A father and son, experienced in the twists, turns and curves of the road are taking the term "road trip" to a whole new level.
These road trips are defined by the experience of bonding in good times and bad. Most people would define it as the best way to take in the scenery and places Canada is well known for.
Kurt Mehrmann and his father Wolf, drivers for Kingston Transit, have been selected by Pacific Transit to drive athletes and spectators around the streets of Vancouver and the Olympic Village. In addition, they will be doing runs to Squamish, Pemberton and Whistler.
To be chosen for the position, Kurt and his father sent in applications, did an online test and were interviewed over the phone.
Their job will be to showcase individual places in British Columbia. They will also be reporting on how Pacific Transit increased their bus capacity from 30 buses to 130.
"It's going to be a great opportunity to get some feedback," said Jeremy DaCosta, Kingston Transit project manager.
"When they come back, we'll have a chance to debrief and talk about things they saw and things they learned and things we can maybe implement here," DaCosta said. "It's fantastic for us. They have the opportunity and we are going to learn from it."
It will also be a quick learning process as father and son have to know the routes for places they've never been to. They're taking this obstacle in stride.
"When we get out there, we just have to learn how to do their routes quickly."
Kurt Mehrmann and his father are looking forward to this once in a lifetime experience.
"I can imagine it's going to be really exciting to be there just to be part of it, let alone see it."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The Strange Gets Stranger...
This week's theme has to do with one word that can bring an end to relationships, cause strife within companies and call into question alot of things: miscommunication.
There has been alot of recent events that have brought the concept of miscommunication to the forefront.
One such event took place right around the time the PR class I'm a part of was discussing crisis communications (oh the irony!). The new general of the Canadian Forces along with Defence Minister Peter McKay were holding a joint news conference. One of the questions from a reporter was about the alleged abuse of Afghan prisoners. While the general tried to answer the question, McKay denied that anything happened. Now where were the communications people when this happened? I realize as a PR student you can't prepare for every possible scenario but somebody had to anticpate that question was going to be asked.
Another incident that took place is mentioned in my hyperlink. A couple came into the White House and met the President along with the First Lady. Now, this episode of the Keystone Cops is being blown sky high. The couple went on television and said they were invited but the Press Secretary and Secret Service have come out and said they weren't. The Secret Service now wants to press criminal charges. All this hassle is happening because people didn't take the time to communicate properly.
There's an amazing skill that has been drilled into me from the day I walked into Loyalist. It's called active listening. This skill requires the person to ask questions to try and prevent any misunderstandings. In some cases, the person listening paraphrases what the other person is saying to see if they have the correct interpretation of the message.
It's sad to see that even in today's society active listening is not practiced on a regular basis. Using active listening techniques could've saved the people in the examples above alot of headaches and alot of time.
I shouldn't be one to preach because I'll admit to the fact that every now and again I've missed what a person was trying to tell me.
That's it from the Bird's Nest. I'm going to leave you with a song I hope to play when and if I depart Canada to go to Scotland for placement. Also, I'm going to let you in on a random fact. If you look at the picture that's posted before the song begins, I've been there!
Anyways, it's time for me to keep on keepin' on...
There has been alot of recent events that have brought the concept of miscommunication to the forefront.
One such event took place right around the time the PR class I'm a part of was discussing crisis communications (oh the irony!). The new general of the Canadian Forces along with Defence Minister Peter McKay were holding a joint news conference. One of the questions from a reporter was about the alleged abuse of Afghan prisoners. While the general tried to answer the question, McKay denied that anything happened. Now where were the communications people when this happened? I realize as a PR student you can't prepare for every possible scenario but somebody had to anticpate that question was going to be asked.
Another incident that took place is mentioned in my hyperlink. A couple came into the White House and met the President along with the First Lady. Now, this episode of the Keystone Cops is being blown sky high. The couple went on television and said they were invited but the Press Secretary and Secret Service have come out and said they weren't. The Secret Service now wants to press criminal charges. All this hassle is happening because people didn't take the time to communicate properly.
