Effect of the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike on television

Much is read and talked about the Writers Strike. As of December 14, 2007, all scripted Hollywood shows, except October Road, shut down by the week of December 19, 2007, due to the Writers' strike. I think there is a lot of mess going around with the strike.

David Letterman has been negotiating an "interim agreement" that would allow him and his writers to return to the air during the strike without involving CBS. It is uncertain as to whether or not WGA will grant Letterman's independent production company, Worldwide Pants, its request. Executive producer of Late Show with David Letterman, Rob Burnett, who is also the President and CEO of Worldwide Pants, stated:

“ Worldwide Pants has always been a writer-friendly company. Dave has been a member of the WGA for more than 30 years, and I have been a member for more than 20. Because we are an independent production company, we are able to pursue an interim agreement with the Guild without involving CBS in that pursuit. Therefore, since the beginning of the strike, we have expressed our willingness to sign an interim agreement with the Guild consistent with its positions in this dispute. We're happy that the Guild has now adopted an approach that might make this possible. It is our strong desire to be back on the air with our writers and we hope that will happen as soon as possible.”

Following this, CBS released a statement stating that while they respected Worldwide Pants' attempt to secure the interim agreement with the WGA, the network would remain unified with the AMPTP. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which is also owned by Worldwide Pants, may also return with writers. There is no confirmed date for Letterman to return to air, but Burnett has declared their "only focus is on returning January 2nd with writers."

Jay Leno and Conan O'Bien, who are both WGA members, announced nearly two months into the strike that they would be returning to air on January 2 without their writers. Although both have pledged their support for the WGA, Leno and O'Brien have stated that with negotiations down and none further scheduled, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien would return to air, citing the sake of their non-writing staff as the main reason — as NBC informed the non-writing staff of the late-night shows that they would face layoffs at the end of the week if their respective shows did not return. NBC admitted that the network's decision to bring back Leno and O'Brien back on air was "similar to 1988, when Johnny Carson brought back The Tonight Show two months into the writers' strike." WGA reminded hosts of any comedy/variety shows that the guild expected the hosts to adhere to the Strike Rules if they chose to go back on air without the writers. The Strike Rules prohibit "all writing by any Guild member that would be performed on-air by that member (including monologues, characters, and featured appearances) if any portion of that written material is customarily written by striking writers."

The guild stated that it had no plans to single out Leno and O'Brien with similar protests that were aimed at Carson Daly, who was accused of setting up a joke hotline as a strike-breaking effort, when he returned to air weeks ago. Unlike other late-night hosts — Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Craig Ferguson, and Jimmy Kimmel — Daly is not a member of the WGA. Expressing sympathy for the hosts, the WGA accused NBC of "forcing Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien back on the air without writers."

Undercover marketing

These days nothing is bad when it comes to marketing. Undercover marketing (also known as buzz marketing, stealth marketing, or by its detractors roach baiting) is a subset of guerrilla marketing where consumers do not realize they are being marketed to. For example, a marketing company might pay an actor or socially adept person to use a certain product visibly and convincingly in locations where target consumers congregate. While there, the actor will also talk up their product to people they befriend in that location, even handing out samples if it is economically feasible. The actor will often be able to sell consumers on their product without those consumers even realizing that they are being marketed to.

Reasons for undercover marketing
The goal of any undercover campaign is to generate buzz. Spontaneous word of mouth, or buzz, is free, can reach consumers isolated from all other media, and unlike conventional media, consumers tend to trust it. Marketers find it very hard to predict buzz let alone generate it on demand. However, when it works, undercover marketing does exactly that: an ideal consumer from the example above will not only begin using that product themselves, but will also tell their friends about it, inciting a planned viral marketing campaign that looks spontaneous. Financial risk here is relatively small because such marketing approach requires fewer expenses and is usually more cost-effective as well. Undercover marketing is used when traditional marketing techniques have been exhausted and invehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifstors are looking for a new effective solution for their marketing needs.

It is the consumer's sense that this recommendation was spontaneous and unsolicited and the resulting feeling that "one good turn deserves another", that drives the buzz. So, the "bought and paid for" aspect of the transaction must remain hidden. Overall, the person doing the marketing must look and sound like a peer of their target audience without any ulterior motive for endorsing the product—employees of the company cannot do undercover marketing, nor can celebrities (except possibly to other celebrities).

The Four Perspectives Of Balanced Scorecard

The grouping of performance measures in general categories (perspectives) is seen to aid in the gathering and selection of the appropriate performance measures for the enterprise. Four general perspectives have been proposed by the BSC. These are:

The financial perspective which examines if the company’s strategy, implementation and execution are contributing to the bottom-line improvement of the company. It represents the long-term strategic objectives of the organization and thus it incorporates the tangible outcomes of the strategy in traditional financial terms. The three possible stages as described by Kaplan and Norton (1996) are rapid growth, sustain and harvest. Financial objectives and measures for the growth stage will stem from the development and growth of the organization which will lead to increased sales volumes, acquisition of new customers, growth in revenues etc. The sustain stage on the other hand will be characterized by measures that evaluate the effectiveness of the organization to manage its operations and costs, by calculating the return on investment, the return on capital employed, etc. Finally, the harvest stage will be based on cash flow analysis with measures such as payback periods and revenue volume. Some of the most common financial measures that are incorporated in the financial perspective are EVA, revenue growth, costs, profit margins, cash flow, net operating income etc.

