Where to begin….the last couple of weeks has been almost overwhelming in the best way possible! First off, be prepared for massive amounts of name-dropping in this blog post. Second of all, I had a full access press pass at the Manny Pacquiao VS Miguel Cotto fight at the MGM grand! It was one of the most amazing things this year, honestly! I was an assistant to Chris Farina from TOP RANK, and I learned a lot for sure! I also had the chance to meet Al Bello from Getty Images and Ed Mullholland from HBO, which along with Chris are some of the biggest names in boxing! (media side at least!) The fight and experience was nothing less than amazing, the work station I had was a row in front of where Mario Lopez was doing a live pod cast, (SLATER!!!) and 2 rows behind where HBO was actually broadcasting the event Live.
heres a terrible blackberry pic of my media creds!

A few days ago I helped out Al Powers shoot an event for HP/Hewlett Packard. Turns out there guest speaker was Olympic 8x medalist Michael Phelps!! Michael seemed exhausted, and worn out. Still a really nice guy!

I had to shoot Tao/Jet night club the other night for Tito Ortiz/Forrest Griffin’s After Parties for UFC 106. Both fighters are really nice in person, Forrest comes off nicer, but I think it might be due to the sheer size of Tito Ortiz that might be a bit intimidating!!

Heres a pic of Forrest outside of Jet. He had a knarly cut/gash on his upper right eye. I didn’t watch the fight, but i was looking at images on Getty Images, and from the looks I thought Tito won, but Forrest won by split decision. There was so much blood!!!

Tito Ortiz was at Tao, but I missed him walking in. This was shot later in the night. Definitely a huge difference on how they present themselves appearance wise. And no I did not put the watermark there intentionally, Tito does not endorse my website or any of that jazz, the watermarks part of a set “action” in PS.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately, I figured if i didn’t throw something up it would just be way too late, and old content nobody really cares about in all honesty. Nothing really new besides the fact I really enjoy shooting nightclubs with a flash bracket, I’ll be ordering a Newton folding bracket shortly, and maybe a lens baby composer. (this thing is really cool!) I still find myself wanting a wider zoom lens, maybe next year I’ll look into the 17-35 f/2.8 nikon has to offer and a 2nd body, I thought I’d never say this, but I’m starting to miss the reach a crop body gives me. I miss how a 1.5 crop would make a 70-200 f/2.8 a 300mm @ f/2.8 and with a 1.4x tele a 420 f/4. Thats so much cheaper than buying the telephoto prime’s I’d want. I really miss canon’s HUGE full frame wide angle “L” choices. 17-35, 16-35 ver 1 and 2, and the 17-40. Nikon’s 17-35 used is still over $1000.
There is also a rebate going on for SanDisk Extreme CF cards right now! 24 gigs should be delivered today =P shooting every night gets tiring. I need to get my new windows 7 pc built already and a few terabytes in backup space.

Sunday night, following a brief ceremony, Nicole Johnson was awarded the vacant title of Miss California, after the already famous disqualification of Tiffany Teen.

Questioned about the reasons of her nomination, the young girl offered a somewhat naive response, raising smiles from the audience: “I think the way I presented. I had a lot of confidence on stage and I think I looked great in the red dress”.

Interestingly, although she’s not yet a big name in showbiz, Nicole is used with gold medals. Last year, she had a relationship with the famous Michael Phelps, none other than the best swimmer in history and also the winner of eight titles at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Where I Got Swine Flu From Jager...

Hey all. If it wasn’t brought to your attention, I have been on a blogging hiatus because I’m studying for my LSAT on December 6th. I guess God was smiting me because I contracted Swine Flu. My friends say it’s because I’m a pig. I say it’s because I had sex with your mother. BOOSH! Some say this is karma. Me? Well, I totally agree. Even though dystonia-girl was just looking for attention and is a big fat faker[edit:Not a faker, her symptoms were mostly mental] who turned out to have a speedy recovery. Well lah-dee-dah, your highness. Do cheerleaders just get everything? Grrr.

Well, as we all know swine flu is very serious and I’ve put a lot of thought into it. So here is my last will and testament:

I never was a rich man, basically because I have a slew of terrible habits. What little money I do have though, will go to who ever tracks down Maddox (the self proclaimed famous blogger) and kick him right in his self-serving balls. This guy is funny, sure, but his act is kind of tired and his book sucked. Know what else? He didn’t respond to my email. And I’m not just some kid whining he didn’t meet Maddox. Nope. He called out Swine Flu on his blog, and I was going to sneeze in his face and spit in his ginger ale as he requested.

To Berstreet: I’ve shaved my head and bagged the hair. Now you have costume material for years to come. You’re welcome.

To Tom Coughlin: I leave you my 16 inch retractable knight-stick. After knowing you did not go home and beat your son-in-law or your own blood who married him, I’m sending this for every Giants fan. Either you start laying down the law or I’ll fucking haunt the Meadowlands. Don’t mess with me. I’ll have NOTHING better to do. Hell, you can even use this to hit your wife. I don’t care. Just get mean again. Or I’ll have Deacon from King of Queens check your prostate with the GD thing.

To My Parents: Since I’ve prearranged my passing, I’ve deleted all the pornography from my lap top so you can strip it dry of all my writing and give it to a publisher. I’m sure they’ll either make advances on sociopath studies or at least a decent dick-joke sitcom.

To my Dog Rudy (pictured below):

Don't Laugh. He has a disorder.

Rudy, you’ve been a loyal companion for the 3 short years you’ve been alive with me. I know I’m checking out early and that’s usually the dog’s job but for your remaining years, I leave you…my femur. I decided I’m not going to be an organ donor because of the sole fact that I hate those purple bumper stickers with the pun about “Heaven knows we need them here!,” but I decided I can go to heaven missing a leg so a cute puppy can play for years with the strongest bone in the human body. Well, the 2nd strongest bone in MY body but I need the other one for Marilyn Monroe.

*high fives my attorney named Chaz*

To Brian Westbrook: You ruined my chance at playoffs in fantasy football this year for my money league and I think that’s why my body started shutting down. The fact I had Reggie Bush for 4 weeks and he didn’t crack 7 points and then he pops off for 21 while your career could be over just infuriated me. Just like when I dropped Rashard Mendenhall after the week he was benched and I did it thinking no one could grab him before the game. Well, my opponent did and he had 36 points against me. Ugh. Enough about my fantasy miscues, I feel like Ruxin with Gates from The League. Well, Brian. I leave you my frontal lobe. I’m sure you forgot math by now with all your concussions. Actually, scratch the organ donor idea. You can take all of my body parts when you need them if you just promise to drink some fucking milk once in a while and stop being made out of crackers and loose-leaf paper.

To Gally: I had to put a lot of thought into this one. I left you my toilet paper. Basically because you’re an asshole. ZING!

