Their Capacities
SAN FRANCISCO—California is poised to institute mandatory statewide water restrictions for the first time, as the impact of a three-year drought continues to spread across the Golden State.
The emergency measure expected to be approved Tuesday by the State Water Resources Control Board comes as reservoirs in California and elsewhere in the West have shriveled amid one of the worst droughts on record to hit the region. California's Lake Oroville, for example, now stands at 39% of capacity, while Nevada's Lake Mead, which serves...


text: Some lucky journalists were invited by Ducati to ride the new 2009 Ducati 1198S, the 1198cc monster recently endowed with its big brother's traction control system. On the outside the new 1198S looks like its predacessor, but it's what's on the inside that counts: 100 more cubic centemeters, a new lighter crankshaft, and Ducati Traction Control (DTC). DTC is a true race traction control system that works first by retarding the ignition, and second by cutting the fuel injection during major wheel spin. Read more for the full report.


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Meteorological data summary for the Blenheim Meteorological station
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Project reports from the 2011 - 2012 Annual Report
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Project reports from the 2009 - 2010 Annual Report
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MRC scientists provide the knowledge and innovation to make the most of the region's natural resources in a sustainable way. We test the suitability of new crops and we are internationally recognised for our research into sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, two of the region's best known wines.
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text:
That's it.
I'm sick of personal finance blogs that give helpful hints about expenses to cut, like expensive coffee drinks or takeout lunches. I can't take it anymore.
It's not that I have anything against the various bloggers. They are simply talking to their main audience.
But I'm not in that audience.
So this list won't include "lattes" or other frivolous items that most frugal folks have already nixed. (In my case, coffee has never cluttered up my budget. But don't let too many people know. I might be tossed out of Seattle!)
Nope, these will be things that apply to even low-income folks or people already on a tight frugal budget.
Okay, we all know about how we should take more public transit to cut down on costs. If you can do this, great. Be sure to check if there's any kind of discount you can get. Student, elderly, disabled, or just check the cost benefit of a monthly pass.
But most of us probably can't make buses tenable. You have kids to take to activities, or you need to pick up groceries on the way home. Whatever the reason, you need your car.
So what can you do?
Fill up whenever the price dips down.
1. This may seem trifling, but if you buy as much as you can hold while the price is lower, you can avoid paying for as much gas when the price is high.
2. If you're really committed, you can get a gas can, to store extra at lower prices
Find cheaper gas
1. Okay, this sounds like a no-brainer but have you thought of all the ways to find it?
2. Try to fill up only where there are several stations. The more there are, the more competitors, the lower the gas price.
3. Sam's Club or Costco have cheaper gas. In a year, you can easily make up the $50 membership fee.
4. ARCO stations have cheaper gas prices — but you have to pay in cash or deal with a 50 cent card fee.
Have you checked into the possibility of carpooling at your office?
1. Put up a note at work. It's a long shot, but you never know.
2. If you need a car to pick up your kids, ask around at the daycare or after-school program.
- Maybe you can switch every-other-day with another parent.
- Then you can take the bus some of the time.
Do you need cable?
1. There are a few dedicated individuals happy to live without TV. I am not one of them. Most of you probably aren't either.
2. Others are fine with simply the basic channels. With two people home all day, every day, Tim and I opt for satellite.
3. But Tim and I still have the second-lowest package available. It's under $50 a month, including local channels and 2 DVRs.
4. When one of us is pulling in more money, I've promised him we can get the next package up ($12/month) which offers G4.
Have you price-shopped?
1. Call up the competition. Get prices. Write them down.
2. Call up your current provider and haggle. Be sure to reference other prices.
- While your subscription prices do help, all providers rely on advertisers. Advertisers are more eager when more subscribers exist. So your provider has an interest in keeping you.
- When my $19.99/month cable modem reverted to the regular rate, I called Comcast and said I needed to cancel. The operator gave me 6 more months at $29.99.
Can you pare it down?
1. Some relatives of mine have been going through hard times. They cut their top-of-the-line package to a lower one — but it still includes premium movie channels and lots of them.
2. If you're paying for premium channels, even if TV is your main form of entertainment, ask if you're getting your value.
3. If your library's movie catalog is too limited, consider one of the lower-cost plans from Netflix or Blockbuster. A premium channel is at least $12.99 and Netflix starts at $9.99
Are you getting your money's worth for subscription?
1. They sound great but do the math.
- We have 3-at-a-time, unlimited in-store exchange
- I checked our history, some months, we watched fewer than 4 movies total.
- Most months, we traded in 5-10 movies.
- Now that fall TV is on, we're switching to the 3-at-a-time, 5 exchanges ($15 less)
2. Hidden costs
- If you're more than a week late returning in-store rentals, your card gets charged
- If you carry a balance on your cards, that probably means double-cycle billing
- So that $40, even after it gets taken off, will affect finance charges for 2 months
- Then there's the $1.50 restocking fee. How many do you pay a month?
