Archive for January 2011

Is this Camelot? Get me re-write! The Kennedys, the History Channel, never ending entitlement and blatant censorship.

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Monday, January 31st, 2011

by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

The Kennedys, our ex-imperial dynasty, are going through a bad patch. First, the commencement of the new 112th Congress took place in January, 2011 without a Kennedy amongst its members House or Senate, to lend credibility to the national circus. Such a lapse had not occurred since 1947… and the Kennedys didn’t like this one little bit.

Then Victoria Reggie Kennedy uttered her umpteenth pronouncement on whether she would seek her deceased husband Ted’s Senate seat in 2112. This time she really meant it (so she said) . She wouldn’t be challenging naked pin up boy Senator Scott Brown (R-Massachusetts). Too bad. That would have been a gourmet food fight.

Next, Sargent Shriver, one of the royal brothers-in-law, checked out at 95 on January 18, 2011. He had always been a fringe character; nice, but a light weight. Still, every Court needs affable second-raters, and Sarge filled that bill all right. This was a loss, to be sure, but not much.

Meanwhile down the road a piece in Dorchester, Massachusetts at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library a much more important battle was taking place; this time it was Sister Ethel (Bobby Kennedy’s tough-as- nails widow) who was pulling the wires from backstage. She picked her last (9th) child Max, a trained lawyer, to play Cerberus and bite on cue every time anyone wanted to see a ton of never-before-seen documents, a true treasure trove — with its own curse.

These dealt with such subjects as…. how the Jack and Bobby White House planned to snuff Cuba’s Fidel Castro in Operation Mongoose… how to plan a Cuban invasion without getting caught… what really happened at the bumbling, bloody Bay of Pigs, and the “next one who blinks gets a holocaust” confrontation with Russia’s bear-hugging head of state, Nikita Khrushchev, known as the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1961.

These papers, it was widely predicted by historians and other reputable sources, held one smoking gun after another. The dynasts made it clear, very, very clear , these embarrassing documents (the private property of the Kennedy family) would see the light of day when hell freezes over, or some such long-delayed, Kennedy- controlled moment in time.

Add to this the caught-with-their-pants-down story of the Kennedys ham fisted efforts to control content about them on the History Channel, and you have One Big Headache, irritating lese majeste.

This article is about the last of these matters, a set of inconvenient facts which make it clear the Kennedys are different from you and me. Not only are they the stuff of legend and questions on “Jeopardy”; they get to have tantrums that work when something, anything doesn’t go their way. Kool. Let’s see how they do it.

“The Kennedys” mini-series was supposed to showcase great content… thereby raising the visibility and status of the History Channel.

At the History Channel things were not all well. Widely derided as the “World War II Channel” because every other program showed British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s famous “V” for victory finger movements… and, of course, a million interminable hours about Field Marshal Rommel, the masterful organizer of the North Africa campaign. It was limited, dull, often excruciating… in need of what the Kennedys have to burn: glamor. It seemed a match made in heaven. And the History Channel plunked down some serious coin (over 30 million bucks) to bring this story to you and me.

Unfortunately, right from the start there was a serious mismatch between what the History Channel wanted for its considerable stake and what the Kennedys, the object of our affection, would allow. The History Channel wanted the soap opera: great pots of money illegally made, sex, illicit sex, jaw-dropping sex, sex in odd places, even presidential sex with an always-available cutie while discussing How To Build a Better World with his (supposedly oblivious) Secretary of State. Neat. Oh, and don’t forget sex with Marilyn Monroe… with one brother, both brothers. Whatever… it would sell like hot cakes.

Then there were the Kennedys… determined to get what every defunct dynasty wants: controlled facts; white-washed facts; never the whole-truth-and-nothing-but-the-truth facts. They wanted the laundry room version of the truth, sanitized, clean, not a speck of dirt. If it was dull, too bad. It needed to be majestic, larger-than-life, controlled.

As the project advanced and a release date was set for the 50th anniversary of JFK’s new presidency, January 20, 1961, members of the ex-dynasty got more and more nervous. Their ertwhile representative on the project, famed Kennedy speech writer and adviser Theodore Sorensen, made it clear just how lurid this series would be… and just how inimical to the family. Sorensen’s crisply stated opinion was taken very seriously by the Kennedys. They knew that Sorensen was the ultimate loyalist, a man who knew all and told nothing… and wouldn’t let anyone else tell much either, if he had anything to say about it.

Sorensen told about scripts he found flagrantly inaccurate. Hey, the History Channel knew with Voltaire that history was a pack of lies the living play on the dead. What facts matter… so long as the History Channel made money?

