How Can I Get My Local Government to Pay Attention to Me?

Dear Lifehacker,
I've been trying to get my city council to pay attention to some issues in my neighborhood that have been going on for a while now. We have a dangerous intersection that desperately needs a four-way stop, and the trees and bushes at the intersection make it really had to see oncoming traffic. We've written letters, but all they say is "we'll look into it." How can I get them to sit up and listen to us?

Sincerely,
Upstanding Citizen

Dear Upstanding Citizen,
It's frustrating, isn't it? The people you're writing to probably mean well, but the massive engine of bureaucracy, even at the local level, can be difficult to weave your way through. That doesn't mean it's not possible though, and it doesn't mean there's nothing you can do to make your local officials pay attention and address your concerns. We've discussed how to cut through corporate bureaucracy before, the principles here aren't that different. Remember, these people ultimately work for you. Here's how to remind them and get something done:

Do Your Homework

Bureaucratic red tape is a nightmare to navigate, but avoid the temptation to just call a general information number and rant at someone who has no control over your issue. The same applies if you're sending letters to a general mailing address. A few things to remember:

• Make sure you're actually dealing with the right office or appropriate official for the issue you want addressed. In theory, sending all of your mail to the mayor or calling the mayor's office should get your complaint to the right department, but it rarely does. If you have a problem with, for example, needing a stop sign at a nearby intersection, your local government probably has a transportation or safety official responsible for that. You may have to do some digging to get their name or contact information, but you'll have better luck dealing with their office directly. Photo by Videowokart (Shutterstock).
• Make sure you're dealing with the appropriate level of government. This is a big one: too often people assume that an issue they have is a state problem when it's really a county problem. Transportation issues are notorious for this: depending on the road in question and who funded its construction, your stop sign could be a state issue, not a city one. Once you get a hold of the right office or official that handles your issue, the first question to ask is whether or not this is in their purview, and if it isn't, who's responsibility it is.
• Document your issue impeccably. Whether you're cynical or jaded about government at all should be irrelevant here. Rely on facts, letters, photographs, laws, and examples, not opinions and grandstanding statements. Remember, you have a problem you want solved. Focus on the problem and gather as much supporting proof and as many tools as you can to help get the problem solved. Just like when you deal with a company, you'll be in a better position if you leave your personal feelings about the entity or organization out of it?at least until the problem's solved.

Be Professional and Understanding

The fastest way to find yourself at the back of a bureaucratic maze is to go in guns blazing, ranting about the inefficiencies of a government office, or making a show of your political opinions. You'll get polite, curt responses, and your issue will never get resolved. We're not saying you need to lick boots here. You should walk the middle path and approach the conversation as a negotiation. Be professional, honest, and above-board. Offer your documentation, make sure you're talking to the right people, and make it clear you're looking to the office or official for their help resolving the issue. Photo by George Miller.

That said, don't be afraid to press to get what you need. Let them know that if they can't help you, you'd like them to direct you to a department that can. Get follow-up dates and commitments. Write down the names of the people you speak to and when you spoke to them. Get commitments in writing if at all possible. As with any large organization, it's easy to get smiles and promises from one person on Monday only to be told on Wednesday that no one remembers your name or that you ever called.

Go Visit In Person

Almost every public official, from county executives and councilmembers to Congressional representatives, have offices and local office hours where they set aside time to meet with their constituents. Call their offices, let them know that you have an issue you'd like to discuss with them, and get on their calendar. How easy this is depends on the level of government you're dealing with and the arm of the bureaucracy you have to talk to, but it's doable, even for offices like your County Undersecretary or Pothole Repair. Keep calling and keep checking for openings on their calendar. Photo by Daniel X. O'Neil.

If you can't get a private audience and you want to talk to someone in person, go to the next public meeting, council session, town hall meeting, or open forum for your community. You may not even know they have them, but a search of your local government's web site should turn up a calendar of events and the next meeting or event that's open to the public. You may have the opportunity for an informal conversation with a specific individual, but depending on the forum you may be in for a formal discussion that you should be prepared for. If you're going to speak in front of a city or county council, bring whatever supporting documents you want to show off (and copies to give away), and get ready in advance.

It's important to note that these public meetings?and even many private conversations?are rarely the final step in getting a real problem solved. You'll need to follow up, reference your conversation, check on the status of your issue, and see if there's anything you can do to push the process along or anyone you can bring into the conversation.

