Today, The Pork Producers Council’s Web site reports http://bit.ly/127gvL “People cannot get the flu from eating or handling pork,” said Dr. Jennifer Greiner, director of science and technology for the National Pork Producers Council. “The flu is a respiratory illness not a food-borne illness.”  The article also states that a worker who recently visited Mexico – and became ill with flu-like symptoms – is suspected of transmitting the virus to a pig.”

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states http://bit.ly/bXjCM about 36,000 Americans die on average per year from the complications of flu.  Hopefully the negative press will not turn consumers against the $15 billion pork products industry.  There are two sides to every story.  The pig is getting a bad rap; I say BLT anyone?

 I could go on and on with other headlines but to me, the most important news of the day is that it is Earth Day. PULLLEEEZZZ don’t roll your eyes! It’s here to stay (thank goodness!) and in this economy, it’s important to our customers.

My past life was in horticulture and several years ago, at our publishing company, we saw the need to be a leader when it came to educating and informing our readers about sustainability.  It was amazing how many in our industry confused sustainability with organic and got all up in arms thinking we were trying to tell them they had to “go all the way” to getting organic certification in order to run their businesses in a more sustainable manner.  It’s much more simple than that and I make that point just to hold the interest of those naysayers who are tired of all the “green” talk and think to be sustainable you have to be a full-time tree-hugging/composting/seldom-showering hippie.

Anyone and everyone can participate in Earth Day in their own small way but I digress…My main point of discussion for this post is a term called greenwashing. I thought. by now, it was common knowledge but just recently I used the term with someone and they asked me to explain. In very brief terms, this is when a company deceptively makes a claim of being green or environmentally friendly to benefit financially. In the beginning of the “green” movement, too many marketers jumped on the bandwagon touting their “greenness” without being able to back it up with real, quantifiable facts.  The key in your marketing message, if you are touting anything about being environmentally friendly or responsible, is to do your research.  Make sure you understand every step of the process when it comes to your sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, employee practices, certification and so on.  Use third party verification sources whenever possible. Be as transparent as possible. Know the terminology; know the hot buttons of your customer.

Lastly, and let’s hope not, but if your research wasn’t enough and something out of your control occurs,  make sure you have a good communications plan in place to handle any crisis that might arise.   

The article starts out with this…

Sleazy. Disingenuous. These are words used in U.K. newspaper coverage of the public relations industry. PR, oddly enough, doesn’t have great PR. People tend to think that PR involves being manipulative and saying whatever is in the employer’s best interests.

Gee. Allow me to keep reading.

(The authors) call PR an amoral industry, a tool for good or evil purposes. There was, alas, Hitler, Goebbels, and the Nazi propaganda machine.

More? Why make my face more red that it is right now? Stop reading!  I can’t…it’s like a traffic accident. Must…keep…reading.

I’ve not read this book, but the reviewer goes on to say that in the book the authors debate whether or not it is the role of a PR professional to tell the truth.

I am here to tell you that every journalist (both traditional and new) I’ve ever worked with would tell me where to stick it if I ever lied to them.  If a client asked us to lie (and it has happened), we immediately resign the business.

I’m also here to tell you that PR professionals live by a Code of Ethics and I’ve seen people kicked out of industry organizations for displaying anything but professionalism. So there are good and bad in every profession. Until you walk a day (or five) in our shoes, let’s leave the negativeness and bashing alone.

The media surrounding the Arizona Cardinals backup quaterback can’t get enough of this fallen hero.  The fact is, he’s young, talented, and achieved more than most could ever hope for.  His career isn’t over, how many people can say they were part of a football team that went to a Super Bowl?  The media shouldn’t be the judge.  Yes, he likes to have a good time, but he can still play the game.

During press day, the media  hoped to hear Leinart talk badly about being the backup and what he once was and actually refer to him as “the forgotten man”.  But, he responded the way anyone grateful would, that while yes, he wishes he could start he still is on a great team in the Super Bowl.

