Blogcritics Author: Lisa Tolliver

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

I Got Shot On Wall Street

Lisa Tolliver — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 15:20:07 EST

I got shot on Wall Street Halloween Eve. So did six other women, including telecommunications executive-cum-fashion designer Helene Kidary. The body count included four women with fit, sample-size figures and a fondness for fashion, and three professional models (two of whom appeared with Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada). One of the models, Andrea Sooch, conspired with Helene to set us all up.The shooting started at high noon. By sunset, evidence of what went down draped the scene and everyone involved had scattered like tumbleweeds in the wind.If this is the first you've heard, it won't be the last. The details will be difficult to miss. Photos will soon be published and I'll be blogging and broadcasting inside scoop for months. Be on the lookout for interviews with Helene and some of the models in time for Fashion Week and Coterie in February 2007.What a stylish shooting it was! I'm referring to a commercial photography shoot for Helene Kidary's signature fashion line. The demographically diverse models ranged in age from late 20's to late 50's. The glam group (who met the casting call criteria: women with "poise & power who could have a 6 digit income running her own company") had gathered to shoot catalogue/lifestyle photos featuring corporate, cocktail, and leisure wear.Ross Tucker featured Helene Kidary's designs in Women's Wear Daily - Denim Dish: From 'Corporate to Cocktail' (October 12, 2006): "In October 2005, Kidary starting moving forward with her line, focusing on marrying high-end designer materials with denim and targeting professional women between the ages of 35 and 65."Lesley Scott published, in Fashiontribes Daily - Denim Becomes a Fashion Do at Work, portions of the WWD interview that more sharply pinpointed Kidary's target market: "Corporate wear, that's my primary consumer," explains Kidary, who is keeping her telecomms day job. "I'm looking to women who travel, who have to go from corporate to cocktail at the end of the day. It's catering to women who are escalating through the ranks of business and society." Sounds like me and a few thousand other women I know.Who dunnit? The shooter was photographer Paul Newland. Check out his sheet at Solvara. I told his wife, who rode shotgun: the Newlands must have fantastic family photos.Learn more in future posts, photos and radio programs about such topics as:Facing facts: Am I fit for fashion or just a face for radio?Stripping bare: My true impressions of Kidary's fashions. Fashionably late and yet right on time: An interview with designer Helene Kidary.Not just pretty faces: Glimpses behind the glamorous facades of a fistful of fashion models and fashionistas. Photos courtesy of Helene Kidary, CEO/Design Director, Helene Kidary International.

BlogCritic Lisa Tolliver is a Principal at professional services firm 360 MERIDIAN, LLC and a popular lecturer and media personality. Blogging is one way she pursues her "four eyed" mission to inform, instruct, intrigue and inspire. Another is hosting and producing talk radio shows. Come learn how to turn her on.

Snakes on a Plane Isss Box Office King

Lisa Tolliver — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 10:33:20 EDT

I really like Samuel L. Jackson and Julianna Margulies, but this doesn't sound like fun: "On board a flight over the Pacific Ocean, an assassin, bent on killing a passenger who's a witness in protective custody, lets loose a crate full of deadly snakes."Snakes on a Plane (2006, alternative title: Pacific Air 121) -- like slithery predecessors Anaconda (1997), King Cobra (1998), Silent Predators (1999), Python (2000), Boa (2001), Fangs (2001), Venomous (2001), Python II (2002), and Boa vs. Python (2004) -- is not one I'll be sitting through - the movie trailers alone make my skin crawl. So do Snakes on a Plane reviews and this portion of the film's Motion Picture Association of America rating: "intense sequences of terror and violence."Snakes rattle me, wherever I encounter them, but although I find them repulsive and frightening, I'm not phobic. However, Snakes on a Plane targets several common, clinically diagnosed fears -- most notably, fear of flying (aviatophobia), fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), and fear of enclosed/confined spaces (claustrophobia) -- and it's a safe bet that phobics will sit out this movie with me.Nevertheless, the filmmakers need not fear. We squeamish, who can't stomach slithering serpents (and other aspects of the movie) and will steer clear, are barely biting into box office revenues. Snakes' Rottentomatoes.com Box Office History reports the film ranked #1 in week one and grossed $15,250,000. Apparently, Snakes' sales are charmed by three factors that give the film legs: its lengthy marketing campaign, its summer debut, and its appeal among moviegoers with a taste for venom.