In-theater movies
1. I've discussed before how to get cheap or free movies
2. Are you using all the rewards programs to their fullest? All these offer movie theater tickets and/or concessions:
- MyPoints
- Coke Rewards
- Theater's own loyalty programs (I love AMC's)
3. Are you using every possible discount (student, senior, military, etc)?
4. Are you going to matinees whenever possible?
There are no-charge internet services
1. This is dial-up, of course.
2. Do a search.
Check into prices
1. Don't forget DSL often has equipment charges
2. It can also can involve charges for MSN
3. Be sure to figure these into the price.
4. Clearwire has a price-for-life guarantee
Do a search for "Comcast $19.99 6 months".
1. Sign up and then call to cancel, get the $29.99 offer for an extra 6 months
2. After that's up, use your spouse's or partner's (or relative's) name. Repeat $29.99 deal.
3. By the time you're done with that, you'll qualify for the $19.99 offer again.
I assume meal-planning based on sales goes without saying
As does stocking up when items are on sale
The simple fact is: The fewer trips to the grocery store, the less impulse buying you'll do
Always be sure to have plenty of storage containers
1. If not, food goes to waste.
2. Shop garage sales. I got five tupperware cylinders & lids free.
3. If you're afraid of forgetting about food, try a leftovers calendar
How much junk food are you buying?
1. The more candy, the bigger the bill. (I should follow my own advice on this one)
2. Aren't these generally impulse purchases?
3. Try to avoid special trips. You rarely leave with just one bag of candy.
4. Did you know most cravings are temporary? If you can stay busy for 30 minutes, most will go away.
How much soda are you buying?
1. I guess this technically falls under "junk food" but it's a huge expense at our house.
2. Tim goes through more than a 2 liter a day of Mt Dew. Yep, 2 liters.
3. We shop generic and sales as much as possible & load up at Wal-Mart when we're visiting his parents.
4. I really don't get this. I've never liked soda much. I just drink water. Why don't more people?
5. The route I take with Tim when his intake starts creeping up, one glass of water for each equivalent of soda.
6. If you don't like the water in your area, stop buying bottled water and get a filter. Much cheaper and more eco-friendly
Are you using preemptive solutions?
1. If you know you'll order pizza when there's nothing to eat, be sure the cupboards are stocked.
2. If you know you'll get takeout when you're too tired to cook, keep simple foods around, like soups, Easy Mac or the makings for a PBJ.
3. If sometimes you just crave pizza, keep some frozen ones around so you can't justify ordering from a store.
Spices don't have to be expensive
1. Dollar stores often have inexpensive (and perfectly good) spices
2. Drug stores (Walgreens and Rite-Aid, here) have $1 spices.
3. If it's a specialty spice, check places like Whole Foods or Top Food, where you can get it from bulk containers. This can often be cheaper than "Spice Islands" etc.
UPDATE: Apparently there's a whole article about this.
Finally (and strangely) aluminum foil has gotten quite pricey lately.
1. Like Tupperware, be sure to have plenty of foil and clear wrap
2. Stock up on sales.
3. Weird but true: You can find foil cheap (25-50 cents) at estate sales.
Beyond movies, a lot of times going out costs money.
1. Museums have entrance fees
2. Clubs have cover charges
3. Concerts cost money
4. Drinks with friends get pricey
I've mentioned some ways around social expenses you can't afford.
Always be aware of frugal programs
1. Most museums have a monthly free day
2. Try to meet up with friends during happy hour (there's often a late-night one, as well)
3. Make sure you know of any potential discounts for students/seniors/etc
4. Read through your local Entertainment Book and see if there are any 2-for-1 coupons for museums, entertainment, discounts, etc
5. Find out if local plays have a pay-what-you-can night (they almost all do)
6. If you know someone in a play/concert/club performance, ask if they have any discount passes left.
7. Check out student versions of theater and music. Most are quite good and very cheap.
8. Check out free performances, ala Shakespeare in the Park
9. Try to organize a group for an outing for a better rate
Games night
1. Great time
2. Time with friends for free
3. Chips, salsa and soda are about all you need to provide
Girls' night in
1. No shouting over music in a club
2. No cover charges
3. Cheaper drinks
4. Cheaper than going for mani/pedi
Always complain if warranted
1. Don't scream or use expletives
2. Use a polite, controlled tone or volume (if you're writing or talking)
3. Point out the numerous people you can influence: coworkers, friends, family
Always flatter if warranted
1. Write an enthusiastic letter to the company, raving about a product you're happy with
2. You'll often get coupons or even small samples.
Want to try a new product? Check your fave freebie blogger for updates on available samples
Want magazines but don't want to pay?