Organize Your Neighbors and Amplify Your Voice

Perhaps one of the most powerful things you can do to make sure the right arm of government listens to your concerns is to organize your friends and neighbors. We're not talking about internet petitions (they're largely useless and ineffective at getting real issues addressed) here. Here are a couple of ways you can get your neighbors involved:

• Old-fashioned paper petitions with real signatures still carry a lot of weight, especially with local or state officials. As long as you're asking for something specific and actionable that's relevant to a community, and as long as that community is represented in the petition, you have a strong case and an even stronger platform you can use to nag a government office or official into doing what you need done. Photo by National Assembly for Wales.
• Use your neighbors as leverage to schedule an in-person meeting or town-hall. Sometimes the fastest way to get face time with an official is to say you have a dozen people who want to talk to them about the same issue, and you'd love it if they'd come to meet everyone. You can even organize the event yourself?beg the after-hours use of a school gym or classroom in your community, or find a public space specifically for large meetings and book it. Invite the official to come and hear everyone's concerns. If they're reluctant to commit to a meeting, take the voices to them and ask to book time on their calendar. I've seen groups as small as six or seven manage to get office time with US Senators just by asking nicely.
• Do the work yourself. Sometimes the most effective way to call attention to a slow moving government agency is to get your community involved and do the work yourself. In this case, put up a sign at the intersection warning drivers that this is a blind turn and that they should stop. It's not an official stop sign, and you should be careful it doesn't do more harm than good (as in, it doesn't further obscure the view) but a neighborhood-endorsed sign and a few calls to the local paper or news media about your struggle will definitely turn some heads.

You'll notice we didn't suggest that you and your neighbors protest or march on City Hall. Part of it is that protests are often a last-resort sledgehammer when many community issues call for a scalpel. The rest is that there are so many legal hurdles around protesting that you really need know what you're getting into. Long gone are the days where you and your neighbors could just converge on the mayor's office and refuse to leave until they hear you. Depending on where you live, that tactic could work or it could end with all of you in prison. Make no mistake, peaceful protest is both effective and your civil right, but it's not one to exercise lightly.

Take Their Job

One of the best things about getting involved in local politics is that most people don't. While most people think state or national-level politics as an intractable mess that's impossible to push through, local and regional governments are much more malleable. In many cases, the only reason someone holds a particular office is because no one else wants it, or because no one else has challenged the current officeholder. Consider running for office if the current officeholder isn't willing to help you, or get familiar with whomever is the official responsible for appointing that officeholder and express your interest in the job. Photo by Will Merydith.

Neighborhood commissioners, county council seats, even mayorships or state-level representatives are often one-person races, and in some cases go unfilled because no one wants the office. In most communities, these offices are part-time and voluntary, so it's not like you have to quit your day job to represent your community's interests in a larger body?you just have to commit to a meeting or two each month. Get familiar with the requirements to run for office in your community (often you need to raise signatures to support your candidacy and file some paperwork) and debate whether or not you're willing to commit to the job. We wouldn't suggest you run for office just to get a stop sign at your intersection, but if you're so fed up with your local official or the office in question, there's no reason you can't do a better job.

---

Hopefully these tips and suggestions will help you get the attention of your local or regional government officials, and get the issues you and your neighbors have resolved quickly. Remember, when it comes to citizen activism and dealing with government, your best weapons are documentation, patience, and tenacity. Understand that what you want may take time, but don't act like you have it?press, document, and hold your officials' feet to the fire. In some cases, they may even appreciate it!

Good luck,
Lifehacker

Illustration by Tina Mailhot-Roberge.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/2-WaJX3keuY/how-can-i-get-my-local-government-to-pay-attention-to-me

lotto winner jerry lee lewis cesar chavez winning lotto numbers lottery tickets mega lottery sag aftra

Milestone of cancer research: Arresting cancers rather than killing them

Feb. 1, 2013 ? The research team of Prof. Dr. Martin R?cken from the Department of Dermatology of the University Medical Center T?bingen has shown for the first time that the immune system is able to drive tumours and tumour cells into a form of permanent dormancy (1). The resulting growth arrest allows tumour control in the absence of cancer cell destruction. This permanent dormancy -- scientifically known as senescence (2, 3) -- may persist for the whole life of the organism. Thus, immunotherapy can prevent tumour development without destroying the cells (1, 4).