TV Preview: Flavor of Love Season 2 Digs Deeper, Scrapes Bottom

Lisa Tolliver — Mon, 7 Aug 2006 07:59:32 EDT

It's clear, right off the bat, VH1 execs dug deeper in the celebreality show Flavor of Love season two – premiering on August 6 at 10 Eastern/9 Central, and repeating throughout the week – than they did in season one. Some might dare say they scraped bottom with regard to both casting and setting permissible standards of decorum, even though some have observed the second crop of contestants is prettier, overall, than the first was.Whether or not this season sports a bigger bevy of beauties, I can't get past the following facts: For all of their cat fighting, spitting, dishonesty, psychodrama, significant other drama, mama drama, bare chested mud wrestling, throw-down whorishness, brazen gold digging, I'll-take-you-out (and not on a date) behavior, and Pumkin's ignorance of Public Enemy's music (Flav is the group's front man), and African American slang, not one of the twenty members of Flav's original harem warranted headlines like this: "RealityBlurred - Flavor of Love 2 debuts Sunday, and one woman 'shits on my floor,' Flavor says." And they waited until AFTER episode one to incur press like this: "YouTube - Flavor Of Love (season 2) first fight." Full disclosure requires acknowledging in season one, Episode One: "Fifteen Beds and a Bucket of Puke", Goldie drank too much champagne but escaped elimination; and in season one, Episode Two: "Rub a Dub Flav", fur flew between New York and Pumkin. No doubt, season two of VH1's Flavor of Love should meet or exceed the popularity record set by season 1. As I discussed previously, Flavor of Love 1 was VH1's highest-rated show ever. To whet viewers' already-voracious appetites for the long-awaited return of Black-chelor Flavor Flav's quest for love among 20 catty, battling contenders, VH1 released three womens' "screen test" videos on their broadband site and at iFilm: Flavor of Love Auditions [2006]. As if that were not enough, on Wednesday – four days early – VH1 also released the 90-minute Flavor of Love season premiere on V-Spot. In addition, to ensure no one misses a morsel, a press release announced VH1 will make each episode "available on VSPOT in its entirety for 48 hours every Wednesday following its Sunday night broadcast," and will heap on dessert, comprised of such weekly "extras" as post-show footage and never-before-seen clips from each segment.Flavor of Love 2 appetizers also included promotional trailers. These teasers were peppered throughout yesterday's marathon of season one reruns. The resulting viewing experience was akin to gorging at a multi-course sit-down spread that would please both Jack and Mrs. Spratt*. The spread featured bawdy entertainment – a succession of naughty, but nice-to-look-at, multicultural offerings – and service that was regularly interrupted by samplings of the coarser, greasier fare to be served at an upcoming feeding frenzy. * "Jack Spratt" is title and subject of this Mother Goose rhyme: Jack Spratt could eat no fat. His wife would eat no lean. And so you see, betwixt them both they licked the platter clean. - Author anonymousIf asked to recommend a theme song befitting Flavor of Love 2, I would recommend either the forthcoming CD – Flavor Flav: Rise, Fall, Rise or something by Rick James (e.g., "Super Freak"), Whodini (e.g., "Freaks Come Out at Night"), or one of the many artists or groups who released songs about gold diggers. Of course, my recommendation is based solely on the trailers I've seen and press I've read. I won't watch the premier until tonight.Throughout season one, the behavior of most of the Flavor of Love cast members (except Flav's towering, coolly distant majordomo/chauffeur, Big Rick) became increasingly extreme – extremely antisocial, extremely brazen, extremely competitive, extremely desperate, extremely dysfunctional, extremely exploitative, extremely pathetic, extremely unseemly, extremely violent, and extremely vulgar (not necessarily in that order) – bringing to mind this line from a black show: "How low can you git, Gitlow?" (Could the source be Melvin Van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song?):As participants sank deeper into depravity in successive segments of season one, coming attractions for season two reminded us there were depths yet to be plumbed. Depths, perhaps, where few women on unscripted primetime shows had boldly gone before. (Now that's low!)I envision this pitch for Flavor of Love 2:Star F**k: A hip hop Bachelor seeks 1 true love among 20 Girlz 'N the Hood who harbor Pretty Woman delusions. Casting template: In Living Color.

