I admire people who are good at communicating a message! They make a dull topic seemingly interesting. This is an art, and the people who have it are blessed! For a lot of people it is just part of the job requirement, particularly as you climb up the corporate ladder, or if you happen to be in the business of communication. Think the PR companies, the spokespersons, the news anchors, the TV hosts! In the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, I have been watching the spokespersons, the campaign managers’ and the respective surrogates (that’s what they are called by the media, I am just borrowing the term..) almost having perfected this to an art form. The spin they put on controversial issues, the rebuttal they issue against each other, reading between the line and making interpretation and giving it their own spin …gosh that’s an art and I love and enjoy reading that political bickering!! A lot to be learned there right, after all who doesn’t make some stupid mistakes in day to day life and needs a spin to cover it up! I can use some of it, sure!!
When I get some free time I watch Anderson Cooper 360 ( AC 360) on CNN, the guy reflects a kind of innocence rarely found in these anchors, doesn’t pretend to be know-it-all (think Bill O Reilly‘ Fox news), generally comes out sincere in what he does and seems like he really cares about the issues he reports on. It may just be a facade, a veil of innocence, but I think not, he seems very genuine! That’s an art my friend.. to make your audience feel that way!

Speaking of AC 360, I noticed Erica Hill who co-anchors the show sometime and throws in her words of wisdom. What a charm, the sincerity, the inquisitive eyes,the body language and the facial expressions…Seems like I am not the only one who thinks this way, quoting the source here “series of well-timed facial expressions, off-the-cuff jokes and generally unflappable, smart-as-a-whip demeanor”, I couldn’t have agreed more! And as the source I quoted says, her cameos are “brief but memorable”, indeed! According to this source , in 2006, Erica was listed as one of the “100 Most Beautiful People” for People Magazine. She was selected as Number 35. Watch out of for her..Paula Zahn has been put on notice!
Let’s see who else do I like, Campbell Brown,she did a good job of hosting the faith based Q & A Barack Obama and Hillary had.Who else, lets see, Tim Russert, being a veteran in anchoring, at times seems like the same old …same old..nothing intriguing …kinda Larry King Live..only much more intense and more probing to his guests, whereas Larry King cuts some slack and doesn’t terrorize his guest with a dreaded follow-up question. Bottom line if you want to defend your act get on Larry King ( think Tom Cruise sofa jumping act on Oprah…) he will let you go with minor interrogation, a patient hearing and a last word where you can set the record straight. Whereas if you are going to Tim Russert’s Meet the Press, you better prepare well my friend and get all your facts straight! Expect hardball, expect deeper probes, and the follow up questions and you know what, sometime this is exactly what the audience wants, the truth!

>I admire people who are good at communicating a message! They make a dull topic seemingly interesting. This is an art, and the people who have it are blessed! For a lot of people it is just part of the job requirement, particularly as you climb up the corporate ladder, or if you happen to be in the business of communication. Think the PR companies, the spokespersons, the news anchors, the TV hosts! In the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, I have been watching the spokespersons, the campaign managers’ and the respective surrogates (that’s what they are called by the media, I am just borrowing the term..) almost having perfected this to an art form. The spin they put on controversial issues, the rebuttal they issue against each other, reading between the line and making interpretation and giving it their own spin …gosh that’s an art and I love and enjoy reading that political bickering!! A lot to be learned there right, after all who doesn’t make some stupid mistakes in day to day life and needs a spin to cover it up! I can use some of it, sure!!
When I get some free time I watch Anderson Cooper 360 ( AC 360) on CNN, the guy reflects a kind of innocence rarely found in these anchors, doesn’t pretend to be know-it-all (think Bill O Reilly‘ Fox news), generally comes out sincere in what he does and seems like he really cares about the issues he reports on. It may just be a facade, a veil of innocence, but I think not, he seems very genuine! That’s an art my friend.. to make your audience feel that way!