The customer perspective defines the value proposition that the organization will apply in order to satisfy customers and thus generate more sales to the most desired (i.e. the most profitable) customer groups. The measures that are selected for the customer perspective should measure both the value that is delivered to the customer (value position) which may involve time, quality, performance and service and cost and the outcomes that come as a result of this value proposition (e.g., customer satisfaction, market share). The value proposition can be centered on one of the three: operational excellence, customer intimacy or product leadership, while maintaining threshold levels at the other two.
The internal process perspective is concerned with the processes that create and deliver the customer value proposition. It focuses on all the activities and key processes required in order for the company to excel at providing the value expected by the customers both productively and efficiently. These can include both short-term and long-term objectives as well as incorporating innovative process development in order to stimulate improvement. In order to identify the measures that correspond to the internal process perspective, Kaplan and Norton propose using certain clusters that group similar value creating processes in an organization. The clusters for the internal process perspective are operations management (by improving asset utilization, supply chain management, etc), customer management (by expanding and deepening relations), innovation (by new products and services) and regulatory & social (by establishing good relations with the external stakeholders).

The learning and growth perspective is the foundation of any strategy and focuses on the intangible assets of an organization, mainly on the internal skills and capabilities that are required to support the value-creating internal processes. The learning and growth perspective is concerned with the jobs (human capital), the systems (information capital), and the climate (organization capital) of the enterprise. These three factors relate to what Kaplan and Norton claim is the infrastructure that is needed in order to enable ambitious objectives in the other three perspectives to be achieved. This of course will be in the long term, since an improvement in the learning and growth perspective will require certain expenditures that may decrease short-term financial results, whilst contributing to long-term success.

Jewelry For Men

You love to see jewelry on you!! Good accessorizing shows fashion knowledge and self-confidence. Here are some ideas for men's jewelry, discussed more or less in order from most to least common:

• A good watch is a man's most obvious choice for a fashion accessory. In extremely conservative situations a watch, and perhaps a wedding band, are the limits of fashion. The main rule here is to wear a watch that coordinates with your ensemble and is appropriate for the occasion. While an exceptional watch will go well with anything, don't wear trendy or sporty watches with formal attire or in conservative social situations.
• A ring doesn't need to be limited to a wedding band! Feel free to wear a ring on any finger. As is true for women, the scale of the ring should be in keeping with hand/body size. Don't wear metals or stones that will clash with other jewelry or clothing. As always, keep it simple and don't adorn every finger with a ring.
• Necklaces add sex appeal and personal style to your ensemble. A man's necklace should be bold and simple. Don't go for an entire rainbow of colors or for anything fussy. Strong, simple chains are good choices, as are necklaces and pendants using natural materials, such as shells, stones, and wood. Precious metals convey a sense of power and prestige; beaded or strung necklaces convey fashion sense and individuality. Necklaces and pendants should be worn inside the shirt. Neck jewelry works well with tee shirts and simple long sleeve shirts and sweaters.
• Tie clips, bars, and tacks are all options for keeping a tie from wandering. Your choice depends to some extent on fashion trends. If comfort and practicality are the main issue, choose a simple design that coordinates with most of your wardrobe.
• A bracelet is great for formal and casual wear. Choose a sleek, classic style that goes with any other jewelry that will be worn, such as a watch or ring. A man's bracelet should fit close to his wrist, and not slide up/down his arm or dangle onto his hand. While metal chains are appropriate for most occasions, beaded or woven bracelets are more sporty and trendy and should be reserved for casual wear.
• Cuff links can add a sense of attention to detail in a formal setting. Choose cuff links that accent clothing and other accessories. Avoid wearing a bracelet with cuff links, since this can look fussy and the pieces may catch on each other.
• Jewelry for pierced ears or other body parts should be reserved for casual situations. As with any jewelry, you should consider the image that an accessory will project. Piercing on men may be associated with rebelliousness and insecurity. While the jewelry may be fashionable, keep the social situation and culture in mind when choosing any accessory.
• If you have long hair, choose accessories that blend in with your hair or complement clothing and accessories. Matte metals and leather are good choices for materials. If you wear glasses, don't wear obvious hair ornaments or other jewelry near your face.

Gold Jewelry Care Tips

Gold jewelry is beautiful and popular. Gold comes in many styles and colors, but all gold jewelry will benefit from some tender caring. Here are some tips of how to take care of your gold jewelry.