Ganging Up Against the Bad Guys

Lisa Tolliver — Fri, 4 Aug 2006 14:22:33 EDT

WHO: Calling all residents, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations, local officials and military bases throughout the USA and Canada! WHAT: Gang up with the good guys to show you are mad as hell about crime, drugs, and violence and refuse to take it any more. There's strength in numbers and on August 1, 2006, over 34 million North Americans participated in the 23rd Annual National Night Out Against Crime (a.k.a. "National Night Out"). It is now time to put lessons learned into practice, put neighborhood safety and anticrime plans in place, and get geared up for National Night Out 2007.The National Night Out Website describes the campaign as "a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW)." NATW is a nonprofit crime prevention organization which works in cooperation with over 6,000 crime, drug and violence prevention organizations and law enforcement agencies throughout the country. National Night Out objectives are to: Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs;Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. WHY: Who could disagree with New York Daily News columnist Errol Louis' statement, "Every night needs to be a Night Out Against Crime?" However, as The History of NATW and National Night Out explains, NATW Executive Director Matt A. Peskin founded the annual police-community collaboration because "he noted that in a typical 'crime watch community', only 5 to 7% of the residents were participating actively. Due to the growth and success of these programs, he felt this percentage was too low." Consequently, he felt that "a high-profile, high-impact type of crime event was needed nationally" to:[H]eighten awareness and strengthen participation in local anticrime efforts. Subsequently, he proposed a national program which would be coordinated by local crime prevention agencies and organizations - but that would involve entire communities at one time. The first National Night Out was introduced early in 1984 - with the event culminating on the first Tuesday in August. According to Mr. Peskin:[National Night Out is] a wonderful opportunity for communities nationwide to promote police-community partnerships, crime prevention, and neighborhood camaraderie. While the one night is certainly not an answer to crime, drugs and violence, National Night Out does represent the kind of spirit, energy and determination that is helping to make many neighborhoods safer places throughout the year. It [NNO] is a night to celebrate crime prevention successes - and to expand and strengthen programs for the next 364 days. WHEN: Annually on August 1, National Night Out events are scheduled throughout the day. For example, at Riverbank State Park in New York City (Phone: 212-694-3633), the 30th Precinct hosted an "all day family event" complete with "food, music, raffles" from noon until - 9:00 PM. One hour earlier, Community Board 8 in Brooklyn kicked off another local National Night Out commemoration at Brower Park (between Park Place and Kingston Avenue) in Crown Heights. The Crown Heights affair also lasted until 9:00 PM.WHERE: Email info@NATW.org, contact an organization listed here, phone 1-800-NITE-OUT or check with your local police department or media to learn about National Night Out initiatives in your neck of the woods. Alternatively, you could search Google; feel free to customize my NYC National Night Out search. HOW: Well before nightfall, National Night Out participants congregate in demonstrations of united strength and defiance of fear and violence. The History of NATW and National Night Out and National Night Out Photo Gallery document such daytime activities as "block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from police, festivals, neighborhood walks, safety fairs, contests, rallies and meetings." Then, starting at sundown, those activities are supplemented with lights-on campaigns, front porch vigils, and speak-outs. Power outages short-circuited lights-on activities in many neighborhoods hit by this summer's heat waves. Not to worry, having lights on the blink provided all the more reason to grab torches and candles and take to the streets en masse -- which made a stronger statement than porch lights anyway.Mr. Louis contends that National Night Out rallies must focus on the serious subjects at hand if they are "going to rout the criminals and predators." I concur. He correctly assesses that family-friendly "feel-good measures" (such as health fairs), fun and games merely amuse perpetrators. I add that they blur distinctions between Nights Out Against Crime and festive family outings. Events focused on fanfare, refreshments, and face paint (as Mr. Louis eloquently describes them), will not achieve the desired outcome: perpetrators "trembling in fear over what will be going on" during the National Night Out campaign.To be effective, National Night Out daytime events should feature impassioned speak-outs and workshops teaching self-defense, home security, gang-busting, organizing neighborhood watch groups, reducing domestic violence and other crime-prevention topics. Evening events should be more reminiscent of the annual Take Back the Night (a.k.a. Reclaim the Night) rallies that protest violence against women. [Access National Night Out resources, best practices and case studies, Wikipedia: Take Back the Night and Take Back the Night resources.]Mr. Louis paints the appropriate picture in "One night must shed some light":An angry nighttime march through the streets with torches and pitchforks would be more like what the situation calls for - something like the first Take Back the Night marches organized by women in Germany in 1973 after a string of rapes and assaults. The idea of the marches, which came to the U.S. in 1978, was to have women boldly walk through darkened streets, chanting and blowing whistles to prove they would not succumb to fear. New York needs that kind of spirit in our neighborhoods today. WHAT ELSE/WHAT'S NEXT: Apply for a National Night Out Award and read National Night Award Winners Announced! Register today to become a member of the National Association of Town Watch. Order a Block Captain's Handbook from NATW to learn how to establish a Community Watch block group.Read the Community Watch Administration Manual by Thomas N. Monson (Editor) and The Citizen's Official Guide to Crime Prevention by Don E. Fletcher, et al. and other resources related to crime prevention, community/neighborhood watches and block groups.See how local communities celebrated past National Nights Out in the NNO Gallery. Get the latest from organizations whose focus is crime prevention. Participate in "Project 365" by registering a designated 'problem area' in your community and your plan to work toward resolving the problems by National Night Out 2007. Access additional recommendations made by Mr. Louis in "One night must shed some light."

Flavor Flav Celebrates National Safety Month

Lisa Tolliver — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 17:34:19 EDT