To LeBron James: I left you my tooth paste for you, because it’s very obvious you put your stupid foot in your stupid millionaire mouth when you said you’d be great at football. It was the next game that you sat out an entire half for banging your wrist on the rim while dunking. Now, I’m just a fan and an amateur blogger but I’m about your age so I can talk down to you…DON’T YOU THINK FOOTBALL IS A LITTLE ROUGHER THAN BASKETBALL? Douche.

To Ashton Kutcher: You get nothing. I’m just letting you know me and Patrick Swayze are going to run a fucking TRAIN on Demi Moore. That bitch must suck the blood of the innocent because she gets hotter as time goes on. Real talk.

To Levi Johnston: I’m leaving you my old bike helmet. Why? Because I’m going to be dropping a lot of pianos on your head. You suck something fierce my friend. You aren’t even funny or attractive yet you get Playgirl spreads? You’re the new K-Fed. Congrats. Taco Bell is awaiting your arrival. Scumbag.

To Business Socks from Style Points: I’m going to leave you my autographed Mickey Mantle rookie card that he signed for me as a kid. I’m also going to send you an autographed picture of myself. You might not know it, but you were the first sports blogger to pay attention to me

To Big Troph: I’m going to leave my sense of humor. God knows you guys need one over there.

To Gimp, I’m going to leave you my set of balls because you haven’t done anything man-worthy in a long time. I’m also leaving your name on Megan’s Law.com for all those 9 year olds doing mediocre things posts.

To Tila Tequila, I left you a muzzle and a dildo. If you don’t put on the muzzle just go fuck yourself. Man, last time I used that joke I had to give my dinosaur a bath. Man, could I be on any more fire?!?

It isn’t commonly known to a lot of people that I have OCD. Like Howard Hughes, I saved all my urine. I also didn’t do many drugs. So I am leaving all my pee bottles to the following: Tim Lincecum, Shawne Merriman, Michael Phelps, Dwayne Bowe, Sean Sherk, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Lattimer from The Program, my uncle Ray, former President Bush and fetish porn directors.

And lastly, my girlfriend. I’ve decided that you’re coming with me. Can’t have you cheating on me when I’m in hell heaven. So I’ve left you cyanide in the tea the lawyer just offered you. You’ll be dead before you can cry. See you soon honey!

Millions of lightbulbs, loudspeakers, big screens, not to mention a giant flame… The Olympic games is a black hole of energy consumption and where that energy comes from is an issue of extreme importance if the UK is to lead the way in reduction of greenhouse gases as Boris Johnson would have us believe.

A state of art energy centre is being constructed in the Olympic park to solve all of our energy problems. The centre which is being branded by Olympic officials as “Lean, Mean and Green” is going to reduce the carbon emissions of the games by over 1000 tonnes in 2012 and is even being praised by Greenpeace.

It is to be housed primarily inside an old Victorian building which would have otherwise stood derelict. This ultimate show of recycling is truly a step in the right direction and proves that the Olympic committee have really listen to environmentalists who were concerned that London 2012 would leave more than just a sporting legacy lingering over the city.

The proposed energy centre

ODA Director of Infrastructure and Utilities Simon Wright said: “Sustainability is at the heart of the 2012 project and the Energy Centre will ensure a lasting legacy of green power in the Olympic Park for generations to come. The state-of-the-art Energy Centre will be one of the largest in the UK and the lean, mean and green sustainability features that underpin this project will set a model for future urban regeneration schemes.”

Biomass boilers will use sustainable biomass fuels to generate heat, contributing to a 20 per cent renewable energy target across Olympic Park and zero carbon renewable energy sources used such as biofuel. Of course both of these things are important and exciting new developments but the idea which really captured my imagination was the waste water scheme which proposes that waste water from the Olympic park and village will be used to cool the energy centre.

This means that the water used in the pool that Michael Phelps swam to gold in could then help to light the arena in which Chris Hoy powers to victory. The water that Usain Bolt’s pots and pans were washed in could then help run the timer that records his new world record.

An exciting prospect, no? And if it helps the environment and the green credentials of the games then this new power plant really should be given more publicity.

The centre is due to be completed in Spring 2010.

Pay attention to how little splash he makes. Incredible.

Kanye West Heads 2010’s Official Celebrity Dead Pool

By Dagrolord Del Oro- Special to Baron Munchausen’s Beat

1. Kanye West – Nobody’s lobbied harder.  Kill it before it grows.

2. Octomom – 8 embryo enterprise?  Monstrous.

3. Dr. Phil – Shot through the heart. And you’re to blame.You give love a bad name.

4. Michael Jackson -  Once is not enough.

5. Stephenie Meyer – Creator of Twilight.

6. Lady Gaga – Capital crimes of fashion.

7. Madonna – Frightening kids with those Cryptkeeper hands.

8. Jose Canseco – Mourners will think how lifelike Jose looks in his size 48 rat jacket.

9. Jim Cramer – Much ado about nothing.

10. J.K. Rowling  – For making us go back and re-read that chapter where Ron Weasley stole Dumbledore’s magic gerbils.

11. Sarah Palin – You don’t have to go gently into that good night Sarah, but you do have to go.

13. Fidel Castro – Just to include at least one like really old person.

14. Paris Hilton – Neuro-trash.

15. Amy Winehouse – Makes Paris Hilton seem on good behavior.

16. Mickey Rourke – Stop teasing us, already.

17. Mary-Kate Olsen – If only to stop her photo mill.

18. John Travolta – Parenting?  Not so much.

19. Joaquin Phoenix – Hiatus calling itself ‘Quit’.

20. Oprah – Two words- 1. Doctor.  2. Phil.

21. Victoria Beckham – C-word’s Folly.

22. Johnny Depp – Publicist leaked one ginormous gratuity too many.

23. Isiah Washington – Might want to avoid that ‘Bash’ he just invited you to.

24. Simon Cowell – Let’s see that self-loathing redirected back where it belongs.

25. Michael Phelps – Swim goggles, yes.  Microphones, no.

What the heck is taper anyway?!  Well, to taper means to “dial back” or take a break or rest right before your big meet.  It works best if you’ve been training hard, especially during a long season and now you are getting ready for your meet.  Athletes at the highest levels may do it once or twice a year, like for a national championship or world cup, while also doing mini “drop” tapers of 2 or three days before smaller meets.

Most coaches develop strong ideas about tapering as well as devising their own special formulas to get the most from their athletes. And what about Swimmerjoe?  Well, I, too, have my own ideas…In fact, I take it to the highest degree of rest. 

First:  Eat Properly

While tapering, you can’t eat the same way as you do when you are training hard. Why? Well, remember back to the infamous Michael Phelps’ diet as revealed during the Olympics…eating 10,000 calories a day! Most intense swimmers consume thousands of calories during the season and if they continue this during the restful stage, then the athlete runs the chance of gaining a few unneeded extra pounds for the main event. 

Taper Tip: Eat a bit less than usual, but make sure it is healthy with roughly 20-25% protein, 61-66% carbohydrates and 14% fats.  The better you eat, the faster you will go– you choose!