Then there were tales about the role of Kennedy-baiting, conservative Joel Surnow in the project. His media production qualities were impeccable (an Emmmy-award winnng creator and former executive producer of the Fox series “24″.) He didn’t much like the dynasty… and had no trouble saying so.

The dynasty should be worried, said Sorensen, and so did liberal Robert Greenwald, who slipped them all copies of the script… which well and truly set the cat amongst the pigeons. It wouldn’t do… it wouldn’t do at all.

And so the Kennnedys started to act… like Kennedys, summoning up their massive firepower to hugely alter or even kill the project. It was reported by the Boston Globe, the Kennedys’ hometown read, that Caroline Kennedy, Maria Shriver, and Eunice Kennedy Smith had all contacted network executives with their concerns. Meanwhile, Theodore Sorensen, who had so deprecated this project, labeling portions “vindictive” and “malicious” died in October, 2010, supremely loyal to the end.

The History Channel caved.

In response to this juggernaut, the History Channel pulled the 8-part mini series from the U.S. market, the only one the Kennedys cared about. It was finished… it was as lurid as desired by the network… it was exiled to Canada, which didn’t count.

At the last, even the Boston Globe, the newspaper of record for the Kennedys, couldn’t abide or approve what the dynasts did. In an editorial of January 17, 2011 it made clear its opposition to all the shenanigans, admonishing the Kennedys for going “too far”.

And what of the many Kennedy supporters worldwide? What did they do? What did they say?

The silence was awesome.

Lord Melbourne (1779-1848), Queen Victoria’s first prime minister knew why.

“That is no use at all,” he said of men who would support him when he was right.

” What I want is men who will support me when I am in the wrong.”

But no one, on these terms, stepped forward to aid and support the Kennedys in their determined, wrongful assault on free speech and their insistence on shaping and controlling the content and message. Their “friends” were nowhere to be found… and they are silent still.

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About The Author

Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc., where small and home-based businesses learn how to profit online. Dr. Lant is also a syndicated writer and author of 18 best-selling business books. Details at worldprofit.com and JeffreyLantArticles.com

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Let freedom ring! A great nation struggles in the streets to be born. Egypt, January, 2011.

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Sunday, January 30th, 2011

by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

An event of world significance is playing out right this minute in Cairo and throughout the country. A great nation with a legendary, larger-than-life past is fighting to be born, fighting for the rights of oppressed millions, no longer content merely to yearn to be free. They want the real thing… and they want it now.

Feckless adolescents, young men and  women without even a prayer for the future, businessmen tired of being shaken down by a voracious regime, women enraged at permanent second-class status, the children of ignorance and irredeemable poverty and political servitude. These are the people who are carrying the revolution on their backs. They have been patient, gullible, long suffering. And now they want revenge… and a better life.

It is dangerous! It is perilous! It is magnificent… and the heart of every freedom loving being on this planet goes out to them. We are watching and applauding, transfixed, as the little people, the common people, so wanting  liberty that they risk even the little they have, are carried away by a thrill those accustomed to freedom can only imagine.

Luckily we have William Wordsworth’s celebrated sentiments on the French Revolution to guide us. (The Prelude, published 1798).

Oh! pleasant exercise of hope and joy!… Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven!

And so these young must feel, for it is primarily  the young leading the day, exultantly so, in days of animal courage, boldness, high sentiments and — so far — every possibility of hitherto unimaginable success.

These are the heroes of the day… for they have, after some 30 years of ascending tyranny, screamed “basta!” and poured into the streets to demand long delayed personhood and the respect and well-being every person everywhere is entitled to.

These are the days of their lives… and we are proud, so deeply  proud, of such a people and of their valiant struggle that rivets our attention and compels our respect.

The facts

Egypt, a name that conjures the greatness of an ancient imperium, is in fact one of the newest nations of our planet. It acquired full sovereignty from the British in only 1952 when the republic was proclaimed.

The current regime of Hosni Mubarak dates from 1981 and the assassination of his Nobel Peace Prize winning predecessor, Anwar Sadat. His is a garden variety tyranny, redeemed from the pedestrian by geography and a long-standing deal with the United States. Mubarak and his regime, for certain gain (and for lack of the resources to wage war again), gave up their losing fight against Israel. Relieved, gratified the United States backed Mubarak for its Mideast strategy. Egypt was the golden lynch pin.

Unfortunately, Mubarak had severe built-in liabilities. Despite being egregious, such liabilities (for the highest reasons of state) had to be winked at.  Mubakak knew his worth and exacted far  more than his pound of flesh. We might have held our nose… but we remunerated this necessary excrescence, constantly, lavishly.