Flavor Flav was the celebrity guest on the June 14 Lisa Tolliver Show. He, his business manager Greg J., and playwright/Entertainment Correspondent Ray Aydelott joined Jeff Reilly and Marianne Partridge of Westchester Emergency Volunteer Reserves-Medical Reserve Corps (WEVR-MRC) on the segment, which aired at 1:30-2:00pm Eastern on New York Radio WVOX AM 1460. The broadcast was one of several initiatives described in an article entitled, "How my radio shows, publications and PSAs in June 2006 - the 10th anniversary of National Safety Month - will help make the world a safer place." The article begins:I know the title sounds egotistical. That's not the intention. The wording responds to the National Safety Council question: "How are you making the world a safer place?" The Lisa Tolliver Show has a "four-eyed" mission to inform, instruct, intrigue, and inspire listeners about what's happening in the worlds of non-profits and current affairs. In accordance with that mission, scheduling of Flav's Lisa Tolliver Show appearance - and on air discussion of his trademark pendant clocks - was right on time since June is Black Music Month. However, that’s not the only time it is. As Jeff and Marianne told listeners, June is National Safety Month, too. About National Safety Month:As the National Safety Council describes in "About National Safety Month:"This annual observance reflects the Council’s historical commitment to influencing people to adopt and maintain safe and healthy behaviors in all aspects of their lives.The National Safety Council established National Safety Month in 1996 to increase public awareness of safety and health risks and ultimately decrease the number of accidental injuries and deaths. Since then, thousands of businesses, national safety and health leaders, community groups and organizations have come to embrace the national observance as an annual focal point for promoting safety during the summer months and throughout the year. We are proud of our achievements in increasing awareness of safe and healthy practices, of our efforts to instill a culture of safety in businesses across the nation, and of our vision for making the world a safer place.Weekly Observance [in 2006]:June 5-9 Driving June 12-16 Workplace June 19-23 Emergency PreparednessJune 26-30 Home and Community Emergency Preparedness & Safety Tips for Flavor Flav and Everyone Else:The dynamic duo from WEVR-MRC served up some special safety tips for Flav, who lives on the Left Coast. First and foremost, they advised, have an emergency plan in case of an earthquake. Secondly, it's also important to establish an out of town emergency contact.Emergency Preparedness Tip #1 -- Develop an Emergency Plan -- and Emergency Preparedness Tip #2 -- Establish an Out-of-State Emergency Contact -- detail how to do that. Readers should note, moreover, that whether one is in earthquake country, experiencing hurricane season or prudently preparing for any possible disaster or emergency, it would be wise to also review and keep handy Emergency Preparedness Tip #3 -- Fire Safety -- and Emergency Preparedness Tip #4 -- Safely Handling Hazardous Materials.Emergency Preparedness & Safety Tips can make the difference between life and death in the event of a disaster or emergency. Since humor often helps drive serious points like that home, it was helpful to hear Flav and Lisa's real-life earthquake survival stories. They were not only comical, they also reflected that each knew what to do in that type of disaster. Hopefully, should Lisa Tolliver Show listeners ever face an emergency or disaster, they will be similarly prepared and safely live to tell their tales. One great way to get prepared is to train with WEVR-MRC. The free training program teaches emergency preparedness and safety skills and trains volunteers to assist in the event of a large-scale disaster or emergency. For example, several WEVR-MRC volunteers were deployed through the National MRC to the Gulf to provide assistance to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Through participation in WEVR-MRC, volunteers can also earn continuing education credits, expand their professional networks, and receive emergency safety kits like the one described on the February 22, 2006 Lisa Tolliver Show. WEVR-MRC is always recruiting new volunteers. Whatever your skills are, you can make a difference! You can learn more about the WEVR-MRC program and about the national Emergency Volunteer Reserves and Medical Reserve Corps at:The Volunteer Center at 866-VOL-CALLwww.Volunteer-Center.org andwestchestergov.comWhat's on Flavor's Plate and how might WEVR-MRC come to the rescue?Flav's new affiliation with WEVR-MRC could come in handy when Flav is pitted against rapper Lil' Jon on VH1's Celebrity Showdown 2 on June 22 and when the fur begins flying on season 2 of VH1's hit reality show, The Flavor of Love. Viewers of Flavor of Love 1 saw their share of catfights among some of the 20 women who vied for a custom dental grille and the affections of the Public Enemy hype man/comic foil. Witness the photos, videos and articles on the VH1 Shows: Flavor of Love Website. (Flav starred with some drama mamas in two other VH1 hit specials, as well: The Surreal Life 3 and Strange Love.) Skeptics of how serious crossing a drama queen, er, reality TV contestant, can become should heed what happened yesterday with Flavor of Love 1 winner, Nicole "Hoopz" Alexander. According to reports, she was arrested in Dearborn, Michigan for allegedly assaulting a police officer who was investigating a noise complaint at her home. Three cops were required to cuff her. Nicole said she was being unfairly harassed by neighbors, who she claims have fetched the fuzz to her house six times because her family and house guests are "mostly black." In her statement (excerpts in "Reality TV Star Arrested in Dearborn"), she describes herself as being victimized when an officer grabbed her as she was voicing her own complaints about feeling harassed. She said:He walked up, took the door, opened the door back up. Grabbed me by me [sic] neck and I just remember flying down these steps. While I’m falling, I gripped [sic] on to him and we fall. Now we wrestling [sic] and two more cop guys come and jump on me.More information about Flav:In today's show (and other media coverage), Flav has had only generous, gallant words about Hoopz. He is positive, upbeat, and clearly focused on what's up and coming (pun intended). That is why Flavor's stellar re-ascendancy outshines his past legal scrapes, leaving them light years in the past, where they belong. That permits him, critics and fans to focus on several exciting projects Flav is launching this summer on multiple frontiers. You can catch the star on VH1's Flavor of Love 2 (beginning in early August), on the CD entitled, Flavor Flav: Rise, Fall, Rise (release date to be determined), and online at FlavorFlav.tv, where the current welcome page will be replaced by a full-featured Website with e-commerce capabilities (some time later this summer). You can also track these and other developments in Mr. F.'s orbit now at "The official Flavor! Flav!! myspace!!" and at VH1 Artists A-Z: Flavor Flav.

June 10, 2006: A Big Day For Small Cities And Towns

Lisa Tolliver — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 23:05:36 EDT

