text:
This isn't a slideshow.
Just wanted to get that out of the way early for all of you out there so you don't have to spend 120 clicks and page loads to get through Bleacher Report's "Top 25 Eastern European WAGs of the Bass Pro Series."
With that said, I can't ignore that Complex Magazine dropped down and got their Bleacher Report on in December with this "Top 25 Disney Channel Original Movies". It was pretty solid and for the most part they didn't have any glaring omissions or discrepancies in their rankings. Having "The Color of Friendship" a spot ahead of "Jett Jackson: The Movie" was a lapse in judgment but TCOF won an Emmy so I can't be too critical of its placement.
Here's the thing; I'm not going to rank the movies. I'm just not going to do it. I'm not that guy. I'm not above the game. But because I respect the game however, we will use the Complex rankings as a contrast point as we go through and hash all this out.
DISCLAIMER: I write this piece with great pride and great prejudice. All of us have had a different experience with Disney Channel Original Movies (hereafter referred to as "DCOMs") and we all have different memories and opinions of them now. Age is a big deal. I was born in 1986 so I was hitting the prime of DCOMs at the age of about 14. If you were 18 in 2000 you probably would have missed this wonderful experience and if you were 10 you would have looked at these movies in a much different light.
Considering all that, looking back at the DCOM universe is like looking back through a kaleidoscope. It's just a little bit different for each one of us, but it's always beautiful in its own unique way. With all that out of the way and speaking of beautiful, let's get started…
Everyone has their own DCOM experience, so there has to be an origin point of where we all can gauge exactly what perspective we have. That point is Zenon; the prism through which we can understand and define each person's individual experience.
When "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" came out on January 23, 1999, I was 13 years old. This was the perfect age to experience Kirsten Storms, who was also 13 in the movie, but more importantly – was 15 in real life. Among many transcendent casting choices in the history of DCOMs, this may have been the most impressive, because when "Zenon: The Zequel" came out in 2001, Zenon Kar was 15 played by a 17-year old Storms, who much like Lindsay Lohan at that age was at her aesthetic peak. Two years did this:
So for me and many others born from 1985 to 1988, a 15-year old Storms in 1999 and a 17-year old Storms in 2001 were both dangerously well-timed as our emotions towards the opposite sex were developing.
As previously stated, if you weren't in that window, the DCOM experience was probably very different for you. This has to be understood when considering how you personally viewed these movies. This is why Zenon may hold a very special place in the hearts and sexual development of many 23 to 28-year olds you know today.
So the prism through which I write this is the prism of hitting Zenon in the sweet spot, and all opinions and sentiments written forthcoming should be known to be from that perspective. I also want to acknowledge that in the previous sentence I incorporated the phrase "hitting Zenon in the sweet spot" and did not make any kind of euphemism or innuendo whatsoever. Impressive, I know.
The other pillar that Zenon serves for our purposes is as a cutoff point. This whole thing can be a jumble when dictating what is and what isn't a DCOM. So Zenon will be our point of reference again. Here is a rough breakdown of what we are dealing with movie-wise here:
Disney Channel Premiers (sometimes also known as "Premears" – see what they did there)
54 movies beginning in 1983 with "Tiger Town" and going all the way up to 1997's "The Paper Brigade" (more on this later).
Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs)
Currently at 97 movies, beginning with "Northern Lights" in 1997 and now the most recent being 2013's "Teen Beach Musical" which someone apparently forgot to give an actual name.
"Zoog" Disney Channel Movies
Scholars and historians have been at odds to determine what, if any, the distinction is between the "Zoog" movies and DCOMs. The Disney Wiki has the breakdown at 43 Zoog movies and 48 DCOMs. Most of the heavy hitters are considered under this Zoog category (Brink, Zenon, Tsunami, etc). They list the oft-unlisted gem "P.U.N.K.S." which introduced us all to Jessica Alba, and they omit "The Paper Brigade" altogether.
This is where Zenon continues to act as our final modifier for this exercise. Not one of us could sustain through all 97 DCOMs; it's cross-generational and everyone has a different timeframe. No one who was old enough to watch and enjoy "The Paper Brigade" for instance would also be able to watch and enjoy "High School Musical" in the same way; it's just not possible. Enjoying "High School Musical" is a task in itself. So we will consider everything from "The Paper Brigade" up to "Zenon: Z3" which came out June 11, 2004 officially a DCOM.
The post-Z3 world was an incoherent mess that had a bunch of Halloweentown sequels including "Halloweentown High," "Return to Halloweentown," and "The Halloweentown Chainsaw Massacre." All the magic was officially ruined when "High School Musical" came out at the beginning of 2006. There were five or six Cheetah Girls movies in this retard soup and once everything was burned to the ground in 2007 they released the sequel to "Johnny Tsunami" and officially pissed on the ashes. That movie will not be mentioned or named. The only thing that ending it at Z3 really robs us of is the Lebron James-like rise of Aly Michalka through the more recent DCOMs. We were robbed of seeing exactly how she got to the point that she was averaging a triple-double every night. For example:
How there wasn't at least a conversation about an edgier Zenon reboot with Michalka before she blew up is one of the all-time "left on the table" moments in Disney history. Maybe in television history. It kept me up last night.
Anyway…from "The Paper Brigade" in 1997 to "Z3" in 2004 we have 50 movies we can consider fully certified DCOMs. I'm including "P.U.N.K.S." because it had Brandon Baker before "Tsunami" and was the first time we got the privilege of laying eyes on Jessica Alba. I'm excluding "Northern Lights" in 1997 because Diane Keaton was in it, no one watched it, and it sounds like an Emily Bronte novel.
Also not including "You Lucky Dog" because it's about a dog psychiatrist played by Kirk Cameron who can read dogs' minds. At one point this could've been promising but after "Kirk Cameron and Bananas" happened we really have to omit anything Cameron related.
Like I said before I'm not ranking these. I'm not James Franco I can't just do whatever the fuck I want. I have some discipline and respect. There's too much nuance and too many gaps to just line em all up. The only way to go is to break this down pyramid style and I will humbly do my best to do justice to this masterpiece collection. In that spirit…
THE WORLD BEFORE DCOMs
Life before DCOMs was rough and sparse. Like the ABA before the merger there were different rules, and the memories for those of us who grew up with the NBA are hazy to nonexistent. However, you have to know where you came from to truly appreciate where you are now. That's why 1995's "Escape to Witch Mountain" deserves to be mentioned. There are aliens and purple energy and Ari's wife from Entourage and a mountain, but most importantly we were introduced to DCOM legend Erik von Detten. EvD is a gift that we would have to wait three years to open. It also unfortunately gave us this gift that we'd wait 14 years to open and then immediately return. I'm sure The Rock kicked that mountains ass in a sweet cut-off though.
The other pre-DCOM worth mentioning is the rollerblading movie before the rollerblading movie, "Airborne" from 1993. It's about a kid who loves to surf who was displaced from his home to an unfamiliar world where he excels at a new sport – this plotline may sound familiar. And it begins the clichéd downhill rollerblade race ending that we see pop up in later in movies like "Brink!", "Shakespeare in Love," and "Schindler's List." It also gives us a young Seth Green, a young Jack Black, and this Wikipedia synopsis of the ending:
"An aggressive and athletic Snake reaches the finish first for Mitchell's team, but two preps swiftly follow suit. Needing only one more person to win and with Blane in sight of the end, he decides to barrel into Mitchell but poorly times his attack and instead lands in the waters below. This leaves Jack and Mitchell in clear sight of the finish line, as they approach in tandem victory to the cheers of their awaiting schoolmates, and kisses of respective love interests. Mitchell has finally earned the respect of Jack and his friends, and he is lifted on the shoulders of a cheering crowd as the movie ends"
And yes, the ending is as epic as that paragraph describes. Don't even bother watching it. It makes me physically upset that I didn't write the phrase "and kisses of respective love interests" in that paragraph. Absolute fire.
Okay, so now that we've mentioned the OGs, we can get into it…
LEVEL ONE: Those That Exist So That We May Know What is Better
Under Wraps, Can of Worms, Stepsister from Planet Weird, Ready to Run, Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire, The Ultimate Christmas Present, Hounded, The Jennie Project, Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge, 'Twas the Night, The Scream Team, You Wish!, Right on Track, Eddie's Million Dollar Cook Off, Pixel Perfect
15 Movies here that will get us started on the base of our pyramid. There may be one in here that you particularly enjoyed – maybe something hit close to home and you have a special place for it. Maybe you were one of those freaks that was into the whole "Halloweentown" thing and you actually know who this "Kalabar" jamoch is and why his revenge is important enough to get a subtitle. Nothing wrong with that…but just know you are absolutely wrong for liking it.
Diamonds we can pick out of this Level One rough: "Can of Worms" gave us Erika Christensen, who we later got to enjoy in the "Leave it to Beaver" reboot and "Swimfan." We saw Tahj Mowry and a very young Shia LaBeouf in "Hounded," which was almost enough to sneak it out of the first tier, but it also had Ed Begley Jr. in it, who really loves the environment and definitely isn't crazy.
Some of you may have liked some of these movies but it's hard to make an argument for any of them to crack the top 10 let alone the top 25. Not one was in the Complex top 25 and there is a reason for that. We move on.
LEVEL TWO: Women Be Shoppin'
The Color of Friendship, Rip Girls, Quints, A Ring of Endless Light, Cadet Kelly, The Cheetah Girls, Kim Possible Movie: A Sitch in Time, Gotta Kick it Up!
You can probably pick up what I'm putting down here just by the context clues. Positives here: A young Camille Belle, a pre-Marissa Mischa Barton, Hillary Duff and CCR in the same movie, and Eric Matthews as Ron Stoppable.
I personally didn't really enjoy any of these, but I know that many of the ladies out there did and therefore we oblige them and give them their own level. I don't support domestic violence and I think Chris Brown is an animal…however, if there was a female I may hit it's probably going to be that girl from "Quint." A lot of pent-up resentment for me there for some reason.