1. Do a trial offer ("no risk") and try to cancel in the first 30 days.
2. Most companies will offer you the rest of the year for $1. (Again, they need numbers.)


text:
|2012-02-05, 18:16
|Link #1
North American Haruhiist
Join Date: Oct 2010
Age: 37
Miniskirt Uchuu Kaizoku [Light Novel]
Info taken from Baka-Tsuki.
Mini-Skirt Space Pirates (Miniskirt Uchuu Kaizoku - ミニスカ宇宙海賊 (ミニスカパイレーツ))
|2012-02-06, 06:41
|Link #2
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Cyberjaya, Malaysia
Age: 32
Ummm, what should I post here?
But first of all, thank you for creating the thread
For a start, the line in the novel was 長生き、 するんだよ "Live a long life" (Epilog vol 1 pg 299), just like in the anime.
I didn't really expect fansubber to include Spock famous words
Don't ask for translation though, as I already stated my stand
Am I allowed to lobby my friends from BT (Teh Ping, Kira, kuroishinigami) to support not translating this :P
Yes I also download novel and manga raws. But I'm also a baka gaijin who will buy the Tankoubon of gundam manga that I already read in my Gundam Ace, and novels that I found interesting. I got my own reason not to post in F/Z or Haganai or Monogatari, even though I did read some of the books
Last edited by justpassingby; 2012-02-06 at 06:57.
|2012-02-07, 01:32
|Link #3
North American Haruhiist
Join Date: Oct 2010
Age: 37
I won't ask for a translation, although I do hope that Baka-Tsuki does decide to translate, so I can enjoy this more than I am already(and I am loving this series). But I started this thread so that those who have read the novels have a place to post about them. I do appreciate the light novel comparison stuff that you are posting to the anime thread.
|2012-02-13, 10:34
|Link #5
North American Haruhiist
Join Date: Oct 2010
Age: 37
|2012-08-02, 10:32
|Link #10
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Cyberjaya, Malaysia
Age: 32
It's the 3rd of the month. The new chapter has just been released. [Seiga]
|2012-08-02, 20:29
|Link #11
Kubo GO TO HELL
Join Date: May 2012
Location: with Maki-sama
Age: 26
I just see Chapter 3 of the manga and Lynn .... is always a girl in the manga?? because in the manga it's hair is shorter and wearing pants ... and so I thought it was a boy ... saw his apaprence ... this is not good because Lynn is wearing pants that's necessarily a boy in the manga but ... it would probably stupid in the novel it's a girl in the anime and the manga also so it's a girl will normally xD its stupid to change his loool
|2012-08-02, 22:18
|Link #13
Join Date: Mar 2008
|2012-08-02, 23:23
|Link #14
Kubo GO TO HELL
Join Date: May 2012
Location: with Maki-sama
Age: 26
I loved every attempt to throw Marika shot Chiaki too cute
|2012-08-14, 14:33
|Link #15
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Regarding Volume 8 - what would people generally translate the title as? (紫紺の戦魔女) (Google Translate gives 'Battle of bluish purple witch' but I doubt this is entirely accurate)
Edit: Another question, regarding the manga's plotline. What route is it taking? (e.g. adaptation with minor changes, adaptation with major changes, original story etc)
Last edited by Inept Forum User; 2012-09-08 at 11:24. Reason: Additional question.
|2012-09-08, 11:32
|Link #18
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
I think that is the case so far, unfortunately.
I've been trying to get information from the Japanese Wikipedia article for the series (http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ミニスカ宇宙海賊), however since I can't read kanji yet, I've had to use Google Translate - as such the information is a bit patchy. I was wondering if it would be OK to check some of this information with people here who are in a position to see if there are any mistakes.
Spoiler for Brief character information for novel characters (possibly inaccurate) from japanese wiki entry:
Spoiler for Brief ship information for novel ships (possibly inaccurate) from japanese wiki entry:
Spoiler for Brief term information for novel terms (possibly inaccurate) from japanese wiki entry:
Spoiler for Brief novel information for the unadapted novels (possibly inaccurate) from japanese wiki entry:
Last edited by Inept Forum User; 2012-09-11 at 17:06. Reason: Adding question and info for verification. Might need a little trimming.
|2012-10-01, 09:07
|Link #20
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Cyberjaya, Malaysia
Age: 32
ミニスカ宇宙海賊9 無法の御免状
Miniskirt Space Pirates 9 The License to Lawless is slated for November release. [source]
Another Sasamoto Yuuichi's book, Yousei Sakusen Part IV - Last Letter (END) by Tokyo Sougensha is also scheduled to be on sale in the same month. [source]
When can I be allowed to hope that his first book and ARIEL will be animated, and Mikako-shi is type-casted as Sasamoto's heroines' voices?
Edit: Manga chapter 5 is now available at Nico2 Seiga [link]
And what the hell? Jacky Fahrenheit made his appearance already?
oh MarikaSorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?
