War and WikiLeaks: Who is a journalist and are journalists’ still considered the gatekeepers to society’s information?

What occurred on the floor of the People's House on Tuesday afternoon was quite possibly the first ever congressional wiki debate. Lawmakers are privy to all sorts of classified information and confidential briefings about national security, but as they argued about a new spending bill to fund the war in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, they spent a good bit of the afternoon bickering about things they'd seen on the Internet.

WikiLeaks is an international organization, based in Sweden, which publishes anonymous submissions and leaks of sensitive documents while preserving the anonymity of sources. Its website, launched in 2006, is run by the Sunshine Press. The organization has described itself as having been founded by Chinese dissidents, as well as journalists, mathematicians and start-up company technologists from the U.S., Taiwan, Europe, Australia and South Africa. (www.wikileaks.org/)

Earlier this week, the site became an issue when thousands of classified U.S. military documents, regarding whether or not the U.S. should leave Pakistan, were posted on the website.

Currently, no information in our society is secret and with the updates and changes in cell phones and the creation of social media sites such as blogs, twitter, Facebook, etc. anyone can share information easily. No longer do we need to depend on journalists and news sites to be the gatekeepers. This raises a question to me, who is a journalist? What classifies someone as a journalist? I think the line between who is and who is not, is very thin.

Guide to Making the Most of Networking Events and Working a Room

I'm going to a networking event soon and have been doing some research of how I can make the most of the evening. Here is what I've concluded as my guide to preparing for a networking event and working a room.

Before the evening even begins, do some prep work. Prepare by researching the group of expected attendees, and pre-contact some of the attendees. Make business cards and have your self-introduction ready. Lastly, before you head out the door, make it clear as to what your are trying to accomplish. That will help you determine your actions for the evening.

You're at the event, there will be a ton going on and you may not know where to start. Don't be afraid! Here's all you need to do:

1. Be memorable, in a good way. I'm sure you've attended an event, gotten someone's card and when you look at it later you can't remember who that person was? The more memorable you are, the more effectively you will be able to follow up with those you've talked to.
2. Collect information. Giving out your business cards isn't nearly as important as collecting others' and making notes, either written or mentally, that will allow you to follow up effectively.
3. Create value for others. This is the essence of networking. Look for opportunities to be of service and you'll benefit in the long run as well.

This may sound like a lot, but if you take these action steps, you'll be ok, and get what you want done.

There are three people that you always want to be sure to network with at an event: The speaker, the event host/organizer, and the person doing registration and sign-in. The person at the front door sees everybody, including heir name, and also is usually aware where the host is and can point you in their direction. Plus it just starts you off on a positive note as you enter the room. You're not a movie star hitting the red carpet. Your goal isn't to make a grand entrance, but to leave a wake of happy people behind you.

Idea: Talk with the registrar. Ask them about the organization, the agenda for the event, get their card, etc. Ask the name of the host, if you don't already know, and have them point you in their direction. Sometimes the hardest part of an event is just walking in, especially if you don't know a soul. So, take a deep breath, start tall and walk into the center of the room, rather than stopping just inside the door to clog traffic or bee-lining for a dark corner. If the host isn't available, or once you've talked with them, scan the room for people you already know to start mingling. Don't just head straight for the bar, the buffet or your seat. If you don't know anyone, find a high-traffic area or place where people seem to be congregating and make your way there.

Introduce yourself. Introducing yourself to an individual and introducing yourself to the group are two totally different things. If you have the opportunity to introduce yourself to the whole group, or even a large dinner table, then you'll want to use your "pitch": a concise (25 words or less) and memorable introduction that describes both what you do and how it benefits others. But one-on-one, that can get in the way of natural conversation. You want to describe what you do in a memorable way, but don't go off into the benefits - you'll sound like a bad salesman, rather than someone that is there to learn from the program and build relationships with the other attendees.

Idea: For some guidance on putting together your group introduction, see Introduce Yourself with a Personal Commercial. You can also use the Pitch Wizard to help you tie it together. For one-on-one introductions, Roger Willcocks has a more conversational approach to how to introduce yourself professionally.

Make conversations. Small talk is highly under-rated. In this kind of setting, it is how you build rapport and discover common ground. Some networking gurus recommend asking questions that get the other person doing all the talking. It's true that people do love to talk about themselves, but good conversation is a two-way street. But, if all you do is ask questions, what do you bring to the table? You want to create value and contribute from your experience as well.

Idea: Be fully engaged and fully award of the people you interact with. You can break this down into smaller, somewhat mechanical pieces -- listen well, respond promptly, maintain eye contact, etc. But, if you are truly present in the moment, those things will naturally happen.