The whole Kim Possible era is worth mentioning because it's tough to handicap after the fact. They had a great formula: spy cartoon, CCR voicing the main character, Christina Milian killing the theme song, and a voice-over cast that included Will Friedle, Tahj Mowry, Nicole Sullivan, Kirsten Storms, Gary Cole (yup that's Lumbergh), Patrick Warburton, Patton Oswalt as Professor Dementor, Rider Strong as someone named Brick Flagg, and a naked mole rat. Despite all this, I can't ever really remember enjoying the damn thing I just remember that stupid four-note beepy ringtone thing they always played with it.
I was always impressed with Kim though for extending her career beyond her Disney channel fame which was always a difficult task; she got a haircut, a boob job, and a headset and had a good run as a spokeswoman for eSurance.
LEVEL 3: Never Go Full Retard
Miracle in Lane 2, Tru Confessions, Rain Main
Frankie Muniz is handicapped, Shia LaBeouf is special and holy hell I'm depressed. Just remember, Shia's got chops man. Megan Fox and robot movies aside, kid can act.
Horse Sense, Jumping Ship, The Other Me, Going to the Mat
We must pay respect to the Disney Channel Royal family – The Lawrences. "Brotherly Love" was solid and there was nothing wrong with their collective jump to movies. "Horse Sense" left out Matthew, who was busy tearing up the college years of BMW and dating Rachel, who was a good foot and a half taller than him, but the whole gang got back together for "Jumping Ship" in 2001.
Andrew had a couple solo projects – surprising considering he was The Hapsburg Prince of the clan – with "The Other Me" and "Going to the Mat." Both were pretty forgettable, as have been The Lawrence Brothers as a whole as time has gone on. After Matthew played a Sidney Crosby-like character in "H-E-Double Hockey Sticks" I was convinced he was destined for big things. This was not he case however. He flamed out after "The Hot Chick" (or during it more likely) and we haven't heard of him since.
LEVEL 5: If You Bought the VHS It Was Acceptable
Halloweentown, Up, Up and Away, Phantom of the Megaplex, The Poof Point, Full Court Miracle, Don't Look Under the Bed
Now we are getting somewhere. These were slightly more memorable and had a little bit more substance to them than just the base-level DCOMs. On the Complex list, we have #9, #19, #20, and #24 here on Level 5.
I really don't get the whole Halloweentown thing. Didn't like it, never watched it more than once, and was disgusted at all the attention it got. I simply put it here because it would be complete personal bias to put it any lower. I had devout allegiance to R.L. Stine and the cinematic adaptation of "The Haunted Mask" that Goosebumps put out on VHS in 1996. I wasn't going to waver and it felt wrong to have more than one childhood Halloween movie. I was a loyal kid growing up. That's why if anyone suggested playing Perfect Dark to "change it up" instead of hammering Dual RCP-90s all day in Goldeneye I went into anaphylactic shock.
This was a solid group; you had Erin Chambers for all you ginger ninjas out there, the movie that inspired Benjamin Button, a fantastic adaptation of "Phantom of the Opera" which none of knew was an adaptation of "Phantom of the Opera" at the time, and a politically-correct box-checker about a black family of superheroes that did about as much for racial progress as "Hangin with Mr. Cooper" did.
LEVEL 6: Too Famous for Disney
Get a Clue, P.U.N.K.S
Person 1: "Hey Matt, I think Lindsay Lohan was hottest in Mean Girls."
Person 2: "Hey Matt, I think Lindsay Lohan was hottest in The Parent Trap."
Look, neither of you are wrong. Both have valid arguments, but I'm going to split the difference and go with "Get a Clue" Lohan as my favorite Lohan – it's where you can kiiiiiind of see the shame spiral get started.
From 1998 to 2004, LiLo went Parent Trap – Life Size – Get a Clue – Confessions – Mean Girls and was poised to absolutely take over the game. The cliff that she falls off of after "Mean Girls" could be arguably the most drastic in the history of IMDB pages. Draw a line after "Mean Girls" and its astonishing where her career ended up. Cocaine is a hell of a drug.
Alba as we all know did the opposite, and snuck up on all of us in 1999. Here is the craziest part: Alba was in two legitimate movies in 1999 other than "P.U.N.K.S.": "Never Been Kissed," and "Idle Hands." Her performance in "Idle Hands" was all-time breakout hotness type stuff playing the love-interest of a burgeoning Devon Sawa.
Jessica Alba: 1999 :: Mike Trout: 2012. A five-tool rookie year like we've never seen before. Talent is just talent people.
LEVEL 7: Executing the Formula
The Thirteenth Year, Genius, Alley Cats Strike, The Luck of the Irish, Motocrossed
When Zuckerberg had the idea for DCOMs as an undergraduate at Harvard, these five movies were what he had in mind. Each of these succeeded as the perfect execution of the DCOM formula. A solid plot, great young casting, some involvement with a sport, and a predictable yet solid and entertaining conclusion. These are all memorable, rewatchable, and each cannot be scoffed at if someone were to say that one of these was their favorite DCOM.
A couple things in Level 7 DCOMs worth noting:
– The kid who played the main character in "The Thirteenth Year" was named Chez Starbuck. How he didn't end up doing porn is one of the great DCOM mysteries (I can't confirm he didn't I am just assuming).
– "Alley Cats Strike" is the third greatest bowling movie of all time. Chew on that for a second. Behind "Kingpin" and "The Big Lewbowski," the 2000 DCOM comes in third without much argument. Bonus: it gave us the introduction of Kaley Cuoco.
– The only problem with "The Luck of the Irish" was the fact that Ryan Merriman was an absolute embarrassment at basketball. He right-hand power dribbles his way through the whole movie, culminating in a final game where he pulls of the greatest steal in the history of basketball:
He made that steal on his way to leading the Soaring Eagles to the win after being down 72-64 with a minute to go and an evil leprechaun playing for the other team. All for a kid with no left hand.
– Finally, I still can't decide if Andy Carson from "Motocrossed" was hotter with short hair or long hair. I'm not sure what that says about me but I feel like Talon felt the same way.
LEVEL 8: Lead Pipe Locks – Movies from Shows
Jett Jackson: The Movie, The Even Stevens Movie
These were no-brainers. Jett Jackson was one of the greatest premises in television history, and making a movie out of the thing was about as sure a bet as you could make. And of course, the thing delivered. Jett Jackson and Silverstone's worlds became one in a genius writing move that had Jett actually save Silverstone, Artemis, and Hawk from Dr. Kragg at one point. Great stuff. My only overarching disappointment with Jett Jackson is that the whole half tucked-in buttondown thing that JB did never really caught on. Beckham even tried to make it happen.
"The Even Stevens Movie" was what it should have been – a more ridiculous longer episode of the show. They grabbed Beans, went on a family vacation that turned out to be a reality show, and hijinx ensue. It was sort of ahead of its time with the whole reality show thing. Clearly "Influenza: The Musical" was a more culturally significant event I'm not going to argue with you, but unfortunately that can't be considered.
TIER 9: The Elite
Smart House, The Zenon Trilogy, Johnny Tsunami, The Paper Brigade
First of all, we'll get the WTF moment out of the way. Guess who directed "Smart House"? LeVar Effing Burton. I'll give you all a minute to wrap your heads around this. The guy who was on "Roots," hosted "Reading Rainbow" for a thousand years, and was on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was also responsible for one of the greatest DCOMs ever. That's range.
After that, you have Ryan Merriman again, solidifying his place on the DCOM Mount Rushmore alongside Brandon Baker, Lee Thompson Young, and EvD. There is no female version of Mount Rushmore because K-Storms is so far ahead of everyone else it's not even a discussion.
"Smart House" was great, gave us the second best DCOM original song, and helped launched the 4-month career of red-headed-step-child-boy-band Five with "Slam Dunk Da Funk". I personally thought "When the Lights Go Out" was their crowning achievement but SDDF was their most popular and was incorporated into the movie seamlessly.
Let's finish this though – so what was the best DCOM original song? I'm surprised you even have to ask. Of course it's Protozoa's "Supernova Girl" from Zenon. Another reason why these movies are in a level of their own – they launched chart-topping hit singles. "Supernova Girl" was the #1 song IN THE ENTIRE GALAXY. Protozoa ain't nothin to fuck wit.
We've covered Zenon enough so we can move right on to another tour-de-force performance by Storms and segway right into "Johnny Tsunami."
Before we get into all the great things about JT, lets first address the huge Asian elephant in the room. Yes…the actual Johnny Tsunami, Johnny's grandfather, happens to be Shang Tsung from "Mortal Kombat."
This was brushed over in the movie and is rarely brought up, probably because of the damage it would have done to all of us back in 1999. Luckily I did not realize this until I was mature enough to handle it. I mean the guy killed Lui Kang's brother for seemingly no reason whatsoever…then retired to Hawaii and became a surfing legend. #doublelife
Basically here is how JT happened: They said, alright let's get Brandon Baker, the kid looks Hawaiian and he's an up-and-comer here so we can let him drive this thing. We'll take our two most marketable stars right now – Storms and Lee Thompson Young – and flank him with crazy talent. We'll take the basic plot of "Brink!" because that killed, add snow and make pretty much the same movie.
Translation = They were not fucking around. They knew this thing was going to be legit and they made sure it had no chance at failing. Bravo Disney Channel. You pulled it off. There are many who claim this as the best DCOM ever and I can't say I really have an argument against it. I may not agree, but I can't argue with you.
"The Paper Brigade" gets the mention here as THE most underrated of all DCOMs. This is partly because some may not consider it a DCOM. However, being someone who once had a championship fantasy football team named after this movie, and wrote under the pseudonym "Gunther Wheeler" on fantasy message boards in high school, I may be slightly biased.
Kyle Howard and Joseph-Gordon Levitt were neck and neck back then and there careers forked in very different directions. Crazy that it was pretty much a toss-up between the two back then.
LEVEL 10: When you woke up this morning did you say to yourself "Today I'm gonna talk," or "Today, I'm gonna skate"?
This was the first one that landed. The first DCOM to define the rest. Brink! was the domino that started this whole thing. This was The Blueprint. All others that followed must pay tribute to what Brink! allowed them to do.
The movie was shot in California – the whole thing was sunny and fun to watch. EvD's hair was the only hair to ever approach Shawn Hunter level. You had the definitive DCOM good vs. evil contrast with Team X-Blades and Soul-Skaters/Team Pup 'N Suds, even with Brink going to the dark side and then triumphantly coming back. The movie made rollerblading cool. Think about that. Rollerblading now is something you can't legally do until you tell your parents you're gay. After Brink! it was a legitimate activity.
If this movie didn't affect your childhood in a positive way then you probably are having trouble transitioning into a functional and successful adult. Fear not, though – thanks to the magic of YouTube, you can relive all the soul-skating magic in one click. And that's the only way we can really send this thing out. Thanks for wasting all that time reading this and here is another 96 minutes you can waste. Also, if anyone has a Team X-Blades tank I will gladly take it off your hands for a fair price.