Last edited by justpassingby; 2012-10-02 at 09:55.
|light novels, sci-fi
|Thread Tools


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When Russian President Vladimir Putin banned the U.S. adoption of Russian children in late December, he appeared to have dashed the hopes of 52 families who had already been assigned children in court but had not yet completed the adoption. But Russia's children rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov is now saying those adoptions will go through., although he declined to provide a time frame or specifics for worried families, according to the Associated Press.
Plus: Stories of Single Parent Adoption
Families in both Russia and the U.S. have been outraged by the ban, believing that children are being used as pawns in Putin's political game, widely viewed as retaliation for U.S. legislation relating to the case of Russian corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Magnitsky died in a Russian prison in 2009 after being arrested by the officers he was investigating over fraud. This led to a ban on all officials implicated in the case from travelling to, or holding bank accounts in, the US.
Plus: Answering Tough Adoption Questions
But banning adoptions in retaliation seemed a particularly cruel bit of political brinksmanship to the families so close to the end of the adoption process. Although this latest development provides a glimmer of hope, families tell the AP they remain in limbo. Two families, who have remained in Moscow to finalize their adoption of two children with Down Syndrome, have been stymied by local authorities. Other families have yet to receive any further information from Russian authorities, despite Astakhov's pledge.


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Figure M. Gonorrhea—Prevalence Among Women Aged 16–24 Years Entering the National Job Training Program, by State of Residence, United States and Outlying Areas, 2010
This web page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being updated. Newer data is available on the STD Data and Statistics page.
* Fewer than 100 women who resided in these states/areas and entered the National Job Training Program were screened for gonorrhea in 2010.
NOTE: Many training centers use local laboratories to test female students for gonorrhea; these results are not available to CDC. For this map, gonorrhea test results for students at centers that submitted specimens to the national contract laboratory were included if the number of gonorrhea tests submitted was greater than 90% of the number of chlamydia tests submitted.
- Page last reviewed: November 17, 2011 (archived document)
- Content source:


text:
On the aircraft
This article is a travel topic
This article is an appendix to Fundamentals of flying and Tips for flying, providing extended advice about travelling by aircraft, from boarding until leaving the aircraft. See also At the airport.
During flight[edit]
Meals and Delays[edit]
Scheduled meals (if any) will often be timed and typed to complement the time zone of the flight's destination. As a result, first or early servings may not match your departure time. For flights that promise no food during meal hours, consider buying something at the airport (in the secure area); most lines will allow you to carry it on-board.
On-board meals for some airlines may be brought in from one of its base or hub airports rather than from a local source. This takes considerable time. Meals kept too long for any reason may have to be discarded due to safety. Scheduled meals may then be limited to packaged snacks/cookies and drinks... not the fault of the crew.
Deep Vein Thrombosis aka DVT[edit]
Be aware of the early symptoms (e.g., pain or swelling in the legs) which you may notice during flight or later. If suspected, seek medical treatment promptly. If neglected, the condition can become serious, even fatal.
You'll find a full article at [[1]].


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
"On an early August morning in 1945, a Boeing Silverplate B-29 Superfortress took-off from the Tinian airfield amidst an unpublicized Hollywood-like atmosphere for the first atomic strike mission in the history of civilization. The young captain made his first notation, Time Takeoff 0245, as he again performed his duties to keep the pilot on course across the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. So began Special Mission No. 13 with hopes to bring an end to the devastation and killing of millions that occurred during World War II."
The above passage, taken from "My True Course," Dutch Van Kirk, Northumberland to Hiroshima is the authorized biography of Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, a self-described Huck Finn from Pennsylvania, and one of the "greatest generation." Local historian and author Suzanne Simon Dietz tells Van Kirk's story through unedited correspondence to and from home and first-person vignettes, from the early heavy bombing raids in B-17s by the 97th Bombardment Group of German occupied Europe, Operation Torch in North Africa, to the gripping account of the atomic bomb mission of Hiroshima.
Van Kirk's own "band of brothers" - his neighbors, a former prisoner of war held by the Japanese for three years and the officer of the deck on the USS Missouri on Sept. 2, 1945, and five brother-in-laws who also served - add to this authentic and unique step back in time. Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot on Plane No. 1, opens the publication with a "Voice from the Doolittle Raid."
Lewiston-Porter area individuals assisted Dietz in this historic venture. Amy Lynn Freiermuth of BeauDesigns did the layout and design work, and Carol L. Force and Lt. Col Nelson L. Beard, USAF, retired, were among the group who helped with editing. The late Dr. Leonard Pepkowitz, a former Lewiston resident, was one of the Los Alamos scientists and is included in this historical work.
Extensive research at the National Archives, documentation from the Truman Library, the navigation log of the Hiroshima mission, and attic treasures - 100 plus photos and more - offer the reader a look into life during this global war from the home front to the air battles across four continents.