Many quarterbacks are forgotten or benched and come back, and the media needs to realize he can still play.  Many thought Warner should throw in the towel, and now look at him.  Donovan McNabb was benched and again, the media assumed his career was over.  Craig Morton was forgotten and lead the Broncos to a Super Bowl (albeit they lost), but great things can happen when the media gives up on you.

Though I did not agree with some of Sarah Palin’s personal and political views I was disappointed to read The New York Times article about the elaborate Internet hoax created with a fake policy institute and a phony adviser to Senator John McCain claiming that the Alaska governor did not know that Africa was a continent.  The comment came from Martin Eisenstadt, a fictitious senior fellow at the fictitious Harding Institute for Freedom and Democracy.   The prank was cooked up by a pair of filmmakers who have planted such rumors on MSNBC, The New Republic, The Los Angeles Times and elsewhere.  In my opinion, those responsible for this hoax should be reprimanded so this type of thing never happens again!     

One of Abrams’s investors believes “big companies will be attracted to its ‘expert network’ and it’s pay-per-use model.”

Isn’t this a conflict of interest?  Since when do journalists moonlight as business consultants?  Isn’t our industry trying to stay away from this type of model, citing ethics?

What do you think?

Apparently, there is a new program for journalists to download and it catches any bias or spin in their pieces.  As Katherine asks the question herself “do you think this product is performing a task that editors and newspapers should be doing themselves?” 

If you read the article they say 43 percent of UK newspaper readers don’t trust what they read.  I think the 43 percent is spin itself.  Yes, maybe 43 percent of people don’t trust what they read, but were there follow-up questions asked about that?  Why?  What are you reading?  If the same question was asked to avid readers of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or Forbes would 43 percent still not trust what they read?

I say, in order to be smarter you need to read smarter.  Don’t trust the tabloids and start reading one grade level above.

By giving new journalists tools to catch their spin we are allowing it to happen.  We are allowing our writers to get lazy and that is not something we need right now.

   Until recently I wasn’t familiar with Kiehl’s products.  Because of Brad Pitt, I now know that Kiehl’s is a beauty and cosmetics maker known for its old-school, natural formulas and minimalistic packaging.  Read full article: 

I have always tried to do my small part to be “green”.  My hat is off to Kiehl’s and Mr. Pitt for their collaboration to launch a new product, Kiehl’s Aloe Vera Biodegradable Liquid Body Cleanser that will have a 100% recyclable container and is completely biodegradable.  

Mr. Pitt will not be paid and 100% of the profits from the sale of the product will go to JPF Eco Systems, a green charity that Pitt created with Kiehl’s.  I hope this is a successful collaboration so that other celebrities take notice and join the “green” team.  Let’s face it - consumers love celebrities.  It appears – at least to me – that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are genuine in their efforts to make our world a better place.   by Patti Knight

    So, if you hate spin and love FADS, vote here! 

While out of the country last week I refused to check my email or voicemail — however, I did feel a little out of touch by not really knowing much of what was going on back home.  I figured it was time to catch up on the daily headlines by Friday. 

This was the morning following the Iowa Caucus, and I was really interested to hear who had secured a victory for each party.  Pulling up the news on a blackberry, the first two stories caught my eye:  “Obama and Huckabee” and “Spears in Standoff with Police.”  At that same moment, I heard on a Mexican radio station, understanding very little Spanish, (more or less) “Brittney Spears es loco.”

I couldn’t decide which was worse, the top headlines in our country is who won the Iowa Caucus and a fallen pop-star is crazy, something that is front page daily, or that a radio station in Puerto Vallarta was gossiping about the previous nights “stand-off” as well. 

Have people in the United States become so involved with worthless news (don’t get me wrong, I read the blogs, I’m one of them) or are we trying to focus on other people, in order to not  think about how bad things really are?

Have most become so disengaged with what’s going on that they would rather hear about Brittney Spears then the economy, housing market, political candidates, and jobs?  Or, do we just talk about it because it isn’t our family or our problems?  The media is covering these topics daily, and with blogs, hourly, and they are doing so because people would rather read about Ms. Spears then President Bush.  ¿Es los Estados Unidos loco tambien?