text:
The Gentoo Quality Assurance Project aims to keep the portage tree in a consistent state. We work with other teams to address problems found with their packages, and create QA policies that reflect the best practices to follow when working on ebuilds. In addition to that, we keep up to date technical documentation to assist developers with working on packages in the tree, in a general sense.
All current and future Gentoo developers should endeavour to be a part of the
QA project in some fashion. This includes helping to come up with a QA policy,
as well as doing your part to ensure that your packages meet a certain set of QA
standards. Additionally, we hope that all Gentoo developers will be co-operative
in finding and fixing QA issues. Future and prospective developers can contact

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Lawyers challenge 'no fly' list in federal court
PORTLAND, Ore. -- A federal judge in Oregon grilled Justice Department lawyers on Friday over the government's secretive "no-fly" list, questioning whether those banned from commercial air travel for suspected links to terrorism have any realistic avenue for appeal.
Government attorneys sought to defend the policy as lawyers for 13 Muslim Americans were branded with the no-fly status argued in court that their clients were denied any effective means of petitioning the government for removal from the list.
The group includes four U.S. military veterans, including a former member of the Air Force who has been separated for three years from his wife, who is stuck in Ireland with visa troubles.
The plaintiffs, who deny any links to terrorism, say they only learned of their no-fly status when they arrived at the airport and were blocked from boarding a commercial flight. They said they received no notice before or after the fact.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which brought suit against the policy in 2010, argues that secrecy surrounding the no-fly list and lack of any meaningful opportunity to object to being put on it violates their clients' constitutional rights to due process.
The only recourse an individual has for clearing one's name, they argue, is an essentially dead-end process by which they fill out a form and receive back a letter with no explanation or even a confirmation of their no-fly status.
The government contends there is an adequate means of contesting the flight ban, and that individuals listed under the policy may ultimately petition a U.S. appeals court directly for relief.
"There is a process available and it culminates in judicial review," government attorney Scott Risner said.
But U.S. District Judge Anna Brown questioned whether such a procedure was feasible and suggested that the government's argument that national security is at stake fails to take the plaintiffs' rights into account.
Appellate judges are by definition limited to reviewing the record established through lower-court proceedings. Moreover, no-fly case files the government keeps contain classified information off-limits to examination by travelers in question.
Brown questioned whether an appeals court would be privy to classified information in such circumstances and how it could properly review a case otherwise.
"A right without a remedy ... is no right at all," Brown said.
Brown also expressed skepticism over the government's argument that the plaintiffs' rights were untrammeled because alternative forms of long-distance transportation, such as ocean liners, are available.
"I'm really having trouble with this," Brown said. "I don't think you can say it is just a matter of inconvenience."
ACLU attorney Nusrat Choudhury further argued that the ban publicly unfairly marked the plaintiffs "with the badge of suspected terrorists."
The no-fly list, established in 2003 in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, bars those on it from flying within the United States or to and from the country.
As of last year, it included some 20,000 people deemed by the FBI as having, or reasonably suspected of having, ties to terrorism, an agency spokesman said at the time. About 500 of them were U.S. citizens.
Judge Brown gave no indication at the end of Friday's arguments when she would rule on the plaintiff's request for summary judgment in the case.


text:
Or Login using BecomeGorgeous
Please fill the form below and follow the further instructions.
You are about to receive a email from us please make sure to check your spam or junk folder and add our email [email protected] to your contact list.
Thank you!
Kristen Stewart lands on the December cover of Glamour magazine, the UK edition. In the exclusive interview, the 21-year-old actress talks about her co-stars, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Chris Hemsworth, but she also admits she tried to get in shape ahead of Breaking Dawn, compares London life to the States and dishes on her favorite London memory. Stewart also reveals she loves to have her tea with milk and a little bit of honey and that she loves beans on toast. On the much-anticipated Breaking Dawn honeymoon sex scene, K... Read More


text:
Sunday, 16 September 2018
My Sunday Photo {16/09/2018}
Labels:#MySundayPhoto,Camera Ready,Photo
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
School has started back for just over two weeks now and I don't know about you but our whole house already has a cold. Autumn has arriv...
We are already a few weeks into our summer holidays now. One of the biggest differences I Have noticed so far is just how much extra snacks...
Who doesn't love a good game? I've always been partial to playing games right from my childhood to now. Dylan has always been the s...
As you might have guessed by the title of this post I am joining in with my very first quilt along. If you have followed Us Two Plus You fo...
Bath time is always an exciting time in our house. Both Dylan and Scarlet love getting into a bath filled with bubbles to splash around and ...
Another whole month has past! Which can only mean that it is time for the third part in my Quilt4Kindness journey. If you haven't been ...
In our house bedtime is always accompanied by a book to read together. It's not always guaranteed that the books will help in the getti...
I can't quite believe I have been writing Us Two Plus You for a year! It has defiantly been a year of learning and growing for us. D is...
*This is a gifted collaboration, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.* It's summer here and with two weeks already past ...
The sun has been shining a little more recently which has let us get out to enjoy the weather and our surroundings. It hasn't just been...
Blog Archive
- Hatchimals CollEGGtibles Season Three {Review}
- Adding Magnesium Sleep Lotion Junior from Better Y...
- Project 365 Week 37 {9th - 15th September}
- My Sunday Photo {16/09/2018}
- Give your whole family's immune system a boost wit...
- My Sunday Photo {09/09/2018}
- What We're Reading - Dogs Don't Do Ballet by Anna ...
- Going back to school for the first time
- My Sunday Photo - {02/09/2018}
- ▼ September (9)
- ► 2017 (68)
- ► 2016 (57)
- ► 2015 (114)
- #MySundayPhoto
- A Trip To...
- baby
- baking
- Birth
- Bump
- Camera Ready
- children
- Christmas
- Colours
- Competition
- Competition Wins
- craft
- Everything Else
- family
- Five Things..
- Gift Guides
- Giveaway
- Growing
- Halloween
- Handmade with Love
- Ideas
- Learning
- Let's Get Baking
- Let's Get Cooking..
- Me and Mine
- Our Adventures This Week
- Our Wonderful City
- Photo
- pregnancy
- Pregnancy - Baby #2
- Project 365
- Reading
- Recipe
- Review
- Summer
- The Siblings Project
- toddler
- What We're Reading...


text:
The original BlackBerry Torch was a decent QWERTY/Touch experiment from RIM, but fell short in the processor and operating system department. Now BlackBerry is back with the 9810 and a totally revamped spec sheet which it hopes to catapult the Torch into the big time.
Form factor wise there isn't a massive amount different, things are the same old 111 x 62 x 14.6mm in size. The handset is however now wrapped nicely in a silver case which we personally prefer to the fingerprint attracting shiny black outer of the original.
The QWERTY keyboard still feels too dainty for even the tiniest of fingers. Luckily thanks to BlackBerry 7 and the Torch's 1.2 GHz processor, the UI is a lot more snappy and responsive, especially the touch screen keyboard.
BlackBerry has clearly had a major speed rethink with its new OS and it shows, the Torch feels like the handset the original should have been, boasting a much slicker user experience. It is a shame the form factor itself hasn't changed that much, but then we weren't massively offended by it in the first place.
In the hand, the phone feels just as solid as the original, with nicely backlit keyboard and menu buttons. The Touchpad is responsive and the much improved display brightness significantly marked over the original.
There isn't a lot else to get excited about with the 9810, however from our brief hands on it just feels like RIM might have just done enough with the new Torch. For those yet to purchase but who are tempted, hang on until BlackBerry releases the 9810, it is worth the wait.
Like the Torch or you not a BlackBerry fan?


text:
As an AstraQom Referral Agent, you can dedicate as much or as little time and resources to the Channel Partner Program as you have available, putting the power to show real results into your hands.
How VoIP Agent Programme works
We are flexible and determined to have this partnership work to suit your business needs. Our goal is for you to focus on bringing the best VoIP solution to your customers and not worry about restructuring, simply concentrate on profit. The process is simple:
Connect with your customer; introduce the benefits of VoIP for businesses, and quote them on the spot.
Gather the information from your customer and submit the order to AstraQom, or simply forward us the customer's contact details and we will take care of everything.
Get rewarded
Receive periodic payments representing a percentage of your customers' invoices. You can log in at any time to your Affiliate account and find out how much commission you have earned.
Benefits of our VoIP Agent Programme:
- All documentation needed to deploy services and programs.
- Level designations are designed to allow you to move forward at your own pace.
- Dedicated Account Manager allocated to you right from the start.
- Sales training programs and technology overviews.
- Support in integration of your existing products or services with AstraQom's hosted solutions.
- Instant access to our specialized Partner Support Area and Help Desk allows you to answer questions quickly and with confidence.
Why choose AstraQom Algeria VoIP Agent Programme?
Our VoIP Referral Agent Program provides you with the support services, information, tools and technology that enable you to accelerate business growth and provide effective business solutions.
All services and client support are already in place; as a VoIP agent, the only thing you need to do is identify potential customers.
AstraQom is committed to providing robust incentives for your loyalty and we want to recognize the value you help create every day.
Inspire confidence in your clients by offering fully customized VoIP business solutions.
AstraQom is the #1 provider of customized solutions for Business VoIP Telephony, Unified Communications, Secure Networks, ERP Solutions and Online Business Development.
Dedicated Channel Partner sales path support in place to ensure you have access to the information and services you need to be fully successful.