Prof. Martin R?cken, Director of the Department of Dermatology of the University Medical Center T?bingen, outlines the current state of tumour therapy as follows: "About 50 years ago the former President of the United States of America Richard Nixon declared the "War on cancer." Strong financial and logistic efforts were undertaken and thought to overcome this devastating disease in relatively short time. At this time, researchers and clinicians learned to use chemotherapeutics or natural killer cells to directly attack the tumour cells and to destroy cancers including their environment. This led to several very important, partly brilliant achievements in the understanding of tumour development and to improved cancer diagnostics. What's more, the treatment of several different cancers was markedly improved by new and innovative operation techniques, radiation, chemo- and immunotherapy. However, the main goal, ie. the decisive victory on cancer, remained absent." "[For some time]," Prof. R?cken explains further, "doubts were raised about the strategy of the "War on cancer" which exclusively focussed on cancer destruction, as for example published in an essay in the journal The Lancet and other recent publications (5, 6, 7)."

Importantly, the work of the R?cken group revealed that immune responses also drive tumours of human origin into senescence. The human body apparently defends itself from cancer by inducing the senescence program in tumour cells thereby inhibiting tumour growth (1).

In this line, two well known signalling molecules of cancer therapy and immunology of infectious diseases move again in the center of attention: the interferons and tumor necrosis factor. Repeatedly, a bulk of researchers and clinicians tried to use these molecules and other techniques to destroy the tumour cells and their supplying blood vessels, and so did the scientists from T?bingen. Surprisingly, however, the R?cken group found that a combination of both signalling molecules, interferon and tumor necrosis factor, stopped the tumour growth in vivo without any signs of tumour or tissue destruction.

In animal experiments, the efficacy of immunotherapy-induced senescence proved to be much better than any other therapy based on "cancer destruction" (4). Most importantly, the common action of both signalling molecules, interferon and tumor necrosis factor, also stopped the growth of human tumours (1).

In the course of a natural immune response, the research team even detected senescence induction in regressing malignant tumours of cancer patients . Seven years ago, it was shown in principle that cancer cells can be shifted towards permanent dormancy or senescence (2, 3). Those theoretical insights were now successfully transferred into a therapeutic approach, here an immunotherapeutic regimen (1, 4).

The new therapeutic option will enable clinicians to approach their goal of a life-prolonging, mainly adverse effect-free cancer therapy. "It is very likely that we can't win the "War on cancer" by exclusive military means.," Prof. R?cken resumes. "Instead, it will be an important milestone to restore the bodies? immune control of malignant tumours."

Notes:

1. Braum?ller et al. M. T-helper-1-cell cytokines drive cancer into senescence. Nature, in press (2013).

2. Michaloglou, C. et al. BRAFE600-associated senescence-like cell cycle arrest of human naevi. Nature 436, 720-724 (2005).

3. Braig, M. et al. Oncogene-induced senescence as an initial barrier in lymphoma development. Nature 436, 660-665 (2005).

4. M?ller-Hermelink, N. et al. TNFR1 signaling and IFN-gamma signaling determine whether T cells induce tumor dormancy or promote multistage carcinogenesis. Cancer Cell 13, 507-518 (2008).

5. Sporn, MB. The war on cancer. The Lancet 347, 1377-1381 (1996).

6. Gatenby, RA. A change of strategy in the war on cancer. Nature 459, 508-509 (2009).

7. R?cken, M. Early tumor dissemination, but late metastasis: insights into tumor dormancy. J. Clin. Invest. 120, 1800-1803 (2010).

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Universitaet T?bingen, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Heidi Braum?ller, Thomas Wieder, Ellen Brenner, Sonja A?mann, Matthias Hahn, Mohammed Alkhaled, Karin Schilbach, Frank Essmann, Manfred Kneilling, Christoph Griessinger, Felicia Ranta, Susanne Ullrich, Ralph Mocikat, Kilian Braungart, Tarun Mehra, Birgit Fehrenbacher, Julia Berdel, Heike Niessner, Friedegund Meier, Maries van den Broek, Hans-Ulrich H?ring, Rupert Handgretinger, Leticia Quintanilla-Martinez, Falko Fend, Marina Pesic, J?rgen Bauer, Lars Zender, Martin Schaller, Klaus Schulze-Osthoff, Martin R?cken. T-helper-1-cell cytokines drive cancer into senescence. Nature, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nature11824

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/cxjxvUM8tbk/130203212411.htm

sidney crosby at the drive in alternative minimum tax modeselektor gran torino gloria steinem war of the worlds

????? ??????????????? ?????????? ? ?????, ????????? GSM ...

