A man boarded a plane in New Orleans with a box of frozen crabs and asked a
blonde, female crew member to take care of the box for him. She took the box and
promised to put it into the crew's refrigerator. He pointedly advised her
that he was holding her personally responsible for the crabs staying frozen,
mentioned that he was a lawyer, and proceeded to rant to her about what would
happen if she let them thaw out. Needless to say, she was most annoyed by his
behavior.
Shortly before landing in New York , she got on the intercom to announce to the
entire cabin, "Would the gentleman who gave me the crabs in New Orleans
please raise your hand."
Not one hand went up... so she took them home and ate them herself.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
New Charity to Help Abandoned Kiwi Dogs
A new charity initiative launched today (subs March 20) aims to help house, feed and care for the more than 11,000* dogs dumped by their Kiwi owners each year.
The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust is part of a global programme established by Pedigree to help raise funds for desperate dogs in local communities.
A registered New Zealand charity, The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust, will donate money raised to animal shelters like the RNZSPCA to help house the thousands of dogs who are abandoned by owners.
The Chief Executive Officer of the RNZSPCA Robyn Kippenberger, says the organisation is grateful for the much needed support.
“The sad fact is that in New Zealand we are producing way more puppies than we need. People can’t cope and resort to drowning them in rivers, putting them in dustbins and dumping them in cardboard boxes on beaches. People these days are as careless with their animals as they are with their children.”
Kippenberger says there are a great many more dogs abandoned by their owners that are picked up by local authority dog control personnel.
In areas where the council has no agreement with the RNZSPCA pound dogs are often put down after the statutory seven days and there is no clear measure of just how many are affected.
Kippenberger says her organisation does its best to provide a safe haven for unloved and unwanted dogs but limited resources mean that the dogs aren’t in the best environment for their development.
“We don’t have a lot of options but to keep them in their cages for most of the day. Really it’s like being in prison. They get some exercise time in the yard and then it’s back to their cage. They are intelligent and the longer they are in their cages the harder it is to re-home them.”
The animals adopted from the SPCA make fantastic pets because they are just so grateful to have a home and know what life is like on the other side, she says.
Kippenberger says any money received from the Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust, would be used to help fund an offsite “Adoption Bus”– a resource used in the United States to increase animal adoptions.
“One of the biggest barriers we face in Auckland adoptions in particular is encouraging would be adoptees to get to Mangere as it’s a long way out for a lot of people. We need to have a fully kitted-out bus that visits urban communities and allows people to meet the dogs closer to home.”
Kippenberger says statistics from the United States show that in places where the buses operate more than half of the animals go in offsite adoptions.
The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust now in its fourth year internationally, has been heralded a global success with over $3m being raised in 2008 alone, and homes found for dogs in countries ranging from the UK to Australia, US, Canada and Mexico.
Pedigree’s Marketing Manager Oliver Downs says he’s saddened by the high numbers of dogs who are abandoned by their Kiwi owners.
“At Pedigree we believe every dog deserves love, good food and a good home. Our company mantra “we’re for dogs” is something we’re proud of. We hope The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust can assist us to look after the animals we love. On top of helping drive donations for the RNZSPCA our ultimate goal is to also increase the number of adoptions taking place.”
Each time you buy a Pedigree product between 8th March and 30th May 2009, Pedigree will donate a portion of every sale to the Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust to help care for New Zealand’s unloved and unwanted dogs.
For more information visit www.pedigreeadoptiondrive.co.nz to find out how you can support this worthwhile cause by making a donation or adopting a dog of your own.
The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust is part of a global programme established by Pedigree to help raise funds for desperate dogs in local communities.
A registered New Zealand charity, The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust, will donate money raised to animal shelters like the RNZSPCA to help house the thousands of dogs who are abandoned by owners.
The Chief Executive Officer of the RNZSPCA Robyn Kippenberger, says the organisation is grateful for the much needed support.
“The sad fact is that in New Zealand we are producing way more puppies than we need. People can’t cope and resort to drowning them in rivers, putting them in dustbins and dumping them in cardboard boxes on beaches. People these days are as careless with their animals as they are with their children.”
Kippenberger says there are a great many more dogs abandoned by their owners that are picked up by local authority dog control personnel.
In areas where the council has no agreement with the RNZSPCA pound dogs are often put down after the statutory seven days and there is no clear measure of just how many are affected.