Collect card and make notes. The cards you give out aren't nearly as important as the ones you take in. Sure, give out cards if people ask for one, or if you want to reinforce your conversation, but more importantly, get cards from the people you want to follow up with.

Idea: I recommend getting a two-compartment business card holder or an organizer if you're so inclined. This way your cards won't get damaged and you can store other's cards easily. Also, carry a pen with you so you can easily take note about someone on the back of their card.

Say goodbye. Your exit if as important as your entrance. Don't just disappear. Thank the host and speaker. Touch base with the people you spoke to earlier in the event and briefly reaffirm any commitments you've made.

Idea: In case you get bored of the same old "goodbye", you can learn how to say good bye in over 450 languages, plus some other alternatives in English. (However, "I'm outie" isn't probably the best choice in a business setting).

Networking events work best as part of a total networking strategy, which includes picking the right events, preparing for them well, and following up effectively. The follow-up is the most important of these. If you're not prepared to follow up, you might as well not even go to the event.

Even though you like the Old Spice ads, do they make you want to go out and buy Old Spice?

How do you make an 'old' brand look new and young, especially when the word 'old' is in the name? It's hard. The brand Old Spice has been around for decades, and most of us think of it when we're looking for a gift for our dads. However, recently ad agency Wieden + Kennedy attempted to reshape the brand by creating a new ad campaign and I think they did a great job.

Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" ads, staring former NFL wide receiver Isaiah Mustafa as a chiseled dreamboat moving through surreal landscapes while brandishing Old Spice body wash, launched in February and have been gaining popularity on TV and the internet ever since.

The entire campaign is great. The ads are hilarious, Mustafa's overall presence is fantastic, and the ads are doing an excellent job attracting the attention of their target audience, the younger generation.

Now the question is, whether or not the target audience will go buy Old Spice products. Yes, I like the ads and pay attention enough to remember the name, but will I run out and buy Old Spice body wash for my boyfriend? I'm not sure.

If you haven't seen the ad, you should, check it out here.

Bad PR move for Apple? Steve Jobs ticks off his rivals

Apple CEO, Steve Jobs and antennagate aren't out of the news yet. Instead of of just offering up a quick apology and a free case for the iPhone 4 reception issues, Jobs fired up many smartphone competitors during the press conference last Friday.

Jobs pointed out antenna issues on phones from RIM, Motorola and HTC. He stated that they experienced the same dropped calls if gripped on the side in poor signal areas.

CEOs from RIM, who makes the Blackberry, and Motorola are miffed with Jobs for dragging their names through the mud with him, as if that was going to take the heat off of Apple a bit.

"Apple's attempt to draw RIM into Apple's self-made debacle is unacceptable," say Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, co-CEOs of Research In Motion, which makes the BlackBerry. "RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovation designs, which reduce the risk for reduced calls."

"It is disingenuous to suggest that all phones perform equally," Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha says in a statement. "In our own testing, we have found that (Motorola's) Droid X performs much better than iPhone 4 when held by consumers."

Apparently, the PR team at Apple thought it would be a good idea to make sure those who haven't purchased an iPhone 4 yet were informed about the short-comings of the competition.

Is that a brilliant public relations move for Apple or just another lame attempt to keep people from straying because their are so many smartphone choices?

Oh Mel...

I've been a fan of Mel Gibson for a long time and until a couple of years ago he was one of the most well-respected and highly-paid actors in Hollywood. I can't understand why he is ruining his career and personal life. In 2006, Gibson was arrested after drunk driving and making anti-Semitic comments. (However, those comments were expunged from the arrest report.) Then last year he went through a divorce with his wife of 28-years, and who he had five children with, because he had an affair and got pregnant Oksana Grigorieva, who he eventually married. Now, he's going through another divorce with Grigorieva, because she claims he's been verbally abusive (claiming Gibson uses foul and threatening language towards her as well as the N-word) and physically abusive. Mel is not new to being an adult, so I'm not sure why he's making such poor decisions. Is the scandal with Oksana the last straw for Mel Gibson's movie career?

Mel needs to make a serious effort to save his public relations. Last Friday, after the news broke, Gibson's agency, William Morris Endeavor dropped him. Then Monday, new audio surfaced, capturing more of the former A-lister's angry and expletive-laden rant to ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, I'm beginning to wonder if anyone will want to have him in their film or any audience would want to go see a movie starring Gibson.

Now, the LA County Sheriff's Dept. is investigating the actor in a domestic abuse case because Gibson seems to acknowledge that he hit Grigorieva, the mother of his child, when he responds to her mention of him hitting her by saying, "you... deserved it."