There's an amazing skill that has been drilled into me from the day I walked into Loyalist. It's called active listening. This skill requires the person to ask questions to try and prevent any misunderstandings. In some cases, the person listening paraphrases what the other person is saying to see if they have the correct interpretation of the message.
It's sad to see that even in today's society active listening is not practiced on a regular basis. Using active listening techniques could've saved the people in the examples above alot of headaches and alot of time.
I shouldn't be one to preach because I'll admit to the fact that every now and again I've missed what a person was trying to tell me.
That's it from the Bird's Nest. I'm going to leave you with a song I hope to play when and if I depart Canada to go to Scotland for placement. Also, I'm going to let you in on a random fact. If you look at the picture that's posted before the song begins, I've been there!
Anyways, it's time for me to keep on keepin' on...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What Is And What Should Never Be...
Since I've been neglecting my blog lately and everyone else seems to be passing me while I chug in the slow bloggers lane, I thought to myself "Maybe it's time for a new blog entry." And so, below is the latest edition of The Bird's Eye View.
Enjoy!
As a followup to my last entry, I did watch the Mike Danton interview with Nick Kypreos and like Kypreos, came away with a different impression of Danton as a person. Whatever therapy or other help he received while incarcerated seems to have helped. Speaking of prison, Danton said during the interview "Prison was my salvation. It saved my life." He also admitted he was "a loose cannon, like a chicken running around with my head cut off". If he knew that then, then why didn't he get the help he knew he needed?! He could've avoided jail altogether!
What's more interesting to me is not what Danton said but the fact that Frost stayed in the proverbial weeds. Maybe Frost figured that Danton would say his side of the story and he wouldn't have to speak. Danton described his relationship with Frost as a "father son as opposed to a player agent relationship." That statement creeped me out. I agree with the people who say a player agent relationship shouldn't be any more than that.
Now, Danton is talking about making a National Hockey League (NHL) comeback
and Kypreos believes that Danton will get back in citing John Kordic as an example. In case you don't know, John Kordic was a hockey player who took drugs while in the NHL and died of an overdose in 1992. Kordic is the player shown in the following picture.
Long story short, if I was an NHL GM, I wouldn't touch Danton with a ten foot pole.
That's my rant for this week so on to my PR related stuff...
While I was at my parent's place this past weekend, I watched an ESPN film about the USFL. For those of you who don't watch football, the USFL stood for the United States Football League. The league was set up to compete directly with the National Footbal League (NFL). Players like Herschel Walker, Reggie White, Doug Flutie, Jim Kelly and Steve Young all got their starts in the USFL before going on to play in the NFL.
The PR angle was that the USFL thought it could be bigger and better than the NFL. The owners felt their only option was to sue the NFL for putting an inferior product on the field and ripping fans off.
Even before the lawsuits started flying, there had been bickering among USFL upper management and not only that, all the marketing that had been done among the 12 teams had put them $160 million in debt. While the USFL did win its lawsuit, the rewards for winning were in a word, scarce. They received $1 in damages. Yes, that's right. $1. With compounded interest, each team received $3.76. In the end, the courts ruled that the USFL was worth a measly $45.12 (12 USFL teams x $3.76).
Why did it happen? From where I stand, it happened for two reasons:
1. The owners got "too big for their britches" as they say in the South. They expanded too fast. After a few seasons of having six USFL teams, they tried to expand to 12 teams as mentioned previously. USFL teams didn't have a chance to establish their influence on fans of the orginial six USFL franchises. A page should've been taken out of the NHL's book. After being a six team league since 1917, the NHL didn't do its first expansion until 1967.
2. The games were played in the wrong season. Donald Trump came in as a USFL owner and felt that having the USFL play in the fall would be beneficial. What he didn't realize and still didn't admit to during the interview I watched was that he was in direct competition with the NFL. An upstart, thrown together brand that hadn't been around that long versus an established brand like the NFL. Who wins this battle royale? The answer should be obvious.
The USFL had been playing ball in the spring before being switched over. The USFL had more games too. The teams played 18 times which gave football fans more chances to see their favourite USFL players while the NFL only scheduled 14 games. The USFL had great brand potential that went untapped.
