Kingdom Keys Bookmarking Blog

Instead of adding the letter e in front of a word to instantly create their own product name for instant recognition Apple chose the letter i instead. We offer here some extra ideas...

adipiscing Aenean Aliquam aliquam aliquet amet ante Apple bibendum blandit iBurp condimentum congue consectetur consequat convallis iCraze dapibus diam dictum dictumst dolor Duis egestas eget elit enim est euismod Facebook iFad iFart iFind fringilla Google habitasse hac hendrerit imperdiet interdum ipsum justo laoreet lectus leo libero iLife ligula lobortis Lorem lorem iMac iMania massa mauris metus Microsoft mollis neque nisi nisl non Nullam nunc odio orci iPad pellentesque Pellentesque iPhone placerat platea iPod porttitor posuere Praesent iPuke pulvinar purus quis Quisque iRon sapien scelerisque sed Sed semper seo sit iSneeze Suspendisse tempus iThink therefore iAm tortor iTunes Twitter ultrices urna varius vel venenatis Vestibulum vitae Vivamus volutpat Yahoo iZombie

Add Comment

Are we witnessing the death of investigative journalism? Can you really trust news that you didn't pay for? How can newspapers re-invent themselves in cyberspace?

If you are a journo, your job is at risk. Even before the stoush between Rupert Murdoch and Google the issue of who pays for news is open for debate. Consumers expect to find things for free on the net and there is no shortage of smart operators who gain exposure by recycling someone else's material.

The net has definitively blown out a cosy arrangement between advertisers, journalists, mass-media and consumers.

Blogs have been sprouting everywhere and whoever has an axe to grind or a passion to share can find their audience instantly! Journalists spend as much time searching the net than seeing their sources face to face.

The infamous media leak has now a website of its own where anonymous people can embarrass governments, political parties and corporations.

Another issue is how much people really read from a computer screen? Some are banking on the release of tablet type devices which supposedly reduce eye strain to make us switch from paper.

In a world where everybody does as they see fit freedom of information takes on a new meaning. The propaganda machine is running overtime to blast its message unaware that mass-media is dead and that people have developed a blindness to ads (on TV, on the net, etc...)

What is even more worrisome is the lack of debate where new ideologies are being pushed to the masses without any obvious sign of resistance. For example: How come the feminist lobby does not castigate muslins about the stereotype of women in their civilisation?

Elections have become a popularity contest and far reaching issues are not being addressed. How come nobody is lifting up a banner to address the housing crisis?

How come nobody exposes the hidden interests fighting hard against the worldwide release of the electric car?

How come we never hear much about Chinese foreign policy activities? A regime that stands by North Korea, spies on its people overseas, has an appalling track record in human rights and hides behind heavy censorship?

How come nobody questions whether Australia needs 3 layers of government - federal, state and local?

Where are the true leaders in politics? People who had fire in their belly and a vision for their country? Would people who enter public office be reported on fairly and be applauded for their achievements? Has political life become a mud-slinging match where more is done to pull down your opponent rather than gaining support for a brilliant idea?

Unless we find ways to sponsor a journalist we will remain ill-informed and the consequences do not abide well for a democratic society.

Add Comment

Almost everything is negotiable except selling your mother in law to a slave trader.

Your strategy should operate on 3 levels simultaneously.

Information Do your homework and give the impression that you know more about the other person's background and needs than they know about your own history and requirements.

Time Give the impression that you have a rubbery deadline especially if you know the other person is caught by a given date. Your opponent can eventually be worn out by an unfinished business and can eventually give in for the sake of having the matter closed at last.

Power Give some vibes that you have more connections and authority than is really the case. If you have to take some risks make sure you are not the only one to carry the can but that some other partners are sharing the risk with you.

Being a consumer gives you ample occasions to practice your negotiation skills. Instead of walking in a store and portraying yourself as a buyer of goods think of yourself as an investor in technology. What's the difference? You are no longer purchasing an item - you are selling money!

Whenever the salesperson tries a test close on you like: "If you were the take this item home, would you like it in red or in blue?" Of course answering that question implies that you have already mentally bought the thing. They are softening you by shifting the major choice down to a minor choice. Introducing competition will drive your money further. Inadvertently mention the fact that you were tossing the idea of buying a new car or taking the family for an overseas vacation. Suddenly the salesperson is dragged out of his comfort zone having to argue the benefits of cruising in style as opposed to the benefits of experiencing a foreign culture and relaxing from the rat race. He might have to throw in a few extras fro free to tilt the balance in the favour of the car.

