Kirsten Gillibrand

Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand (pronounced /ˈkɜrstən ˈdʒɪlɨbrænd/; born December 9, 1966) is the junior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. On January 23, 2009, Gillibrand was appointed by Governor David Paterson to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who assumed the office of United States Secretary of State in the Obama administration. She is the second woman to serve as a U.S. Senator from New York.

Previously, she was elected twice to the United States House of Representatives, representing New York's 20th congressional district from January 3, 2007, to January 26, 2009. She was the first woman to serve as a representative of the district and the first Democrat to represent the district since Edward W. Pattison left office in 1979. As a member of the House, Gillibrand was considered to be a centrist Democrat, appealing to some Republican and conservative Democratic voters in upstate New York.

Gillibrand won the November 2010 special election to complete Clinton's Senate term. That term is to end in January 2013.

Early years and education

A member of a politically active family, Kirsten Rutnik was born and raised in Albany, New York. Her parents are Douglas P. Rutnik, an attorney and Democratic lobbyist with close ties to Republicans Al D'Amato and George Pataki, and Polly Noonan Rutnik, also an attorney.Gillibrand's maternal grandmother, Dorothea "Polly" Noonan (1915–2003), was a women's rights activist who was a leader of the Albany Democratic machine and the closest confidant of longtime Albany mayor Erastus Corning. "As a 10-year-old girl," Gillibrand later said, "I would listen to my grandmother discuss issues and she made a lasting impression on me."

After attending Albany's Academy of the Holy Names, she graduated in 1984 from Emma Willard School in Troy, New York. At Dartmouth College, she majored in Asian studies and graduated magna cum laude in 1988. While in college, Gillibrand was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and studied abroad in both Beijing, China and Taiwan. She is semi-fluent but "rusty" in Mandarin Chinese and still uses Chinese words and phrases occasionally in her normal vocabulary. Her Chinese name is Lu Tian Na (陸天娜).

She received her Juris Doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law in 1991. She interned for Senator Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY) during college, and served as a law clerk to Judge Roger Miner on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Legal career

During the Clinton administration, Gillibrand served as Special Counsel to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Andrew Cuomo. She worked on HUD's Labor Initiative and its New Markets Initiative as well as on TAP's Young Leaders Of The American Democracy, on strengthening Davis-Bacon Act enforcement, and on drafting new markets legislation for public and private investment in building infrastructure in lower income areas.

As an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell and a partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner, Gillibrand worked on a wide range of legal and policy-related issues. She handled many pro bono cases, including abused women and their children, and tenants seeking safe housing after lead paint and unsafe conditions were found in their homes.

Gillibrand was the Chair of the Women's Leadership Forum Network and was on the Boards of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee and the Commission on Greenway Heritage Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley. She also served on the Advisory Board for the Brennan Center for Justice.

Controversy over Philip Morris legal representation

During her employment with Davis Polk & Wardwell, Gillibrand represented the world's largest cigarette company, Philip Morris (now Philip Morris USA, a division of Altria Group), during major litigation, including both civil lawsuits and U.S. Justice Department criminal and civil racketeering probes. Davis Polk permitted its associates to decline to work on tobacco-related cases if they had moral or ethical objections, but Gillibrand chose to represent Philip Morris in some of the most sensitive matters related to its defense. Gillibrand was closely involved in key tobacco-related litigation, including aiding Philip Morris's controversial efforts to suppress information on the health effects of cigarette smoking collected by its German lab, the Institut für biologische Forschung, and advising Philip Morris officials on the content of public statements regarding their products and practices. She continued to represent Altria Group while a partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner. In her 2008 Congressional campaign, Gillibrand reportedly received in excess of $18,000 in campaign donations from the tobacco industry, placing her among the top dozen House Democrats receiving such contributions.

When her past work for Philip Morris surfaced during the 2008 campaign, Gillibrand claimed that she had no control over what cases she was assigned as a Davis Polk associate. She also noted that she had previously spoken about her Philip Morris work and that she had voted in favor of all three anti-tobacco bills in that session of Congress. She maintained that most of her work consisted of assisting the company in assembling documents in response to subpoenas, adding, "I don't think clients you represented as an associate are relevant, I think how you vote is relevant." She also claimed to have no knowledge of the financial contributions by Altria and Altria executives to her campaign, and was unfamiliar with her father's work as lobbyist for Philip Morris.

