http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/health/ritalin-side-effects-now-include-sudden-death.html http://www.articletrader.com/health/ritalin-side-effects-now-include-sudden-death.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:46:15 -0600
"Drugs are not the answer," said Etta Brown, a licensed educational psychologist, veteran social worker and author of Learning Disabilities, Understanding the Problem and Managing the Challenges from Langdon Street Press (www.understandingld.com). "Doctors and pharmaceutical companies are quick to tell parents there is a pill that will fix their kids, but it's a false bill of goods. In many cases, these drugs - like Ritalin - will serve only to dull their kids' senses and create health risks the parents could never have imagined."

The irony of Ritalin, Brown added, is that it actually damages the neural connections needed for learning. While it may calm a hyper-active child, so that he is less of a problem in the classroom and can sit still for longer periods of time, it does not create the ability to learn.

"Another well-documented side effect of Ritalin is that it may cause a permanent tic of the face, head and neck," Brown said. "There is a long fifty-year history of false advertising by drug companies that sell drugs with known side effects that are more damaging to the developing nervous system of children than the condition they are designed to treat."

Between two to 18 percent of American children are thought to be affected by ADHD, and Ritalin remains one of the most prescribed drugs for the behavioral disorder. This suggests that the medical approach to poorly nourished children who aren't getting enough exercise is to dose them with a drug that is known to interfere with the development of their brains, cause permanent ticing of the face, head and neck, and increase the likelihood of sudden death by 500 percent. And the FDA is not looking.

"As with ADHD, the incidence of learning disabilities has also been growing at a rate of 10-20 percent every 10 years since WWII," said Brown. "The difference between a learning disability and attention deficit disorder, she says, is the professional who diagnoses it.The Department of Education refers to the condition as a learning disability, and the American Psychological Association looking at the same set of symptoms labels them Attention Deficit Disorder. Add these two percentages together and 12 to 38 percent of the nation's children have learning problems."

Kids live in a world full of toxins, limited exercise, a lack of sleep, fast foods, and loads of time alone caused by the need for parents to work two jobs to make ends meet. The consequence is severe allergies to a toxic environment, obesity from a lack of exercise, an inability to learn due to a lack of sufficient nutrients to keep the brain functioning properly, and limited emotional security in 38 percent of our children.

Brown says that proper diet, exercise and adequate sleep are the key to helping a child overcome learning disabilities and improve his ability to attend.

"There is no easy solution, no pill, no magic wand, or special education program that is going to make a child a better learner," Brown said. "Learning disabilities and ADHD are not the fault of the children, or failure of the school. But, the schools have to teach each child that comes to them. "

Learning disabilities should become as much a concern for public health as it is for education, according to Brown.

"Instead of medicating kids into oblivion because they can't sit still, parents should be encouraged to cut the sodas and junk food, provide opportunities for their kids to exercise, ensure they get 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night, and take the time to interact with them on occasion," she added. "There is no substitute for parenting, and there is no replacement for proper diet, exercise and good sleep habits to enhance a child's readiness for learning."

--
Rachel Friedman is a staff writer for News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/truth-shock-a-millennium-challenge.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/truth-shock-a-millennium-challenge.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:26:52 -0600
This longer view enabled him to perceive what he believed were warning signs in the overall human psyche. His belief is that it seemed as if human's soaring technology was outstripping humanity's wisdoms.

"Something deeply fundamental in our vaunted civilization seems to be fading from human consciousness," wrote Byrne, author of Truth Shock: A Millenium Challenge (www.Trafford.com/05-2321). "But nothing constructively new appears to be emerging to take its place."

He described this world problem in two challenging postulates:

"It may be shown that knowledge of the nature and purpose of Man and the Universe is as abysmal as the proverbial pit, and that in spite of our towers of glass and steel and our computers and space probes we live in one of the darkest ages of history," he said. "It is therefore ironic that we should expend our genius attempting to reach the stars when our greatest and least explored horizons lie closest at hand, within ourselves."

It developed that the hiatus of knowledge he sought to fill had to do precisely with "the nature and purpose of Man, God, and the Universe."

His theory brings it all back to "square one" by maintaining that for humanity in this new millennium it is time for "childhood's ending."

"The hand-holding is past." he wrote. "Our swaddling clothes are off, and a crisis has arrived where the milk of parables must be replaced by the ‘meat' of Knowing."

Avoiding shop-worn philosophy or the pitfalls of dogma, Byrne utilized an unusual background of science and metaphysics to develop a new and practical science of cosmic contemplation.