Dietz's sixth publication is available from bookstores and the Youngstown Free Library.


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Raiders sign Tracy Porter
Alameda, CA – The Oakland Raiders signed cornerback Tracy Porter on Wednesday.
Porter was limited to six games with the Denver Broncos last season due to health issues.
The Indiana product spent four seasons with the New Orleans Saints before playing with the Broncos in 2012. During his time in New Orleans, Porter was tutored by Raiders head coach Dennis Allen, who served as defensive backs coach for the Saints from 2008-10.
The 5-foot-11, 188-pound Porter has 215 tackles, one sack, eight interceptions and 38 passes defensed in 49 career games (43 starts) with the Saints and Broncos. He recorded a 74-yard interception return for a touchdown during New Orleans' victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.


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One reason that I've stopped posting regularly was that the enormity of the various tasks at hand are sometimes overwhelming. Fighting sexism? Ongoing, huge battle. Fighting classicism? Ditto. Fighting racism? Yet another seemingly impossible task. All the while, finding a space to do this as a white, middle-class man? Sigh.
Add to that a growing understanding that communities of protest, communities that seek justice, often aren't very good allies, well, that makes one take a few steps back, reassess and rest.
But of course, 'resting' can be privilege-driven, can't it? I can stop posting, sure, but here I am, living in the US as a white, middle-class man...putting down my pen (so to speak) just means I get a break, to a large degree (though I would claim that men don't get a break from the hardships that patriarchy places on them, either). When BFP stops posting, and takes down her site, because she's understandably fed up, she still has to face a racist, sexist world.
So I'm starting to feel like my hiatus here, while fueled by understandable concerns for my own mental and physical health, is also a way of letting my white/male/able-bodied privilege win out. And, while I think that shutting up can be a lot of what an ally ought to be, I also think that there are ways that I can raise my voice without shouting down those-who-I-would-be-an-ally-of.
So, to start off, howabout a little checklist for myself, to combat the desire to take another break?
1. But it's hard to hear that one isn't being a good ally.
Yep. Sure is. Getting called out feels like shit, especially since people are much more likely to blame than praise in the world o' blogs. You work really hard on trying to bring social justice, and you get called out for what, to you, might seem like small things. But you know what? You don't get to judge what counts as a 'small thing'. These are communities we're talking about, and we're all in it together, so if enough people call you out and say it's important, then it is.
2. There's just too much work to do.
Also true. But keep in mind that you're not doing it alone, and you're not even facing the most daunting challenges--others are. You post about comics and men & feminism, for goodness' sake, not systematic rape in the congo. Maybe you should be posting about other, more important things, but to claim that posting about comics and gender is too daunting, as one of your tasks, is to embrace your privilege. Fight that.
3. But I'm Not Welcome.
Not in every community, not all of the time. That's why this space exists, in part. And there are those who value your voice, and who value what you say. Seek them out. Nurture them. And continue to understand that it's ok that you're not welcome some places. Keep the righteous indignation at a minimum, because it is so often a reflection of your privilege.
There's more, of course, but this is a start.


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|Clarksville, Md.
|High School:
|River Hill
2010-11: Three-year letterwinner and a team captain ... expected to compete for mat time at 174 pounds during his senior campaign.
2009-10: Had his best season for the Generals during his junior year, compiling an 8-14 overall record at 165 pounds ... logged 16 takedowns and 26 escapes ... also had two reversals and two near falls ... notched a 2-2 record at the season-opening Ursinus Fall Brawl.
2008-09: Posted a 3-14 overall record and an 0-3 Centennial Conference record last season as a 149-pounder … notched 16 escapes and 12 takedowns … also had one reversal.
2007-08: Went 3-6 overall as a rookie at a variety of weight classes … posted a 2-2 Centennial Conference record ... had 17 escapes and 12 takedowns ... placed fourth in the 157-pound bracket at the W&L Invitational ... received the D.C. Montgomery Memorial Award as the team's top first-year wrestler.
High School: Lettered in wrestling and cross country at River Hill High School ... finished third in the county championships as a senior.
Personal: History and economics double-major.


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An ex-Sony PR representative has slammed his former company following a recent round of layoffs that left him out of work late last week.
"Sony in general is serving too many masters. Each company should operate autonomously. PlayStation shouldn't suffer b/c TVs are overpriced"
true about TVs they are the division that is costing Sony and encumbering them, but they persist because of the legacy
I'm sure a guy that just got laid off will have truthful, unbiased, and non-spiteful things to say about the company that just laid them off.
Why Because They Let You Go lol.
He can say goodbye to future jobs in gaming then. And he shouldn't even be this mad, considering he basically "won" the job through Sony's the Tester show.
Doesn't mean these criticisms don't have at least a bit of truth to them.
the PS3 PR was not working, and a big reason for good 1st party games not selling, so don't blame Sony for changing things, perhaps outsourcing to professionals will turn things around.