Speaking of AC 360, I noticed Erica Hill who co-anchors the show sometime and throws in her words of wisdom. What a charm, the sincerity, the inquisitive eyes,the body language and the facial expressions…Seems like I am not the only one who thinks this way, quoting the source here “series of well-timed facial expressions, off-the-cuff jokes and generally unflappable, smart-as-a-whip demeanor”, I couldn’t have agreed more! And as the source I quoted says, her cameos are “brief but memorable”, indeed! According to this source , in 2006, Erica was listed as one of the “100 Most Beautiful People” for People Magazine. She was selected as Number 35. Watch out of for her..Paula Zahn has been put on notice!
Let’s see who else do I like, Campbell Brown,she did a good job of hosting the faith based Q & A Barack Obama and Hillary had.Who else, lets see, Tim Russert, being a veteran in anchoring, at times seems like the same old …same old..nothing intriguing …kinda Larry King Live..only much more intense and more probing to his guests, whereas Larry King cuts some slack and doesn’t terrorize his guest with a dreaded follow-up question. Bottom line if you want to defend your act get on Larry King ( think Tom Cruise sofa jumping act on Oprah…) he will let you go with minor interrogation, a patient hearing and a last word where you can set the record straight. Whereas if you are going to Tim Russert’s Meet the Press, you better prepare well my friend and get all your facts straight! Expect hardball, expect deeper probes, and the follow up questions and you know what, sometime this is exactly what the audience wants, the truth!

Last week I watched the two much publicized CNN episodes called Planet in Peril. The show took the viewer to multiple continents and multiple countries. The show was hosted by Anderson Cooper, Dr Sanjay Gupta- CNNs medical correspondent and Jeff Corwin -the familiar face from Animal Planet. The Part I dealt with species getting extinct at a very fast clip in the last few years. They particularly talked about Madagascar and the biodiversity found there which is unique to that place and can not breed in any other environment. Madagascar Tortoise was illegally up for sale in a Bangkok market. The part I also dealt with pollution in China, the scarcity for food and water etc. Part II focused on Greenland , the melting glaciers/ice ( three times size of California in one year, if I heard it right), the underfed polar bears leaving under the threat of extinction. This part took us to Alaska’s Northern frontiers, Greenland and Amazon rain forests.They also took to one island somewhere in Africa which was fast getting submerged under sea water. All the evidence pointed towards climate change, global warming. The episode concluded with interview of some skeptics, who think it is inconclusive at best that global warming is being caused by human beings reckless use of fossil fuels.
I thought the episodes were done nicely and must have made many people to think. I for one, was convinced that an urgent action is called for to save this planet. The earth resources are being pushed to the limit, it was all evident from looking at starving population in some part of the world, species getting extinct and pollution causing cancer to young people. I admire the high profile people who have associated themselves with the subject, notably Al Gore. I hope he can make a difference! These episodes have gotten me thinking- Is there a way I can help in my individual capacity? Nothing jumps at me immediately, but I will keep looking. Has to be something I can do to help fight this battle. May be help develop a software solution to optimize energy uses at big energy consumers- mining companies, fleet operators even airlines-although I don’t have much experience in that industry. It is not evident today which way I can help, but I am sure I will find something to make my constructive contribution and be as carbon neutral as I can get!!

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Last week I watched the two much publicized CNN episodes called Planet in Peril. The show took the viewer to multiple continents and multiple countries. The show was hosted by Anderson Cooper, Dr Sanjay Gupta- CNNs medical correspondent and Jeff Corwin -the familiar face from Animal Planet. The Part I dealt with species getting extinct at a very fast clip in the last few years. They particularly talked about Madagascar and the biodiversity found there which is unique to that place and can not breed in any other environment. Madagascar Tortoise was illegally up for sale in a Bangkok market. The part I also dealt with pollution in China, the scarcity for food and water etc. Part II focused on Greenland , the melting glaciers/ice ( three times size of California in one year, if I heard it right), the underfed polar bears leaving under the threat of extinction. This part took us to Alaska’s Northern frontiers, Greenland and Amazon rain forests.They also took to one island somewhere in Africa which was fast getting submerged under sea water. All the evidence pointed towards climate change, global warming. The episode concluded with interview of some skeptics, who think it is inconclusive at best that global warming is being caused by human beings reckless use of fossil fuels.
I thought the episodes were done nicely and must have made many people to think. I for one, was convinced that an urgent action is called for to save this planet. The earth resources are being pushed to the limit, it was all evident from looking at starving population in some part of the world, species getting extinct and pollution causing cancer to young people. I admire the high profile people who have associated themselves with the subject, notably Al Gore. I hope he can make a difference! These episodes have gotten me thinking- Is there a way I can help in my individual capacity? Nothing jumps at me immediately, but I will keep looking. Has to be something I can do to help fight this battle. May be help develop a software solution to optimize energy uses at big energy consumers- mining companies, fleet operators even airlines-although I don’t have much experience in that industry. It is not evident today which way I can help, but I am sure I will find something to make my constructive contribution and be as carbon neutral as I can get!!