Second:  Rest Your Body

Your coach will take care of you in practice, but you must take care of yourself out of the pool as the meet gets closer.  Do not do extra things that may strain your body.  I see kids dial back their swimming while tapering, but out of the pool they are so wound up they spend all the stored energy doing things they shouldn’t.  They stay up late, play ball of some sort, walk to the malls or football games, etc.  Remember Ryan Lochte hurting his foot while skateboarding?

Taper Tip: If you are on taper, then truly be on taper! Use the ladder to get out of the pool, no need for the wall, don’t want to strain yourself!  Ask your parents do a few things for you around the house as the meet approaches. (Just don’t tell them I told you!)  Swim meets are extremely taxing mentally and physically so you need every bit of stored energy—the more you save the longer you will last at the days-long meets, such as Junior Olympics, Junior Nationals, Senior Nationals and Olympic Trials.  Rest! Rest! Rest!

Third:  Get Flexible

Stretch as much as you can!  It helps in numerous ways that allow you swim at your highest level.  Stretching can reduce muscle tension, increase the range of movement in the joints (much needed in swimming), enhance muscular coordination, increase circulation of the blood to various parts of the body, and increase energy levels (resulting from increased circulation).  Stretching also help you at the end of your race…you know when you bind up at the end?  Stretching will help alleviate that tremendously!

Taper Tip: Stretch throughout the season but don’t let up during taper. This expends little energy, so stretch as much as you want without overstretching the muscles to the point of injury.

Fourth:  Finish the Unfinished

During your last three weeks before your meet, clean up all loose ends on your stroke technique, turns, starts, body position, training, etc.  Allow your coach to really focus on these to prepare you for the big event. Speaking of training, you have to swim every workout like it’s your last, going as hard as you can, including the last few days during taper.  Easy speed will show up and you won’t fail during the end of your races in the 200 or above races.  If you do this while doing the first three steps, you will be untouchable!

Taper Tip:  Come to practice and concentrate on one set at a time, not the entire practice.  When you work on one set, skill or strategy and conquer it, go to the next and do the same.

Coaches’ Dilemma: The Fine Line

Coaches and swimmers always watch that fine line, whether they know it or not. This means they watch the line that has you and your coach hanging on to the yardage (so you can finish your races) as well as the highest level of rest.  This is a tricky formula of how much to do of each to create your best and quickest speed at the meet.  That is the constant guessing game we all play….although some coaches are very good at it!

Another thing that plays into perspective is the amount of muscle an athlete has versus another—this means not everyone’s rest will be the same.  More muscle = more rest, less muscle = less rest.  (Another game we play and figure out!) 

And you thought tapering just meant easier practices….oh please!

Como continuación de un post anterior me ha parecido interesante hablar del posicionamiento de la marca basándome en la misma fuente   —The Blake Project— y una publicación en su blog, dedicada al taller de un día que ofrecen a sus clientes para conseguir el consenso entre el equipo de gerencia de la empresa y el de marketing, en solamente cuatro aspectos de la marca, que consideran esenciales: consumidores target, esencia, promesa y personalidad. Y también en las definiciones que sus expertos tienen de los conceptos de marketing (mucho de ellos nuevos) que se usan en su estructura.

Estas definiciones pasan por identificar, analizar y seleccionar las audiencias target de la marca, el marco de referencia competitivo, y los beneficios clave para el consumidor (funcionales u operativos, emotivos, experimentales y auto-expresivos —o de expresión de la personalidad—) y se centran en el desarrollo de la esencia de la marca, de su promesa y de su personalidad. Se aseguran al mismo tiempo que se haya escogido adueñarse(1) de los beneficios mas poderosos y que se han desarrollado los “proof points” o puntos de prueba y las “reasons to believe” o razones para creer (lo que P&G llamó siempre “reason why”) para respaldar esos beneficios.

Nada de esto es nuevo ni espectacular. Pero encuentro que está muy bien organizado y puntualizado, y por lo tanto puede ser una buena guía para algún lector que esté enfrascado en la determinación del posicionamiento de su marca. Lo voy a complementar, además, con una serie de definiciones de conceptos que a veces solo son lo mismo definido de distinta manera para darle el sello de quien lo definió: casi siempre una consultora.

El beneficio primario de la marca debe cumplir los siguientes requisitos:

• ser extremadamente importante para la(s) audiencia(s) target.
• que la organización tenga competencias o capacidades únicas, sostenibles (e intención estratégica de mantener dichas competencias).
• que los competidores no estén explotando ese beneficio o no les resulte fácil hacerlo en el futuro.
• cualquiera que sea el beneficio escogido, debe ser único, convincente, motivador, comprensible y creíble.

No es fácil cumplir con todos estos requisitos, y menos en un mundo de competencia desbordante en el que la ventaja tecnológica es rápidamente alcanzada, cuando no superada, por alguno de los competidores. Pero ese es el reto y el riesgo. Y hay que acercarse lo mas posible a cumplirlo: el premio es grande.

Los de The Blake Project dicen que para hacer la comunicación fluida entre los participantes al taller —muchos de los cuales no son gente de marketing— se les envía información por adelantado y antes del seminario se les hace llegar un cuestionario diseñado para provocar la reflexión sobre los elementos del posicionamiento de una marca, además de invitar a otras personas que no irán al taller a enviar su colaboración. Esto permite ayudar a que los que manejan el taller a entender la manera de pensar del personal clave, antes de empezar.

Los elementos que utilizan para lograr que los participantes usen el mismo lenguaje durante el taller son:

• asegurarse de que entienden los cinco elementos impulsores de la brand insistence(2) o insistencia de marca; es decir, la lealtad absoluta a la marca y objetivo final y definitivo, que son: awareness, relevant differentiation, value, accessibility y emotional connection (todos definidos en el post anterior)
• asegurarse de que conocen la diferencia (a veces sutil y a veces inexistente) entre términos tales como unique value proposition, essence, mantra, promise, personality, associations y position. Términos que definiré inmediatamente.

Unique Value Proposition: la proposición de value que se le haga al consumidor, que si está correctamente establecida será evidente para el consumidor, fácil de establecer y única o en cualquier caso muy difícil de copiar.

La definición de value la hemos dado en distintos posts. Por ejemplo en el pie de página Nº 1 de éste post anterior. Es, dicen algunos autores explicando lo que es value, una definición concisa, en el lenguaje de la audiencia, totalmente enfocada en sus necesidades, sus problemas (y, agrego yo, en el cubrimiento o solución de los mismos). Es también, el análisis y estipulación cuantificada de los beneficios, costos y value que una organización le propone a sus clientes.

Brand Essence: es la promesa de la marca sintetizada en una palabra según Ries o Trout (ver 1) o, alternativamente, es en una corta expresión de dos o tres palabras que, de acuerdo con Derrick Daye de The Blake Project, captura el corazón y el alma de la marca. Es simple concisa, un deseo realizable, intemporal, resistente y extensible. No es un tag line o un slogan sino más bien lo primero que un empleado podría decirle a otro, en una conversación “de ascensor”, para describir la marca “Todo lo que esta marca es …” .