His beliefs range broadly across the whole gamut of unanswered questions from the nature and purpose of Man and the Universe to God, Creation, the Big Bang rebuttal, abortion, the gay phenomenon, terrorism, ad infinitum. His ideas are aimed at changing the human perspective.

Byrne's focus in his 90s is what he called "new Wisdom revelations," which have occurred in the past century and half and have been added to the overall matrix of transcendental knowledge. The "shock" involved is that Byrne feels he has uncovered pragmatic proof that the long prophesized "emergence" is in process. This leads to the "‘meat' of Knowing" that delivers a practical description of the metaphysical nature of Man and the spiritual Hierarchy which guides him.

Byrne believes that for scientists, laymen, and clerics alike, the carefully graded extension of conceptuality through his ideas has the potential of expanding consciousness to the point where faith and belief are exchanged for Seeing and Knowing.

--
Tony Panaccio is a staff writer for News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/from-attorney-to-alcoholic-to-adventure.html http://www.articletrader.com/self-improvement/success/from-attorney-to-alcoholic-to-adventure.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:09:09 -0600
In his autobiography, Rutger recounts events from his bizarre life such as buying a $6,000 billboard to memorialize his dog Clifford, blowing what he called a "Biblical Blood Alcohol Level" of a .316 (named for the famous verse John 3:16), and spending a week in jail thinking of it as a vacation. His portrayals are found in The Alcoholic's Guide to Adventure from Booksurge (www.booksurge.com).

"I cannot even imagine a better vacation than jail, given my life situation at the time," wrote Rutger, who was jailed for 7 days after his second DUI conviction.

His real life had been a downward spiral involving creditors, lack of work and a darkness that resulted in binge drinking until he'd pass out, so spending a week not having to deal with the real world was a relief for him. During that week in Pinellas County, Florida's minimum security lockup, he made friends, played chess, watched many "Reba" sit-com episodes on the Country Music Channel, and talked to many of the regular inhabitants of the 49th Street Jail.

"It seems to me that if you are in a downward spiral like I was, you should be allowed to check yourself into jail in advance of driving drunk to get there," he wrote. "Just like Otis in The Andy Griffith Show. The main difference between jails and college is that jails don't have mascots. If I had to go back to jail, I would form a fraternity and we would call ourselves the 49th Street Filers, prepared to take on all comers."

Rutger balances the humor of his unique journey with remembrances of his father and son, who both passed away at different times in Rutger's life. In the book, Rutger writes letters to them that he cannot read to himself without breaking down into tears.

He also remembers his dog, Clifford, by reprinting a St. Petersburg Times article about the billboard Rutger bought to commemorate his dog's passing at age 14 (98 in dog years). In the article, Rutger described how Clifford had become more of a fixture in Anclote Key bars than most of the patrons.

"Clear Channel wasn't quite sure what to think of me when I made the request for the billboard," he said. "And that's just fine with me. It's like the t-shirts I had printed and started selling recently that say ‘Your dog is an alcoholic.' People who have always been sober don't know what to think. For me, it's a symbol - you know you've hit rock bottom when your dog hits rock bottom with you. Rabbits walk right by his nose and he just sighs and looks away. ‘Don't bother me, you rabbits, unless you've got a beer.' "


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Rachel Friedman is a staff writer for News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/food/cooking/how-dinner-time-can-bring-families-together.html http://www.articletrader.com/food/cooking/how-dinner-time-can-bring-families-together.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:25:53 -0600
That's what the statistics show, and at least one chef can attest to it. According to a study released last week by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, the family dinner is linked to everything from better grades to teen use of alcohol. The study, called "The Importance of Family Dinners," said that teens who report typically receiving grades of C's or below in school are likelier to smoke, drink and use drugs compared to teens who typically receive all A's or A's and B's in school. Compared to teens who have five to seven family dinners per week, those who have fewer than three family dinners per week are one and a half times likelier to report getting mostly C's or lower grades in school.

Joe Fitzpatrick knows the value of family dinners, because it has become a tradition in his household every weekend. Fitzpatrick, author of the gourmet cookbook Strictly Sundays from Book Publisher's Network (www.strictlysundays.com), believes his Sunday dinners are what help keep his family close. It was part of how he was raised.

"Ever since I was a little boy I enjoyed helping my mother cook in the kitchen," he said. "She made it fun and I learned a lot. Of course that was in the 1960's when the only cook on television was Julia Child. There were no fancy spices or sauces used in our house and all the meals were pretty basic, but that didn't matter. I remember the time we spent together, and it helped shape my attitudes when I had children of my own."