Kippenberger says her organisation does its best to provide a safe haven for unloved and unwanted dogs but limited resources mean that the dogs aren’t in the best environment for their development.
“We don’t have a lot of options but to keep them in their cages for most of the day. Really it’s like being in prison. They get some exercise time in the yard and then it’s back to their cage. They are intelligent and the longer they are in their cages the harder it is to re-home them.”
The animals adopted from the SPCA make fantastic pets because they are just so grateful to have a home and know what life is like on the other side, she says.
Kippenberger says any money received from the Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust, would be used to help fund an offsite “Adoption Bus”– a resource used in the United States to increase animal adoptions.
“One of the biggest barriers we face in Auckland adoptions in particular is encouraging would be adoptees to get to Mangere as it’s a long way out for a lot of people. We need to have a fully kitted-out bus that visits urban communities and allows people to meet the dogs closer to home.”
Kippenberger says statistics from the United States show that in places where the buses operate more than half of the animals go in offsite adoptions.
The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust now in its fourth year internationally, has been heralded a global success with over $3m being raised in 2008 alone, and homes found for dogs in countries ranging from the UK to Australia, US, Canada and Mexico.
Pedigree’s Marketing Manager Oliver Downs says he’s saddened by the high numbers of dogs who are abandoned by their Kiwi owners.
“At Pedigree we believe every dog deserves love, good food and a good home. Our company mantra “we’re for dogs” is something we’re proud of. We hope The Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust can assist us to look after the animals we love. On top of helping drive donations for the RNZSPCA our ultimate goal is to also increase the number of adoptions taking place.”
Each time you buy a Pedigree product between 8th March and 30th May 2009, Pedigree will donate a portion of every sale to the Pedigree Adoption Drive Charitable Trust to help care for New Zealand’s unloved and unwanted dogs.
For more information visit www.pedigreeadoptiondrive.co.nz to find out how you can support this worthwhile cause by making a donation or adopting a dog of your own.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
PR vs Advertising
I've just read a piece which I've cut and pasted below ... annoys the hell out of me!!
Whilst I realise the value of PR, it literally staggers me at just how much money is spent on this side of "marketing" rather than on advertising. I cannot tell you how many PR "freebies" come across my desk each and every week ... beautifully packaged and individually addressed. All in an attempt to get me to give them space in my magazines.
Being a publisher, I can tell you now that magazines, newspapers, websites and even television LIVE AND DIE ON ADVERTISING SPEND.
Now, let's look at the situation the PR spin doctors would have larger companies believe ... they want the money spent on PR. However, without advertising, media companies will fold, and without media companies publishing and broadcasting, there would be nowhere to place their PR!! See where I'm headed here?
I believe there is a place for good PR work - I just don't believe that companies should be spending more on PR than they do on advertising!
Come on guys - you want and need us to survive! And believe me, as much as I like a freebie as much as anyone else, there comes a time in every publisher and editor's life when they've had enough ... no matter how many perfumes or lipsticks or watches a company sends me, if they aren't regularly committing to paid advertising as well, there's no way in hell their product will gain valuable space in my titles!!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Study highlights PR's role in brand value
by David Blecken 10-Mar-09, 09:40
HONG KONG - Media exposure plays a quantifiable role in a brand's financial value, according to a study by PR consultancy Text 100.
Drawing on statistics presented in Interbrand’s top 100 Global Brands report, the research indicates that almost 30 per cent of a brand’s financial value is determined by the frequency with which it appears in the press.
It also claims that the effect of advertising investment can amount to just two per cent of the overall brand value of products with a high level of complexity, while public relations activities can make up 47 per cent of a brand’s value in industries more heavily researched by consumers prior to purchase.
“The more complex a product is, the more likely people are to trust earned, as opposed to paid, media,” said Rowan Benecke (pictured), Text’s regional consultancy director for Asia Pacific.
Benecke, along with the firm’s chief executive Aedhmar Haynes, acknowledged that the report was likely to face a degree of cynicism for highlighting the importance of public relations, having been compiled by a PR agency.
But he stated that the report’s use of the Pearson correlation coefficient added credibility to the findings, and noted that it signaled progress in the ability to calculate the impact of public relations on a brand’s share price.
The study assessed the statistical correlation between a brand’s media prominence in a composite of headline, lead paragraph and text citations in unpaid, independent media) and brand value across the world’s hundred most valuable brands.