Mientras que el posicionamiento de una marca puede cambiar de un país al otro, y mientras que las campañas de publicidad cambian a lo largo del tiempo, como el carácter de una persona, la esencia de la marca será, básicamente, siempre la misma.

Ejemplos de brand essence:

Nike: performance atlética auténtica (Authentic Athletic Performance)

Hallmark: Afecto compartido (Caring Shared)

Disney: entretenimiento divertido para la familia (Fun Family Entertainment)

Disneyworld: Diversión Mágica (Magical Fun)

Red Bull: una bebida energética (An energy drink)

Starbucks:  Recompensando los momentos de cada día  (Rewarding Everyday Moments)

Volvo: un auto seguro (The safest car).

BMW: un auto divertido de conducir (A car that’s fun to drive).

Barilla: La pasta Nº1 de Italia  (Italy’s No. 1 pasta).

Rolex: Un reloj caro (An expensive watch).

La esencia de la marca ni es, ni necesariamente hace parte del slogan o tag line (aunque a veces sí), pero es absolutamente crucial para hacerse camino y quedar sembrada en la mente del consumidor estableciendo un posicionamiento para la marca.

Brand mantra: con este término entramos al terreno resbaladizo de la semántica cuando no, en el mas resbaladizo aún de las definiciones propias de algunas agencias y empresas asesoras, que cada una le llama de manera distinta a lo que es esencialmente lo mismo, dándole una descripción ligeramente distinta y un matiz personal, para ponerle su sello corporativo particular.

Dicen de que es el código genético de la marca (¿otra forma de llamarle al ”corazón y el alma de la marca” y que se trata de las tres palabras (por lo menos en inglés) que definen la idea central de lo que la marca representa, resumiendo con precisión la esencia de la marca ( la esencia que de por sí parece ser lo mismo).

Lo mismo se llama además de distintas formas según el buen saber y entender de cada autor. Por ejemplo, además de Mantra y  Essence, Print o Core Promise.

Kevin Keller, experto en marcas y autor de Strategic Brand Management, fue el autor del término mantra. Acudamos a sus palabras para tener la definición exacta que de camino y por lo completa, servirá para las demás palabras que implican esencialmente lo mismo:

“El mantra refuerza el rol de la esencia de la marca en la comunicación interna y “debe definir la categoría de negocio para la marca y establecer sus límites. También debe establecer claramente qué cosa de la marca, es único. Debe ser memorable. Como resultado debe transmitir un significado corto, nítido/claro y vívido. Idealmente el mantra debería también ser personalmente significativo y relevante (o pertinente) para tantos empleados de la empresa como sea posible”.

Keller es incluso mas preciso y da la función que debe cumplir cada una de las palabras que conforman un mantra. Y pone un ejemplo que usaré para explicarlo.

Propone tres palabras, cada una con una función distinta.

Dejo el cuadro sin traducir porque son palabras muy comúnmente usadas y los dos ejemplos ya los di cuando explicaba Brand Essence:

Dice Keller que la Brand Function describe el tipo de servicio o beneficio de la misma. El Descriptive Modifier es la respuesta a “no solo de cualquier tipo” y que el Emotional Modifier describe la naturaleza cualitativa de cómo es que la marca proporciona el beneficio.

Nike ha descrito su marca como Authentic Athletic Performance a modo de barreras de protección (como las que existen en las curvas para evitar que los autos derrapen y se salgan de la pista) para mantener a la marca por buen rumbo. Cuando lanzaron  el concepto en Europa, descubrieron que el mantra tenía un significado diferente para las audiencias europeas: tenía que involucrar de manera significativa al fútbol.

Disney, por su parte, declinó colaborar con su marca en un fondo mutuo europeo diseñado para las familias a pesar de la asociación tan consistente con el término familia, porque le faltaba el modificador emocional “fun” / diversión, del que los fondos mutuos tienen muy poco.

Las razones para tener un mantra (o como quiera llamársele, realmente):

• que todo el mundo esté “en la misma onda” habida cuenta de que se evidencia lo poco que  los responsables (incluida la gerencia) saben de la marca, cuando se les pide ponerlo en claro por escrito
• Nos obliga a expresar o plantear los lineamientos claros de la marca. Si no podemos hacerlo ¿cómo vamos a esperar que los consumidores lo hagan?
• Nos permite tener una base sobre la cual estructurar un diálogo con nuestros consumidores en las investigaciones que llevemos a cabo, como Guía de Discusión para los focus groups — ¿sobre qué es que deberíamos hablar?.
• Facilita el desarrollo de nuevos productos al definir las fronteras (o parámetros) establecidas para la marca. Aún cuando una extensión de marca puede entrar en conflicto con el mantra, por lo menos se podrá saber qué efecto tiene en sus percepciones.
• Asegura continuidad si la marca la toma personal nuevo.
• Guía la comunicación: si algo resulta discordante es con frecuencia porque hay algo conflictivo con la esencia.
• Ayuda a darle profundidad a la marca, mostrándole a las partes implicadas (stakeholders) que hay mas detrás de la marca de lo que ellos ven.

Brand promise: es, según Brad VanAuken, de The Blake Project, una frase que comunica aquello de lo que la marca intenta hacerse dueña en la mente del consumidor target. VanAuken prefiere explicarlo con una fórmula “Solamente (la marca) proporciona (el beneficio único) al (consumidor target)”. La promesa de una marca debe ser comprensible, creíble, unica/diferenciadora, convincente/persuasiva, admirable/digna de elogio y atractiva.

El beneficio ideal a reivindicar en una promesa de marca debe tener las siguientes calidades: (1) ser extremadamente importante para el consumidor target,(2) la organización detrás de la marca, ser idónea para estar a la altura de la misma y (3) los competidores no estar en esa posición (ni resultarles fácil estar en ella en el futuro).

El proceso que siguen en The Blake Project para identificar el beneficio óptimo de la marca es:

• Revisar toda la investigación previa existente sobre el producto y la marca
• Llevar a cabo investigación cualitativa (focus groups, etc.) para entender mejor las actitudes, valores, necesidades, deseos, temores y preocupaciones del consumidor target, especialmente en lo relacionado con la categoría de la marca del producto / servicio.
• En el proceso de la investigación, se desarrollan varios enunciados de beneficios y se les presentan reiterativamente a los consumidores target para tener una impresión de cuales son los mas convincentes.
• Se hace una lista con 20-40 posibles beneficios.
• Se lleva a cabo una investigación cuantitativa para darle orden de magnitud a cada uno de los posibles beneficios de cara al consumidor target al mismo tiempo que se miden las percepciones del consumidor respecto a cómo responden tanto la marca en cuestión, como la de cada uno de los competidores frente a estos beneficios (para identificar los beneficios mas importantes de los que la marca puede ser dueña).