June 10, 2006 is National Small Cities and Towns Day. This year's theme is "The Power of We--Building Inclusive Communities." Cities and towns with populations less than 50,000 across the country are encouraged to schedule activities to commemorate this special day.Small Cities and Towns Day is a national event organized by the National League of Cities (NLC) to recognize the importance of America's small cities and towns and to honor the service of elected and appointed officials in those communities. NLC President Jim Hunt and the Small Cities Council urge small municipalities to: Highlight your community's commitment to inclusion by passing a resolution and joining the Partnership for Working Toward Inclusive Communities.Bring attention to your community's effort around affordable housing, race and ethnic relations, equal citizen participation in community decision-making and programs for the disabled.Share valuable insights, experiences and lessons learned. You may wish to utilize your local cable television media to host a dialogue on what it means to be an inclusive community.Recognize, publicize and celebrate the work of elected and appointed public officials and individuals in your city who have helped to make your city an inclusive community. Source: Inside NLC Committees and Councils, accessed June 10, 2006 To assist in that effort, the NLC provides a number of resources. Here is a sample:A Partnership for Inclusive Communities tool kit.A form to help participants share examples of Inclusive City Programs.An open invitation to send digital photos or videos to NLC so participating cities are recognized in NLC publications and web pages.Contacts who can provide more information on National Small Cities and Towns Day: LaStar Matthews at 202-626-3177 or matthews@nlc.org and Lesley-Ann Rennie at 202-626-3134 or rennie@nlc.orgPress releases such as, "America Celebrates Its Small Cities and Towns" (published 06/05/06), which lists:Five Great Reasons to Live in a Small City or Town Everyone knows everyone else, so your kids have to behave better!Going to the grocery store can turn into a mini town hall meeting so be prepared to stay awhile wherever you go.If you double park for five minutes, no one honks the horn.Citizens really get involved so you can actually accomplish something.Everyone feels like they have a stake in "MY town."Of course, anyone who was raised in a tightly knit community (or big family) can enumerate more advantages and some disadvantages of small town life. In some instances, living in close proximity with colleagues, neighbors and ex-significant others can be devilishly difficult.One town that regularly deals with devilish issues is a veritable hotbed of ideas for celebrating Small Cities and Towns day. Read about the town profiled in the Blog Critics article, "06-06-06 is a Bodacious Bonza Bottler Day." Although that municipality is not on the NLC membership roster, there isn't a snowball's chance in Hell that that unincorporated Michigan hamlet (population 266) wouldn't know how to optimize a high profile promotional opportunity. The NLC's next major national event - the 83rd Congress of Cities & Exposition - will be more inclusive, addressing communities of all sizes. It will be held December 5-9 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center in Nevada. Details and registration.

06-06-06 is a Bodacious Bonza Bottler Day

Lisa Tolliver — Tue, 6 Jun 2006 18:20:52 EDT

Today is an occasion for fetes, not threats. Don’t believe it? Read about the Mayor from Hell and others having a wicked good time.The signs are unmistakable. Today is bound to be a helluva day. It is the sixth day of the sixth month of year six of this millennium and at 6:06 this morning, the temperature ranged from 60 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit in the New York Metro area.I am all fired up because 06-06-06 is a Bodacious Bonza Bottler Day. If you are wondering, "What the H-E-double-hockey sticks is a Bonza Bottler Day?" read "Cinco de Mayo and Bonza Bottler Day" here at Blogcritics. Bonza Bottler Day was founded by Elaine Fremont, who died in a car accident in 1995. Her sister, Gail Berger -- who is now the Bonza Bottler Day sponsor -- explains that: When the number of the year also coincides with the number of the day and month (July 7, 1997), there is reason to have a bigger celebration (more food, more friends and more decorations). We call this a Bodacious Bonza Bottler Day. Bodacious means "extraordinary, impressively great in size, or enormous." A baby born on a Bonza Bottler Day is known as a Bonza Bottler Baby which makes those birthday celebrations doubly special.Days like 06-06-06 occur only once per century and, for better or worse, this Bodacious Bonza Bottler Day has particular significance. Heather Whipps explains the brouhaha in a May 25, 2006 LiveScience article entitled, "06/06/06: Another Date with Para-Science:"The number 666 is used to refer to the beast in the Bible's Book of Revelations:"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666."Purveyors of pop culture, such as the filmmakers responsible for making and marketing Omen, a.k.a. Omen (666), have capitalized on the day, turning "evil into gold," as Tony Allen-Mills of the Sunday Times-Britain observed. In contrast, the advent of June 6, 2006, struck a note of dread in some people. For example, Allen-Mills reported in, "Mothers expect Damien on 6/6/06" (April 30, 2006, Sunday Times-Britain), that the prospect of giving birth today sufficiently terrified some parents that they took pains to rush or delay their babies' arrivals to avoid "spawning devil children on Armageddon." Not everyone is worried today, though. As Dan Nailen of the Salt Lake Tribune reports in "666 - for many, today's a devil of a good time:" Theories on what the number means are numerous and contradictory in the collective mind of pop-culture enthusiasts, historians and theologians, and today's date - 6/6/06 - means different things to different people. Nailen provides balanced coverage of the doomsday theories, assurances not to worry from Evangelical Christian Pastor Mark Hitchcock -- an expert in Biblical prophecy, and additional examples of how various people and organizations are leveraging this hellacious marketing opportunity. The latter category includes Amy Adams and Jason Harris, owners of a Murray, Utah, store called Redrum that specializes in horror and serial killer-related items. The couple, Nailen wrote, "considered getting married last Halloween until they realized the 'once in a lifetime' chance to get married on 6/6/6."Filmmakers, folks in Utah and Bonza Bottler Day followers are not the only ones who will celebrate today. As CNN.com and AP publicized in a June 3, 2006 article entitled, "Party in Hell Planned on 6-6-06," today is certainly going to be a hot time in Hell. Hell, Michigan, that is. Mayor from Hell, John Colone, and his fellow hellions or hell-billies -- as residents are sometimes called in the unincorporated hamlet approximately 66 miles west of Detroit -- will celebrate today with costume parties, sales of deeds to one square inch of Hell, gift shop items specially priced at $6.66 and newly erected Gates of Hell. In an interview with CBS-News this morning, Mayor Colone issued the following invitation: "Hope you have a hell of a good day and spend some time in Hell while you can enjoy it."I would go to Hell today, without hesitation, if I could. In Michigan, I might even stay at the Dam Site Inn. But other paths could lead to Hell, Norway, Hell, Grand Cayman, or Hell for Certain, Kentucky. Today I'm giving out a scholarship at a high school awards ceremony and will celebrate with the lil' devils there instead. We'll surely have a wicked good time. Maybe another day I will go to Hell and back, descending from Paradise (a Michigan town a few hundred miles north of Hell) and reemerge to chill out at Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