??? ????? gsm ?????? ? ????? ??? ?????????? ????????? ?? ?????????? ??? ????????? ??????? ?????? ???? ???, ?? ?? ?????? ?? ??????! ?? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?? ?????? ????????????? ?????, ?????? ??????? ?? ??????? ?? ??????????????? ????, ?? ? ????? ?????? ???????? ????????? ?????????!
?? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ????????? ???, ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????????? ??????! ?????????? ????? ????? ???????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????????????! ????????? ????????, ?????????? ??????? ?????????, ????????? ???? ? ????????????? ????? ?? ?????????? ????? ? ??? ???? ????? ????? ????? ????, ??? ?? ??????????? ??? ???!
? ???? ?? ??????? ??????????? ??? ?????????? ?????, ? ?????????, ?? ?????? ?????????????? ?????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??????????? ?????????? ?? ???? ?????! ???? akona.net ????: info@akona.net Skype: akona.net ICQ 401196860 ???: +7(812) 336-43-90

?fil1.jpg ??28,01? ??0 ?????????? ????????: ?mp-01.jpg ??12,62? ??0 ?????????? ????????: ?mt-01.jpg ??13,16? ??0 ?????????? ????????: ?mx-1.jpg ??12,42? ??0 ?????????? ????????: ?spr-7.JPG ??60,29? ??0 ?????????? ????????: ?spy-01.jpg ??12,33? ??0 ?????????? ????????:

Source: http://forums.ferra.ru/index.php?showtopic=54347

jim marshall died 2013 toyota avalon the secret life of bees full moon aubrey o day masters live johan santana

Strike at Sabic Dutch chemical plant hits output

KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - A strike by workers at the SABIC Europe Chemicals Geleen plant in the Netherlands has cut production, the company's Saudi Arabian owner said on Saturday.

Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) said in a bourse statement that talks with a union over working conditions had not yet been successful and that it did not know what impact the strike would have on profits or production.

"The decrease in production begins 31/1/2013 due to the proactive measure taken by the union workforce as a consequence of no finalized agreement regarding work conditions," it said in the statement.

In Geleen, SABIC has two naphtha crackers and several polymerization plants to produce polyethylene and polypropylene. Geleen produces 1.25 million tones per year of ethylene, 725,000 tones per year of propylene, 940,000 tones per year of polyethylene, and 620,000 tones per year of polypropylene.

"It is not possible to determine the financial effect or the effect on production capacity, at this time, because the affected plants are not yet known," SABIC added in the statement.

A Sabic spokesman in Europe said the disagreement was over payments to staff who might become redundant in the future.

(Reporting by Reem Shamseddine; Editing by William Hardy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sabics-geleen-chemical-plant-drops-output-workers-strike-082714359--finance.html

miley cyrus miley cyrus amazing race Cam Cameron Ada Lovelace 12/12/12 manny pacquiao

Americans would pay more to fund Social Security

By Allison Linn, TODAY

Most Americans think it?s important to preserve adequate Social Security benefits for younger generations ? and they may even be willing to pay more taxes to get that assurance, a new survey finds.

The survey, released Thursday by the nonprofit National Academy of Social Insurance, found that about eight in 10 Americans think it is critical to support Social Security even if it means that working Americans have to pay more in taxes. A slightly higher percentage of the 2,000 people surveyed said they think it?s critical to save Social Security even if wealthy people have to pay more.

But here?s the thing: Many Americans also want something in return.

The study found broad-based support among both younger and older Americans for a plan that would gradually increase the amount of payroll taxes everyone pays and also eliminate the cap on the amount of income that can be taxed for Social Security. In return, that plan would call for raising minimum benefits and increasing cost-of-living-adjustments.

The survey comes as many Americans are growing more worried about whether they will see any Social Security benefits at all. Under current government estimates, Social Security could face funding shortfalls in about two decades because the U.S. population is aging and generally living longer.

Experts say it?s not too surprising to find that older people are heavily in favor of retaining Social Security benefits even if it means paying more taxes, but it?s a little more surprising to find that younger Americans also seem to? support it generally.

Still, after five difficult years in which many people have struggled financially, many workers may see the allure of a plan that would give them some financial certainty late in life.

?Social Security wasn?t designed to be a sole major source of retirement income, but for many people who haven?t saved enough ? it certainly looks attractive,? said Alan Auerbach, director of the Robert D. Burch Center for Tax Policy and Public Finance at UC Berkeley.