text:
The Raiders signed quarterback Tyler Wilson on Tuesday morning, one day before the team reports to Napa for the start of training camp.
Cornerback D.J. Hayden and offensive tackle Menelik Watson are the only two draft picks unsigned as of now, though both likely will be under contract before Friday's first practice.
Wilson was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft in April out of Arkansas.
The Raiders signed linebacker Sio Moore (third round, 66th overall) on June 13 and announced six signings on June 6: tight end Nick Kasa (sixth round, No. 172), running back Latavius Murray (sixth round, No. 181, tight end Mychal Rivera (sixth round, No. 184, defensive tackle Stacy McGee (sixth round, No. 205), wide receiver Brice Butler (seventh round, No. 209) and defensive end David Bass (seventh round, No. 233).


text:
After 9 years, and a "New" President, 58 Billion more US dollars are approved by Congress to continue the "wars". See who voted "NO" and if they are your Member of Congress, Click Here. Please call and thank them. The killings must stop now. Every U.S. State is cutting back on Teachers, Firefighters, Police, Public Works projects, but the Federal Government can overlook this and send the money to the 175th poorest state out of 180, under the goal of eliminating the Taliban? The U.S. Voter is a Sucker. Including ME.<
The Assassination Drones and missiles can now be Lasered out of the sky by the U.S. It won't be long before this technology reaches our adversaries. See who's building Asassination Drones, Click Here at AirDroid News.
Raytheon Employee Mike Boone's quotes from their press release:
"We've teamed with the Navy to bring the solid state lasers to the warfighter. We've linked a solid state laser to an actual U.S. Navy program of record, and that is Laser Phalanx."
"Directed energy essentially gives warfighters an unlimited magazine. As long as they have electricity they have photons, and as long as they have photons they have bullets."
"We actually shot down four of four operational UAVs. They were all destroyed and crashed into the sea." – Mike Booen, Raytheon's vice president of Advanced Security and Directed Energy Systems
FOUR More Years, Four More Years, where have we heard that before? We'll be out of Afghanistan in Four More Years, do you believe that?
Read the story from the Times of India here: Afghan goal for 2014 security handover 'reasonable': US
It took two years to determine the SIZE of the Peace Conference Table in France to End the Viet Nam War. Since the beginning of the invasion of Afghanistan, there have been many LIES told to us about what is happening there and in Iraq. Why should this be believed now? An Election Year? Enough suffering, bring our Troops Home NOW…


text:
This document describes how medical information about patients at Baptist may be used and disclosed and how to get access to this information. You'll need Acrobat Reader to download this information.
To read the Notice of Privacy Practices, click here.
To download Acrobat Reader, click here.
For information about about our privacy policy and terms of use for this website, click here.
What can we help you find?


text:
The Art of Manliness has a post up about dismantling a broken cellphone in order to mine it for useful components that can keep you alive after you get stranded in the middle of nowhere.
It goes without saying that your cell phone should only be dismantled as an absolute last resort option in a survival scenario. Even when there seems to be no signal, your phone might be able to register a ping from nearby cell phone towers which can be used by first responders to track your general location. But, if it's already busted, one of these tricks just might save your life.
Makeshift tools include a compass out of magnet and ferrous metal wire, a survival signal mirror out of a layer of screen, and a small-game snare out of headphone wire. But my favorite is the arrowhead spear made from a circuit board.


text:
Log In needed $35,948 · 2018 Forest River Rockwood Roo 183 -Report Ad
Price: $35,948
Stock Number: R358
Come visit me at our Comox Valley location!!!2017 Forest River Rockwood Roo 183A value thatll make you jump! we have a trailer just for you. Whether you are interested in the expanded interior space provided by the spacious drop down bunks with heated mattresses or the ability to bring an ATV along with the feel of a traditional trailer, the Rockwood Roo will deliver with the quality and amenities you expect. Rockwood brings the necessities of residential living on the campsite.Features may included:InteriorDriftwood Interior Decorative Slide Out Fascia Solid Wood and Raised Panel Doors and DrawersScrewed and Glued Wood CabinetryResidential Full Extension Metal Drawer Guides Engineered Mold and Mildew Resistant Floor CoveringDucted Furnace13,500 BTU Ducted Air (N/A 1902, 1905, 1909S, 17, 183, 19)13,500 Roof A/C (Std. 17, 183, 19)(Opt. 1902, 1905, 1909S)Carbon Monoxide Detector12 Volt Power Plug Hook-upMonitor Panel Switch Station55 Amp Converter With Charger Battery Disconnect Switch Bunk Fan/Light Combination with Each Bed Mounted 24 LCD TV (Opt. 1902, 1905, 1909S)Mounted 32 LCD TV (R: 24WS, 21BD, 21DK, 21SS, 21SSL, 23IKSS ML: 2506S, 2507S, 2509S)Digital AM/FM/CD/DVD w/ RemoteMP3 Player Hook-UpDecorative Valances 44 Family Dinette (N/A 2104S, 2504S, 2506S, 2507S, 2509S, 21DK and 233S) Free Standing High Pressure Laminated Table with Swing Level Legs Double Door Auto Gas / Elect. Refrigerator Single Door Auto Gas/Elec. Refrigerator (1902, 1905, 1909S, R: 17 Only) 3 Burner High Output Gas Range w/ Glass Stove Top Cover Residential Style Faucet (N/A 1902, 1905, 1909S) Residential One-Piece Sink Cover Cutting Board Water-Pur Filtration System Tub Surround Radius Glass Door Shower Bathroom Skylight 110 DSI Gas/Electric Six Gallon Quick Recovery Water Heater By-Pass Kit Foot Flush Toilets Extra Maxxair® Ventilation Fan and Vent Cover Heated Mattress ExteriorFully Aluminum Frame (Floor, Sidewall, & Roof) Insulation Factors R-7 Side Wall, R-12 Floor and R-14 Ceiling Radius Roofs w/ Interior Vaulted Ceilings Vinyl / Rubber Composite Roofing Membrane T V Antenna w/ Cable & Satellite Hook-UpRear Observation Camera Prep w/ Molded Mounting Plate Laminated Fiberglass SidewallsDistinctive Black Exterior Trim Electric Slide-Out (All Slide O
Ad #30934320
PostedNovember 18, 2017
RenewedMay 19, 2018
ExpiryAugust 17, 2018
DetailsCommercial Seller
CategoryAutos › Trailers
EditMy ad
SellerRevy RV (formerly Countryside RV)
PhoneNot available
|Last hour
|Last 24 hours


text:
Slash Documentary 'The Cat in the Hat' To Be Released on Blu-ray / DVD in August
Slash is busy making music and producing movies, and now will also be the subject of an upcoming documentary. A two disc, 131 minute documentary 'Slash - The Cat In The Hat: The Story So Far' will be released on Blu-ray / DVD on Aug. 21.
[Update: Slash has revealed that this release is unauthorized. In a Twitter post, he states: "Btw, the documentary, "The cat in the hat", is not authorized. I have nothing to do w/it. iiii]; P."]
The doc's distributor Pride describes the documentary: "The most iconic rock guitarist since Keith Richards, Slash has achieved the status of 'most interesting hard rock act in the world today.' And 20 years after the demise proper of the group with whom he made his name, he continues to build on an already remarkable career trajectory, while his old sparring partner in Guns N' Roses produces pale imitations of past glories. This two-disc set includes a DVD documentary tracing the life and times of Slash, and a disc of audio interviews with the Cat himself during which he speaks candidly and honestly on almost everything he feels strongly about."
In addition to being the subject of a film, Slash is also making movies. According to the St. Tammany News, Slash's studio Slasher Films has started filming 'Nothing To Fear' in Covington, Louisiana. It's described as a thriller/suspense movie starring Anne Heche, and is set in a Kansas town that according to legend is one of the seven gateways to Hell. In addition to his company producing the film, Slash will also co-produce the movie's score.
Slash's latest album 'Apocalyptic Love' was released on May 22.


text:
Sock-it-to-me8:10 AM Posted In Knit , Knitting , socks Edit This 0 Comments »
I've embarked on my first Sock Journey. I have to admit, I was really scared...at first. But I've been watching some awesome videos on YouTube and this persons website. She makes it look SOOOOO easy. Which really, after I started, it kinda was. I mean, I've had my fair share of stressful moments. Because keep in mind, I'm not a good Knitter. I kept making stupid mistakes and dropping a stitch and making my stitches so tight this sock could be waterproof! So I restarted from the 1st sock I had cast on for. The shaping of the heel and the Gusset really threw me for a loop because I was watching a video for a totally different sock pattern but the concept is the same. I'm just not that smart at Math and trying to convert the # of stitches so it pertains to the pattern I'm actually working on was a little challenging for me. I'm happy to say the 2nd one is going much much better than the first one started out. So far..... The heel pattern is boxy which I don't like very much, but since it is my first attempt at a sock I'll just go with it. And find a better way to do it the next time around. I'm surprised at myself because I really am enjoying this. I honestly didn't think I would.
I started out using the Magic Loop Method and have ended up, as you can see, having to use DPN's. Which as you all know by now, I despise. Anywho....
Here's a progress pic.
I started out using the Magic Loop Method and have ended up, as you can see, having to use DPN's. Which as you all know by now, I despise. Anywho....
Here's a progress pic.
My Claim To Fame4:35 PM Posted In Claim to Fame , Crochet Edit This 0 Comments »
Back in December I had finished the Jolly St. Nick pattern from the Nov/Dec Issue of Crochet Today. I had submitted via email a note and the picture of my completed item. Well I went to the Post Office today to see if my newest issue had arrived and after I got back in the car I was flipping through it. Low and behold, guess what I see in it? I was so excited my heart was pounding and I had this huge silly grin on my face. I've never been published in anything like this before. It was just way too cool. So I am tooting my own horn just a little and wanted to share the scanned photo of the magazine insert on my project.