The issue resurfaced after she took her seat in the Senate, when The New York Times ran a front page investigative piece in March 2009 on Gillibrand's work on behalf of Philip Morris.[ Gillibrand reacted quickly to the Times article by placing ads on Google stating "Gillibrand Fights Tobacco" and directing viewers to a link to a page on her site touting a 100% anti-tobacco voting record.

Political career

U.S. House of Representatives

In 2006, Gillibrand defeated four-term Republican incumbent John E. Sweeney in New York's 20th congressional district election by a margin of 53%-47%. She co-founded the Congressional High Tech Caucus with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) at the beginning of the 110th Congress. She was also a member of the Blue Dog Coalition during her tenure in the House.

Gillibrand while serving in the House of Representatives

Gillibrand won her bid for re-election in 2008 and enjoyed a sophomore surge, defeating challenger Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell 62%-38%. During the campaign, she was criticized for hosting fundraisers in London, England, and Paris, France. While the fundraisers were legal and contributions only came from American citizens living abroad, some critics claimed that her actions were hypocritical since during her first campaign, she had criticized Sweeney for hosting an out-of-state fundraiser for the 2006 election.

Media reports of her relationship with colleagues in the New York congressional delegation have been contradictory. During the spectacle surrounding Gillibrand's eventual appointment to the United States Senate in January 2009, commentators like Politico's Glenn Thrush and New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd claimed that Gillibrand was "unpopular" and was known within her delegation by the unflattering nickname "Tracy Flick", after the Reese Witherspoon character from the movie Election. Recently, 11 members of the NY Congressional Delegation, including 5 from the NYC area, endorsed her 2010 Senate campaign.

During her tenure in the House, she would travel the Washington Metro with her son Theodore and drop him off at the congressional day care center before proceeding to work. She has also posted her daily schedules, earmark requests and financial disclosure forms on her website.

In a May 2008 New York Times article, Gillibrand was mentioned along with fellow Representative Gabrielle Giffords as a "young Democratic dragon slayer who won in  Republican district" in the context of possibly becoming the first woman to be elected President.

U.S. Senate

United States Senate special election in New York, 2010

On December 1, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama announced his choice of Hillary Rodham Clinton, the junior U.S. Senator from New York, as United States Secretary of State. Clinton's nomination was confirmed by the Senate and she resigned her Senate seat on January 21, 2009, creating a vacancy in the Senate to be filled by appointment by Governor David Paterson until a special election in 2010 for the balance of Clinton's term, which ends in 2012. Gillibrand had been rumored by the media as one of several people, including Caroline Kennedy and New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, to be under consideration as Clinton's replacement. On January 23, Paterson announced his selection of Gillibrand as the junior Senator from New York. In attendance were Al D'Amato, in whose office she interned and who is one of only three living former Senators from New York (along with Clinton and James L. Buckley), and other New York State officials and some members of the New York Congressional delegation. Gillibrand officially took office on January 27, taking the oath of office from Vice President Joe Biden.

Gov. Paterson's choice of Gillibrand was met with both praise and criticism. She was touted by some Democrats as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Committee assignments

Following her swearing in, Gillibrand was assigned to the following Senate committees:

Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry

Subcommittee on Energy, Science and Technology

Subcommittee on Domestic and Foreign Marketing, Inspection, and Plant and Animal Health (Chairwoman)

Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms

Committee on Environment and Public Works

Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy

Subcommittee on Oversight

Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health

Committee on Foreign Relations

Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps and Narcotics Affairs

Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs

Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy and Global Women's Issues

Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection

Special Committee on Aging

Political views

During her tenure in the House of Representatives, Gillibrand was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition and was considered a centrist, Gillibrand has received an 8% rating from the American Conservative Union, 70% from Americans for Democratic Action, and 90% from the American Civil Liberties Union. OnTheIssues.org rates Gillibrand as a "Populist-Leaning Liberal."