• Don't wear your gold jewelry while bathing or cleaning. Soap won't harm gold, but it will leave a filmy residue that will coat karat gold jewelry, causing it to appear less lustrous and dingy. If you prevent the film from forming, it will be easier to keep your jewelry beautiful and will reduce cleaning time and effort.
• Avoid chlorine! Don't wear gold jewelry in the pool or hot tub or when using chlorine bleach or cleaners. Chlorine reacts with gold, particularly at high temperatures. Exposure to chlorine can permanently damage and discolor your gold jewelry.
• Use a chamois cloth to clean gold jewelry. A chamois cloth is a gentle, safe material for returning the luster to your jewelry.
• Avoid storing or otherwise exposing gold jewelry to hard, abrasive materials. Gold is a very soft metal, easily scratched even by rubbing against other jewelry.

Gemstones have special care requirements. The stones or settings may be damaged by the cleaning methods listed below.

• Tarnish can be removed with a commercial jewelry cleaner or with soap and water with a few drops of ammonia. Brush the cleaning solution into the gold with a small brush. After you have finished cleaning, simply rinse the gold with lukewarm water and allow it to dry.
• Grease can be removed from gold by dipping it into ordinary rubbing alcohol.
• Ultrasonic cleaners may be appropriate for some gold jewelry. Ask a jeweler to advise you before using this method, since certain pieces can be damaged by this cleaning method.

The Simple Guide To Soccer

Soccer is sport played all around the world. Many people are new to the sport as it gains popularity and they may not understand the rules. Some parts of soccer can be confusing, so learning the basics can really help anyone who is trying to understand what is going on. The objective of soccer is to score more goals than the opposing team. Each team consists of eleven players. Players can score by moving the ball into the goal net. Each game lasts 90 minutes and is divided into 45-minute halves. A referee and two linesmen who determine fouls and other penalties regulate the game. This is the basic set up of the game.

The following list explains some important points in a soccer game.

• Players cannot use their hands to touch the ball. The exceptions are special moves and the goalie.
• Fouls are called when players get too rough on the field or break other rules.
• A direct kick is rewarded after a foul to the opposing team and can be kicked directly in the goal. Another player must touch an indirect kick before it can be a goal.
• A penalty kick is a kick from 12 yards in front of the goal. All other players must stay away until the ball is kicked.
• The two-touch rule states that a player cannot touch the ball twice in a row.
• Yellow and red cards are handed out as, what other sports call, a personal foul. They are against a single player. Yellow cards are warnings and red cards get you removed from the game.
• Offside is described by the FIFA soccer rules as “ A player is in an offside position if: he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.” This is difficult to understand and explain, so if you need further clarification it is best to watch it demonstrated on the field.

These basic rules and guidelines of soccer should help the layperson to understand the idea of what is going on at the soccer field.

Golf Tips To Help Your Putting Stroke

Putting a golf ball can be difficult at the best of times. For many people, when they have problems putting, they try everything under the sun including a various string of new putters. But the main thing they forget to do is to go back to the main, basic fundamentals. Most times they simply need to correct the problem they may not realize they have. Follow along as we give you a few brief golf tips that will help you to putt more consistently.

Putting tips have to be very simple in order to be effective. Over thinking disrupts concentration on the putt and only makes things worse. That's why it is so important to return to the fundamentals when you can't seem to putt as well as you did previously. Quite often, when people start to putt badly they develop the yips, the term that applies to the jerky putting motion that creeps in. The main cause of the yips is misalignment. You can correct this by consciously making sure your eyes are directly over top of the ball along the line of the putt. When people end up with misalignment problems it's usually because their eyes are not dead center over the line of the putt to the hole. Your eyes can be directly over the ball or a little behind it but they should always be dead center in the middle of the golf ball along the line of the putt to the hole.

Almost every putter in existence has a straight line painted or etched on the top of the putting blade. Always make sure that line is pointed directly through the ball to the hole. You should be able to tell fairly easily if the line is angled a degree or two off the line through the ball to the hole. But here is an added, unique little tip that will help to make your aim a little better. Mark your ball, pick it up and look for the lettering. Now, when you set the ball back down, align the string of letters so they are aimed directly at the hole. Now when you set back up behind the ball, the line on the top of the putter should aim through the letters in a direct line to the hole. Now instead of guessing, you have some visible markings to help you determine if you are set up properly over the top of the ball with your putter square to the hole. This is a method used by many of the top professionals on the tour today.

Portable Moving Containers for Your Apartment Move

Moving to a new apartment or home will have required the services of professional movers. Today moves can often be organized so that you require little more than some hard work by friends and family, i.e. doing for yourself, just what I have done when moving to one of my Atlanta apartments moves.

One of the most exciting products to rule in this capacity has been portable moving containers. Such containers are self-contained units that are rented by those who are moving and delivered straight to their door. These proficient and economical containers are especially helpful for those who are moving to an apartment as they offer those who are moving just the right combination of assistance and independence.

These rented containers can be kept at your current residence for whatever period of time is most convenient for you – during which time you can pack at your leisure and begin filling the container with your packed items. Not only do these containers offer the opportunity for a more prearranged move, it allows those who are moving to an apartment the chance to clear their current living space of those boxes that are already packed without having to wait for the actual moving day.

Once you have moved to your apartment, the containers are picked up by their company and delivered straight to your new home where you can unpack at your leisure. And for those who are putting some of their items in storage, such containers are also able to be transported from your home straight to the storage facility in one self-contained unit.