Brand personality: Cada marca debería escoger intencionalmente una personalidad basada en las aspiraciones de la misma y en las percepciones actuales de sus usuarios. La personalidad se comunica usualmente en siete a nueve adjetivos que describen a la marca como si se tratase de una persona. La personalidad de la marca puede estar relacionada con la personalidad y valores del fundador de la organización, del actual líder o de los clientes/miembros/usuarios más entusiastas de la misma. También puede responder a un bien urdido diseño del posicionamiento y hasta a una combinación de todo o parte de lo anterior.

Algunos atributos usualmente utilizados (dependiendo de las categorías) que poseen las marcas mas sólidas son: fidedigna, auténtica, confiable (siempre puedo contar con [la marca]), admirable, honesta, sirve de soporte a algo (específicamente algo importante para el consumidor), agradable, popular, única, creíble, relevante, prodiga alta calidad, productos que funcionan bien y servicios, orientada al servicio, innovadora.

Otra manera de verlo es “lo que diría de sí misma la marca, si pudiese hablar”. Es decir una guía o documento que personifique las características distinguibles de la marca que sean consistentes y únicas. La marca terminará por representar un conjunto de beneficios funcionales en las mentes de los consumidores reales y potenciales. Por lo tanto durante la definición de la personalidad, se debe integrar el conjunto de beneficios, el value que representa para los consumidores. Hay que tener en cuenta que la marca está respaldada, además de por los beneficios funcionales, por aquellos que son estrictamente emocionales y que ambos terminan siendo la base del posicionamiento de la misma.

Brand associations: Mas que “asociaciones de la marca” (o a la marca) este tema podría llamarse “consistencia y coherencia” porque tiene que ver con mantener la consistencia del posicionamiento a lo largo del tiempo y que todo lo que se asocie con la marca mantenga la coherencia con él. Se entiende que en las marcas globales esto es mucho mas difícil de manejar porque hay que cuidar desde la coherencia entre lo que se ofrece y lo que se le entrega finalmente al consumidor, hasta la selección de los personajes que eventualmente serán símbolo de la marca.

Lo primero es una tarea previa: no se puede organizar una campaña de marketing que comunique algo que la marca no puede dar. Hay un caso clásico en este aspecto: British Airways montó una campaña alrededor del concepto “bringing families together” (uniendo a las familias), pero la realidad les probó que miles de pasajeros pasaban muchas horas en terminales abarrotados de gente, lejos de sus destinos y sometidos a importantes retrasos. Lo segundo tiene que ver no solamente con escoger correctamente al personaje sino además con reaccionar rápidamente a cualquier desliz del personaje. Michael Phelps, ganador de 8 medallas de oro en los Juegos Olímpicos de Pekín y de 6 en los de Atenas, tenía un contrato de imagen con Kellogg y otro con Subway. El tabloide “News of the World”  lo fotografió fumando marihuana. Eso causó la cancelación de su contrato por parte de Kellogg, por comportamiento no consistente con la imagen de la marca”, mientras que Subway lo perdonó aceptando sus disculpas y declarándose decepcionado “como el pueblo norteamericano y el propio Phelps”.

Por otro lado, ciertas empresas, P&G entre ellas, tienen un código muy estricto y no participan en programas en los que considere que el léxico, la gesticulación o el tema son inapropiados para que sean asociados a cualquiera de sus marcas. Ese incluye no solo no patrocinarlos sino ni siquiera dejar que algún comercial ingrese en sus tandas.

Brand position No es otra cosa que Brand Positioning.

Personalmente pienso que esos pasos (que son de la misma fuente: el blog de The Blake Project) son arbitrarios. En cualquier caso los pasos siempre van desde el desconocimiento de la marca hasta no aceptar otra ni siquiera en ausencia de ésta, pasando previamente por awareness (o conocimiento, percepción y recordación), la prueba (trial), la repetición de compra y la adopción como marca regular o preferida (regular usage) . Y que se dan en distinto nivel dependiendo de las marcas y de los individuos.

—————————–

(1) adueñarse de una palabra (o adueñarse de un concepto simplemente expresado: dos o tres palabras) es una expresión de Ries y de Trout que implica ser el primero en explotar esa palabra-concepto y seguir explotándola con coherencia y perseverancia para mantenerse como su dueño en la mente del consumidor. Lo decían ya en la serie de artículos que publicaron en 1972 en Advertising Age y que dieron nacimiento al concepto de Positioning en 1972: “The Positioning Era Cometh”.

Es mas, la quinta ley inmutable del branding según Ries es “La ley de la palabra (o el concepto)” que dice que “una marca debe ser dueña de una palabra (o un concepto) en la mente del consumidor”. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand. A esa palabra se le llama también Brand Essence o esencia de la marca.

(2) brand insistence: es la meta final. La marca es percibida como la única solución viable para las necesidades del consumidor. No busca ni desea sustituirla con ninguna otra, si la marca no está disponible. Son siete los pasos hasta alcanzar la brand insistente:

–         Nunca escogería esa marca.

–         No he oído jamás mencionar esa marca.

–         He oído mencionar esa marca pero no sé mucho de ella.

–         No es una de mis marcas preferidas pero la probaría bajo ciertas circunstancias.

–         No es una de mis marcas preferidas pero por lo que he oído recientemente de ella me gustaría probarla / probarla nuevamente.

–         Es una de mis marcas favoritas.

–         Es la única marca que consideraría comprar.

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The definition of yelling is:

v., yelled, yell·ing, yells. v.intr.
To cry out loudly, as in pain, fright, surprise, or enthusiasm.

v.tr.
To utter or express with a loud cry. See synonyms at shout.

n.

1. A loud cry; a shout.
2. A rhythmic cheer uttered or chanted in unison.

[Middle English yellen, from Old English giellan, gellan.]

Now forget all of that sissy nonsense you just read about rhythm, cheering and crying, that shit is gay. You should focus on the origin of the word, Yellen, from the Old English word, gellan. Which would mean that gellan is the root of it all. The only thing that I can think of when I say gellan is Magellan. And you know what I think of when I hear Magellan? Ferdinand Magellan.

Why is Ferdinand Magellan awesome?

He was a fucking Portuguese explorer. He was born in 1480 which means that he probably had lots of diseases and body hair which by default makes him awesome. He was also basically a pirate since he spent all of his time on a ship and kicking ass.  The most epic journey he went on was to find the spice islands (You know, those Asian islands, that dip-shit Christopher Columbus couldn’t locate?). Not only is that cool because he kicked Christopher Columbus’ ass* but he also found a chain of islands full of hot naked Asians with huge boobs. That is fact.  Magellan’s expedition was also the first to circumnavigate the globe. Like that’s a big deal, right?

There was also that stupid ass dragon, Magellan. I guess he wasn’t too bad aside from looking really fucking goofy and hanging out with a bunch of retards inside a fake castle.

There are lots of other reasons yelling is awesome. Here are a few of them:

1. It gets everyone’s attention at exactly the right time **

2. It lets people know that you mean business and they had better get the hell out of your way before you bludgeon them with something that will leave a scar forever.