Fitzpatrick's focus on mealtime evolved out of the experience most people are having today - working hard with a tight budget, and not having much time for family.

"I owned a business in the 1980's and spent little time at home," he said. "My wife and I would make it a point to go out to dinner every Saturday night to spend some time with each other. When the business went away so did the money. But I still liked good food. I subscribed to Bon Appetite magazine and started to make unique intimate dinners for the two of us on Saturday nights."

When the kids got wind of the Saturday night dinners, they felt like they were missing out on something good. They were right.

"Then our children got older, saw what we were having for our Saturday night gourmet dinner and asked why they didn't get special meals too," Fitzpatrick added. "So I started to explore and create both new and traditional dinners for them on Sunday nights. When the kids had jobs, I made a rule that Sunday was for faith & family, no exceptions. They almost never missed one of my Sunday dinners. And as they have grown and established their own lives, they still come home once a week to help in the kitchen and help me create these fabulous meals. It used to be about the food. Now, it's more about being together."

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Tony Panaccio is a staff writer for News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/science/environment/first-eco-super-hero-comes-to-life-in-new-novel.html http://www.articletrader.com/science/environment/first-eco-super-hero-comes-to-life-in-new-novel.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:08:13 -0600
That's the premise of Francis T. Perry Williams' new novel Pollen and the Ring of Harmony, from Greenleaf Press Book Group (www.PollenGreenArmy.com). Taking his cue from the green movement, Williams has created what he calls "the first eco-super-hero."

"Pollen is a unique combination of science fiction and science fact," Williams said. "Pollen is a visitor from the far reaches of space, and he is coming to Earth on a mission of peace and harmony, but his reception is far from uneventful. He is here to warn us, as a race, that we are destroying our planet. He is a being uniquely attuned to nature in all its forms, and he brings with him a group of friends to help him deliver his message."

In the story, they cross the United States with the intent of delivering a message to the president, but it's far from a greeting card sentiment. Even though he is from another star, Pollen knows enough about the human condition to know that talking to leaders is an empty experience without the support of the people. So, in his journey, he makes friends with others who share his view and his cause.

"Pollen's alert is that the Earth is about to be destroyed, unless humans learn to live in harmony with nature," Williams said. "It's a message that is received with some dismay and disbelief, but the power of the message is muted by the apparent power of a talisman that accompanies Pollen - a ring of immeasurable power."

The ring becomes the focus of the ambitious vice president, who feels the alien's primary value is not in the message he delivers but in the power he wields with the ring.

"The vice president is seduced by the ring's power, and he begins a secret campaign to obtain it, at all costs," Williams said.

The novel, written with the science-fiction audience in mind, also encourages environmental awareness by addressing the harmful effects people have on the planet.

"The message is consistent with what scientists and advocates have been saying for the last decade - that we've done some unconscionable damage to our home, but that it's not too late to reverse the damage," Williams said. "In Pollen, the greatest war of all time has begun. The war is between those who want to save our planet for future generations and those who will drain its resources until it is dead."

"Several years ago, after reading an article about people cutting into thousand-year-old redwood trees in Northern California, I was inspired to teach others about the importance of living green," Williams added. "It was then that I knew I had to do something to protect nature and the environment. I decided to focus my creative energy on reaching out to younger generations, to teach them how to respect the world around them and live in harmony with nature. This is why Pollen is here, and we should listen to what he has to say."


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Tony Panaccio is a staff writer for News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/religion/my-dreams-come-true-a-journal-of-my-paranormal-experiences.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/religion/my-dreams-come-true-a-journal-of-my-paranormal-experiences.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:51:06 -0600
Ioan Dirina, author of My Dreams Come True: A Journal of My Paranormal Experiences, from Jones Harvest Publishing (www.ioandirina.com), believes in a Supreme Being who guides the future of mankind. Dirina experienced the truth of this through his dreams. He dreamed of the future and then watched as each dream in turn came true. Since there is no scientific explanation for the phenomena that he experienced, he believes this is proof that a supernatural entity exists that guides us in ways unknown, even to us.

"Sometimes my experiences involved a waking vision, not a dream," wrote Dirina. "In one such experience during 1962 I had a vision of running into some people on a street. A few minutes later I actually encountered those same people on that street."