Health care reform legislation

Gillibrand voted in favor of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Senate's version of health care reform legislation, although it did not contain provisions for a public option for health insurance, for which she had previously expressed support. The Senate bill was heavily criticized by New York Governor David Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who warned that it would force New York City to close 100 health clinics, would create a $1 billion hole in New York State's budget, and threaten the existence of struggling hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities. Bloomberg, who called the bill a "disgrace," subsequently telephoned Gillibrand personally to express his extreme dissatisfication with the bill.

When confronted with these criticisms, Gillibrand responded, "What the mayor and the governor are talking about is the Medicare reimbursement rates... I've been fighting on this issue for over six months. What it is, Erroll, is when it comes to funding formulas in the Senate, there are more small states than big states, and so the funding formulas tend to help small states. And that's something Senator Schumer and I have to push back on every single time, because the fact of the matter is, for every dollar New York sends to Washington, we only get 79 cents back, and that's largely due to these formulas. We win on the formula debate on the House. So what I've been trying to do is fight for the House version of the bill when we are in conference... If we are successful we can close the $1 billion gap." 

Gillibrand also claimed that the bill would be a net benefit for New York because it would bring in $40 billion to the state, insure 2.7 million New Yorkers, increase the use of preventative care by requiring that it is covered, and give tax credits to 250,000 small businesses to help them afford health care coverage.

Economic crisis measures

During the height of the global financial crisis in 2008, Gillibrand, then a member of the House of Representatives, voted twice against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, calling it "fundamentally flawed". However, she did vote for the automobile industry bailout in December 2008.

In 2009, as Senator, Gillibrand voted for the $787 billion stimulus plan backed by the Obama administration. At a press conference on January 25, 2009, Gillibrand said that during her first week in the Senate, she would work to ensure that the stimulus bill included relief funds for New York State. She supported the President's recovery plan and budget, and voted for cram down to allow judges to write down mortgages of struggling homeowners.

Abortion and Reproductive Issues

Gillibrand espouses a pro-choice position and has voted in favor of federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, contraception and United Nations Population Fund programs. She voted against Senator Ben Nelson's proposed amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which would have prohibited the government from allowing insurance plans that cover abortion in a national healthcare exchange.

Labor

Gillibrand is a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act commonly referred to by its opponents as card check. The legislation would allow the formation of a union without an election by secret ballot when 50% or more of workers sign authorization cards.

Gun rights

Gillibrand's position on gun rights has changed since she joined the Senate. While in the House, she was an outspoken opponent of gun control. She had received a 100% positive rating from the NRA, and sponsored an amendment to the 2008 Farm Bill that would have allowed expanded hunting on public lands.Gillibrand has also worked to strengthen the NRA-endorsed National Instant Criminal Background Check System Improvement Act.

Gillibrand's pro-gun rights positions received great scrutiny after her appointment to the Senate and were the object of scathing criticism by some of her fellow New York Democrats, particularly those in the New York City area. Within days of her being named to the Senate by the governor, Gillibrand indicated that her pro-gun rights position was flexible. At the start of a statewide "listening tour" in Harlem, Gillibrand was asked whether there might be NRA positions that contradict the gun-control needs of an inner-city community. She replied, "There might well be," adding, "I'll look into it."

In one of her first votes as a Senator, Gillibrand voted to reject a measure that would have expanded gun rights in the District of Columbia.While Gillibrand's spokesman characterized the vote as consistent with her previous view that local governments have the right to determine gun restrictions, the Albany Times-Union noted that her position was counter to her vote just five months earlier on an almost identical House bill. She also cosponsored the Gun Trafficking Prevention Act of 2009 with Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, a longtime advocate of gun control. Gillibrand also opposed federal legislation that would have allowed American citizens to carry concealed firearms across state lines if they were legally allowed to carry the weapons in their home states.

Illegal immigration

Gillibrand has also modified some of her positions on illegal immigration to the United States since her appointment to the Senate.