After all this, I can't say I still think highly of the man. And, I'm not sure I would go see a film that had anything to do with him. However, I can't say this is the end for his career success. If Mel wants to make a comeback, as I said before he needs to make a serious effort. He should make an apology and admit he needs to figure out what is wrong with him, whether it be alcohol abuse, drug abuse, etc. Then he needs to recognize that he has a problem and show how he is going to solve it.

Mel Gibson is an artist and knows how to produce good work. He needs to focus on this self-quality and maybe if he produces great work again, he can resurrect his public image. However, this situation is a catch-22. He needs to resurrect his public image before a studio would probably hire him to work.

What do you think? Would you go see a movie produced by Gibson or starring Gibson?

Still Looking For Work? Here's an Idea: Act Like You Already Have the Job you Want

Next time you're at a job interview for a position you really REALLY want, forget trying to sell yourself as a candidate and imagine you're a consultant and ask thoughtful questions.

At last count, there were just over four million books published on the subject of interviewing for jobs. They tell you how to dress for success, how to sell yourself and how to answer all the tricky questions. Most importantly, they give you the confidence that only comes with having read a book or two.

Here's how it usually goes: On one side of the desk sits you, the candidate, waiting to hear from the interviewer why they should hire you of all people. On the otherwise of the desk sits HR, your potential manager, President or whomever, waiting to make a judgment of you. It's a standoff. There's nothing about this situation that isn't awkward.

Here's an idea: Stop being a candidate and imaging instead that you're a consultant, already being paid a non-refundable $10,000+ consulting fee to attend this meeting.

How does this change things? First, you don't worry about selling yourself. No posing, no posturing, no tap dancing of any kind. You're there to be helpful, to identify the needs of your 'clients.' You simply want to add value, to give them their $10,000+ worth of empathy and understanding. If you deliver, they're likely to come back for more of your time and advice. Second, now you can sit on the same side of the table (metaphorically speaking) and ask the hard questions. Not as skeptic, but as a doctor might do while conducting a thorough exam. You'll want to hear where the organization has been, where it is today and what type of goals it would like to achieve. What's the history of this particular role? How did the leaders come to define it as such? How will they recognize top performance, and by what method will they calibrate results?

Then, listen to how they self-diagnose while you make your own private diagnosis. Consider whether your assessment matches theirs. Never mind whether you're the right person for this role. You can think about that later.

What will stick with them is that you asked the right questions, paid close attention to the answers and really fathomed what their organization is all about. The more you want to be taken as a serious candidate, the more you should forget that you are one.

Is RentAFriend.com Taking Social Networking Too Far?

Need a friend? Instead of wasting time trying to meet someone the old-fashioned way, why not just pay someone to spend time with you?

I stumbled across this website, maybe you've heard of it, RentAFriend.com. RentAFriend.com is a website that allows you to rent, or should we say hire, local friends from all over the US and Canada with prices ranging from $10 to $150. You can rent a local Friend to hang out with, go to a movie or restaurant with, someone to go with you to a party or event, someone to teach you a new skill or hobby, or someone to show you around an unfamiliar town.

I was amazed to find out that this site has been around for about six months and already has 200,000 members.

It's not a dating or escort service. According to the web site's founder, he screens each potential member's information before it's made live on the website, and if anything is sexual or sketchy, he immediately bans them from the site.

Even though some of the suggestions for the site seem rather practical, many of them seem a bit like a crutch. Has social networking changed real-life interaction to the point where we need to pay someone to be a real-time friend? Is this the next step in social networking fads that continue to kill, you know, being social?

Check the website out for yourself: http://www.rentafriend.com/

Are Press Releases the Answer?

If you are an entrepreneur or work for a small business, most likely when you hear 'PR' you think send out a press release. And yes, press releases have their place as media-relationship building-tools and announcements, but there is a much better way to get some great, press mentions.

Actually, if you send out a poorly written press release to the wrong people, you can do more damage than good. After all, reporters receive hundreds of press releases each day and have no problem instantly deleting or tossing the bad ones.

Instead, do some research. Ask yourself these questions:

Who do you want to talk about your business?
Who is the appropriate media member to contact?
What is that person going to care about?

Once you've gathered your talking points, pick up the phone and introduce yourself to the reporter. Give your story succinctly and with passion.

You have a 50/50 chance: The reporter will want more information or thank you for calling. Either way, you're started to build a valuable, media relationship.

Today, PR activities can help your business grow quickly through credible, third-party media mentions and word-of-mouth buzz. However, if you don't take the time to develop and practice pitching your unique story idea, or hire an experienced expert to do it fo ryou, all of your efforts can be a complete waste of time and money.