Dirina began recording his visionary dreams in a dream journal when he was a student in his native Romania. He continued to have dreams that came true through his military training, his time in Austria in a refugee camp and then into his life in America.

"Another night in August 1970 I dreamed that someone wanted to kill another person with a knife, and I explained to him that easiest way to kill with a knife is to cut aorta," wrote Dirina. "On next day I was reading Daily News and saw an article about that terrible crime in California that became so famous. Actress Sharon Tate had been killed by accomplices of Charles Manson, who used a knife to cut her aorta, as in my dream."

Dirina's dreams were sometimes about famous happenings before they happened and sometimes about commonplace happenings. Each time a dream came true, it reaffirmed his belief that there was a higher power at work, guiding his thoughts and experiences.

Dirina recorded his dreams as proof that a supernatural entity exists and guides our future. He has had these paranormal visions and dreams for over forty years.

"Today I have come to realize that I wish to share my story with others," wrote Dirina. "So I have taken my old journals and rewritten them into this book, in hopes that other people might learn something from this glimpse into this extraordinary dream world that has been mine for more than 45 years. They need to know that our dreams can - and do - come true."

--
Rachel Friedman is a Staff Writer at News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/the-new-conflict-between-god-and-the-law.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/the-new-conflict-between-god-and-the-law.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:22:05 -0600
The Home Depot store clerk lost his job because he refused to remove a button from his company uniform that read "One nation under God." Home Depot had asked him to remove the button several times, and even offered a substitute button that read "United We Stand."

Keezer was wearing the button to honor his brother, a National Guardsman readying to deploy to Iraq soon. Home Depot didn't dispute that fact, but had an issue with a reference to Christianity on his store apron.

More than a first amendment issue, though, it's indicative of a country that is changing its views on religion, and should look more toward its past to find answers for its future.

Keezer's view is that as an American, he should have the right to express his religious views any way he sees fit - and he's right. As an American, he made a choice not to remove the button, knowing there would be consequences. The problem with his argument is that when he is on the company clock, he's an employee of Home Depot first, and an American second. Businesses have a right to appeal to a broad marketplace and they also have the right to demand a certain dress code of their employees. A Christian message on a company uniform implies the company endorses Christianity, and despite Keezer's personal beliefs, his first amendment rights to not extend so far that he can be permitted to speak for the company regarding religion.

On a similar track, some Christian activists are up in arms over the new Hate Crimes legislation that President Obama signed into law recently, believing that they could be persecuted for espousing their religious belief that homosexuality is wrong.

The truth is the law punishes actions, not thoughts or words - unless the words incite others to act. If a preacher exhorts his congregation to oppose homosexuals violently, clearly the law might be applicable and result in the prosecution of the preacher if violent acts could be traced back to his congregation. Is that a violation of freedom of speech? Based on former Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes' free speech test, not so much. His "yelling fire in a crowded theater" example applies to people exhorting violence against anyone, and would not be protected speech, even without the law. The new law simply strengthens the punishment for doing so.
Meanwhile, in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, people are starting to get it right. For the last year, students and teachers erected banners exhorting Bible quotes at Fort Oglethorpe High School football game to motivate their team to emerge victorious. An agnostic parent complained, and the banners came down. As a result, the majority of the parents in Fort Oglethorpe - a buckle notch of the Bible Belt - complained to high heaven that their free speech rights were being violated.

The school board rightly explained that the school, an arm of the government, could not endorse one religion over another per the separation of church and state embodied in what is called the "establishment" clause of the Constitution. Instead, fans, parents and cheerleaders took the initiative to create their own banners and T-shirts with the Biblical phrases.

The result? Instead of a single banner on the field, the stadium was now filled with religious signs, banners and messages. The school, surprisingly to the parents, said "no problem."

In Oglethorpe, both the letter and the spirit of the first amendment worked. A government-sponsored religious display was eliminated, the people spoke their minds, and by using personal displays of their spirituality to counter the loss of the government-sponsored display, they actually discovered that they are able to spread their message more effectively and broadly. Many parents have even dropped their fight to change the school's policy, as well.

And that's really the way it's supposed to work. The founding fathers did not want to be within driving distance of any kind of government-endorsement of religion when they wrote the Constitution, because they just crossed an ocean to escape the state-run Church of England. The establishment clause exists because the only way to make sure that Christians can practice their religion freely without affront by the government is to make sure that Muslims, Jews, Quakers, Mormons and even Wiccans can practice their religion freely, as well.

And that's the nature of spirituality in a free country.