As a Representative, Gillibrand opposed granting any sort of amnesty to illegal immigrants and supported empowering local police to enforce Federal immigration laws. She also opposed giving federal contracts to employers who have hired illegal immigrants and supported increasing the number of border patrol agents. She was a co-sponsor of the SAVE Act, which aimed to crack down on illegal immigration by means of more border guards, surveillance technology, accelerated deportations and a mandatory program requiring employers to verify the immigration status of employees. Breaking with former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, Gillibrand opposed his plan to issue drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. She also voted in favor of Rep. Tom Tancredo's legislation targeting and withholding Federal funds from sanctuary cities. Gillibrand also sought to make English the official language of the United States.

Following her appointment to the Senate, Gillibrand's positions were harshly criticized by immigration advocates and Democratic elected officials. She subsequently changed some of her positions, explaining that "it’s a case of learning more and expanding my view.” She now opposes deporting illegal immigrants and cutting off funds to sanctuary cities. She also supports an earned path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. She is a co-sponsor of the DREAM Act, which would provide amnesty to any undocumented immigrants under the age of 35 who first entered the United States before the age of 16, has been in the country for at least the last five years, and has earned a high school diploma or GED in the United States and would retroactively repeal the federal law that prohibits state colleges and universities from giving undocumented immigrant students in-state tuition rates.She also supports a moratorium on home raids until comprehensive immigration reform is passed. She still opposes granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

LGBT issues

Gillibrand favors legalizing civil unions across the country and leaving the issue of same-sex marriage up to the States, once stating, “All  things that we give to married couples, committed gay couples should be eligible for. And then the question of whether you call it a marriage or not, what you label it, that can be left to the states to decide.” In 2007, Gillibrand received an 80 out of 100 rating from the LGBT advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign—the lowest score out of New York’s Democratic representatives. She declined to cosponsor legislation repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. She voted against legislation to grant same-sex partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents the same immigration status of married couples.

In an interview with the editorial board of the New York Times following her appointment to the Senate, Gillibrand insisted that she had supported same-sex marriage since shortly before her re-election to the House in 2008. On the morning of her appointment to the Senate, she called the Empire State Pride Agenda to reiterate her full support for Same sex marriage.

 According to the ESPA, as a member of the Senate, Gillibrand will also support a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

 On April 16, 2009, Gillibrand endorsed Governor Paterson's proposed legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in New York.

In July, 2009, Senator Gillibrand announced she was considering introducing an amendment to the defense authorization bill that would impose an 18-month moratorium on the discharge of gays serving in the military.

 She ultimately decided against introducing the amendment, as she could not amass the 60 votes required to avoid a filibuster, but told the blog The Daily Beast that she was able to secure the commitment of the Senate Armed Services Committee to hold hearings on "don't ask, don't tell" in the fall of 2009.

 However, the hearings were postponed and began on February 2, 2010.

In December, 2009, the LGBT publication The Advocate, citing Senator Gillibrand's position on gay marriage and her work toward repealing "don't ask don't tell", declared her one of its five "People of the Year".

Taxes

She opposes the No Child Left Behind Act, because she believes it "places an unmanageable strain on county and school budgets". She supports doubling the Child and Dependent Care Credit, and eliminating or permanently fixing the Alternative Minimum Tax.

ACORN

In September 2009, the U.S. Senate voted 83-7 to strip federal housing funds from ACORN in the wake of the a controversy over apparently illegal activity exposed on undercover videos. Gillibrand split from Sen. Charles Schumer and joined just six other senators who voted against the bill. Gillibrand defended her vote, claiming that eliminating funding for ACORN "would be harmful to the thousands of hard-working New Yorkers who need extra assistance in the middle of this economic crisis."

United Nations

Of the United Nations Durban III conference, Gillibrand said in November 2010: "We all witnessed how extreme antisemitic and anti-American voices took over Durban I and Durban II, and we should expect the same thing to happen with Durban III... I appreciate the Obama Administration’s strong statement opposing yesterday’s resolution, and urge it to again withdraw from the event and encourage other nations to do the same."

Electoral history

2006 campaign

New York 20th congressional district election, 2006

Gillibrand ran in New York's 20th Congressional District against four-term Republican incumbent John E. Sweeney. The suburban and rural district was among the more Republican in the Northeast. Sweeney had a politically conservative/libertarian stance, and had not faced a serious opponent for election in any of his previous House races. Gillibrand won the election by a 6% margin over Sweeney.