text:
One afternoon last November, at the height of the Lord McAlpine drama, Tim Bell was sitting alone in his small office on the fifth floor of a modern building in Mayfair, central London. As the 71 year-old puffed on cigarettes, he took calls from journalists and lawyers on behalf of his old friend, wondering who to sue and who to leave alone. It's not a glamorous office. There's a computer, a TV tuned to BBC news, a bookshelf and an ashtray with a pack of B&H beside it. Not the office you'd expect to be housing an individual who was once the most powerful PR man in the country, the man who masterminded Margaret Thatcher's press campaigns during her three successful general elections. Or, more recently, who has advised the governments of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Belarus.
Although the McAlpine story played out on Twitter, there was something deliciously old-fashioned about the scene: the well-connected PR man righting wrongs, making mischief and settling scores. Bell is old school par excellence. The world of social networking was decades away when he was in his pomp, but his skills are evidently still much in demand. 'It's a very transparent world,' he says. 'I liken transparency to opening Pandora's box. There is no guarantee that what comes out is good and fun to read. Much of it is horrible and vile and not true.'
Tapping his cigarette on the ashtray, he adds: 'Twitter is a sewer. The internet is a sewer. If you want to live in a transparent world then someone has to give the information about you. If you don't want someone else to, you have to do it yourself. That's what PR people do.'
It comes as no surprise to him that PR is booming. The industry became a $10bn business in 2011, and now employs 66,000 people worldwide, according to the Holmes Report, which ranks PR firms. The industry grew by 8% in 2011, and the same the year before. A US study has estimated that in 1980 there were 1.2 PRs for every journalist. By 2010 the ratio was 4:1.
PR people are starting to make it to the top of businesses. John Fallon, ex-corporate affairs chief at publisher Pearson, will become its CEO next year. At pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline, Duncan Learmouth, ex-head of global communications, took charge of a new emerging markets division in 2010. The director of the Institute of Directors is Simon Walker, formerly of City spinners Brunswick. And our prime minister was once head of comms for Carlton Television.
In the 1970s and 1980s, it was advertising and marketing types who had the ear of the boss. In the 1990s, it was the strategists' turn, while in the noughties it was HR people leading the war for talent who were in favour. Now the comms chief is the individual that the CEO and chairman require to be right behind them. They are the eyes and ears of the organisation in uneasy and austere times, the consigliere, the trusted adviser.
Many people find this deeply disturbing. PR is seen as a dark, arcane art and PR professionals purveyors of fluff at best, deception at worst. Flacks, goes the cliche, spend their days chatting up hacks and burying bad news. Bell says that's not the case. 'Although people constantly accuse us of being the most evil, corrupt sons of the devil, we aren't,' he says. 'We are actually the most truthful people in the world, because we know that the truth works.'
Be that as it may, there's another reason to feel relaxed about the rise of PR: the profession has changed beyond recognition in the past decade. Although media relations activities have burgeoned, involving the paper press, online publications, television and bloggers, it is only a small part of the job now. Press offices have been swallowed up by communications departments that deal with investor relations, analysts, shareholders, regulators and government. All are the guardians of that most precious, and difficult to measure, of assets - corporate reputation. Global corporations will also talk constantly with the EU and other international organisations. And at consumer-facing companies, PRs might well be 'content generators', engaging customers on Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter. One PR firm is said to run 130 Facebook pages. Take a glance at the jobs pages in PR publications and words like 'social' and 'digital' regularly crop up.
There are more PR people not because there is more deception going on, but because the world has changed and communications has become more immediate, more important and varied.
Modern PR has had to evolve to cope with social media. Once, people would complain about a company to their mates in the pub, but now they may be able to tweet the CEO directly about it in language as blunt as they like, and it's there for the world to see. Businesses are more aware than ever before of what people think and say about them, and if they don't respond - or respond wrongly - it can be disastrous. The world is now incredibly transparent, alarmingly so for businesses.
'We have entered the world of public relationships,' says Jane Wilson, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. 'Probably for the first time in its existence, PR is doing what it says on the tin: it is not third-party intermediary relations, it's actually public relations.'
These days, she says, people are more cynical - 'the fog of advertising clears quickly' - and they have more information with which to form their opinions, views that they can broadcast instantly. PR disasters can equally occur in a moment, so reputations have to be constantly formed and values reaffirmed.
'Companies that wait till a crisis hits before they think about their reputation will never weather a reputational crisis well,' Wilson adds. 'Your image is what you put out, your reputation is what comes back at you. It's what you do in peacetime that counts.'
Yet there is nothing like a gruesome crisis to increase the power of the comms team: organisations tend to become utterly reliant on them when the bullets start flying. A good crisis should never be wasted.
Globalisation has also changed things. In 2010, the NGO ActionAid began a campaign claiming that SAB Miller had not been paying its taxes in full in Ghana. 'It was able to mount a campaign in multiple jurisdictions, which wouldn't have been possible before,' says Sue Clark, who rose from a corporate affairs background to become MD of SAB Miller Europe in June. This sort of thing means that the remit of PR or communications becomes broader. 'You need more legal people involved; these issues require the analysis of large amounts of complex data, so you need more people with a business background who are financially literate. The profile of people involved has changed radically.'
Another trend putting PR at the centre of businesses is the simple fact that public opinion matters more. 'The world has changed in the past 20 years and there is less deference in society now,' says Simon Lewis, former PR for the Queen, Centrica, Vodafone and Gordon Brown and now chief executive of the Association for Financial Markets in Europe. 'Leaders have to listen to what is being said about them, and that is what is driving more PR people on to senior positions.' These days, even brands that were once implicitly trusted can't depend on people giving them the benefit of the doubt. Just look at the BBC.
In our connected world, stories that can threaten entire businesses emerge in the blink of an eye. And if you're a multinational, these eruptions can occur right across the globe. People on Twitter can be self-righteous and quick to form opinions, so you have to react with equal speed. Reputations are vulnerable as never before and it's no wonder that PR's domain has extended, giving it considerable sway within businesses.
The 38,000sq ft London HQ of Edelman, the world's biggest PR firm, with clients that include Johnson & Johnson, Levi's and MTV, is a trendy place. There are Eames chairs in the meeting rooms, the Smiths' Everyday Is Like Sunday plays in the reception area, there is a Starbucks on site and youngsters in skinny jeans and check shirts wander about chatting and laughing. Robert Philips is stepping down as the firm's EMEA CEO this month. He's evangelical about PR. Ideas tumble out of him, his conversation is peppered with talk of radiation points, hourglass pyramids and inside-out organisations. He refers to Hobbes and Hegel. And he believes that PR can make the world a better place.
In the modern world, he says, the most important commodity for a business is trust, and gaining trust is about giving people what they want. Who knows what people want? PRs do. And that's why, with the collapse of the old elites, PRs are at the centre of the new world order. 'If you want to be trusted, don't go on about making money, do some social good,' says Philips. 'There is pressure on their licence to operate, so business will have to transform. And if communications firms advise businesses to transform, society will theoretically improve.'
Power is shifting to businesses. Some, he points out, are already bigger than nation-states. 'And if these start to address societal issues, there can be real change,' he adds.
Utopian? Perhaps, but it's not crazy. Sustainability, once dismissed as the quintessential PR issue - in the sense of 'peripheral' or 'unserious' - is being injected into the bloodstream of businesses. Look at M&S's Plan A, which is integrating sustainability targets into the business. Board members are even awarded 20% of their bonuses on their ability to deliver Plan A targets, and suppliers are being forced to change their ways to win M&S business.
Or take the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, which aims to double sales while halving the company's environmental footprint by 2020. Ikea plans to use 100% renewable energy by 2020. All these missions come from customers; people want this stuff, and it's PRs who tell businesses so. PRs, in a sense, rule the roost.
It would be wrong to generalise from the examples of a few mega-corporations, but it's true that people expect more from their businesses these days, and if they don't like what they see, they'll take their money elsewhere. In other words, PR disasters are disasters, full stop. Take the recent revelations about how much tax Starbucks, Amazon and Google pay in the UK (see box below). Starbucks has already caved in to the backlash, vowing to pay £10m in corporation tax annually for the next two years 'regardless of profitability' (so it's less a tax, more of a donation). Will others follow?
'The mores of acceptable behaviour change over time, says Andrew Grant, founder of City PR firm Tulchan, 'and companies have to keep in touch with the public mood and make sure they are in tune with it. As a customer, you don't want to buy from a company that you don't like. You don't want to work for a company whose standards you don't approve of, and if you're a shareholder, you don't want to invest in a company that doesn't have the support of its customers and employees.'
Who communicates these mores? PRs do. More and better PR, goes the argument, insulates you against these calamities. So should businesses put the PR people in charge? Is the new PR a turbocharged version of the old one, a force that is able to equip businesses for the modern world?
Evidently, something has changed, but in some ways PR remains the same. (And it pays to be sceptical, of course, about the grand claims of PR people, delivered in their trademark emollient tones.) There's a perception in some quarters that PR is just about transmitting a message. It's not. It's first and foremost about interpreting reality, 'reading the Zeitgeist', says Lewis, who has his work cut out arguing the case for banks struggling with their new status as public enemy number one. That requires some distance from the status quo. 'A good PR has to be a bit of an outsider,' he adds, 'and be prepared to tell people hard truths.'
That would be familiar to Tim Bell. Back in the late 1970s when he was advising Thatcher, he realised that voters were put off by what they perceived as her harsh, high-pitched voice. He persuaded her to lower it, and she got reelected. Good PRs listen to people, and politicians realised long ago that it would be beneficial to take heed of what they say.
Now that businesspeople are, in some ways at least, as powerful as politicians, they are doing the same. Clever ones will make sure their communications people are in positions where they can be heard. Whether more listening makes for better businesses remains to be seen. But it's certainly a funny old world, where the people who speak truth to power are corporate PRs.
The severe damage done to companies by reputational crises was confirmed recently by a survey conducted by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. According to the law firm, which surveyed 16 global stock markets: '"Behavioural" crises triggered by companies acting illegally or questionably or by rogue employee activity spook investors the most and can cause shares to crash by 50% or more on the day they become public. In contrast, "operational" crises impairing a company's ability to function, such as significant product recalls or environmental disasters, have a modest impact in the first 48 hours of a crisis breaking but typically cause the greatest long-term effect on shares.'
To oil spills and recalling faulty cars, one could now add the risk of being caught as a corporate tax avoider. The furore whipped up by revelations about low levels of tax paid in the UK by US firms such as Starbucks, Amazon and Google has had marked effects. This is not unexpected during an age of extreme austerity, where we are all supposed by be 'in this together'. The reactions of these three firms were, however, very different. While Amazon and Google were stonily unmoved - even when it emerged that despite Google's 'Don't be evil' motto, the company had hidden some $9.8bn of revenues for 2011 in a Bermuda shell company in order to avoid paying tax.
By contrast, Starbucks - which is advised by Edelman - appeared to bow to the winds of outrage when it came to the strange decision to voluntarily make payments of £20m to HMRC in an effort to assuage its customers' disquiet. Starbucks said its action was 'recognising that we need to do more than (is) required today'. A charitable donation to an impoverished nation seems to be the way to go, but it sets a tricky precedent.