National Hurricane Awareness Week: Trends, Tips, and Tools

Lisa Tolliver — Wed, 24 May 2006 00:15:17 EDT

Hurricane season (June 1-November 30) is fast approaching and it is time to get prepared. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -- two of the agencies that collaborate within an extended public-private network to monitor weather phenomena and assist those impacted -- report that an average of "ten tropical storms develop over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico" each year and "six of these storms become hurricanes." Furthermore:In an average 3-year period, roughly five hurricanes strike the US coastline, killing approximately 50 to 100 people anywhere from Texas to Maine. Of these, two are typically "major" or "intense" hurricanes (a category 3 or higher storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale). - Source: Hurricane Preparedness home page, accessed May 11, 2006The result is devastation that takes numerous lives and causes billions in damages. Fortunately, as Max Mayfield, Director of the National Hurricane Center notes, "Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy."Storms cannot be prevented, but initiatives such as National Hurricane Awareness Week and distribution of Emergency Preparedness & Safety Tips from Westchester Emergency Volunteer Reserves-Medical Reserve Corps (WEVR-MRC) were created because:History teaches that a lack of hurricane awareness and preparation are common threads among all major hurricane disasters. By knowing your vulnerability and what actions you should take, you can reduce the effects of a hurricane disaster. This year Hurricane Preparedness Week is May 21-27, 2006. - Source: Hurricane Preparedness home page, accessed May 11, 2006Throughout Hurricane Preparedness Week and hurricane season, the media will join forces with public and private sector efforts to ensure widespread hurricane awareness and safety. The goal is to educate the public by answering questions such as: � How can one assess their vulnerability and take appropriate actions during hurricane season? � What are the meanings of terms commonly associated with hurricanes: storm surge, high winds, tornadoes, tropical depression and flooding? � What is a hurricane warning versus hurricane watch and what action should each one initiate? � What should you pack into a disaster supply kit? � How and why should you develop an emergency plan (WEVR-MRC Emergency Preparedness & Safety Tip #1) and establish an OUT-OF-STATE emergency contact (WEVR-MRC Emergency Preparedness & Safety Tip #2)? An important public service announcement is WEVR-MRC's Emergency Preparedness & Safety Tip #5 HURRICANE AWARENESS AND SAFETY. It will broadcast on the May 24 Lisa Tolliver Show at 1:30-2:00 p.m. during National Hurricane Week on New York Radio WVOX AM 1460. It will also be posted online at the Emergency Preparedness & Safety Tips blog. The tips, which could make the difference between life and death in the event of an emergency or disaster, are authored by Marianne Partridge, WEVR-MRC Program Manager at the Volunteer Center of the United Way. To learn how to join WEVR-MRC or to contact the organization, you can call The Volunteer Center at 866-VOL-CALL or visit volunteer-center.org or westchestergov.com.Here are some facts that put WEVR-MRC's Hurricane Awareness & Safety Tips in proper perspective: � Yesterday's NOAA homepage headline read: NOAA PREDICTS VERY ACTIVE 2006 NORTH ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON: Residents in Hurricane Prone Areas Urged to Make Preparations � NOAA The number of severe storms has significantly increased worldwide since 1969. The most destructive hurricanes - category 4 or 5 - have nearly doubled in number over the last 35 years from 10 a year, on average, in the 1970s, to an average of 18 a year since 1990. - Sources: studies funded by the National Science Foundation and published in Nature and Science magazines. The most recent studies were conducted by researchers at the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Georgia Institute of Technology and by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. � The wind speed of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes is 131 miles per hour (mph) or faster. � Hurricane season 2005 was the worst on record, both in terms of number and severity of storms. � On September 23, 2005 PBS Online Newshour addressed two of the most prominently reported storms in: "Hurricanes Mark Unusual Spike in Already Active Storm Cycle." Here are excerpts: Hurricane Katrina slammed ashore at the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf coast on Aug. 29 as a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds, killing at least 1,036 people and triggering a monumental relief effort. Hurricane Rita, which followed Katrina by weeks, registered as the third strongest Atlantic Ocean storm in history -- a Category 5 packing 175 mph winds -- during its trek across the Gulf of Mexico before it lost some of its ferocity as it approached the Texas and southwestern Louisiana coast. � Close on the heels of Katrina and Rita was Hurricane Wilma, cited by the Associated Press as, "The 21st storm in the worst Atlantic hurricane season on record," and "the strongest hurricane to strike since 1950." Source: Associated Press. October 25, 2005. "Millions begin recovery in Wilma's aftermath: Damage estimates in Florida range up to $10 billion." Accessible at MSNBC.com. � The battering of the Atlantic Basin by that terrible trio of category 5 storms set a stunning record in 2005. That fact, combined with other evidence of the increasing occurrences and intensity of storms, has prompted debates about the best ways to measure them. � The issues were addressed by Ker Than in the LiveScience article, "Do we need a new way to rate hurricanes?" In short, some scientists recommend extending the Saffir-Simpson Scale to accommodate wind speeds of 176-196 mph (which would be category 6) and faster and calibrating the scale differently. Massachusetts Institute of Technology climatologist Kerry Emanuel suggests having "equal increments of either the wind speed squared or the wind speed cubed" and making the scale "continuous, so you can have a category 4.6 or 4.7, and [...] open-ended, so that the categories just keep going up." Emanuel and other scientists also recommend expanding the scope of the Saffir-Simpson Scale - which rates wind speed, flooding and storm surge - to include two additional measures associated with storm damage: rainfall and storm size. � On the other side of the debate, Herbert Saffir defends the scale he co-created. His main argument against adding extending the Saffir-Simpson Scale for wind speeds exceeding 156 mph reflects his perspective as a consultant engineer, the fact that Category 5 hurricanes were relatively infrequent when he created it, and the scale's original objectives. According to Than, "In 1967, the United Nations commissioned Saffir to study low-cost housing in regions of the world that were prone to tropical cyclones and hurricanes." Saffir shared his rationale with the 1999 NOAA National Weather Log: If that extreme wind sustains itself for as much as six seconds on a building it's going to cause rupturing damages that are serious no matter how well it's engineered. So I think that it's immaterial what will happen with winds stronger than 156 miles per hour. That's the reason why we didn't try to go any higher than that. � LiveScience also published Saffir's response to criticisms about the scope and calibration of his scale. "In a telephone interview," Than wrote, "the 88-year-old co-creator of the scale, Herbert Saffir, defended it as simple and useful for the public." As simple as it is, I like the scale," Saffir said today. "I don't like to see it too complex." � Saffir's response recalls an adage attributed to Abraham Lincoln which is often misquoted as follows, "You can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not please all of the people all of the time." Saffir wisely noted that expanding the rating system to incorporate too many variables would reduce its usefulness to the public, who finds its simplicity easy to grasp. Moreover, he noted to LiveScience: Every hurricane is different, so you really couldn't categorize every type of hurricane as far as size and extent. As far as rainfall goes, we already have a scale for rainfall; it's measured in inches and I think that's really all that's needed.Those affected by storms measure the impacts more subjectively. For example, the short story "Rainbows After the Storm" documents my family's encounter with Hurricane Camille in 1969, theretofore one of the worst hurricanes to hit America's Atlantic coast. We lived in Freeport, on Long Island's south shore. As Scott A. Mandia, Professor - Physical Sciences at the State University of New York at Suffolk County, observed in Long Island South Shore Hurricane Storm Surge Maps, "Category 1 hurricanes inundate just about all of the immediate south shore of the Island," and, "A category 4 hurricane inundates the entire towns of" Freeport and its neighbors.Here is a teaser from "Rainbows After the Storm": Escalating emergency alerts for the category five hurricane spooked Mom, who stockpiled candles and stood watch for Dad. Bob, Misty and I retreated below decks where the tempest seemed less intimidating. Stay safe -- be prepared! Please read and follow advice such as the WEVR-MRC Hurricane Awareness & Safety Tips. Also, check the forecast for your city, state, or zip code by visiting NOAA's National Weather Service / National Hurricane Center / National Prediction Center.Co-authored by Marianne Partridge - Program Director at Westchester Emergency Volunteer Reserves - Medical Reserve Corps (WEVR-MRC).