Very true. People are always ready to believe that someone laid off by a company will have an unbiased view of them. No one ever thinks you can just be spiteful and venting your frustration.
I didn't even know he was a spokesman.
Good job, complaining guy.
He's probably bitter that he went through all that crap to be the "tester" and then got laid off for probably being useless.
Now that he's blasted Sony with these tweets, good luck getting another job at any other company.
Companies do this all the time. It's called trimming the fat. While it isnt always good to hear about those who lose their jobs, it isnt always the most deserving that are victims either.
Meaning the ones companies let go are ones that (in their view) do not offer as much to benefit the company as those who get to stay.
Plus this guy was winner of the tester...WTF. did he think something permanent would come from that? Like he would become president of Sony one day because he won the tester?
Rather than bad mouthing the company you would have to list as your previous employer (yeah good luck getting good word of reference) he should lick his wounds and get back out there.
Trimming the fat.
Yeah, I'd say that's true.
also, there's an old saying:
Don't kick your old boss' nuts in front of your new boss.
That guy pretty much burnt his bridge mid-crossing.
Clicks link.
"An ex-Sony PR representative has slammed his former company following a recent round of layoffs that left him out of work late last week. "
Stops reading after...
"What the point of AdHoc multiplayer when no one has a Vita?"
Even if no one has the Vita, he should know that functionality has to be planned before the device is available for people to buy it...
Maybe he was laid off because his perception of time didn't fit the tasks he was assigned to?
He should let it go n move on. He won the job in a contest. Prespective is needed
He also knows what goes on, on the inside...we don't.
The hell he does. He was a PR generalist. Not a VP or Executive.
1 thing you should never do, slam your previous employment, def understand the reasons, but your next employer might not like that.
Regardless of any bitterness or anger at being laid off there's really nothing he said in there that isn't true.
Sony have been rightfully criticized over their PR and marketing since the announcement of the PS3 and whilst it has gotten slightly better it still sucks.
@HammadTheOne - seriously? You think he shouldn't be mad at losing his job because of the means by which he got it? How is winning a contest any different than competing against other applicants for any regular job? Both involve competing against other people, the only difference is in the tasks and possibly the criteria.
Absolutely unbelievable comment.
You know it's funny. This guy says that the unity of the company is causing a problem because one division can bring down the other divisions. Why don't we go back to 2006/2007 when the problem was that the divisions were autonomous to the point where there was massive communications problems across divisions. The heads of the various departments, especially where PS3 development were concerned, didn't work together and this was the cause of a lot of problems that PS3 had at launch.
This guy is pretty stupid.
@Karum: "How is winning a contest any different than competing against other applicants for any regular job?"
One is based on actual real-world experience, knowledge of the job, and skills to do the job. The other is tasks done for ratings and requires nothing more than that.
they also continue to manufacture in japan because the legacy if sony sourced manufacturing to china they would save a bundle on just that alone its a lose lose for workers either way tho
They move to China, then why bother buying their TV's? They get parts made there, but its all handled in Japan. Which means a higher quality overall product. Everything else is made with crap labor and parts from China, and Sony is all about "we are better quality." If their TV's suddenly became crummy China pieces of junk, why bother?
Plus being a Japanese company and actually making your product in Japan warrants some respect. How many "American companies" are fully made in China? Apple anyone? I think Japan is smart enough to cut Sony breaks and keep them there unlike our country (America).
sorry bro, my ps3 clearly says MADE IN CHINA on it. so does vita
Haha what are you talking about? They make most of their products in China.
Sony and Microsoft are both made in china; not just Microsoft, cee773.
Lots of stuff is made in China.
My comments are often outsourced to various countries depending on the comment market.
I guess Soldierone gonna skip PS4 then...one thing is true though that I is really hard to find a product that aren't made in china :(
Im trying to figure out how 'mad' he is. He seemed to love what he was getting into, and liked Sony, now because this happened he ranted. I'm just wondering if he's pissed of more and what this guy wants to do. Just wondering..
Also, this must be why there is not Tester Season 4 right now because usually they would have had the tryouts and stuff right about now.
I actually had alot of bad things to say about my company when I was fired too....
I have seen ex ms people complain about ms and you guys eat that up. Is it because they attacked precious $ony?
Isn't there some sort of confidentiality agreement that he's breaking?
Who hasn't lost touch w/ their audience?
The man is young and, you never know, he might be able to work for Sony again.
But he'll blow any chances he has by trashing them right now.
What?!? LBP Karting is going to die because of no PR?
Oh well... back to Mario Kart.
Nice spin for people losing their jobs, way to go. I'm sure if you lost your jobs you would say the same thing... right?
"You have to wonder what the hell PlayStation was thinking laying off more than half of their software PR team going into the holiday season,"
That's a lot of people without jobs. But hey good for Sony though huh?