text:
Venezuela court: Chavez swearing-in can be delayed
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's Supreme Court chief on Wednesday endorsed putting off President Hugo Chavez's inauguration, siding with the government in a heated dispute with the opposition while the ailing leader struggles with complications a month after cancer surgery in Cuba.
Supreme Court President Luisa Estella Morales made the statement after the opposition urged the top court to rule that the government was violating the constitution by delaying the swearing-in for a new term, which had been scheduled for Thursday. Lawmakers voted Tuesday to delay the ceremony, allowing Chavez to take the oath of office at a later date before the Supreme Court.
Morales also said the Supreme Court hasn't considered appointing a panel of doctors, as opposition politicians have demanded, to evaluate whether Chavez is fit to remain in office after remaining out of public view since before his Dec. 11 operation.
The opposition had not filed a formal court challenge to the delayed inauguration, and Morales announced the decision in response to a case brought by a single lawyer. She said the inauguration can be performed before the Supreme Court, at a time and place to be determined.
"We know it's necessary, and undoubtedly the inauguration is going to be carried out, but at this time we can't anticipate when," Morales told reporters at a news conference.
The case that prompted the decision was brought not by the opposition but by a private lawyer, Marelys D'Arpino, a columnist for the pro-Chavez newspaper Vea. D'Arpino told The Associated Press that she decided to file the case last month because "it was necessary to straighten out" the matter before the court.
The constitutional debate takes place against a backdrop of complaints that the government isn't giving complete information about the condition of Chavez, who hasn't spoken publicly since his fourth cancer-related surgery in Cuba four weeks ago.
"It's very evident that he isn't governing, and what they want us to believe is that he's governing, and they're lying," opposition leader Ramon Guillermo Aveledo told the television channel Globovision. He insisted that the National Assembly president should take over temporarily as interim leader and that the Supreme Court should appoint a panel of doctors to determine Chavez's condition.
It was unclear how the opposition would respond to Morales' statement.
Venezuela's constitution says the oath of office should be taken before lawmakers in the National Assembly on Jan. 10. But the charter adds that if he is unable to be sworn in by the National Assembly, the president may take the oath before the Supreme Court, without explicitly stating a date.
Opponents maintain that even if the oath is taken before the Supreme Court, it should be on Jan. 10.
The opposition has argued that the only legal way to postpone the ceremony is for congress to approve a "temporary absence" for the president, leaving the head of the National Assembly as interim president for 90 days, a period that could be extended for an additional 90 days.
But Morales said that as of now, "there is not even a temporary absence."
Vice President Nicolas Maduro broke the news that Chavez would not be able to attend the scheduled inauguration in a letter to National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, which he announced he had received on Tuesday.
The government called for the socialist president's supporters to gather for a demonstration at the presidential palace Thursday, and said that some foreign leaders were coming to visit. Bolivian President Evo Morales and Uruguayan President Jose Mujica confirmed they will attend.
Chavez said before his operation that if he were unable to continue on as president, Maduro should take his place and run in an election to replace him. Speculation that his illness might be entering its final stages grew on Tuesday when the proposal for a postponement came in a letter signed by Maduro, not Chavez.
The government said earlier this week that Chavez was in a "stable situation" receiving treatment due to a severe respiratory infection. The government has said he is coping with "respiratory deficiency," but hasn't said how severe it is.
The stances of the government and the Supreme Court have been criticized by legal scholars such as Vicente Gonzalez de la Vega, a law professor at Central University of Venezuela, who said the Supreme Court has effectively consummated a sort of "coup d'etat."
"How can it say that the president isn't absent and he's in his duties when he can't even sign a letter?" Gonzalez told the AP.
Francisco Madrid, a businessman and opposition supporter, called the Supreme Court's decision "shameful."
"It's proof that all branches of the state respond to the government's interests," Madrid said while walking in downtown Caracas. He also complained that while the government is focused on such issues, there are shortages of foods such as sugar, chicken and flour.
Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who was defeated by Chavez in October's presidential vote, suggested on Tuesday that the military "has a role to play to play here," though he did not give details.
Cabello, a retired officer, said later that he's sure the military wouldn't join with the opposition.
The congressional leader denied wanting to be interim leader and accused opponents of trying to foment divisions within Chavismo.
In a televised speech to supporters Wednesday, he called for Chavez's supporters to take to the streets on Thursday to "demonstrate our support for a sovereign decision of the Supreme Court."
"Tomorrow we're going to show them that the one who's in charge is Chavez," he said.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Amy Cuddy gave a fascinating, and research-backed, suggestion for anyone heading into a job interview, a first date or a public speaking event: stand in front of a mirror, put your hands on your hips, tilt your chin up, and make yourself as tall as you can get. Even better: throw your arms up and out. In her lab, Cuddy found that "power posing" for two minutes was enough to increase testosterone levels and decrease cortisol, making people feel more in control. In other words, the way you hold your body can change how you feel about yourself.
[ted_talkteaser id=1569]This is the idea that today's TED Weekends on the Huffington Post explores: can feeling follow from the way you use your body? Here, three of the great essays that are available now for your reading pleasure.
Amy Cuddy: Power is great, but warmth comes first
You must understand the people…
Ver la entrada original 551 palabras más


text:
These are trying times for higher education in Illinois and around our country. Colleges and universities must continue to provide higher quality educational opportunities for more students with limited resources and help students afford college without going too far into debt.
Illinois� independent colleges and universities are stepping up to meet the challenge, and the results are encouraging.
The Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities represents nearly 60 private, nonprofit institutions around the state. Many of these schools are small and provide students a unique educational experience, specialized to their interests and geared to help them move along their chosen career path with great success.
Our latest annual report to Gov. Pat Quinn and state legislators spells out the challenges our members and all higher education institutions face in Illinois, and how time and time again, federation colleges and universities are providing real value to students, families and taxpayers across our state.
They provide tremendous economic benefits to Illinois. Independent colleges and universities create 178,000 jobs, provide 62,000 Illinois residents direct employment and pump $900 million to the local and state tax base. Their economic activity � transactions and purchases by the colleges and universities and their faculty, staff and students � adds $16.5 billion to Illinois� economy.
Let�s look at it another way. If independent colleges and universities went out of business and the state had to absorb the infrastructure and educational service costs these schools now provide, the bill would top $17 billion for property, equipment and physical plants and $1.3 billion a year in instruction.
Just a 5 percent increase in private institution enrollment saves Illinois taxpayers an estimated $71 million a year.
The cost of attending college is a growing concern, and rightfully so. Independent colleges and universities are proud to say they are working hard to control costs and close the gap with their public peers. In fact, when the cost of public subsidies is factored into the price, independent colleges and universities now cost Illinoisans less than the public institutions.
But, clearly, our job is about more than managing dollars and cents. Student success is the real goal, and FIICU members can point to a number of victories in the classroom. Independent colleges and universities provide education to more than 231,000 Illinois students, a base that is as diverse as that found at public institutions.
Independent schools provide nearly half of all college degrees received by minority students and more than two-thirds of the masters� degrees received by minorities. More students on our campuses graduate, and they do so more quickly, than at public colleges and universities.
Nationally, 49 percent of students at public institutions graduate in four years, while that number is 79 percent at the independent counterparts. And when they leave our schools with a degree, they are ready for success in the fields that are critical to our economic success in the 21st century.
More degrees in education, health care and law come from Illinois private colleges and universities even though public schools have higher enrollment. More students are receiving advanced degrees in education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at our institutions than at their public counterparts as well.
This isn�t intended as criticism of public colleges and universities, as we know every student has different needs and all institutions offer strong educational experiences.
But as our policymakers consider important issues, such as funding for the MAP grant program and textbook affordability, as well as how students and institutions are performing on Illinois campuses, our message is clear. Independent colleges and universities are critical to the success of Illinois� higher education system and are working every day to provide more efficient and effective education for a stronger state.
Dave Tretter is president of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities in Springfield.