Cinco de Mayo and Bonza Bottler Day

Lisa Tolliver — Sat, 6 May 2006 07:43:49 EDT

Yesterday was May 5, pronounced "cinco de Mayo" en Espanol. Cinco de Mayo is a holiday commemorated by Mexicans and Americans (particularly in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas), and a day the French (and perhaps the British) would like to forget. May 5 is also a Super Bonza Bottler Day. "Cinco History," at the Website Viva Cinco de Mayo, explains today's historical significance: The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862. As Cinco History further explains, American forces supported the Mexican military to win the: great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War. Ongoing collaboration between Mexicans and Americans was evidenced when: In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. [And] As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America. Another valuable resource is the DVD, Celebrating Cinco De Mayo, which describes how the occasion is celebrated and the principles it represents: Parades, traditional foods, colorful crafts, and happy people are the trademarks of celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo presents a wonderful opportunity each year for two neighboring countries -- the United States and Mexico -- to acknowledge and re-affirm their friendship. The holiday glorifies freedom and liberty, ideas that are cherished by citizens of both North American democracies. Cinco de Mayo, like other holidays, is subject to crass commercialization. Googling "Cinco de Mayo" gives you the chance to find historical background, recipes, events, and ways to celebrate. It also reveals as many advertisements and infomercials from purveyors of goods and services as it does cultural and historic resources. For an example, visit Viva Cinco de Mayo. I was once a major culprit of that sort of enterprise. In the early 1990s, I worked with the team that introduced Taco Bell products to grocery stores. Taco Bell Corporation (now a division of Yum! Brands, Inc. but then a PepsiCo division) collaborated with its corporate partners to roll out the grocery product line coincidentally with Cinco de Mayo. That timing strategically leveraged the larger buzz surrounding Cinco de Mayo and the appreciation it fostered in the United States for many things Mexican. (Incidentally, Americans view Taco Bell food as Mexican or Tex-Mex; Mexicans view it as American.) The commercialization of Cinco de Mayo is notable in what is known as "Super Bonza Bottler Day." Bonza Bottler Days occur whenever a day and month coincide, such as July 7, August 8, and September 9. Super Bonza Bottler Days fall on popularly recognized holidays or when a day, month, and year coincide (e.g., January 1, 2001, February 2, 2002 and Cinco de Mayo last year: May 5, 2005). Thanks to the numerous holidays and observances throughout the world and proliferation of special-interest observances (such as Doing Business in Your Bathrobe Day sponsored by Webmomz to recognize "the hard work and dedication it takes to be an entrepreneur" and to promote the Webmomz organization), Super Bonza Bottler Days occur almost monthly. Examples of Super Bonza Bottler Days that fall on American holidays include January 1 (New Year's Day), February 2 (Groundhog Day), April 4 (International Day for Landmine Awareness and Assistance), May 5 (Cinco de Mayo), June 6 (Teachers Day and National Yo-Yo Day) and November 11 (Veteran's Day).Bonza Bottler Days were created by some brilliant promoter to provide monthly excuses to celebrate and to generate marketing campaigns. Although it is unclear who originated the occasion, its terms are readily traceable. "Bonza" and its synonym "bonzer," are popularly used in Australia, and likely derive from the word "bonanza." Bonza and bonzer are defined in the Urban [slang] Dictionary as "brilliant," "well executed," "excellent," "great." In The Free [online] Dictionary , it is defined as "remarkable or wonderful, extraordinary." The word "bottler" likely derives from the Australian term "bottle shop" or its diminutive forms "bottlo" (pronounced bottle oh) or "bottl-o." Defined as an Australian word, Wikipedia says it is "a shop selling alcoholic drinks (for external consumption)," i.e., for consumption off the premises. For marketers, event promoters, and purveyors of food and drink, Bonza Bottler Days are, well, bonzer!Bonza Bottler Days can be used for good as well as greed. Marketers and non-marketers alike could use these monthly opportunities to pamper significant others, make and assess progress toward fulfilling resolutions, and do good deeds.