--
Alan Richards, 60, is the author of The Second Cycle from Emerald Book Company (www.alanerichards.com). An attorney and Chicago resident, he has been married to his wife, Meridee, for 39 years, and has two children - Kate, age 27, and Zachary, age 23. He was a practicing attorney for 30 years doing mostly courtroom work. He holds a law degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and an undergrad degree from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He has been included in Preeminent Attorneys in America, published by Martindale Hubbell, the legal profession's most authoritative publication dealing with lawyer competency. He also appears in Who's Who in American Law.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/my-last-thoughts-about-iraq.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/my-last-thoughts-about-iraq.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:13:25 -0500
Paul Batou, author of My Last Thoughts About Iraq, from Xilbris Corporation (www.paulbatou.com) knows this longing for freedom and has expressed it through his art and poetry. His desire is for the freedom of a gypsy, to express himself fully through the arts, to dance, sing, paint, write and dream.

"Freedom became a desire for water and bread to share with the poor and homeless," wrote Batou. "Freedom was having a pencil to write, a crayon to color, and a guitar to play."

Growing up in a war torn Iraq, Batou longed for the freedom he knew existed. He was witness to the horror and destruction of war, the oppression of his people. He grew up in schools that taught of oppression and war, where fighting was education. The blame, he concluded, was not just with Saddam Hussein; it was with the people for giving him the tools that allowed him to oppress them.

"For centuries, we had been trained to follow the orders of so many invaders; we had never been allowed to think for ourselves or to seek an education," wrote Batou. "We were raised to obey the mullah, or for Christians, obey the priest; to love your leader, and respect your superiors. When you believe in sacrifice, you will give anything."

Batou dreamed of his native land as a free and beautiful Iraq. His journey brought him to America, where he believed he would finally find the freedom he searched for. What he found, instead, was that his nationality would not allow him to escape. When the statue of Hussein came tumbling down, he thought there would finally be freedom for Iraq, but there was not.

"In reality, thieves landed between two rivers and stole the innocence and dignity of Iraq over and over again," wrote Batou. "They left us with nothing to be proud of and nothing to teach our children."

Batou longed for a day when there would be art and music again. After sixteen years in America he is still searching for answers. When will the world see the person and not the nationality?

I am not Assyrian or Chaldean or Akkadian.
I am not a Christian or Muslim or Buddhist.
I am human.
(from the poem "Identity")

The beauty and openness of Batou's poetry allowed the reader reach into his soul and feel his sorrow. In the poem Minor Dreams, the eloquent simplicity of his statement was heard loud and clear.

I am a kid.
Born in Iraq.
My dreams were minor,
A cup of milk or water to drink,
A crayon to color,
A pencil to write,
A book to read,
A toy to play with,
A friend to talk to,
A pet to love,
A father to listen to,
A mother to hug,
A bed to sleep,
A home to rest,
A light to see with,
A school to study at,
A song to listen to,
A country to grow in.
I am a kid,
Born in Iraq,
My dreams were sanctioned,
Shame on you all.
(from the poem "Minor Dreams")

Batou acknowledged that there is oppression everywhere, not just in Iraq. The solution, he maintained, is education.

"If I were asked what I would tell every parent in the world, I would respond with the urgency of parents to send their children to school and be more involved in their progression," wrote Batou. "Teach your children to love music and art, to appreciate great works."

--
Rachel Friedman is a Staff Writer at News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/victims-should-break-the-silence-says-abuse-survivor.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/victims-should-break-the-silence-says-abuse-survivor.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:31:49 -0500
"Sexual abuse affects the lives of one in four girls and one in six boys by the age of 18," said Trish Kinney, a Huffington Post Blogger and survivor of a sexually abusive household. "With an estimated 39 million sex abuse victims in the U.S. today, more than 30 percent of all sexual abuse goes unreported. Carry over the fact that 80 percent of perpetrators deny the abuse, it makes for a crisis of massive proportions."