Jasmine Tucker, income security research associate with the National Academy of Social Insurance, said she thinks the results show that people are willing to pay extra taxes for Social Security because they know that they will see a return on that investment later in life.

?People seem to be very resistant to raising any taxes, but I think Social Security is different,? she said.

Other studies have found support for raising taxes more narrowly on wealthy Americans to help fund Social Security. A Pew Research Center survey released in December found that 66 percent of Americans would support raising payroll taxes on high-income earners, while 55 percent would support reducing benefits for high-income seniors.

Related: Are you struggling in the suburbs? We want to hear from you.

Still, Auerbach ? who was not involved in the study ??noted that it?s one thing for people to say they would be willing to pay more taxes to help fund Social Security, and quite another for them to actually commit to a plan that would effectively shrink their current paycheck.

?Do people really know what this would mean in terms of their take-home pay? Have they really thought through what the implications are?? Auerbach asked.

Many Americans are seeing that real-world effect right now, because the end to the payroll tax holiday has resulted in an effective tax hike equal to about 2 percent of their wages. This survey was conducted in September, before the payroll tax holiday ended.

Critics also argue that it may not be feasible to fix Social Security?s funding woes just by raising taxes. Many other plans have called for a mix of raising taxes and reducing benefits either by curtailing cost-of-living adjustments or increasing the age at which people can get full benefits.

?There?s no attractive way to do this. There?s just a variety of less attractive ways,? said Andrew Biggs, resident scholar with the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute.

Biggs also argued that despite what the findings show, it would be difficult for politicians to garner support for a plan that involved raising taxes on all Americans.

?If this stuff was so popular, somebody would have proposed it by now,? he said.

It is clear that Americans are anxious for Congress and President Barack Obama to find some way to overhaul Social Security and other programs designed to help older Americans.

A Gallup poll?released just days after the 2012 presidential election found that nearly nine in 10 Americans thought it was important for? Obama to take major steps to ensure the long-term stability of Social Security and Medicare.?

Related: Yes, we can fix Social Security (but it won't be pretty)?

{"contentId":"16795417","totalVotes":"5049"}

Would you pay more in taxes to help avoid a Social Security funding shortfall?

?

Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/02/01/16795417-americans-like-social-security-and-are-willing-to-pay-to-keep-it?lite

Black Mesa matt ryan matt ryan att wireless Mother Jones cars Bacon Number

Free weekend family fun: Native American dance and jewelry, Lunar ...

Admission is free to all events listed below. To find more events, go to oregonlive.com/events. To submit your free family event, email event information to omamas@oregonian.com.

DOWNTOWN PORTLAND

Native American Hoop Dance: Students from the Native American Youth & Family Center (NAYA) will perform a storytelling dance. 2-3 p.m. Saturday.

Powell's City of Books Kids Storytime: "Chu's Day" by Neil Gaiman. 11 a.m. Saturday.

FOREST GROVE

Early Childhood Discovery Time: Toys and books for 18 months to 6 years. This week's theme: "Me & My World." 10 a.m.-noon Saturday.

HILLSBORO

Lego My Library: Duplo blocks for kids ages 3-5 and Legos for kids ages 6+. 2:30-4 p.m. Saturday.

LONGVIEW

Salsa Saturday: For families with children ages 3 years and older. Learn Spanish while playing games and enjoying snacks, crafts and stories. 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday.

NORTH PORTLAND

BPA Regional Science Bowl: High school students from across Washington and Oregon compete in the nation's largest regional science bowl. 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Red Fans for Lunar New Year: With artist Cindy Lommasson. 3-4 p.m. Saturday.

Tribal Jewelry Workshop: Join students from the Native American Youth & Family Center (NAYA) in learning the history of tribal jewelry and beadwork while creating pieces of your own. 2-3:30 p.m. Sunday.?

NORTHEAST PORTLAND

Lunar New Year Celebration: Chinese and Vietnamese dance, food, games and a family craft project. 1-3 p.m. Saturday.
?
Peter Pan Pajama Party: Storytime, glow-in-the-dark stars, raffle for DVD. 3-4 p.m. Sunday.?

NORTHWEST PORTLAND

Japanese Doll Festival: Artist Yuki Martin teaches everyone how to make origami boxes to hold star-shaped Japanese candies. 2-4 p.m. Saturday.?

OAK LODGE

Let's Lego: Build with other LEGO fans and then tear down your constructions. 1:30-3 p.m. Saturday.
?
RIDGEFIELD

All-breed Dog Agility Competition: More than 300 dogs compete. Please leave pet dogs at home. 8 a.m.-afternoon Saturday-Sunday.?