3. It relieves tension. High blood pressure and anxiety kill thousands of people every year just because they are too pussy to yell when it is necessary.

4. It makes babies stop crying.

5. It lets people know that you disapprove of their actions. This is perfect for use when driving around a bunch of fuck asses who don’t use signals and text while driving.

6. It lets people know that you just kicked five tons of ass.

Here are a few examples of proper execution:

A) Take a look at the recipient’s face and then take a look at the donor’s face. It’s pretty clear who is in charge in this situation.

B) This man makes ingenious use of the megaphone to let his girlfriend know that she is being a fucking retard.

C) This dominant black male is letting the smaller, more fragile, ginger know that he does not like his stupid red wife beater or his disgusting red hair.

D) This is a perfect example of  a victory yell. Almost like a war cry but not quite as deadly. Instead of saying, “I’M GOING TO CUT YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!!” It says, “I JUST BEAT YOUR SHITTY WORLD RECORD BECAUSE I AM ALL THAT IS MAN AND YES, I FUCKING SMOKE POT, NOW SUCK THIS DICK, MOTHERFUCKER” It can be pretty intense. Some people might bleed from the ears. Others may cry like they have just seen a lion roaring over the vast plains of Africa to let all inhabitants know that he is the king of this shit. It really just depends.

Now go fulfill your destiny, yell at and about everything.

* He actually never physically kicked Christopher Columbus' ass. He also never found the Spice Islands
but he probably would have if he had not died. 

** It usually gets their attention at the wrong times as well.

Tune into Elevation Radio this Friday afternoon to hear my interview with internationally renowned swimmer, and 2008 Olympic Gold medalist Cullen Jones. Cullen will be on the program to discuss being a part of the Gold Medal winning 4×100 relay team with Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak, and Garrett Weber-Gale, being a hero to the African-American community, and his new foundation devoted to promoting swimming within minority communities.

Cullen was a part of the amazing 4X100 relay race, where USA had the amazing comeback to nose out the French. Listen in!

I’ll also be discussing all the latest news on Brock Lesnar, UFC 105, NFL, and anything else going on.

We’ll be on from 12 to about 1 something. Cullen is joining me at 12:30. Its a really huge get, so enjoy the show.

Elevation Radio with Cullen Jones

Your calls welcome at 646 716 5746.

Cullen prepares for his huge appearance on Elevation Radio

After yesterday´s comment on the fake world records in swimming, it is time to praise the arguably best swimmer in the world: Michael Phelps. But not for his achievments in sports, which are without a doubt stunning, but for his athletisism and future thinking.

He also started in Berlin today but despite the drive towards new records, he decided to make a statement: Michael Phelps swam in casual, textil bathing drawers! What happened in his 200 metre individual medley race just proved yesterday´s point of view: Michael Phelps did not win the race! For anybody who is not as familiar with the world of swimming races, this is comparable to neither Nadal or Federer winning a Grand Slam in Tennis or Olympique Lyonnais not claiming the French football title (which happened last season). However, this shows the real athlete in Michael Phelps and he deserves to be praised for it. Whilst all other swimmers try to achieve one FAKE world record after another, he concentrates on his performances and not the performance of his swim suit. This will lead to an increased performance from next year when all his rivals will probably ask themselves why they are not as good anymore without the swimsuit. Phelps is not even bothered about it, he knows that the future of swimming will take place without scientific help and he will be the best again as soon as the battle for the best material is over. Therefore today´s headlines “Michael Phelps did not win!” are quite sensational because from next year, newspapers will save one-word-ink  in their titles.

In the meantime other swimmers broke the world records number 15 and 16 only at the single weekend in Berlin! The media praise the athletes and they celebrate their achievements… or their swimsuits?

Found this on a YouTube video. It’s Michael Phelps with a disgusting mustache that makes me want to mouthpuke.

A cheap 1970s porno called. They want they’re ’stache back. Oh. And they also made a comment about your drug habits, laughed and hung up.

Je ne prétends aucune comparaison avec Michaël Phelps, ni physiquement, ni en performances aquatiques. Cependant, je ne me trouve pas si mal que cela. Je parle bien sûr des performances.

Depuis un mois environ que je traîne mon slip de bain à la piscine quasiment tous les soirs (beh oui … le naturisme, ça n’fonctionne pas trop à la piscine municipale), je m’aperçois des progrès énOOOrmes que j’ai effectués.

J’ai enfin trouvé mon rythme respiratoire, je ne m’arrête plus au bout de deux longueurs. Au contraire, je fais un sprint – façon de parler – sur 10 longueurs, puis une petite pause, et je recommence ensuite 4 fois de suite. 40 longueurs en tout, 1000 mètres. Pour l’instant ça me suffit ! Je veux juste accélérer chaque tranche et donner un maximum de puissance. Brûler des calories, faire un peu de muscle. Avec une bonne et saine alimentation derrière, le tonus et la forme semblent me redonner la pêche, en tout cas de la volonté et de la ténacité.

Juste un petit problème technique. Mes lunettes de piscine ne sont pas très étanches. Cela me procure beaucoup de gène. Il va falloir que je règle ce petit détail.

Bien sûr, faut pas que j’oublie mon âme … Elle aussi, a besoin d’un bon entretien, spirituel cette fois-ci.

November 13, 2029—Michael Phelps’ upcoming autobiography contains a shocking admission that he never actually used illegal drugs during his storied career in competitive swimming.

According to an excerpt of the autobiography, “Wet,” published today in Googlenews.com, the 14-time Olympic gold medalist says he actually leaked a fake photo to a British tabloid in 2009 showing him using a bong to smoke marijuana (then a controlled substance).  USA Swimming subsequently suspended him from swimming for three months.

“I thought I could eventually sell more copies of my memoirs if I had a blemish on my image that I could talk about in detail,” Phelps confesses. “I figured people would want to read about how ashamed and humiliated I was.”

He said he later sent a letter to USA Swimming admitting that he faked the photo for money-making purposes, but that the organization ignored his confession because it wanted to convince the public that it was cracking down on illegal drug use in the sport.

Retired tennis pro Andre Agassi, who wrote a 2009 autobiography in which he admitted to illegal drug use during his career, issued a statement sharply criticizing Phelps.

“I think Michael has learned that over the years that celebrities who admit to past drug use—myself, LeBron James, Bill Clinton—are a dime a dozen,” Agassi said. “So he’s decided to cash in by claiming to have faked bad behavior instead of actually having engaged in it. To me he’s right up there with [actor] David Duchovny.”

Agassi was referring to longstanding rumors that Duchovny lied about being a recovering sex addict back in 2008 in order to boost ratings for his TV show, “Californication,” in which he played a sex addict.

Le labo m’a envoyé le rapport de mon analyse même si je savais déjà le résultat.

Ça a l’air qu’ils en ont vu un paquet de comme ça

No wonder sti!!

Because this woman would destroy both of you combined.