2008 campaign

New York's 20th congressional district election, 2008

Gillibrand ran for re-election in November 2008, easily defeating Republican challenger Sandy Treadwell to hold her seat.

Results table

As New York election law allows fusion voting, Gillibrand ran under the aegis of both the Democratic Party and the Working Families Party in her two elections to the House. The pooled vote totals for candidates are listed first, and the split of the votes among the parties they ran as is listed beneath.

New York's 20th congressional district: Results 2006–2008

Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct

2006 Kirsten E. Gillibrand 125,168 53% John E. Sweeney 110,554 47% *

Democratic 116,416 Republican 94,093

Working Families 8,752 Conservative 9,869

Independence 6,592

2008 Kirsten E. Gillibrand 193,651 62% Sandy Treadwell 118,031 38% *

Democratic 178,996 Republican 99,930

Working Families 14,655 Conservative 10,077

Independence 8,024

* Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2006, there were 14,579 blank, void, and write-in ballots (6%). In 2008, the figures were separated, and there were 22,973 blank ballots, 26 void ballots, and 35 write-in votes (8%).

2010 election

County results of the 2010 election.

 United States Senate special election in New York, 2010

New York Democratic Representative Carolyn McCarthy, a vocal supporter of gun control who reportedly considered challenging Gillibrand in the 2010 primary because of this issue, expressed strong objections to the appointment of anyone with a 100% positive rating from the NRA. Senator Chuck Schumer, also a strong gun control advocate, supported the appointment and urged McCarthy to give Gillibrand a chance. McCarthy subsequently said she will not run for the seat. The New York Immigration Coalition also objected to the appointment based upon Gillibrand's views on immigration reform. President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid all expressed their support for the appointment. A Quinnipiac Poll in January 2009 showed that a plurality (46%) of New Yorkers polled expressed approval of Gillibrand's appointment to the Senate, but when asked if they have a favorable opinion of Gillibrand, 63% said they do not know enough about her yet.[90] A Siena College poll at the same time showed twice as many respondents had a favorable opinion of her as had an unfavorable one (30–14%), but also reported a majority of respondents having neither a favorable nor unfavorable opinion. Gillibrand won a primary election in September 2010, defeating Gail Goode by a three to one margin, to gain the Democratic nomination.

Gillibrand won the November 2010 Special Election to formally retain her seat. Her Republican challenger was Joseph DioGuardi, former U.S. Congressman.

2012 Election

Gillibrand will likely run for a full term in office in 2012.

Personal life

Gillibrand lives in Hudson, a small city 35 miles (56 km) south of Albany. She splits her time between Hudson and Washington, D.C., with her husband, British national and venture capital consultant Jonathan Gillibrand, and their two sons. Their older child was born in 2004. Gillibrand gave birth to her second child in May 2008, making her the sixth woman to have a child while serving as a member of Congress. Her House colleagues gave her a standing ovation for working until the day she gave birth. During the financial crisis in 2008, Gillibrand's husband made substantial investments in stock options that would rise in value if the stock market declined.

(source:wikipedia)

Christmas travel plans ruined for half a million air passengers

Snow and ice grounded the vast majority of flights in and out of Britain, with London Heathrow the worst-affected airport.

The airport cancelled all incoming flights on Sunday (December 19) after the authorities were unable to de-ice the taxiing areas and stands where planes are parked.

As the airport was inundated with increasingly angry passengers trying to leave, many other travellers faced a frantic scramble to get home to Britain in time for Christmas.

Most flights this week were already full to capacity during what is the busiest period of the year.

One million passengers were due to pass through Heathrow alone this week and with warnings of further bad weather in the next few days, some travellers whose flights have been cancelled were told they faced waits of up to five days.

As passengers were forced to sleep in terminal buildings for a third night, there was mounting criticism of BAA, the airport operator.

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, rang Colin Matthews, the chief executive of BAA, to demand answers over why the airport had failed to cope.