Instead of getting the reforms Washington wanted, successive presidents merely slapped him on the wrist now and again. This was laughably inadequate and totally ineffectual. His blatant human rights violations knew no end; neither did his abiding contempt for his own  people, an affliction to which dictators are prone. Sadly, these violations could, in time, not be argued away.

So long as his complacent American partner and our unceasing bribes were in place Mubarak was fearless and  unconcerned. In such a way did he become a standing insult to an aggrieved people from whom he demanded all… while giving them, the heart of the nation… as little as he could. He became a master of bloated exhortation, high-blown rhetoric. Controlling complainers (often in barbarous ways) became the policy of his regime. What did he care? He was Mubarak… and that was gift enough to the people.

But an important thing, a thing that could not be denied was occurring in the homes of Egyptians: more and more of them were being born, faster and faster. All with nothing to lose…  and so perfect candidates for a revolution. The revolution truly began in the bedrooms of Egypt and spilled over into the streets, an army of the dispossessed, patient no longer, their future in their own hands. And so they came to challenge the ramshackle regime and to bring it down with their own bare hands and a spirit that Mubarak had neglected to remember of his people. It was there… and it was no longer at his beck and call.

The police, of course, and above all, the army could have, at the start of these insurrectionary days, crushed even the most ardent and dedicated of these young nation makers, but so far — and it is the crucial factor — so far these pets of the regime have failed to fire on the people. For privileged though these supports of the regime are, they, too, can see the writing on the wall and the clear direction of events and History.

So far, the police and army have not fired… rather, they have begun the process that proved key in the signature revolutions of France and Russia: they have begun to fraternize with the revolutionaries. This means everything… and Mubarak is nothing if not a (lazy) student of history. His options? He can now call his army to kill legions of his countrymen, thereby bringing down the universal execration of the world and even of regimes less tolerated than his. Anyway, it may be too late for this.

Or, he can accept the fact that he must go… at which time a shout of joy will punctuate the day. Luckily for Mubarak the days of guillotines and assassination squads for governors as despised and hated as he is are gone. He will fly out of Egypt in style, his ill-got millions stashed away and intact, instead of exiting in a lonely tumbrel ride into eternity through the unbridled hatred of the people he treated so. In short, even in his inevitable end, Mubarak will be a lucky man. The United States will see to that., for he is and has long been our creature, and we will no doubt cherish this expensive souvenir as fitting reminder of our days on the Nile.

As for our brand-new revolutionaries? Today,  the y command our full and unqualified admiration. However they need to know that toppling a regime, no matter how entrenched, is the easiest activity of a revolution. Day I after the fall of the Mubarak regime, History will begin evaluating them on what they do next and how they do it and at what costs. It is good to remember this, even as the goal of your life is achieved by your inexperienced hands. Sadly, with the ultimate prize about to be yours, some hubris may enter with the glitter and bliss and the worldwide enthusiasm your deeds engender. Remember Mubarak had his days like this, too.

About The Author

Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc., where small and home-based businesses learn how to profit online. Dr. Lant is also a syndicated writer and author of 18 best-selling business books. Details at worldprofit.com and JeffreyLantArticles.com

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Interactivity is the key to blog success. Here’s the exact language to use to get it. Yes, exact.

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Friday, January 28th, 2011

by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Hear ye, hear ye! Blogs are the hottest thing on the ‘net. You know it… and you’ve done the necessary to set yours up and publish, right? Out it goes… then… nothing. Not a peep from any reader. That’s bad, real bad.

That’s why I’m here — to help you achieve maximum blog success.

As you’re reading along with this article, think Cole Porter’s peppy little number, “Friendship” (from “Was a lady,” 1939) because that’s what this article is, a friend helping a friend achieve maximum success online, this time with your blog.

Interactivity is the key.

Blogs work when they’re interactive, that is when you get your audience/readers to respond. And why do you want them to respond? Because blog readers who respond are the very best customer prospects there are, that’s why. Moreover if you’re smart, you want to monetize your blog just as quickly as possible, right from the get-go… so that every time you publish your blog your readers, your prospects — with their money — respond.

Here’s how to make this happen day after golden day.

Announce your objective, so that people know that your blog is interactive… and you expect them to respond.

“Readers! You’ve arrived at the most interactive blog online… where we are in constant touch with our readers… and readers are encouraged, indeed expected, to respond. We like hearing from you!”

Make this goal pellucidly clear to your readers. And keep this exact language in all blog posts. It’s your welcome mat for the world.