text:
select Compare (0)
Compare Products
You have no items to compare.
CRYSTAL QUEST Whole House Sediment 1.5 Water Filter Systems are designed for the removal of turbidity in the water caused by sand, silt, ferric iron and oxidized manganese or sulfur. The CRYSTAL QUEST Whole House Sediment Water Filter has fractured edges and irregular surface that provide a high surface area and complex flow path for efficient removal of suspended matter throughout the filter bed, typically reducing suspended solids down to the 20-40 micron range. The larger particle size creates less pressure loss through the filter and allows deeper sediment penetration into the bed for higher sediment loading and longer filter runs. This large and irregular shape prevents the screening and caking of sediment in the top several inches of the filter bed as happens in the typical sand filter, thus preventing a rapid build up of head loss and blinding problems. The CRYSTAL QUEST Whole House Sediment Water Filter's light weight means lower backwash rates and better bed expansion to release trapped sediment and rinse the filter media during the backwash cycle. This ideal combination of particle shape, size and density make it a good choice where quality water filtration and water conservation are important. All Whole House Sediment Water Filters include the following: 10 year Warranty on resin tank and brine tank assembly, 30 Day Money Back Guarantee, 5 year warranty on all Computer Monitored control valves, Low voltage transformer, and a bypass valve. It travels through 3 stages of filtration. In Stage 1, water flows through a 20-inch sediment filter cartridge that removes sediment, silt, sand dirt. It also extends the life of water softeners, water filters, and prevents damage to control valves or pumps. Next, water flows through a sediment mineral tank, efficiently removing sediment and suspended matter down to 20 micron range. Finally, in the third stage, water flows through a 20-inch solid carbon cartridge for removing volatile organic carbon compounds (VOCs), insecticides, pesticides and industrial solvents. CRYSTAL QUEST Whole House Sediment 1.5 Water Filter System also features: Poly Glass mineral tank, Riser style 1-inch internal flow distributor, a solid state microprocessor with LED display Electronics control valve, and a Stainless Steel Bypass Valve.
- Genuine OEM Product
Reduces the following contaminants:
- Cryptosporidium
- Cysts
- Dirt
- Ferric
- Giardia
- Industrial Solvents
- Insecticide
- Iron
- Oxidized Manganese
- Pesticides
- Rust and Corrosion
- Sand
- Sediment
- Silt
- Sulfur
- Turbidity
- VOCs
- CRYSTAL QUEST Whole House Sediment 1.5 Water Filter System Specs:
- Design flow rate: 11 gpm
- Maximum temperature: 100 F (38 C)
- Minimum temperature: 40 F (5 C)
- Maximum pressure: 125 psi (8.6 bar)
- Minimum pressure: 20 psi (1.4 bar)
- End Caps: Polypropylene
- Inner/Outer Wraps: Polyolefin
- Netting: Polyethylene
- Gaskets: Buna-N


text:
Fox's Starnes: Businesses Should Be Allowed To Discriminate Against Gay Customers
September 03, 2013 2:37 pm ET by Luke Brinker
Fox News Radio reporter Todd Starnes blasted "militant homosexuals" for opposing businesses that discriminate against gay customers, baselessly attacking anti-discrimination laws as assaults on First Amendment rights.
Willamette Week, an alternative weekly based in Portland, Oregon, reported on September 1 that Sweet Cakes by Melissa, a local bakery that came under fire in February for refusing to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, closed its storefront and will instead operate out of an "in home bakery." The move comes after the couple at the center of the controversy filed a complaint against the bakery for violating the Oregon Equality Act of 2007, which prohibits discrimination against LGBT individuals in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
Starnes did not take kindly to the news. In a September 3 column for FoxNews.com, Starnes condemned the "vicious boycott by militant homosexual activists" for "forc[ing]" the business to close its storefront. Even as the bakery owners decried the "sin" of homosexuality and lamented the "LGBT attacks" against their discriminatory business practices, Starnes uncritically noted their assertion that they have "nothing against homosexuals." Starnes then argued that businesses should be allowed to discriminate against gay people, as "God's law" should trump "man's law":
[Co-owner Aaron] Klein tells me he has nothing against homosexuals -- but because of their religious faith, the family simply cannot take part in gay wedding events.
"I believe marriage is between a man and a woman," he said. "I don't want to help somebody celebrate a commitment to a lifetime of sin."
Commissioner Brad Avakian told The Oregonian that he was committed to a fair and thorough investigation to determine whether the bakery discriminated against the lesbians.
"Everybody is entitled to their own beliefs, but that doesn't mean that folks have the right to discriminate," he told the newspaper. "The goal is to rehabilitate. For those who do violate the law, we want them to learn from that experience and have a good, successful business in Oregon."
In other words, Christians who live and work in Oregon must follow man's law instead of God's law. But in a show of benevolence, the state is willing to rehabilitate and reeducate Christian business owners like the Kleins.
Klein said it's becoming clear that Christians do not have the "right to believe what we believe."
In other words, gay rights trump religious rights.
Starnes listed other examples of businesses that were criticized for refusing to serve LGBT customers, including a T-shirt company that refused to serve a gay rights organization and a cookie shop that refused to make rainbow cookies for National Coming Out Day. Starnes asserts these businesses should have the right to turn away gay customers on religious grounds, even when the services being offered have nothing at all to do with the issue of same-sex marriage.
While the "vicious" LGBT boycott of Sweet Cakes by Melissa provoked Starnes' outrage, he has no qualms about boycotting businesses that don't adhere to his anti-LGBT views. After a Manhattan barbecue restaurant stopped renting its space to an anti-gay church in July, Starnes vowed he'd never set foot in the restaurant again.
Fox's Bream Makes Third (Failed) Attempt To Smear A San Antonio Non-Discrimination Ordinance
Daily Caller Launches Weekly Column From Todd Starnes, Fox's Resident Mouthpiece For Anti-Gay Hate Groups
Fox's Starnes Boycotts Pro-Equality Restaurant After Condemning Chick-fil-A Boycott


text:
Seascape 1 by Claire Gill (Limited Edition Print)
Part of a series of photo montages inspired by seaside surroundings and peculiarities.
Limited edition giclée print. Edition of 250 at 30 x 30 cm with an image size of 19.6 cm and 100 at 50 x 50 cm with an image size of 34 cm.
Signed by the artist.
Shipping will be added after checkout at £15. This is for delivery by courier, as a signed for service to a single UK address. This charge is for your whole order, not per item.
Artist Claire Gill is drawn to the coast, enjoying the sense of space found at the beaches, harbours, cliffs and promenades where the land meets the sea. She finds inspiration in the ephemera left lying around by fishermen and the weathered exteriors of buildings and objects left open to the elements. She associates the coast with memories of holidays and day trips. Claire uses photography to explore a sense of the places she visits and the technique of photomontage to create her images. She aims to create a more intense sense of the coast by layering, juxtaposing and editing original photographic imagery to create a new scene. These scenes are familiar but different, retaining a 'sense' of the place. They are also slightly surreal in their ambiguous use of space, but sympathetic to the layers of light and texture found along the coastline. Her passion for colour and texture, inherited from a background in textiles results in poetic images, which hopefully tap into memories or ideas of the coast that are more common to all of us. Claire presents her work in the form of limited edition prints, all of which are printed on Hahnemuhle archival paper, with UV resistant inks, both of which exceed museum standards for longevity in a print.


text:
Staff writer
When the leaves fall from trees and cold wind begins to blow, common pests like mice, spiders, and crickets often try to make their way indoors. Nancy Pihl, Kansas State Research and Extension specialist in Marion has all the information readily available on how to control pests, but a little mouse still found a way into her house recently.
"I have four cats so I couldn't believe what I was finding," Pihl said.
Her unwanted houseguest left behind telltale droppings, but her cats did not seem to appreciate her concern.
"I've trained them not to get on the table and counters, so I guess they thought the mouse was off limits," Pihl said.
When people request information about how to prevent or get rid of unwanted household pests, Pihl said she shares information like keep the trash can clean, remove clutter, caulk windows and doorframes, and check basement or crawlspaces for access.
"I do all of those things myself," she said. "But that little mouse still came in and made himself at home."
Pihl said she tracked the mouse by his droppings and found him hiding behind her microwave.
"I put a glue board back there and got him the very next day," she said. "But I'm still mad at the cats. They are fired."
Glue boards, mousetraps, and mouse poison are acceptable ways to remove the pests once they have made their way into a home.
Preventing entrance of spiders and crickets requires the same train of thought as mouse-in-the-house prevention, Pihl said.
"Spiders and crickets like clutter," she said. "Keeping things clean goes a long ways toward keeping those pests from getting to be a problem."
Pihl also said she sets off a bug-bomb every fall in the crawl space under her house to deter creepy- crawly things from entering.
She also advised it was acceptable to spray approved chemicals in places like crawl spaces, porches, garages, and attics to prevent spiders and bugs from coming in.
"Any local hardware store carries indoor treatment sprays that are relatively safe," Pihl said. "Pyrethrins plus piperonyl butoxide works for a quick knockdown. Sprays containing a variety of other chemicals can provide residual control when you spray cracks and crevices, or along baseboards, door trim, and under furniture and shelves."
Though she had not tried them herself, Pihl said she knew others used and preferred natural remedies for keeping out household pests.
"You can find research on the Internet on the effectiveness of using peppermint oil, coconut oil, or even hedge apples to keep unwanted pests away," she said. "There are some natural sprays that do work and have some effectiveness, but I haven't tried them myself."
Pihl referenced a K-State study that showed mosquito spray with peppermint oil provided 20 minutes of protection. She was not sure how effective it was against fall pests such as spiders, crickets, and mice.
Pihl also noted that using hedge apples to keep out pests was not an unheard of practice in Marion County.
"It may just be folklore, but hedge apples are said to be good deterrents for crickets, spiders, and mice," Pihl said. "I know some people that put them around their homes just for that purpose."
Hedge apples are the round, rough-surfaced, green fruit that falls from Osage orange trees in the fall. They are prevalent as boundary-line markers along many Marion County roads.


text:
RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) Mike DiNunno finished with 19 points and four steals to help Eastern Kentucky dominate Norfolk 68-44 Saturday night.
Glenn Cosey added 14 points, and Corey Walden chipped in off the bench with 15 points and four steals for the Colonels.
Eastern Kentucky (5-0) started the game on a 15-4 run, with all five starters scoring a basket during the stretch.
Norfolk (2-4) struggled in the first half, shooting just 26.1 percent (6 for 23) compared to the Colonels shooting 55 percent (11 for 20) of their first-half shots. Eastern Kentucky led at halftime 26-17.
Norfolk cut the lead to four in the second half, 36-32 with 11:30 remaining, but Eastern Kentucky answered with a 20-5 run to pull away. DiNunno and Walden sparked the Colonels with nine points apiece during the run, pushing Eastern Kentucky's lead to 19 at 56-37.
Malcolm Hawkins led Norfolk with 13 points.