The effect of abuse manifests itself in many ways, according to statistics from a wide array of studies, reported by the Darkness to Light foundation:

• Children who have been victims of sexual abuse are more likely to experience physical health problems (e.g., headaches).
• Victims of child sexual abuse report more symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, more sadness, and more school problems than non-victims.
• Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to experience major depressive disorder as adults.
• Young girls who are sexually abused are more likely to develop eating disorders as adolescents.
• Adolescent victims of violent crime have difficulty in the transition to adulthood, are more likely to suffer financial failure and physical injury, and are at risk to fail in other areas due to problem behaviors and outcomes of the victimization.
• Victims of child sexual abuse report more substance abuse problems. 70-80 percent of sexual abuse survivors report excessive drug and alcohol use.
• Young girls who are sexually abused are 3 times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders or alcohol and drug abuse in adulthood, than girls who are not sexually abused.
• Among male survivors, more than 70 percent seek psychological treatment for issues such as substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide. Males who have been sexually abused are more likely to violently victimize others.
• Nearly 50 percent of women in prison state that they were abused as children.
• Over 75 percent of serial rapists report they were sexually abused as youngsters.

Kinney recounted her experiences in a sexually abusive household in her autobiography, Silver Platter Girl, from Seven Locks Press (www.silverplattergirl.com), and like many of the silent masses, was afraid of confronting family members who were not flattered by certain revelations.

"Instead of being a proud first time published author, I have been sick with worry over what it would do to a handful of other people whose very personal stories are intertwined with my own, how my children would feel knowing certain things about their parents that no child should have to know, how it would affect my business, and whether it was the right thing to do," said Kinney.

"No, there has been no celebrating. But I figure that if someone has the nerve to tell, tell it all, every painful detail in a published book, then maybe we can desensitize our culture and we will no longer feel stained by what happened to us and by telling what happened to us. By ending the silence, we can begin to end the plague and all the horrific side effects it continues to have on our nation and our children."

--
Tony Panaccio is a staff writer for News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/business/marketing/is-pay-for-performance-pr-for-real.html http://www.articletrader.com/business/marketing/is-pay-for-performance-pr-for-real.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:26:23 -0500
"Guaranteed placements!"

"If we don't book, you don't pay!"

"Big time public relations without the big-time retainers."

In between the come-ons, however, is the reality that pay-for-performance (PFP) public relations is coming of age, according to one expert.

"Businesses are struggling in this economy and success in today's world requires business leaders to market in a way they may never have done before," said Marsha Friedman, author of Celebritize Yourself from Warren Publishing, (www.celebritizeyourself.com). "Just as people thought they'd never see people like Bernie Madoff being carted off in handcuffs, there are actually some positive shifts in the business world that are just as unbelievable. Not a myth, pay-for-performance PR - when executed correctly - can surpass the efforts of traditional retainer agencies at a much lower cost."

The advent of PFP PR began in the late 80's and was considered revolutionary at the time, Friedman said.

"It hit with some fanfare with an article in the New York Times, and soon after, other companies opened up with the same approach, but varying degrees of effectiveness," said Friedman, who is also the CEO of EMSI Public Relations, a pay-for-performance agency for nearly the last 20 years. "At the end of the day, whether it is a retainer-based agency or a PFP agency, the results will vary depending on the quality of their work. Just like there are good attorneys and bad attorneys, PR firms are in the client service business, so their effectiveness will always have less to do with their business model than with their capabilities."

One recurring criticism that retainer firms have leveled against pay-for-performance firms is that they lack the strategy component. Friedman says that the PFP model does not eliminate good strategic services. In fact, she believes it actually enhances the focus on strategy.

"When an agency is getting paid on a performance basis, it requires the agency to have a solid strategy, because their work and overhead are on the line with every client engagement," she added. "The bottom line is that the agency needs to inherently understand what the news media wants in order to secure placement. If the agency doesn't approach the news media with ideas and stories that are compelling for their readers, they won't get the placement and won't be able to serve their clients."

Other criticisms revolve around how it is difficult to execute print media campaigns in the PFP model, because the size and scope of the print media is so varied. Friedman says one easy fix is to approach print campaigns with project fees, as opposed to fees for each placement.

"A print campaign can be treated as a unit, with a guarantee on impressions and circulation," she said. "In that way, the full depth and breadth of the print media can be approached, without it winding up being too expensive if it's really effective. If it's not effective enough, the agency can always continue to work until the requisite impressions level has been reached.

The question remains as to whether it is less expensive than retainer firms.

"In can be, however, it's not so much about the expense, but rather, the value," she said. "By mitigating the risk of a client who wants results for the money they spend, PFP is far superior to the ‘best efforts' agreements from retainer firms. Moreover, there is no time clock on a PFP campaign. So a six month engagement across all media can wind up costing thousands less per month than a retainer contract that doesn't guarantee anything except that the agency will have the client's money at the end of the month, regardless of the amount of media they generate."

--
Rachel Friedman is a Staff Writer at News & Experts.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>