Words that get people to respond to your lead article.

“Folks, I’m delighted, pleased, ecstatic to bring you this article (add title here). It’s written by an expert (add name here) who knows what she’s talking about. After you’ve read this piece, email me at once at (email address). Tell us what you think! We genuinely want to know!”

Put like this, such a plea is irresistible. Expect responses fast, always remembering that each response represents either the beginning of an ongoing relationship with that respondent…or the strengthening of an existing relationship. In short, it is the raw matter for success and nothing but success.

Ask your readers to respond to individual articles, not just the entire blog.

Remember, not only must your blog be perceived as interactive; each portion of the blog must be so configured. In other words, you want each and every article and/or blog section to generate leads. Here’s how to do it.

“Friend, this article by (name of writer) is absolutely terrific, isn’t it? The writing is incredible… the content superb. What’s more , I can tell you how to get content of this amazing quality on your blog free. Email me your name, email address, and phone for the details. Yes, I mean FREE!”

Offer a freebie in every issue.

One particularly popular freebie, which I’ve used for years, is to write and make available a Free Report to your readers on a subject of interest to them, a subject like this:

“Boy, oh boy, have I ever got the terrific freebie for you today, you lucky blog readers, you. This report, absolutely free, is titled ‘Just what you need to know and do to get (whatever benefit you sell)’. This special report is packed, just packed, with superb, hard-to-find details , and I’m lucky to be able to GIVE it to you. Email me now at (your email address) with your name, email address and phone number or just call me now at (your telephone number.) P.S. Be sure to tell me what you think after you’ve read it!”

Or, try this freebie. It’s worked for me for years, and it’s a pip of an example and model for you.

“Incredible, but true. Due to a special arrangement with some hot-shot traffic gurus, I’m able to give out 1,000,000 guaranteed visitors today, that is 50,000 each to the FIRST TWENTY READERS who respond today. Be one of them. Email me now at (email address) along with your name, address, and phone number or just pick up the phone and call me now. DON’T WAIT. This special offer can’t last!”

Ask for comments. Use the comments.

Remember, your objective is to solicit and then receive comments from every reader. First, savour them; you have earned a little self-congratulation, because with each blog post and every reader response thereto, you are distancing yourself from the also-rans of blog publishers and firmly establishing yourself as a Smart Cookie. Now, press your advantage.

When responses arrive, be sure to publish them in your blog, good, bad, or indifferent. Of course, you want every response to be positive. These are the most welcome and easy-to-use blog posts. Publish them at once… and use them to generate more responses. You want your readers to see and be clear on the fact that yours is one of the most exciting, worthwhile blogs in the land. Make it a point to publicize every positive response you get:

“Wow! Here’s a great response from (name of reader responding). We sure do appreciate these responses, not just because they’re complimentary (but what’s wrong with that anyway?) But because they make it clear how you feel… and what you like about what we’re doing. That’s Very Important indeed! Always include your name, address, phone, and email address.”

What if the response is carping, critical, vituperative?

The world does not live on a diet of milk and honey. Gall and wormwood do make themselves known. Your job is to use negative comments to impress your readers and even turn your carping critic into a lap dog. Take a look at how this magic occurs.

“Tom Jones from Pocatello, Idaho isn’t too happy today. He has emailed this message: ‘Folks, that last article you published on (name of article) was just plain wrong about a couple of points. Here’s the low-down…”

All publishers, blog or otherwise, are inured to getting responses like this. The key is turning the criticism into gold, building a relationship with the (momentarily) irked or critical respondent.

“Tom, your points are sooooo well taken. Thanks for making them; we’ve glad to let our readers have your point of view and hope to hear more from you. In the meantime, please accept a free copy of our newest report (title here).”

In short, turn lemons into lemonade and emerge wiser and better regarded than before.

Last words… there are no last words.

Blogging, as tried and true bloggers know, NEVER ends. Each issue, each part of each issue, constitutes a potential link to the future. Each thing, every section and each word, is a hook; grabbing, then pulling in your expectant audience, thereby generating leads, comments for future issues… and (how sweet it is) MONEY.

Blogs are the most personal of media. Run with that concept, and make your blog a place of constant interactivity and the satisfaction and profit that ensue to you as a result. Your readers will be happy, recognizing and applauding you, while you laugh all the way to the bank! How nice!

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About The Author

Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc., where small and home-based businesses learn how to profit online. Dr. Lant is also a syndicated writer and author of 18 best-selling business books. Details at worldprofit.com and JeffreyLantArticles.com

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