Obviously hes mad but really lets face facts, Sonys PR have sucked this generation. A bunch of fools that don't know what the community want. We hear time and time again from publishers that its the PR team in charge of marketing yet huge billboards in films like Battle los angeles for Resistance 3 that appear in the film for 10 seconds in a film that hit cinemas months before the game released are crappy marketing ideas that are just wastes of money.
Lets not advertise our game on TV but instead we'll paint a truck with the game logos and have it drive all around the place blah. Understaffed lol Sony just got rid of yous to higher better PR people dummy and you know what it happened way too late. They should have fired everyone 4 years ago.
Don't even get me started on those crappy TV ads with the annoying voice overs
The Tv's are not over priced. when compared to samsung they are ALWAYS the same price or cheaper and have better picture. Please actually do you homework before a quick reply. I have been selling TV's for 3 years now and I know what I'm talking about.
I don't know where you live but in germany and switzerland SONY's TVs are not more expensive than Samsung's and imo they are at least better designed if not better quality overall.
I'm surprised that some of this is new. Haven't we been saying for years that Sony needs to vastly improve their marketing and realign their focus on the PS3 and PSP/PS Vita?
Just to clarify, the prize for winning The Tester was a QA contract. He worked his way up to the PR department afterwards, and PlayStation could have let him go once the QA gig was completed.
But I do somewhat agree with you on the public rant after his termination. I am a fan of Will, but I would have found a more constructive approach to sharing my concerns if I were him. The packaging on the delivery of his points came across sort of bitter. If concern was his only beef, I would like to think it would have been handled a bit differently.
Wrong. Check out their movie division. All released within the last two years or so have been terrible. Season of the Witch? Legion? And so many more...
"In typical fashion they're sending titles out to die"
Yes, because the PR teams did such a fantastic job with [insert PS3/Vita software/hardware] over the past few years...
Understaffed or not, it wasn't working and that sucks for the people and I feel for them, I really do, but it's not like you can just keep a functioning department when they aren't helping the games reach the numbers most of them deserve, should the developers take the hit instead?
I remember when a new PS commercial coming out was something to look forward to. Now I can't even remember a commercial for the PS3.
The last memorable advert (s) from PS was Kevin Butler's 2010 streak. I loved the GT5 ones, they were top notch.
You don't remember all those Kevin Butler commercials?
My what short memories we have.
The KB ones were great; I just hope they don't go back to those "Walrus drinking a statue made out of nipples while two men paint each other with redwood trees while sniffing cat booty" type of commercials where you don't know what the heck is going on.
I have never seen a Kevin Butler commercial because they aren't aired in my country.
Sorry, but the PS3 had plenty of great PR. And the Vita, well, can you really blame Sony for not advertising the Vita too much? A five-month period of almost no support is very hard to put a positive spin on, fanboys be damned.
What PR? lol....most smaller sites can't even talk to Sony, let alone review and help hype up a game. There is no advertising for anything anywhere. I don't care if Vita has no games, it has games coming up and I STILL don't see ads. I see Nintendo and MS ads EVERYWHERE, but nothing for Vita?
They used to advertise during sports games, in sports games, have events all over (The PlayStation truck used to be huge), demos and hype going into everything, and then it all died. I can't even remember the last time I saw a PlayStation ad outside of a gaming magazine or website.....Even Madden ads have the 360 logo at the end.....
I guess you haven't seen the Madden ads with Paul Rudd and Ray Lewis then. I've seen the PS logo at the end of some of those.
But i thought u guys don't want to see ads and and sony is doing just what u ask for no? U should be happy.
The majority of the people here don't really understand what PR is and what it's used for.
Don't mistake it for advertising.
Sony let go some of their very best in PR. It's a damn shame to see these extremely loyal people out of a job. And truthfully, it's going to make my job more difficult in covering their products.
I do, but I'm not comfortable discussing who. I hate to see good people out of jobs and losing their livelihood, especially when they were great at their jobs.
Sev, you are unhappy that someone got laid off that gave you information they shouldn't have? mmmmm...
Perhaps we'll get more surprises in the future.
Well, all we can do is hope for the best.
Of course, if you don't mind PMing me that would be great. I would hate to email someone who doesn't have a job anymore.
I'm sure we'll hear "sour grapes" and a lot of excuses, but when there is a former Nintendo or Microsoft employee that rants about their former employer this place goes nuts with agreement.
Remember how that ex-Rare employee said Microsoft wouldn't let them do Killer Instinct 3? Same deal.
Interesting to see how people react to this obviously critical news. I've always said Sony lacked proper PR and advertising.
"I'm sure we'll hear "sour grapes" and a lot of excuses, but when there is a former Nintendo or Microsoft employee that rants about their former employer this place goes nuts with agreement.
Remember how that ex-Rare employee said Microsoft wouldn't let them do Killer Instinct 3? Same deal.