SOUTHEAST PORTLAND

Valentine Candle Making: Artist Kathy Karbo will show you how to create sculptural candles from sheets of beeswax and embellish them with found objects. 2:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday.?

Portland Metro Arts Winter Wonders Open House: Free classes in dance, music, theater and visual art. See website to register for the classes you want. 3-5 p.m. Saturday.

SOUTHWEST PORTLAND

Guided Nature Walk: Twig identification. 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Uke Can Do It: Best for teens. Entertainer Cinda Tilgner leads this ukulele workshop for both musicians and non-musicians. 3-4 p.m. Sunday.
?
VANCOUVER

Valentine's Party Super Saturday: "Hearts & Crafts," best for ages 5 and up. 2 p.m. Saturday.?

Written Word: Hands-on activities such as pen-and-ink writing, complimentary reproduction letters and postcards, crafts, refreshments. Noon-3 p.m. Sunday.

- Amy Wang; on Twitter

Source: http://blog.oregonlive.com/themombeat/2013/02/free_weekend_family_fun_curlin.html

mardi gras 2012 the secret world of arrietty cee lo allen iverson jr smith chris anderson rondo suspended

Jack R. Miles: What Marketers Can Learn From Lance Armstrong

The on-going saga involving Lance Armstrong and his use of performance enhancing drugs has been present in cycling since the turn of the century. In recent weeks it has turned into mainstream news across the globe. Like many macro-level events there is a lot businesses can learn from it. So much so, the Armstrong Affair has quintessentially been an educational master class for marketers:

Lance's Lesson #1: The Player Can Be Bigger than the Team

Armstrong's Actions: Despite being the founder and face of the Livestrong Foundation, Armstrong was asked to leave his organization in fear of the negative effect his association would have.

Marketer Learnings: An individual brand you market may have a halo effect over your entire range. As such, these 'power brands' need to be carefully managed in order to avoid them having negative effects over your entire house of brands.

Lesson in Action: Coca-Cola launched their bottled water brand, Dasani, in the UK in 2004. However, consumers discovered it was essentially tap water. This led to the brand being removed from the market and drew headlines such as 'the real sting' and was attached to the entire Coca-Cola corporate identity -- not just the brand in question.

Lance's Lesson #2: Never Forget 'The Law of Candor'

Armstrong's Actions: By taking so long to admit to doping, Armstrong greatly worsened the NET effect of the scandal to himself.

Marketer Learnings: Al Ries' classic 'Law of Candor' dictates that confessing to a negative in the first instance may result into a longer term positive.

Lesson in Action: Mouthwash brand Listerine admitted their product tasted awful to generate the strap-line "I hate it but love it." Following this campaign they overtook Scope as the existing market leader.

Lance's Lesson #3: Choose Your Channel Carefully

Armstrong's Actions: Armstrong chose to confess his sins via Oprah Winfrey -- not judge and jury. This invoked outrage that he merely sought to dramatize his confessions as oppose to answering to the authorities.

Marketer Learnings: With all the communications portals available to marketers in the modern era, it is vital to select the right one for the right message. It is also worth remembering that different consumers favor different channels -- so your message may need to span over numerous mediums.

Lesson in Action: Following the poorly received maps on their iOS 6 application, Apple CEO Tim Cook posted an open letter on Apple's website apologizing for the frustration the maps had caused and offered alternative solutions. In the process Cook showed not only did Apple listen to customers, but that he was an impassioned CEO who was capable of admitting mistakes.

Lance's Lesson #4: Reputation is Like a House of Cards

Armstrong's Actions: Since 1997 Armstrong built up his reputation as the super athlete who beat cancer to win the Tour de France seven times. This was destroyed within 60 seconds of his 'Oprah interview.'

Marketer Learnings: Just because your brand has equity which has been built up over a long period of time, this does not mean its reputation is safe. Reputation can be tarnished in the blink of an eye, often to the point of no return.

Lesson in Action: Picture-sharing outlet Instagram -- which in social media terms is middle-aged -- had built up a following of 16 million over two years. However, upon changing its T&C's to state that it could upload consumers' images for advertising purposes, this figure fell by over 50 percent -- to seven million.

For more posts like this please visit www.northstarhub.com.

?

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jack-r-miles/what-marketers-can-learn-_1_b_2588703.html

benjarvus green ellis shaka smart hungergames bagpipes aspirin aspirin 21 jump street