Help Girls Fly And Achieve Other Fantastic Feats

Lisa Tolliver — Fri, 5 May 2006 10:08:55 EDT

Kevin S. Barrow blogged an important announcement at Home of the Soul Cookie entitled "Sally Ride Science Fair Needs Presenters." Specifically, women with expertise in engineering, mathematics, science, and technology are needed to lead hands-on workshops for girls and adults at the Sally Ride Science Festivals. The festival's focus is: 5th-8th grade girls, trying to get them more interested in the fields of Science, Technology (all forms, inc. Computing), Engineering and Math, since they are so underrepresented in those fields at a professional level. Presenter roles are pro bono but high profile. Also needed are sponsors to send one or more girls to the festivals. The $18 registration fee covers lunch, the street fair, workshops, and keynote speech. Street fair exhibitors, parents, teachers, and other interested adults are welcome to participate, too. As SallyRideFestivals.com describes: The street fair has music, face painters, and about 30 booths and exhibits (for example: making slime, looking through telescopes). Some of the booths have giveaways; there are no vendors, but there is a merchandise booth with t-shirts, books and other items. Dr. Sally Ride is a former astronaut and the first woman to orbit in space. Biographies such as Pioneering Astronaut Sally Ride: A Myreportlinks.Com Book (Space Flight Adventures and Disasters) by Henry M. Holden describe her exciting and illustrious nine-year career with NASA's highly selective astronaut program. Dr. Ride now serves on the faculty of the University of California at San Diego and heads the California Space Institute. Her concern about the lack of women scientists and engineers inspired her to found Sally Ride Science, whose mission is "empowering girls to explore the world of science -- from astrobiology to zoology and everything in between!" The Sally Ride Science home page describes that its mission is accomplished: "Through our innovative science programs and our award-winning science publications, Sally Ride Science informs and inspires year round."The innovative Sally Ride Science Festivals and other Sally Ride Science Programs (which include Toy Challenges and Science Camps) are not just empowering, informative, and inspiring; they are downright fun! As Karen Flammer, senior vice president of Sally Ride Science and a research physicist at the University of California, San Diego described: Girls get to see hundreds of other girls spending a weekend day at a festival to do math and science and engineering activities, and it's in the context of a DJ playing music, it's in the context of food. All the workshops are very fun, hands-on workshops. Somebody's not standing up in front of the classroom lecturing to them. They're actually letting them take DNA out of the strawberry or calculate the density of chocolate, so they can see that science is fun, and they can share it with their friends. Valerie Kuklenskito adds, "Girl Power. There is chemistry there - and math, physics and biology, too." Moreover, participation can exponentially expand girls' horizons, overcome peer pressure to "dumb themselves down," and boost their self-esteem. The positive correlation between girls' self-esteem and academic performance underscores why Sally Ride Science programs and publications are extremely valuable, even for girls who are not going to become rocket scientists. Says Flammer, It certainly isn't academic ability that's causing the disproportionate number of girls and boys (in higher-level science classes). So what Sally Ride Science is trying to do with our workshops, our camps, our toy challenge competition, our publications is we are targeting girls, and we're trying to show them how fun and interesting all these fields are, that you don't have to be this typical geeky male to be a chemist or a biologist or engineer, that other girls also like doing what they're doing. Adult tracks at the Sally Ride Festivals teach educators, parents, and other significant grown-ups in girls' lives how to encourage girls to reach for the stars - no matter what spheres they ultimately land in. Grown-ups can register to hear the keynote speaker, participate in the street fair along with the girls, learn at Discovery Workshops for Adults how to promote gender equity inside and outside of the classroom, and how to help girls benefit from science, math and technology resources. Teachers can also earn professional development credits. The next Sally Ride Festival will be at the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field on Sunday, May 21. Those interested in participating should contact Jennifer Kremer.Now that you've heard, I hope that you will: Spread the word about this and other Sally Ride Science initiatives. Consider presenting at a Sally Ride Science Festival if you're female and one of the above-mentioned fields is your forte. Sponsor one or more girls to attend a Sally Ride Science Festival. Encourage girls and parents, educators, street fair exhibitors, sponsors and other interested adults to participate.