Before ending this entry I'm going to challenge you, the reader. The following song I've posted was featured in a commerical during Super Bowl 34. If you can identify which brand was advertised, the first person to write a comment on my blog with the correct answer could win a prize.
Enjoy!
As a followup to my last entry, I did watch the Mike Danton interview with Nick Kypreos and like Kypreos, came away with a different impression of Danton as a person. Whatever therapy or other help he received while incarcerated seems to have helped. Speaking of prison, Danton said during the interview "Prison was my salvation. It saved my life." He also admitted he was "a loose cannon, like a chicken running around with my head cut off". If he knew that then, then why didn't he get the help he knew he needed?! He could've avoided jail altogether!
What's more interesting to me is not what Danton said but the fact that Frost stayed in the proverbial weeds. Maybe Frost figured that Danton would say his side of the story and he wouldn't have to speak. Danton described his relationship with Frost as a "father son as opposed to a player agent relationship." That statement creeped me out. I agree with the people who say a player agent relationship shouldn't be any more than that.
Now, Danton is talking about making a National Hockey League (NHL) comeback
and Kypreos believes that Danton will get back in citing John Kordic as an example. In case you don't know, John Kordic was a hockey player who took drugs while in the NHL and died of an overdose in 1992. Kordic is the player shown in the following picture.Long story short, if I was an NHL GM, I wouldn't touch Danton with a ten foot pole.
That's my rant for this week so on to my PR related stuff...
While I was at my parent's place this past weekend, I watched an ESPN film about the USFL. For those of you who don't watch football, the USFL stood for the United States Football League. The league was set up to compete directly with the National Footbal League (NFL). Players like Herschel Walker, Reggie White, Doug Flutie, Jim Kelly and Steve Young all got their starts in the USFL before going on to play in the NFL.
The PR angle was that the USFL thought it could be bigger and better than the NFL. The owners felt their only option was to sue the NFL for putting an inferior product on the field and ripping fans off.
Even before the lawsuits started flying, there had been bickering among USFL upper management and not only that, all the marketing that had been done among the 12 teams had put them $160 million in debt. While the USFL did win its lawsuit, the rewards for winning were in a word, scarce. They received $1 in damages. Yes, that's right. $1. With compounded interest, each team received $3.76. In the end, the courts ruled that the USFL was worth a measly $45.12 (12 USFL teams x $3.76).
Why did it happen? From where I stand, it happened for two reasons:
1. The owners got "too big for their britches" as they say in the South. They expanded too fast. After a few seasons of having six USFL teams, they tried to expand to 12 teams as mentioned previously. USFL teams didn't have a chance to establish their influence on fans of the orginial six USFL franchises. A page should've been taken out of the NHL's book. After being a six team league since 1917, the NHL didn't do its first expansion until 1967.
2. The games were played in the wrong season. Donald Trump came in as a USFL owner and felt that having the USFL play in the fall would be beneficial. What he didn't realize and still didn't admit to during the interview I watched was that he was in direct competition with the NFL. An upstart, thrown together brand that hadn't been around that long versus an established brand like the NFL. Who wins this battle royale? The answer should be obvious.
The USFL had been playing ball in the spring before being switched over. The USFL had more games too. The teams played 18 times which gave football fans more chances to see their favourite USFL players while the NFL only scheduled 14 games. The USFL had great brand potential that went untapped.
Before ending this entry I'm going to challenge you, the reader. The following song I've posted was featured in a commerical during Super Bowl 34. If you can identify which brand was advertised, the first person to write a comment on my blog with the correct answer could win a prize.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
In Today's News...
I was reading the Toronto Star this morning, and as usual, all the rage is the H1N1 flu virus. Over the last few days, there have been reports of the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors all skipping the lineup to get vaccinated. As the old expression goes, where's there smoke there's fire and I have a feeling this one will be burning for a few days. The Star also reports that board members from SEVEN hospitals skipped the line to get the H1N1 flu shot.