Mr Johnson said: “I stressed the huge economic importance of Heathrow. I also expressed my hope that they would pull out all the stops to ensure that the planes get moving again. Most people realise that it has not snowed at Heathrow for some time so it is vital everything is done to get the aircraft and passengers moving again.”

As the row over the airport closure intensified:

Forecasters warned that parts of Britain could see record low temperatures this week of -26C (-15F). Heathrow will experience lows of about -9C (16F) tonight and further snowfall is expected in the South East during the evening rush hour.

Motorists continued to struggle. The M25 was closed in both directions for about six hours while drivers on the M40 in Oxfordshire suffered severe delays.

Commuters were warned to expect treacherous conditions with thick ice and freezing fog today. Train passengers also face delays and cancellations, particularly in the North. Eurostar services between London and Paris have also been affected.

Air travel experts warned that even when the weather improves it will take at least 48 hours before flights return to normal.

BAA, which is controlled by Spain’s Ferrovial, claimed it had spent an extra £6million on equipment to deal with snow and ice compared with last year. But with pre-tax profits expected to near £1 billion this year, the operator has been accused of failing to invest properly in equipment to cope with the extreme cold.

Only 16 flights left Heathrow yesterday out of a total of 650 scheduled services. More than 400,000 passengers had been due to pass through the airport this weekend. Although the runways were deemed safe, the areas around the stands remained covered in ice making it too dangerous to move planes.

Severe delays and widespread cancellations were also reported at Stansted, Luton, Exeter, London City, Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton, Cardiff and Birmingham airports, while Aberdeen Airport was forced to close twice during the day.

Airline sources noted that while services at Gatwick — which BAA was recently forced to sell — were subjected to delays and cancellations the airport fared better than Heathrow. Almost 300 of its 700 scheduled flights landed or took off.

A source at one major airline said: “Lessons really need to be learned from this situation. There was a large snowfall in a short period of time but the major issue for us has been a failure to communicate information to the airlines.

“We had aircraft de-iced and ready to go on the tarmac at Heathrow but we were not getting any information from BAA.”

Willie Walsh, the British Airways chief executive, was said to have had a furious exchange with Mr Matthews, after the airport operator claimed it was the airlines’ responsibility to de-ice the planes.

One engineer based at Heathrow said that by the time they hadde-iced an aircraft ready for take off it had already started to freeze up again.

Frustrated passengers, forced to bed down in airports said there had been little or no communication from the authorities.

Many of those who hoped to fly over the weekend were told they may not be able to travel until Christmas Eve.

The dire situation was reminiscent of the scenes during the volcanic ash cloud earlier this year. But critics said this situation was more avoidable as the heavy snow and ice had been forecast at least a week earlier.

Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, said: “I understand the immense frustration of people, many of whom will be with families looking to get away for Christmas.

“The airport operators and the airlines have to think about getting services back to normal operation as quickly as they possibly can.”

Mr Hammond said he was seeking scientific advice to decide whether heavy snowfall was likely to be a regular occurrence in Britain.

But Alan Johnson, the shadow chancellor, accused the Government of failing to do enough to keep the country moving.

He said: “It is a big issue when people believe the Government have just left it for them and said 'get a shovel or stay at home’. Governing is about more than that when you hit a crisis.”

Forecasters last night warned there would be no let up to the Arctic conditions until Wednesday at the earliest, putting the travel plans of millions in jeopardy.

“The coming week will not offer much respite in terms of temperatures and snowfall, so conditions for those travelling are unlikely to improve,” said John Hammond of the Met Office.

More than 200,000 passengers a day pass through Heathrow at this time of year. BAA, Britain’s largest airport operator, yesterday defended its performance but apologised for the misery suffered by passengers.

A spokesman said: “The change in temperature overnight led to a significant build up of ice on parking stands around the planes and this requires the airfield to remain closed until it is safe to move planes around.”

But airlines and passengers were less than convinced. Paul Charles, a travel industry veteran, said: “It beggars belief that lessons have not been learned from the ash cloud crisis and previous bad weather situations.”

David Reynolds, head of safety at the British Airline Pilots Association, was also scathing. He said: “British airports have been pretty poor. Our neighbours across the Channel do not suffer as badly as we do when we get a cold snap.”