I would like to see him and Tim Lincecum go at it for biggest bong rip…but instead, he is making putts…

Art

Olympics Team of Monkeys By Yonatan Frimer

I drew this maze after seeing Michael Phelps win a fistful of gold medals. It took me a good 18 hours to draw and is the size of an a5 sheet of paper.

To solve the maze, find the arrows that depict the entrances and exits and find the path that connects them.

More mazes can be found at inkblotmazes.com and teamofmonkeys.com

Anyone that knows me remembers my wild rants about me disliking American hero Micahel Phelps back during the Olympics. Yes, I remember that he won 8 gold medals. Yes, I know he has won 14 all together. Yes, I know that apparently this makes you godly in America.

But what I also know is that this poseidon failed to qualify for 2 out of 3 finals in this years World Cup in Sweden. Phelps finished 16th in the 100 freestyle, was disqualified in the 100 backstroke, but qualified seventh in the 100 medley.

His excuse? His bathing suit.

His weakness is: the non-polyurethane swimsuits (old-style swim suit). His competitors smoked him wearing the high-tech suits that dominated the swimming world this past year (but are being banned starting January 2010). He changed suits to prepare himself.

But you can’t blame a suit for 15 guys beating him out! Other contributing factors?

• It was a short course meet: Phelp’s forte is the 50 meter pools not the 25
• Out of shape: not only is his first big meet not until August–Phelps even admitted prior to the race that he was out of shape
• and uh, yeah, the suit: there’s a reason those suits wereonly used in 100 races last year–that’s a lowest world record for them!

But give it 51 days and no one will be wearing that troublesome suit anymore either!

Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps had to settle for only a bronze Tuesday, after the swimmer decided to leave his high-tech swimsuit at home. The 24-year-old athlete failed to qualify for the finals in two of his three races in the World Cup at Stockho

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I read an article the other day that I found incredible. It was written byMatt Erlenbusch, MS, RD.   The article says what I have thought for years, but it was great to hear it coming from a certified dietician and Ironman triathlete.  Here’s the link to the article, go read it:

http://www.powerbar.com/articles/64/Facts_Versus_Fears.aspx

Here are some of the highlights:

On Michael Phelps 10,000 calorie diet, “Assuming this staggering calorie number is true, it certainly seems to work for him. His intense training regimen allows him to pull this feat off. Phelps leads a very extraordinary lifestyle, but you probably know someone who trains almost as intensely, too. How many of the intense exercisers that you know consume even one-third of what Phelps does? And, more to the point, how many of them have results like Phelps? Regardless, the fact is that Phelps consumes the number of calories that he needs to fuel his body, given his intense workout regimen.”

He goes on, “In their never-ending pursuit of those realities, the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada and The American College of Sports Medicine published a joint statement in 2000 entitled Nutrition and Athletic Performance. It states:

“Meeting energy needs is the first nutrition priority for athletes. Achieving energy balance is essential for the maintenance of lean tissue mass, immune and reproductive functions, and optimum athletic performance. Inadequate energy intake relative to energy expenditure compromises performance and the benefits associated with training. With limited energy intake, fat and lean tissue mass will be used by the body for fuel. Loss of muscle results in the loss of strength and endurance.”

You will not find a clearer message from a more respected organization anywhere. The reason you devote grueling hours to training for your sport is to build strength and endurance. Don’t undermine your efforts by doing what the world’s experts explicitly tell us will erode our strength and endurance.

The laws of physics are very clear on this: Calories-in must equal calories-burned to maintain the same weight. If calories-in are less than calories-burned, weight will decrease. If a calorie-restricting athlete has no extra weight to lose, strength and endurance — and ultimately performance — will suffer, as my aforementioned triathlete acquaintance had found. If the athlete is at a healthy weight, matching intake to output is nutritionally superior, as Phelps so masterfully demonstrated at the Olympics.

Real Clarity
If peak performance is the rationale behind the nearly all-day training lifestyle, why do athletes regularly defy science and restrict calories below their factual needs.”

If you are working out hard, looking to make gains, and trying to achieve your goals, you need to fuel your body for that.  Working out 3 hours a day and eating 2,000 calories with affect you NEGATIVELY.  Wonder why you haven’t gotten faster or stronger?  Take the advice from Matt and Phelps: 12 gold medals and like 8 world records (or something like that right?) plus strapping muscles and abs?  I think he’s doing something right.

Phelps is a stellar athlete training hard, he NEEDS that fuel.

  I have struggled with an eating disorder myself since about 10th grade of high school (I’m 23 now).  While I have made huge strides in my recovery since then (even going to an in-patient rehab clinic at one point) I still do battle with anorexic thoughts and habits everyday. 

  I have been doing triathlons the 4 or 5 years now and love them, but still battle with trying to find the right balance of training, nutrition, weight lifting, and enjoying life.

I want to thank Matt Erlenbusch for writing this article and I suggest everyone read and think about its message.

God Bless

I see naked people...Walking around like regular people...They don't know they're naked.

Ever heard of the Nude Olympics? I guess there is such a competition; this has actually been going on for close to 20 years. Here’s one of the original commercials advertising it as “The Start of Something Big.” Whoever came up with that pitch is a either stupid or a genius. Greeks just seemed to love naked bodies.

Look at all of those sculptures. Everyone is always naked. It’s an obsession.

What is the purpose for the nakedness? History. Back in the day, no one was rocking Nike or Adidas. The Michael Phelps and Milorad Cavic’s of the world were not fighting over Speedo LZR Racers. They were skinny-dipping. Imagine if we still had the Olympics done with naked athletes? That would make for some great television. Female sports would have no problem earning solid ratings or drawing crowds. And so many more women out there would become constant coverage followers.

I mean, listen, history is history. If we really value records and numbers, then why hasn’t this been addressed? I bet Phelps 1,398 world records could all be .0000000000001 faster is he was becoming one with the water.

And what about Jennie Finch? I bet all of those clothes give so much added resistance when she pitches. Let’s start a petition. We want to see 84 MPH instead of 83.9!

The only problem with this is that I am a huge track and field fan. I am a fiend for 100-yard dashes. But, there’s no way I’m watching the men’s race if it’s a naked dash. Will Ferrell in Old School was quite enough.

Carrie Prejean showed definite signals of deception on Hannity’s show when she said she was a teenager when she made her sex tape. She then tried to convince everyone that she made it for a boyfriend with whom she was so in love. But her body language tells told the truth. They gave her way. Fiddling with her hair, looking down, shaking her head “no” when she should be shaking it “yes” she showed major signs of deception when Hannity says “this is when you were a teenager?

“ THAT’S HOW WAS RAISED!”

So what if she did it when she was a teenager (which her body language says she didn’t) she should have known this was wrong. And what was an underage teenager doing making a sex tape of herself? Is that how she was raised?
This is the same young woman who said in front of millions of people watching the Miss USA Pageant that she does not believe in gays marrying because “that’s how I was raised.” Was she raised to make a porn tape of herself engaged in auto erotocisim?” Was she raised to bear her breasts in photos which surfaced after the pageant fiasco?