From what I've learned in my PR classes, you never want to say the wrong thing that will draw the public's wrath and make them question what you're doing. Unfortunately, one doctor decided to try the proverbial stick-my-foot-in-my-mouth-and-see-what-happens trick. Mount Sinai's chief microbiologist, Dr. Ron Low, when asked why he skipped the line said "It seemed like the right thing to do." Excuse me? It seemed like the right thing to do? Why not just say no comment? He's apologized since but I think he should either be fired or face some serious punishment from the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). We also talked in class about how doctors are treated like gods by seniors. Even though it's wrong, some doctors try to take advantage of that status. These are the same people seniors and the rest of us put our trust in to keep us alive.
On a side note, maybe the sports teams I mentioned earlier also felt they were above the public and had the right to get ahead of everybody else.
Another thing that is making me cringe from a PR perspective is an exclusive interview that Sportsnet Hockeycentral reporter Nick Kypreos will be doing with recently paroled felon Mike Danton (formerly known as Mike Jefferson). He's the guy who played in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues and was arrested in St. Louis a few years go for trying to have David Frost killed. What gets me is not the fact that the interview is taking place but the date of the interview. Rogers Sportsnet, in all its mighty wisdom, decided to air the interview on November 11. Rememberance Day. This is the day we're supposed to honour our veterans and all the people who sacrified their lives so we could live in a free society, not hear why a convicted felon wanted to kill his former agent and "father figure."
While I hate the date they chose to run the interview, I'm looking forward to hearing what Mike Danton has to say. I'm also interested in how David Frost will respond once the interview is aired (if he does decide to respond). I can't wait to hear the public's reaction once Mike Danton rears his ugly head again. I wonder what dirt will be kicked up this time around.
In my usual fashion, I'm going to end this blog entry with a video. I've heard many remixes of this song but this one is by far the best. Also, watch the guy who dances in the video. This is proof that people with disabilities can do anything the rest of us can do.
Til next time...
From what I've learned in my PR classes, you never want to say the wrong thing that will draw the public's wrath and make them question what you're doing. Unfortunately, one doctor decided to try the proverbial stick-my-foot-in-my-mouth-and-see-what-happens trick. Mount Sinai's chief microbiologist, Dr. Ron Low, when asked why he skipped the line said "It seemed like the right thing to do." Excuse me? It seemed like the right thing to do? Why not just say no comment? He's apologized since but I think he should either be fired or face some serious punishment from the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). We also talked in class about how doctors are treated like gods by seniors. Even though it's wrong, some doctors try to take advantage of that status. These are the same people seniors and the rest of us put our trust in to keep us alive.
On a side note, maybe the sports teams I mentioned earlier also felt they were above the public and had the right to get ahead of everybody else.
Another thing that is making me cringe from a PR perspective is an exclusive interview that Sportsnet Hockeycentral reporter Nick Kypreos will be doing with recently paroled felon Mike Danton (formerly known as Mike Jefferson). He's the guy who played in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues and was arrested in St. Louis a few years go for trying to have David Frost killed. What gets me is not the fact that the interview is taking place but the date of the interview. Rogers Sportsnet, in all its mighty wisdom, decided to air the interview on November 11. Rememberance Day. This is the day we're supposed to honour our veterans and all the people who sacrified their lives so we could live in a free society, not hear why a convicted felon wanted to kill his former agent and "father figure."
While I hate the date they chose to run the interview, I'm looking forward to hearing what Mike Danton has to say. I'm also interested in how David Frost will respond once the interview is aired (if he does decide to respond). I can't wait to hear the public's reaction once Mike Danton rears his ugly head again. I wonder what dirt will be kicked up this time around.
In my usual fashion, I'm going to end this blog entry with a video. I've heard many remixes of this song but this one is by far the best. Also, watch the guy who dances in the video. This is proof that people with disabilities can do anything the rest of us can do.