Interesting to see how people react to this obviously critical news. I've always said Sony lacked proper PR and advertising."
I'm confused. What hasn't Sony let the PR department do? You use MS and rare as an example but I can't see how they're the same thing.
Truth of the matter is that this guy got fired and now he's venting. To deny that given his tweets shows you're looking to leverage this event to further your own agenda.
Seriously Chunky, show me a company that will support an under performing department by leaving it to stagnate. Any company will do.
I agree this guy is venting after essentially being fired which I really do not understand because who is going to hire this guy after this.
Sony's PR department has been quite frankly crap. Now I do not know if it is down to company resource allocation or the individuals (who got laid off)but it needed a shake up.
Venting or not, the guy is spot on in everything he said
I had no idea that rare a microsoft developer is the same as a sony PR Team /s
This has nothing to do with MS, but if you want to know about the majority of the 360 team that got laid off in Japan a few years ago, just let me know!
I just knew a response like this was going appear and I'm not surprise that you of all people made the comment. I'm actually expecting more comments from the "usual suspects" (YAY! I finally get to use this phrase!) in a lil bit.
***"I'm sure we'll hear "sour grapes" and a lot of excuses, but when there is a former Nintendo or Microsoft employee that rants about their former employer this place goes nuts with agreement.
Remember how that ex-Rare employee said Microsoft wouldn't let them do Killer Instinct 3? Same deal."***
Yeah I remember that. And I remember you spewing "sour grapes" and making... I think the term is "excuses...?" Yeah, I believe that is correct. You was making excuses for it. But now figure this... Now that this is a former Sony employee you are going (in your term) "nuts" with agreement. Very interesting to see how that works isn't it?
***"Interesting to see how people react to this obviously critical news. I've always said Sony lacked proper PR and advertising.'***
I agree, hence why the department is undergoing changes.
Someone being fired and someone leaving on their own accord are two very different things.
That said i'm sure many would agree with you on Sony lacking PR and advertising.
Actually, since sony laid of their PR team, playstation brand as a whole have enjoyed their highest rate of commercial exposure here in europe.
At the moment, you see 3 times more advert for vita and ps3 than for nintendo. I have never seen that before. Sony is on the roll.
And sony said they will not drop the vita price. Guess what
Vita wifi+littlebigplanet =£189.00
LOL..Chunky is Spot on about the complete 'oppsosite' reaction when the other consoles are mentioned.
Just hit em' with the links and you can easily make your case. If not then the memorygets a lil' fuzzy around here as you can see from the response.
On topic, even some of the staunchest Sony fans have said the same exact thing about game advertisements.
Let me explain to you how N4G works;
Sony 1st party game sells poorly - Games journo reports and gamers and analysts suggest SONY lacks good PR, N4G on the other hand foams in the mouth and defends SONY PR, blames lack of sales on sheer number of exclusive choices on PS3 (even though for some reason multiplats don't seem to be affected)
SONY fire PR team - N4G: Good! They sucked anyway. They are the reason the games were not selling!
Put simply, if any part of SONY is criticized by anyone, that person can expect N4G to rip them a new one in seconds. You do not present any criticism to any part of SONY on this site.
If SONY however fires or closes down a department or studio then they are fair game. In fact expect N4G to go on a crusade to remind everyone how this is not a loss because their games suck and or don't sell and so SONY is doing the right thing sacking them, whereas mere weeks before SONY was being herald a saint because they keep studios arduod even though they don't make games that sell.
When Zipper were with SONY you couldn't say a bad thing about them. After they got sacked it became okay to say they'd lost their way.
Bigbig were "a small talented niche studio" when they were still with SONY and invaluable. Now because they were shut down they were a tiny unknown studio that nobody is going to miss anyway.
I could go on pointing out the fallacies and hypocrisy of this site but I'm sure you all get the picture.
Speaking of how N4G works, maybe you should mention how some people (you being a prime example) try to generalize the opinions of thousands of commenters on this site to make it sound like everyone is a hypocrite.
It's funny that in an article that is supposedly full of "fallacies and hypocrisy," you, EvilDead, and Chunky have yet to point to a single clear example here of an individual Sony fan being hypocritical or contradictory, let alone enough to prove there is any kind of trend, and instead chose to go with the usual, vague generalizations.
I can see why you do it. The more vague you are, and the less you get into specifics, the harder it is for anyone to refute. And that makes it easier for you to continue to pretend and perpetuate the idea that anyone who makes a comment you don't like is a hypocrite.
Agreed. "Do as I say not as I do" can be a bit pretentious, especially without relevant examples. Personally I've never cheerled when the shoe was on the other foot.
I feel bad for Will, I do, but in all fairness the entire industry is taking a hit right now. Might not be the best c.o.a to make headlines by calling out one of the major players in the industry, who also gave you your first break, when you're still rookie green yourself. I'd hope this passes soon.