Farewell PC Magazine

PC Magazine announced that it was ceasing production of its print magazine. I’ve seen a lot of print magazines come and go, but I have to admit, this caused me a little sadness.

I am old enough to remember the days when PC Magazine was the bible for quasi-geeks like me. I used to save issues that way my parents saved National Geographic, or my brothers saved Rolling Stone.

We were a large group composed of non-engineers who none the less were fascinated by technology. It was PC Magazine that taught me how to build my first computer. It was PC Magazine that taught me how to create my first network. It was PC Magazine that taught me how to write that formula to get MS Excel to do exactly what I wanted. We are the same people who thought the original Screen Savers with Leo Laporte was the best show on TV (Where else on television could you find out how to hack password files (in case you forgot yours, of course), copy DVDs (in case your originals were lost in a fire, of course) or make a stun gun out of a disposable camera (um…no excuse for that one other than it was really cool)).

Every week, I looked forward to John Dvorak complaining about Microsoft, video cards, new peripherals, John Dvorak complaining about Microsoft, year end predictions that never materialized, the hottest PC games, and John Dvorak complaining about Microsoft. I also will miss puzzling over why a tech magazine carried ads for a sex pillow and “dietary supplements.”

One of my few regrets in life was when I emailed PC Magazine suggesting that they focus more ink on covering the Internet and gaming. An editor wrote back saying that was a good idea and encouraged me to submit something. Of course, I was too busy/lazy to follow through. Sigh.

Times change, however, and PC Magazine began to lose both its audience and voice. As PC prices dropped, and more technology options became available, people became more concerned with what the box or software could actually do, and less concerned with how to tweak what they already have. Furthermore, I found myself less inclined to read a print review comparing 5 types of video cards when I could go online to compare 25 types.

The core problem for the print version of PC Magazine was that they could not serve the broader consumer market interested in digital cameras and HDTVs while maintaining their core tech audience.

They made a ill-conceived effort to try, however. In the second half of a recent issue, I read about an open port strategy for my router. The first part of the same issue had an article that breathlessly advised me that I “can get a free email account by going to mail.yahoo.com.” Really? Thanks PC Magazine!

The truth is I haven’t subscribed to PC Magazine for many years. The only time I would ever really read it is when I am flying-and I found less and less reason not to leave it in the seat pocket for the next person.

So farewell print version of PC Magazine. You had a good run. Now I just need to figure out what to read on airplanes.

The Worst Press Release in History??

So how does a company announce bad news like layoffs? Well, Nokia decided an approach where they hoped the reader would fall asleep before they finish reading the first line.


"Nokia Siemens Networks has completed the preliminary planning process to identify the proposed remaining headcount reductions necessary to reach its previously announced synergy-related headcount adjustment goal."

Open eye, insert needle.

Read the full press release train wreck if you dare.

Did John McCain hire the former Iraqi Information Minister?

Something tells me he did.

A Pitbull in Lipstick!!!

Councilman Jack Evans Uses Dead Wife to Solicit Votes

So I am sitting here at Flack U. headquarters in Washington, D.C. and I get a "robocall" from DC councilman Jack Evans, who is up for re-election next month. I stopped listening after the first, poorly read sentence.

"Hi this is councilman Jack Evans. Since my wife died 5 years ago, I know how hard it can be to balance budgets..."

WTF? I've always liked Evans and have voted for him a few times but this is bad.

First, it is in terrible taste. You got some bad campaign advice on this one.

Second, Evans also gets at least $240,000 from his employer, evil DC law firm Patton Boggs. I find it hard to believe that you know first hand how tough it is to keep to a budget.

Exxon Strikes Out

In PR circles, Exxon has always been something of the “crazy aunt in the basement that no one talks about” as Ross Perot would say. Exxon is arguably one of the worst received brands in America, and they have historically refused to invest any real resources in PR or reputation building. Their attitude has always been one of, "the only PR we need is good returns for our shareholders." And provide returns they certainly do, recently posting the largest corporate profits in US history.

How poorly do people perceive the brand? Well, at a recent Washington Nationals Game I attended, they did one of those silly little quizzes between innings. The person, of course, answered the lame question correctly and as a prize, everyone in the section received a $25 Exxon gas card.

If you think fans living in an era of $4 gas would be appreciative, think again. The jumbotron (the most awesome one in MLB, btw) clearly showed several people glancing at the gas cards and tossing them away, and more than a few boos were heard from the crowd. This company can’t even give away $25!!

Exxon has been making a PR push in the DC area lately. Probably because, despite the little regard as they have for public brand perception, they feel the need the need to build some goodwill among the power brokers.

If there is any positive lesson to be learned for flacks and marketers, it is that Exxon is showing that building a brand’s reputation cannot be done as a one-off measure. You can’t turn it on and off like the lights at Nationals Park (which is rumored to soon become Exxon Nationals Park).

Exxon's dabbling with brand building in DC have not started off well.

For the time being, they will just have to be happy counting their billions.

I am a Luger Liberal

I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon in the week’s following the Supreme Court’s decision on Heller affirming that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual’s rights to bear arms-the emergence of the “Luger Liberal.”

In responses to the news coverage and posts on DailyKos and other left-leaning blogs, the number of posts that begin “I am a liberal and gun owner…” far outweigh those repeating the same tired, unsupported arguments that we should do more to limit gun ownership.

I used to be pro-gun control, repeating the stats and buzzwords with confidence. That all changed after I first experienced gun ownership, first as something of an experiment, but with an enthusiasm for the hobby.

I began to dig into the stats, and the real meaning behind phrases such as “assault weapons” and “cop killer bullets,” and came to the conclusion that, after more than 40 years of gun control laws, there is not one piece of evidence that it helps prevent violent crime. It also perplexed (and later frustrated) me that members of my own party would do mental back flips to claim that somehow that the Founding Fathers would plunk a collective right down in the middle of a list of individual rights.

I was also surprised at the number of liberal gun owners whom I have met, dashing my stereotype of gun owners as a bunch of red necks or wannabe John Waynes. The Supreme Court decision has given them the confidence to speak out on the issue. I honestly believe that the Democratic leadership is out of touch with the rank-and-file on this issue.

Why this is, I am not sure. Perhaps it is because the anti-gun “latte liberals” are the ones who donate money.

The party has largely chosen to ignore this issue, but now may be the time for a serious look at their position on individuals’ rights.