Tim Jeans, the managing director of Monarch Airlines, called for a reassessment of Britain’s transport capabilities. “We have not coped well. The infrastructure — not just at the airports but the road infrastructure — completely seized up.”

(source:telegraph.co.uk)

Christmas is coming, and magic is afoot

All Those Christmas Cliches” is a simple, beautiful song I heard for the first time this month. A woman sang it at Esmeralda’s Lounge at Riverside Theatre Works in Hyde Park on piano night, and people stopped talking and glasses stopped clinking and the crowd paid attention.

I don’t know why the radio stations don’t play it. They’ve been airing the same holiday tunes over and over for a month. This wistful ballad would be a nice addition.

“I want the tree full of toys and tinsel, I want the wreath on the red front door. I want the elves in the yard and each sentimental card dripping glitter on the floor.”

When I took my granddaughter, Lucy, to Jordan’s Furniture in Avon to see the refurbished Enchanted Village last weekend, I found myself thinking about this song and about the importance of continuity and tradition in a world that is so full of change.

Here were the same little houses and storefronts I saw when I was a child, the same animated figures, boys and girls playing, dogs barking, carolers singing, and the same awe in the faces of the children, the same Christmas magic.

I thought about the song again when I took another granddaughter to see Santa Claus at the South Shore Plaza. There was Santa and there were a dozen little kids dressed up and waiting in line. And there was Charlotte, refusing to go anywhere near Mr. Claus.

I have a photo of her mother when she was three (Charlotte would say, “I am three-and-a-HALF!) sitting on Santa’s lap flailing and wailing. And I have another photo taken the very next year of her smiling up sweetly at him. Tradition. Continuity.

I thought about “a tree full of toys and tinsel,” when I saw my daughters’ Christmas trees. And I thought about each sentimental card dripping glitter on the floor yesterday when I opened the mail and silver stars spilled out.

People say that Christmas is too much work and stress. And it is. For adults. But take away the madness of buying and hurrying and doing and fitting Christmas into already too busy lives, take away an adult’s worry about work and bills and the future, and look at Christmas only through a child’s eyes, and Christmas is what it has always been. A magical time whose essence has not changed.

When my kids were small, we made Jesus a cake and sang Happy Birthday to him every Christmas Eve. The cake and the singing may not be a well-known tradition, but so many other things are. Little girls dressed in red velvet with bows in their hair. Children gawking at dolls and trucks and bikes and sleds. Santa Claus and Frosty and Rudolph. Christmas pageants and caroling. Singing hymns. Reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Watching “A Christmas Carol” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” while cookies bake in the oven and outside there’s a dusting of snow.

A child does nothing for Christmas but wait. He waits to eat the chocolate in his Advent calendar. He waits to be cast in the church play. He waits to see Santa, to mail his Christmas letter, for school to end. He waits for Santa to come.

Everything that gives him pleasure, all the presents, the food, friends and relatives showing up at the door with more presents, the movies, the music, the fun, the festivities. For a child all this magic just happens.

Adults are the magic-makers. We shop and wrap and cook and decorate and buy the toys and hang the wreaths.

It’s not easy being Santa Claus and Martha Stewart. But it’s what we do. It’s what adults have always done.

We keep tradition. We keep the magic alive.

See also 

Mary mother of Jesus

(source:boston.com)

Christmas Miracle Coming For 9/11 First Responders

Once the Senate wraps up work on the START treaty, it won’t be time for the Christmas break just yet. Before lawmakers head out of town for the holidays, the Senate will take another shot at a bill that would provide health care benefits and compensation to sick first responders of the 9/11 attacks.

“We are on the verge of a Christmas miracle,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., at a press conference today on Capitol Hill.

Gillibrand and fellow New York Democrat Chuck Schumer said they have the votes to pass the bill before the end of the year now that an agreement has been reached with Republicans on a new way to pay for the measure.

On Dec. 9 the bill failed to advance past a procedural vote in the Senate, but Democrats have since secured the support of the GOP’s Mark Kirk of Illinois and, according to Gillibrand and Schumer, other Republicans who previously objected to how the $6.2 billion bill was paid for.