Playing dumb is a powerful disarming tactic. Pretending you have a poor grasp of the English language does wonders as every migrant knows or you can try stammering. Ask questions even if you think you know the answer. Asking the same question twice over a period of time may trigger your opponent to soften his stance and offer an alternative. When you listen hear what people say and also what is being omitted.

Never finish with an ultimatum. Don't try to corner your opponent with a "Take it or leave it" confrontation. Instead give the alternative of two options - one being so bad they'll pick the one you want them to choose but you don't want them to lose face.

Finally before you walk away with a great deal - ask yourself: "Was it a great deal for them too?" You never know when you might have to meet with those people again. If you leave behind a bad taste chances are you will pay for it the next time around which could be sooner than you think. Getting what you want doesn't need to be at the expense of someone else. Be creative and go for the top prize. Why not do business and make friends at the same time? Now that the power play is behind, you have a unique opportunity to make it right for both parties. Don't miss a chance to do good. Sow goodwill for the future you never know when it might become handy to call on an old associate's favour.

Add Comment

The web is notorious for its ability to spread far and wide the most stupendous ideas. Since it is both a global marketplace and a speakers' corner we should not be surprised at the stupidity or heart cries that come across.

Coke and Mentos experiment
The reaction caused by dropping mint lollies into a bottle of carbonated cola had millions download the video on YouTube. Coca Cola had a muted resposne while Mentos lapped up all the free publicity, running a contest and parading the winners on talkback shows.

Virgin Mary grilled cheese sells for $28,000 on EBay
Religious superstition combined with the ability to position yourself in search results ensured many me-too operators tried to replicate this achievement.

I am too young for this!
A support group for young cancer sufferers

Girls fight back
A support group for young women to learn self-defence

Napster
The music download site that flew in the face of copyrights. Ironically new budding musicians figure out that giving out some of their music for free is the best way to spread interest in their work.

Chat Roulette
A service to make a random video call with strangers.

Save the dog park
Tom Edwards gathers enough local support to change the mind of town planners.

Opportunity International
Micro lending charity bringing sponsors and recipients together directly

TripAdvisor
A facebook application to bait people to a travel booking site

My School
Controversy as Australian government exposes school performance thru lead tables

Wiki Leaks
A portal to leak out documents and embarrass governments or institutions.

Add Comment

Not everyone likes to be confronted with the truth. As the famous saying goes: "I've made up my mind, don't confuse me with the facts..."

Obviously people don't go outright to find some falsehood to stick with. Nevertheless we often like to hang on to a convenient story when it suits our purpose. Marketing is one of those areas where the problem is endemic. If you are a competitor to a market leader and their brand image is well entrenched you will find it next to impossible to wake up consumers to the spell they are under.

People will go out of their way to buy such and such a brand simple because it makes them feel good, it allows them to join an elite group of trendsetters (when in fact they are really trend followers) and paying a double or foursome premium is no objection for the benefits derived.

Value is indeed in the eyes of the beholder. This phenomenon is not confined to the consumer market but is also found in the corporate world. In the past people used to claim; "Nobody has been fired for buying IBM." Later on we heard: "Nobody has been fired for buying Microsoft."

This is an interesting twist to the herd mentality. The appeal of implied benefits in being seen as a member of an eclectic group is overwhelming. All you have to do is buy a certain item in demand despite logical reasons not to.

It is clear by now that people do not buy an item because of its features but because of the benefits to them. This explains why the same car can be sold under one brand at a certain price but more than double the price when sold under a more prestigious label (Volkswagen Touareng versus Porsche Cayenne).

Is our self-esteem so low that we have to buy ourselves toys (for men) or clothes (for women) to gain some kudos? Are we so vain and self-centred that everything turns out to be a popularity contest?

Be as it may the main reason people like to hang on to a lie is that it is humbling to admit you were wrong. The longer you persist in towing the party line the more difficult it is to let go of it. This is especially so if you have nothing to replace the identity boost you derived from believing the lie.

Add Comment