When I first heard Carrie Prejean’s holier than thou answer at the Miss America pageant “I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman,” I thought, well, that’s her opinion and she is entitled to it. But then when she added “No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised,” my ears perked up. When someone says “no offense to anyone out there,” they know they have offended. And when one brings up how they were raised, they aren’t taking responsibility for their own actions, and shifting the responsibility on to a third party- their family. Usually there is some hypocrisy involved. Now we have seen this former beauty queen’s hypocrisy surface up close and personal.

SHE’S ONLY UPSET SHE GOT CAUGHT

In a defensive tone with a scrunched up nose and look of disgust on her face, she says in a monotone not sincere voice that “it is the biggest mistake of my life” No it’s not! The biggest mistake of her life was that she got caught doing the sex tape and she got busted Her trying to justify the existence of the tape is repulsive as she says she was by herself and opening her eyes wide as if trying to get Hannity and the audience to believe her says” I Never did I think it would come out.” Once again she opens her eyes wide as if trying to convince Sean, and in her monotone continues to say It was bad judgment. She was completely insincere in her tone. It was only bad judgment because she got caught.

FORMER BEAUTY QUEENS AND JUDGES KNOW THE DRILL

As a former beauty pageant winner when I was younger I know a lot of what goes on behind the scenes in these pageants. As a former judge in the Miss USA Pageant, I know even more. I know that you have to sign a lot of papers stating that you have never been involved in anything that could embarrass the company or the pageant. I know that if you sign these papars and something surfaces, you are out because you nullified your contract by lying and not coming clean.

In a pageant as big as Miss USA/ Miss Universe you better come clean. The last thing they need is a scandal after all of their embarrassments thus far. They need to preserve the brand and if you sully it with a sex tape, that is not doing your duty to preserve and enhance the brand as Donald trump would agree. But Donald is really a good guy and he tries to play fair and five people second chances as he did with the last Miss USA who had an alcohol issue. Donald even defended Ms. Prejean initially. If Donald said it was OK then it was OK with me. But then this ex Miss California gave a speech that made me want to vomit in my mouth. When she talked about her grandfather dying for his right to speak and his freedoms I knew this “holier than thou”” look at me I am a victim because that awful gay beast PerezHilton did this to me, ” I immediately knew something was amiss.

PEREZ MUST HAVE READ THE “TELLS”

So did Perez Hilton. He’s a pretty sharp guy and went after her with a vengeance. I don’t think it only about the fact that she didn’t believe in gay marriage, something that was so controversial in the state of California where it was permitted and then unpermitted.” I think Perez saw something in Ms. Prejean that we all see now- hypocrisy and a genuine ugliness of spirit, a whininess and a defensiveness. So he went after her with a bigger hatchet. Then things began to surface like photos of her showing her breasts. She fluffed it off to it being the wind that caused it! Pretty smart wind in California to only blow open your blouse and refuse to blow your hair. Then there was all this scandal about her not paying back the Miss California people who paid for her breast enhancement now that she was stripped of her Miss California title for not meeting her obligations and doing things without pageant officials permission.

IT’S ABOUT MISS CALIFORNIA, NOT MISS PRJEAN

That is a huge thing. When you sign away for being Miss whatever, you sign away your freedom, You have to be places where they want you, not where you want you. You need to get their OK to do anything you want to do on your own. Having been friends with Miss Universe Ceclia Bolocco definitely know how this works. This Chilean beauty had no life of her own during the year she was Miss Universe, She went to event after event, function after function- all Miss Universe realted. All of her press was Miss Universe related. She was representing Miss Universe- not Miss Bolocco. The same holds true to Ms. Prejean. It was Miss California that was being represented, not Miss Prejean.

Prejean was gallivanting here and there without pageant officials blessings so they canned her ands by the way they wanted their money back from the breast implants they provided. l She got upset and thought they canned her because of her anti-gay answer at the Miss Universe pageant and refused to pay. So they sued her and she sued them back. She quickly dropped her suit when she was shown her sex tape in the presence of her own mother- who by the way allegedly told her daughter that she should get pregnant by Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and that she would be set for life.
WIDE EYED “PLEASE, PLEASE BELIEVE ME AND FEEL SORRY FOR ME” FACIAL LANAGUAGE
With her eyes wide open Prejean say “ Its embarrassing. In yet another defensive tone says “ Its humiliating to talking about this now on national TV,” as she makes a disgusted face again crinking up her nose . Her tone and wide eyed expression indicate she is trying to garner sympathy. is as though she Then she has the audacity to say “Can you imagine? As oif she was a victim and it was done to her and poor her has to go on TV and defend herself. This is yet another sympathy garnering device on her part.

MORE DECEPTION,AND DEFENSIVENESS REVEALED IN HER FACIAL LANGUAGE ,
Then she speaks in the third person- another bad sign of detachment and NOT taking responsibility. She says “you just take responsibility for it and I am.” She subtly shakes her head no and crinkles her forehead . This facial gesture indicates that she is clearly not taking responsibility. This does not look like a facial gesture of contrition that she is sorry. Instead. it looks like a facial expression of “ I’m sorry I got caught.”

As she shakes her head no, justifying why she did the tape, she say “I was alone. I was sending it to my boyfriend who I was totally in love with. By the way, this is the second time she repeats herself Methinks THOU DOST PROTEST TOO MIUCH!

NO ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY
Now she brings up the age thing again saying as she shakes her head “no” while saying “When you are in love you think this is the one.” Here again she is not taking responsibility as she says” never did I think it would come and slap me in the face.”

WHAT!!!! Slap you in the face??? First of all what is IT?? IT is your making a tape and not telling officials that one was out there. It was the lying by omission. So, an old boyfriend released it? Why did you give it to him in the first place and if you were so young what were you doing making sex tapes for him? How old was this alleged boyfriend anyway? Was he with an underage girl? Was that underage girl YOU? IT didn’t do anything to you Carrie Prejean. You did IT to you. And this statement you just made indicates that you are not sorry. You are blaming IT , You are still hypocritically hiding behind the mask of being a holier than thou Christian, pointing the finger at everyone else, when there are 3 fingers pointing back at you.

Here’s the bottom line Nobody likes the following: Liars, Hypocrites, People Who Are Holier Than Thou and Hide Behind The Mask of Any Religion When They Don’t Walk the Walk, People Who Go on TV to Apologize When They Really Aren’t Sorry, and People that Blame IT’S when it is THEM!

The greatest Olympian in history won’t be waiting until January 1, 2010 when the new full-body suits are made illegal to abandon them. He’ll be swimming the 100 free, 100 back, 100 butterfly and 200 IM at the European World Cup event in Sweden.

The new rules will limit suits to just above the knee. “I think it took something out of swimming by having the suits added. It took away from the personal accomplishment.” Phelps said.

One advantage he will have is that the World Cup event is only a 25 meter pool, have of the regulation 50 meter size. Phelps is probably the best turner in the world and will be able to use that to his advantage.