Awesome article

Beth Sawyers posted an interesting article on ragan.com about how the word "awesome" is overused. She lists 45 alternatives.

Read it here.

Faux Facebook

How to combat phony Facebook profiles

Companies, Army generals and a city zoo battle the problem of false identities in social media.

By Russell Working | Posted: March 16, 2011

Oshkosh, Wisc., has a Facebook problem.

A cyber Grinch created a phony Facebook page for the city zoo and was sabotaging its annual Celebration of Lights, which runs from November to early January.

“It was purely malicious,” says city information technology director Tony Neumann. “They were periodically posting that it was closed, and they were indicating free admission this night or that night, which wasn’t the case.”

Oshkosh isn’t alone is its battle—unsuccessful, so far—to take down the bogus Facebook site. Imposters are using Facebook and other digital media to undermine organizations and smear the reputations of everyone from CEOs to four-star generals.

Read the rest of the article here.

History of Jewish Humor

Just in time for Purim, a fascinating history of Jewish humor.

Badkhn Belt? Jewish humor was born in 1661, prof says

Just in time for the Oscars: Rutland Herald Online

New app allows you to be a movie producer for only $1.99. Watch out Spielberg!

Just in time for the Oscars: Rutland Herald Online

Why did Palin choose "blood libel"?

C.W. Anderson, an assistant professor in the Department of Media Culture at the College of Staten Island (CUNY), wrote an excellent analysis of Sarah Palin's use of the term "blood libel" following the tragedy in Tuscon this weekend.

Anderson's article, “Blood libel”: How language evolves and spreads within online worlds," traces the evolution of the term in news accounts.

It appears that the term first appeared in some Internet accounts and then had the momentum to be used in the traditional media.

This is another example of the power of the Internet in shaping public discourse.

12 Famous Companies' Surprising Beginnings

Quick, when you think of Nokia, what immediately comes to mind? Cell phones, right? Most of us would be surprised to know that Nokia didn't start out in the mobile phone business. In fact, its roots go back to 1865 when it was involved in the "original" communications technology: paper. Yes, Nokia began as a wood pulp mill in southern Finland. It then entered the rubber business in 1898 (even making rubber boots!) and it wasn't until 1968 that it entered the mobile business.

But Nokia isn't the only company to have such a story. Here we take a look at 11 other popular companies that all have one thing in common: Surprising beginnings.

Read the whole story: Wallet Pop

Chicago's Tribune Co files reorganization plan

From Reuters....

Sat, Oct 23 2010

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tribune Co filed a reorganization plan late on Friday that will turn over control of the bankrupt newspaper publisher to its leading creditors including JPMorgan Chase & Co, Angelo Gordon & Co and Oaktree Capital Management.

The plan signals an important step toward the recovery of the media company -- which owns the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune -- from what Sam Zell, the real estate developer and architect of the 2007 leveraged buyout, called "the deal from hell."

Zell took the 163-year-old publisher and owner of 23 television stations private in a 2007 deal that loaded the company with more than $8 billion in debt. It filed for bankruptcy a year later, buckling under the weight of a heavy debt load and a severe decline in advertising revenue.

The reorganization plan was made public just hours after chief executive Randy Michaels, under fire from reports that he tolerated a sexist and hostile workplace, resigned.

Michaels was replaced by a committee of Don Liebentritt, the company's chief restructuring officer; Nils Larsen, its chief investment officer; Tony Hunter, the CEO of Chicago Tribune Co; and Eddy Hartenstein, the CEO of Los Angeles Times Communications LLC.

Larsen was also named chairman of Tribune Broadcasting.

However, the new management is unlikely to serve more than a few months.

Creditors have been in contact with media executives including Peter Chernin, former chief operating officer of News Corp, to become chairman, people familiar with the discussions said.

The new agreement combines two previously announced settlement offers from leading lenders and a group of unsecured creditors.

Some bondholders would receive $420 million, or 32.73 cents to the dollar, and interest in a litigation trust.

The plan requires the approval of the court and creditors.

The company expects operating cash flow for the full year 2010 to be $617 million, or $123 million higher than 2009.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey ruled on Friday to let a committee of unsecured creditors sue Zell, other executives and advisers.

Bondholders opposing the reorganization plan are girding for a fight.

Daniel Golden, an attorney representing hedge fund Aurelius Capital Management LP, said on Friday they planned to file a rival plan next week. Aurelius is among the largest holders with $1.3 billion of senior Tribune bonds.

(Reporting by Kenneth Li; editing by Jim Marshall)