text:
Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has started a lot of games. He has produced two 4,000-yard seasons, including one where he led the NFL in passing yards. He's this era's Trent Green.
But despite that production, Schaub doesn't necessarily have a lot of leverage when it comes to his future, and he seems to know it.
That's why he's not sweating the fact he's entering the final year of his contract at age 31.
"That stuff, if we take care of our business, get our job done, things will take care of themselves," Schaub told Nick Scurfield on a podcast for HoustonTexans.com. "But I love the city of Houston and want to be here for many years to come. It's important for me to finish what we started here, so I'm excited about what the future holds. Right now, it's just about getting ready for camp and just keeping the blinders on and keeping the focus on the next task."
Schaub knows it's not the best time to talk about his contract when he's coming off a serious injury. (He hasn't fully practiced all offseason because of his foot injury, but he should be 100 percent in time for camp.)
He also knows that tackle Duane Brown and linebacker Connor Barwin might be ahead of him in line for a contract. They won a playoff game without him. The team hasn't talked to Schaub about a new deal.
Because of the injury and the presence of T.J. Yates, Schaub knows he's not only playing for a playoff berth this year. He's playing for a contract.
If he stays healthy and performs like he did in 2009 to 2010, he'll get paid.


text:
Cambodia Opposition March Over Disputed Vote
By Sun Narin and Chun Han Wong
Opponents of long-ruling Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen renewed vows to continue their challenge against results of a disputed July vote and pressure the leader to resign, after staging the country's largest protest march in 15 years.
On Sunday, the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party rallied roughly 100,000 supporters to parade through the nation's capital, according to municipal officials. It was part of a rolling opposition protest over the contentious July 28 general election that was narrowly won by Mr. Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party amid allegations of widespread electoral fraud.


text:
Where do U.S. power sector emissions come from? And how have they changed over time?
Today, WRI released an update of its U.S. state GHG emissions data via CAIT 2.0, our climate data explorer. These and other data provide valuable context in light of the EPA's newly proposed emissions standards for U.S. power plants.


text:
If you're already looking forward to a lavish Christmas lunch, a delectable festive dinner or drinks party, then we can promise you just that in our unique and authentically British pub.
We'll be unveiling our plans for a Christmas 2019 extravaganza very soon, with festive food and seasonal drinks menus at The Crown & Sceptre.
Keep in touch by signing up, and be the first to hear about our new menus and exciting events or make a booking enquiry below. There's no better way to enjoy the festive season in Fitzrovia.


text:
Roger Ailes, the pugnacious chairman of Fox News, developed his philosophy as he shaped the media efforts of two presidential campaigns—Richard Nixon's and George H.W. Bush's. Ailes knows how to make a candidate look presidential. And he also knows how to throw a punch. He's not just more conservative than Fox's famously conservative owner, Rupert Murdoch, but also more steeped in the world of politics than his boss, who still thinks of himself as running a journalistic outfit.
It was Ailes who decided to establish Fox News as the "voice of the opposition" in fall 2008, at the dawn of the Obama era, as Fox's executive vice president, Bill Shine, put it to me. And it was Ailes who—with the disappearance of the smoke-filled back rooms where old-time pols cut deals and the absence of a clear-cut figure to champion in the past two presidential elections—decided to make Fox News the umpire and arbiter of Republican politics.
Story Continued Below
But it's a mistake to view his genius, as many of his critics and fans do, solely in terms of his conservative ideology. A former television producer for The Mike Douglas Show, Ailes likes to create fast-paced shows with a sense of humor and featuring attractive women, confident men and snappy graphics. (See, for example, the chirpy morning show Fox & Friends.) Nor is he completely confined by his ideological beliefs—indeed, one can often find his flexible political impulses swiftly reflected on the air. After the 2012 elections, he lectured his top aides about the need to show support for relaxing immigration restrictions, as he believed harsh Republican rhetoric was alienating many Latino voters. The very next day, talk show host Sean Hannity declared an evolution in his thinking on the subject.
Ailes's sharp instincts play out well beyond politics, too: They are reflected in the strategy and tactics he adopts in playing the media game more generally. He and his crew define opponents before they define themselves—and they identify opponents all over. Nowhere is this esprit de combat embodied more fully than in Fox News's public relations department.
Some TV public relations shops cajole and flatter reporters and bloggers who profile news anchors and opinion hosts and track the ratings fortunes of television news programs with Talmudic care. Others manage the coverage, trying to fend off critical scrutiny and periodically leaking damaging information about competitors. Fox News does all these things and much, much more. Its PR staffers turn almost every query into a hostile challenge, an invasive strike to be blunted or repelled. Their approach constitutes by far the most aggressive I've ever encountered from a publicity team—a grudge match that was in no way personal and yet grew more bizarre the more I butted heads with Fox over my 13 years covering the media.
When the channel launched in 1996, Ailes tapped Brian Lewis, his alter ego and young aide at CNBC, to lead his PR division. Irena Briganti joined the network that same year, and over time became Lewis's deputy, playing the role of bad cop to his somewhat softer touch. Before Lewis was suddenly fired this past summer, the two considered their joint performance a key component of their channel's ratings dominance and the billion dollars a year it was generating for News Corp, then its parent corporation. And they operated with a relatively lean and hungry crew: about seven or eight people for the whole network at any given time.
From my earliest days as a reporter and media critic at the Baltimore Sun, my encounters with Fox's PR representatives showed them to be sharp and contentious. Early one morning in December 2001, I called Fox to try to sort out the basis of a story by the network's new chief war correspondent, Geraldo Rivera. Rivera had been a swashbuckling investigative reporter, then a network news magazine star, a tabloid talk show host and finally a political talk show host under Ailes at CNBC. Still under contract with CNBC in the fall of 2001, Rivera had bristled at the idea of staying behind a desk while a war raged elsewhere, so he quit his CNBC talk show and rejoined Ailes at Fox. Rivera soon traveled to Afghanistan, where the United States was taking on al Qaeda and the Taliban in retribution for the Sept. 11 attacks.
He was, Rivera announced, on a quest to track down "the dastardly one" (his personal term for Osama bin Laden). On an early December day, he showed footage from Afghanistan, twice in a 24-hour period, in which he prayed over the site where he said three American soldiers and numerous allied Afghan fighters had been killed by a U.S. bombing raid in what was euphemistically called a "friendly fire" incident. He said he had seen their tattered uniforms and showed himself, on video, reciting the Lord's Prayer.
There was a problem, however: Rivera filed his report less than a day later from Tora Bora, a cave complex in the White Mountains roughly 300 miles northeast of the site where the bombs actually fell in Kandahar. I talked to reporters in Afghanistan, people who handled logistics at rival networks, senior staffers with international relief agencies and human rights groups active there, and U.S. military officials. None of them thought the journey from Tora Bora to Kandahar and back was feasible by road in less than 24 hours, while an official at the Pentagon told me that Rivera certainly had not hitched a ride with U.S. forces or aircraft.
When I wondered how Rivera could have made the round trip down and back in a single day, given the bombed-out roads, the rival warlords and the highway bandits patrolling what routes were functioning, Briganti angrily asked whether I was saying Rivera had made it up. By the time Fox consented to an interview, deadlines approached. Because of the nine-and-a-half-hour time-zone difference in Afghanistan, they said, Rivera was asleep and unreachable. Wait a day, and we'll give you Geraldo. By that point, we at the Sun could have run a story without speaking to him. But my section's editors and I agreed it would make the story stronger to talk to Rivera. I imposed one condition—that he would talk to no other reporters that day. Fox News agreed.
The next day, Rivera gave me a vivid and livid interview by satellite phone. But he interspersed his anger toward what he clearly saw as my impertinence with a fascinatingly self-aware account of the various twists and turns in his career. Finally, Rivera said he had been confused by another, similar friendly-fire incident that killed a group of Afghan rebels: "The fog of war," he said. And yet as newspaper reports and accounts by human rights groups and the Pentagon subsequently demonstrated, that separate incident involving only Afghans did not happen until the following week.
But the Fox PR people had taken some protective steps. Despite their promise, Rivera also spoke to Associated Press television reporter David Bauder. In this interview, Rivera boasted that he carried a gun, despite journalistic conventions advising against it. Such bravado created the fear that armed reporters might appear to al Qaeda fighters as little different from combatants, and then all journalists in war zones would become targets. The AP's global reach ensured that Rivera's tale of packing heat drained the appetite for any other controversies he might have engendered. Hundreds of newspapers published Bauder's story. Meanwhile, Fox's Briganti left a message on my voicemail, suggesting that only minor media outlets had paid attention to my story: "Reuters and MarketWatch? Pretty pathetic placement, my friend."
I wrote a second article, a few days later, weighing whether a television news network had an obligation to acknowledge and correct an error such as the one Rivera had made. The Drudge Report picked that one up—and the second story ricocheted around the world. Fox put out a tepid statement to the AP between Christmas and New Year's Eve—a media dead zone—stating that Rivera had made an "honest mistake." No formal correction appeared on air. All this landed me on Fox's blacklist. The policy, approved by Ailes and set out by Lewis, forbade anyone at the network from talking to me. I only later learned that staffers internally had a term for the constantly changing roster of offenders that Fox PR staffers review on a regular basis: "Irena's doghouse." But that was something of a misnomer. She was not doing anything Lewis, and ultimately Ailes, did not want done.
After about 15 months, Rob Zimmerman, a network spokesman who had at one time accused me of launching a vendetta against the network, called me to say Fox was wiping the slate clean. I continued to work with the public relations department on what I consider to be a professional basis—profiling such Fox anchors and hosts as Shepard Smith, Brit Hume, Bret Baier, John Stossel and Glenn Beck. The PR department's retribution was meant to punish me and to warn others. But it was not personal. And it did not last.
A year or two after I broke the Rivera story, Fox News invited me as a guest to the White House correspondents' dinner, a hot ticket in Washington, D.C. It was a deeply inside joke for the amusement of its publicity department and the small world of media reporters who took any note. The Baltimore Sun paid the cost of my $135 ticket. And I had a good time, dining and drinking, without guilt, among the same Fox News staffers who had been told not to talk to me for more than a year. Years later, when my wife and I got married, the Fox News PR team sent over an exquisite bottle of champagne from a 2002 vintage—specifically picked by Lewis, Briganti pointed out, to honor a prize I had won for the Rivera story. Nice touch. It was a shame to have to return it.