Til next time...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Reffing Controversies
While watching Around The Horn (another of my favourite sports shows) this week, I heard an interesting report. During a Southeastern Conference (SEC) football game between Flordia and Mississippi State, a Florida player intercepted a pass by the Ole Miss quarterback. Just as he was about to head into the end zone, he put the ball out where it was batted away by Ole Miss wide receiver Brandon McRae. After multiple reviews (and an assist from the ESPN split screen for those armchair quarterbacks), the play stood as a touchdown. Why the controversy? From the replay that was shown, it appeared that the ball was knocked out before it crossed the goal line. It's been widely speculated that the call changed the outcome of the game. The question is: Can referees change the outcome of games?
If you want a quick answer to that one, all you have to do is look at Tim Donaghy as Exhibit A. In case you don't remember him, he's the NBA referee that was sentenced to 15 months in prison for betting on NBA games that he reffed. He would change the outcome of the game by calling a foul when it shouldn't have been called and so on.
Which brings me to my final question. Are referees put under too much of a microscope? In my opinion...they are. If you see Joe Schmo on the street walking by, you don't pay much attention to him (unless you know Joe Schmo). But stick a uniform on him and put him on the field, diamond or ice and Joe Schmo becomes fair game. The moment he steps into those stripes, he's got a target on his back. Need anger management therapy but can't afford to attend any sessions? Do what society does. Go to a local arena, football field or ballpark and yell to your hearts content at some poor, hapless referee.
My final thought is to leave refs be (unless they pull a Tim Donaghy and engage in criminal activity). Yes, they do make some bad calls and miss the odd penalty here and there but they're just people like you and me. I swear sometimes that people expect referees to have some kind of super sight that we have not been blessed with. They have to be able to make the right call within a microsecond of any and all violations.
Since Halloween is on Saturday, I thought it would be appropiate to leave you with a cool Halloween themed video.
Happy Halloween!
If you want a quick answer to that one, all you have to do is look at Tim Donaghy as Exhibit A. In case you don't remember him, he's the NBA referee that was sentenced to 15 months in prison for betting on NBA games that he reffed. He would change the outcome of the game by calling a foul when it shouldn't have been called and so on.
Which brings me to my final question. Are referees put under too much of a microscope? In my opinion...they are. If you see Joe Schmo on the street walking by, you don't pay much attention to him (unless you know Joe Schmo). But stick a uniform on him and put him on the field, diamond or ice and Joe Schmo becomes fair game. The moment he steps into those stripes, he's got a target on his back. Need anger management therapy but can't afford to attend any sessions? Do what society does. Go to a local arena, football field or ballpark and yell to your hearts content at some poor, hapless referee.
My final thought is to leave refs be (unless they pull a Tim Donaghy and engage in criminal activity). Yes, they do make some bad calls and miss the odd penalty here and there but they're just people like you and me. I swear sometimes that people expect referees to have some kind of super sight that we have not been blessed with. They have to be able to make the right call within a microsecond of any and all violations.
Since Halloween is on Saturday, I thought it would be appropiate to leave you with a cool Halloween themed video.
Happy Halloween!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Many Questions, No Easy Answers...
Here I sit in front of a computer on a Saturday afternoon, completely bored out of my mind. If there is one positive to draw out of this situation, is that I get weekends off. Having said that, since I've been having a difficult time for the last couple of weeks with a serious lung infection, I feel I'm well enough now that I can actually write a blog and get my semester kicked back into gear. I can guarantee you I'll be busting my butt trying to get caught up! For this week's entry, I'm going to talk about a couple of things that happened last week which made me shake my head.
1. Rush Limbaugh Considered For Part Ownership Of St. Louis Rams And Then Subsequently Dropped
Why in God's name was Rush Limbaugh ever considered by the NFL owners in the first place? Where was the PR person at NFL head office to come out and say no, this is a bad idea and we don't associate ourselves or our brand with people who are inconsiderate of people of a different race, creed and colour? The guy in my opinion is a racial bigot. This is the same guy who said that Donovan McNabb was "overated" and the only reason he was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles was because he's black and there weren't enough black quarterbacks in the NFL. In case you didn't know, he's also a nationally syndicated radio host. Why hasn't the FCC kicked him off the airwaves yet? They seem to be censor happy just like our own CRTC. Do the right thing for the sake of radio listeners everywhere. At least somebody somewhere was smart enough to question what was going on and put an end to it before it got out of control.