Benecke added that the findings also reinforced the role of corporate communications in maintaining a strong brand.
“The study underscores the importance of managing and growing brand value with public relations,” Benecke said.
Whilst I realise the value of PR, it literally staggers me at just how much money is spent on this side of "marketing" rather than on advertising. I cannot tell you how many PR "freebies" come across my desk each and every week ... beautifully packaged and individually addressed. All in an attempt to get me to give them space in my magazines.
Being a publisher, I can tell you now that magazines, newspapers, websites and even television LIVE AND DIE ON ADVERTISING SPEND.
Now, let's look at the situation the PR spin doctors would have larger companies believe ... they want the money spent on PR. However, without advertising, media companies will fold, and without media companies publishing and broadcasting, there would be nowhere to place their PR!! See where I'm headed here?
I believe there is a place for good PR work - I just don't believe that companies should be spending more on PR than they do on advertising!
Come on guys - you want and need us to survive! And believe me, as much as I like a freebie as much as anyone else, there comes a time in every publisher and editor's life when they've had enough ... no matter how many perfumes or lipsticks or watches a company sends me, if they aren't regularly committing to paid advertising as well, there's no way in hell their product will gain valuable space in my titles!!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Study highlights PR's role in brand value
by David Blecken 10-Mar-09, 09:40
HONG KONG - Media exposure plays a quantifiable role in a brand's financial value, according to a study by PR consultancy Text 100.
Drawing on statistics presented in Interbrand’s top 100 Global Brands report, the research indicates that almost 30 per cent of a brand’s financial value is determined by the frequency with which it appears in the press.
It also claims that the effect of advertising investment can amount to just two per cent of the overall brand value of products with a high level of complexity, while public relations activities can make up 47 per cent of a brand’s value in industries more heavily researched by consumers prior to purchase.
“The more complex a product is, the more likely people are to trust earned, as opposed to paid, media,” said Rowan Benecke (pictured), Text’s regional consultancy director for Asia Pacific.
Benecke, along with the firm’s chief executive Aedhmar Haynes, acknowledged that the report was likely to face a degree of cynicism for highlighting the importance of public relations, having been compiled by a PR agency.
But he stated that the report’s use of the Pearson correlation coefficient added credibility to the findings, and noted that it signaled progress in the ability to calculate the impact of public relations on a brand’s share price.
The study assessed the statistical correlation between a brand’s media prominence in a composite of headline, lead paragraph and text citations in unpaid, independent media) and brand value across the world’s hundred most valuable brands.
Benecke added that the findings also reinforced the role of corporate communications in maintaining a strong brand.
“The study underscores the importance of managing and growing brand value with public relations,” Benecke said.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
New Megane Renaultsport: 250hp Of Pure Pleasure
As the latest in a long line of Renault performance models, New Mégane Renaultsport 250 stands out through its exhilarating performance and handling. The fusion of its extra 25hp with unmistakable sporting coupé credentials and choice of two chassis settings (sport and Cup, the latter with a limited slip differential) is clear evidence that New Mégane Renaultsport has been honed to delight enthusiasts.
Coming after Mégane F1 Team R26 and Mégane R26.R, New Mégane Renaultsport 250 profits fully from Renault Sport Technologies' extensive experience when it comes to manufacturing performance models.
Powerful
New Mégane Renaultsport 250 is powered by a new-generation two-litre 16-valve turbocharged petrol engine which boasts maximum power of 250hp at 5,500rpm and peak torque of 340Nm from 3,000rpm. The sum of the different improvements made to this engine has produced a gain of 20hp and 40Nm over Mégane R26.R which itself emerged as the yardstick in the world of performance hatches. The Renaultsport engine's twin-scroll turbo is exceptionally responsive, particularly at lows revs, with 80 per cent of maximum torque available from 1,900rpm. Its wide power band makes it a genuine joy to drive in everyday use, and the pleasure remains undiminished all the way up to the rev-limiter whenever it is pushed a little harder. The engine of New Mégane Renaultsport 250 transmits its power through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Work has also gone into the acoustics of the Renaultsport engine to produce a tell-tale sporty note audible inside the cabin under acceleration.
Efficient
New Mégane Renaultsport 250 has inherited the same suspension arrangement as the current version. Thanks to an independent steering axis layout at the front, the suspension and steering functions have been separated to ensure a particularly high standard of handling allied with great traction.
Like the Renaultsport versions of the Clio and Twingo ranges, New Mégane Renaultsport is available with a choice of two chassis: the standard sport chassis or the Cup chassis, which comes with a limited slip differential for even greater traction.
The electric power steering features specific calibration and benefits from the latest improvements seen on New Mégane aimed at achieving greater precision and even more feedback from the road.
New Mégane Renaultsport 250 is equipped with ESP which is fully disconnectable in order to enable owners to enjoy their car's full potential on a circuit.
Provocative
New Mégane Renaultsport 250 benefits from undeniably sporty looks. The front bumper incorporates the LED daytime running lights, as well as the splitter which recalls the low-slung nose of the R28 Formula 1 car. The dynamic looks are further emphasised by extended wheel arches and sills, 18-inch alloy wheels, central exhaust tailpipe and rear diffuser.
The interior design, too, recalls the world of motor sport, from the extra lateral support for the seats, to the analogue rev-counter with visual and audible gearshift indicator, the aluminium pedals and the Renaultsport steering wheel complete with thumb grips. The Renaultsport signature is also visible inside the car: on the headrests, rev-counter and dashboard.
Renault Sport Technologies has combined its experience of motor sport with its longstanding production expertise to develop a comprehensive range of sporting cars. The hallmarks of Renaultsport models are their pedigree engines and efficient chassis which together deliver an undeniably high level of sports performance, as testified by the reputation forged by Mégane F1 Team R26 and Mégane R26.R which were voted 'Sporting Car of the Year' in France in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
New Mégane Renaultsport 250 goes on sale in the UK later this year.
The Lamborghini Murciélago
The Lamborghini Murciélago is one of the most extraordinary super sports cars of all time. Automobili Lamborghini has now expanded its model range with a new, exceptionally purist and even more extreme top model – the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is even more powerful, lighter and faster than the Murciélago LP 640.
With the output of the 6.5 liter V12 increased to 670 hp and a weight reduction of 100 kg (220 lbs), the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs) per hp. This catapults it from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a breathtaking 3.2 seconds and powers it on to a top speed of around 342 km/h (212 mph). Distinctive design refinements ensure that each of this 350-unit limited edition series conveys its full potential from the very first glance.
With its outstanding performance, razor-sharp precision and exceptional high-speed stability, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is the ultimate performance car for advanced sports car drivers. The super sports car has been extensively redesigned with a new front and rear, an innovative engine bonnet and a choice of two aerodynamic set-ups featuring either a small or large rear spoiler. The interior in Alcantara and carbon fiber provides a purist and minimalist approach.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Racist?
I don't normally sprout off about politics in the public arena, but this email attracted my attention today in light of the recent terrorist attacks, as well as the SA/Maori rugby fiasco .....
Proud to be White
Michael Richards makes his point.............
Michael Richards better known as Kramer from TVs Seinfeld does make a good point.
This was his defense speech in court after making racial comments in his comedy act. He makes some very interesting points...
Someone finally said it. How many are actually paying attention to this? There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc.
And then there are just Americans. You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman'... and that's OK.
But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink .. You call me a racist.
You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you... so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?
You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP. You have BET... If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists. If we had White History Month, we'd be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR lives, we'd be racists.
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that??
A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, but any color can be in the Miss America pageant.
If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships... You know we'd be racists.
There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US. Yet if there were 'White colleges', that would be a racist college.
In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.
You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.
You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.
I am proud... But you call me a racist.
Why is it that only whites can be racists??
BE PROUD TO BE WHITE? It's not a crime YET... but getting very close!
Proud to be White
Michael Richards makes his point.............
Michael Richards better known as Kramer from TVs Seinfeld does make a good point.
This was his defense speech in court after making racial comments in his comedy act. He makes some very interesting points...
Someone finally said it. How many are actually paying attention to this? There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc.
And then there are just Americans. You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman'... and that's OK.
But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink .. You call me a racist.
You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you... so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?
You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP. You have BET... If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists. If we had White History Month, we'd be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR lives, we'd be racists.
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that??
A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, but any color can be in the Miss America pageant.
If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships... You know we'd be racists.
There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US. Yet if there were 'White colleges', that would be a racist college.
In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.
You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.
You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.
I am proud... But you call me a racist.
Why is it that only whites can be racists??
BE PROUD TO BE WHITE? It's not a crime YET... but getting very close!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)