2. Helium Balloon Floats Through Air And Lands In Colorado Field
While flipping channels, I came across a report where a balloon a husband and wife storm chasing team had been experimenting with became untied and floated away. The balloon lost air and fell safely to the ground. After the incident, you could see how distraught the parents were. They were unable to answer questions they were so overcome with emotion. But that's not what really got under my skin. What got me was that there was no PR representative there to tell reporters to respect the family's privacy. Which brings up a question in itself. If there was no PR person there, then was the whole thing a hoax as has been reported? They found the young boy hiding in the attic with his two siblings filming the incident from the roof. He was never in the balloon at all. It's also been reported that he felt he was in trouble for the balloon coming untied which is why he hid. The media said that "Falcon appeared tired and vomited twice". I realize the story has to have plenty of details but that's going a little too far! Also, the parents had been on an episode of Wife Swap. So...were they looking for more publicity for themselves?
Anyway, that's my rant for today so to close this entry, I'm going to post the following video to celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving.
Take care!
1. Rush Limbaugh Considered For Part Ownership Of St. Louis Rams And Then Subsequently Dropped
Why in God's name was Rush Limbaugh ever considered by the NFL owners in the first place? Where was the PR person at NFL head office to come out and say no, this is a bad idea and we don't associate ourselves or our brand with people who are inconsiderate of people of a different race, creed and colour? The guy in my opinion is a racial bigot. This is the same guy who said that Donovan McNabb was "overated" and the only reason he was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles was because he's black and there weren't enough black quarterbacks in the NFL. In case you didn't know, he's also a nationally syndicated radio host. Why hasn't the FCC kicked him off the airwaves yet? They seem to be censor happy just like our own CRTC. Do the right thing for the sake of radio listeners everywhere. At least somebody somewhere was smart enough to question what was going on and put an end to it before it got out of control.
2. Helium Balloon Floats Through Air And Lands In Colorado Field
While flipping channels, I came across a report where a balloon a husband and wife storm chasing team had been experimenting with became untied and floated away. The balloon lost air and fell safely to the ground. After the incident, you could see how distraught the parents were. They were unable to answer questions they were so overcome with emotion. But that's not what really got under my skin. What got me was that there was no PR representative there to tell reporters to respect the family's privacy. Which brings up a question in itself. If there was no PR person there, then was the whole thing a hoax as has been reported? They found the young boy hiding in the attic with his two siblings filming the incident from the roof. He was never in the balloon at all. It's also been reported that he felt he was in trouble for the balloon coming untied which is why he hid. The media said that "Falcon appeared tired and vomited twice". I realize the story has to have plenty of details but that's going a little too far! Also, the parents had been on an episode of Wife Swap. So...were they looking for more publicity for themselves?
Anyway, that's my rant for today so to close this entry, I'm going to post the following video to celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving.
Take care!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
70's Glam Rock
While working on an assignment, a random thought popped into my head. Why not do a blog on 70's Glam Rock?! It's not something you hear about everyday that's for sure! Now not everybody is a fan of 70's Glam Rock but some of the best music I have ever heard has come from this genre. Here are my top 10 70's Glam Rock songs.
10. Rock And Roll All Nite - KISS
9. Rebel, Rebel - David Bowie
8. Bang A Gong - T.Rex
7. Bohemian Rhaposody - Queen
6. Evil Woman - ELO
5. I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick
4. School's Out - Alice Cooper
3. Stuck In The Middle - Stealers Wheel
2. The Passenger - Iggy Pop
And now...*drum roll*... I present my favourite song from the 70's Glam Rock era...
10. Rock And Roll All Nite - KISS
9. Rebel, Rebel - David Bowie
8. Bang A Gong - T.Rex
7. Bohemian Rhaposody - Queen
6. Evil Woman - ELO
5. I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick
4. School's Out - Alice Cooper
3. Stuck In The Middle - Stealers Wheel
2. The Passenger - Iggy Pop
And now...*drum roll*... I present my favourite song from the 70's Glam Rock era...
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