The House-passed version of the bill offset the costs by closing tax loopholes for foreign companies, a move GOP lawmakers said violated international tax treaties. The new version would off-set the costs by implementing a fee on contracts with foreign countries that have not signed procurement agreements with the United States and by extending a visa fee.

“The clock is winding down but we are on the verge of an 11th hour breakthrough,” Schumer said. “Barring a setback we believe we are on the path to victory by the end of this week.

“The heroes who rushed to the towers on 9/11 are heroes who deserve to be taken care of, just like our veterans,” he said. “That’s what America promised in the days after 9/11. We are holding up that candle so that that promise is met and we will not quit until it is.”

“America will be watching very closely to how this Senate votes on something that goes to the fundamental issue of who we are as Americans and whether we stand by our heroes,” Gillibrand said.

But even if Senate Democrats have the votes to pass the measure, the dwindling number of days before Christmas could present another obstacle. The Senate still has to wrap up work on the START treaty. Then, even if the Senate does pass the 9/11 measure, the House would have to pass it again due to the recent changes.

While the House could ultimately pass the bill by unanimous consent, there is no guarantee that it would -- and the clock is ticking.

“To go home, whether it’s close to Christmas or not, and leave these heroes abandoned would be the wrong thing to do,” Schumer said. “I think there’s going to be huge pressure on people not to go home until we do this.”

Schumer and Gillibrand, who said they will wear red, white and blue ribbons until the bill passes, noted that the measure is now estimated to reduce the deficit by $57 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

In addition, while the measure formerly was priced at $7.4 billion, it is now priced at $6.2 billion due to a settlement involving some 9/11 first responders.

(source:abcnews.com)

Christmas Carol: Part Two

Scrooge's snoring woke him. He immediately looked round the bed --- he didn't want to be taken by surprise. And he wondered: What curtain would this new ghost draw back?

But when the bell struck One and no ghost appeared, he was taken with a violent fit of trembling.

Five minutes, ten minutes, a quarter of an hour went by, yet nothing came. Except this: The whole time, a blaze of light streamed upon the bed --- and because it was only light and he couldn't figure out what it meant, it was more frightening than a dozen ghosts.

He got up softly and shuffled in his slippers to the door.

The moment Scrooge's hand was on the lock, a strange voice called him by his name, and ordered him to enter. He obeyed.

It was his own room. There was no doubt about that. But it had undergone a surprising transformation. The walls and ceiling were green --- it looked like a forest. Bright gleaming berries glistened from every leaf. There was holly, mistletoe and ivy. And a mighty blaze went roaring up the chimney.

Heaped up on the floor, to form a kind of throne, were turkeys, geese, poultry, suckling pigs, long wreaths of sausages, plum puddings, barrels of oysters, hot chestnuts, cherry-cheeked apples, juicy oranges, luscious pears, immense cakes and bowls of punch.

And then were was a jolly Giant, holding a glowing torch, which he held high, the better to shed its light on Scrooge.

"Come in!'' exclaimed the Ghost.

Scrooge entered timidly, and hung his head before this Ghost. The Ghost's eyes were clear and kind, but Scrooge did not want to look into them.

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present,'' said the Ghost. "Look upon me!''

Scrooge did. The Ghost wore a simple green robe, bordered with white fur. Its feet were bare. On its head it wore a holly wreath. Its hair was curly. Its eyes sparkled. It seemed... joyful.

"You have never seen anything like me before!'' exclaimed the Ghost.

"Never,'' Scrooge said. "Spirit, take me where you will. I went forth last night because I was forced to, and I learned a lesson that is working now. Tonight, if you have something to teach me, let me learn from it.''

"Touch my robe!''

Scrooge did as he was told.

Holly, mistletoe, red berries, ivy, turkeys, geese, game, poultry, meat, pigs, sausages, oysters, pies, puddings, fruit and punch --- all vanished instantly. So did the room, the fire, the hour of night.

Now Scrooge and the Ghost stood on a city street on Christmas morning. They could see nothing very cheerful through the gloomy, dingy mist, and yet was there cheerfulness in the air. The people who were shoveling snow from their steps were happy to be doing so. Now and then a snowball would fly, and someone would shout with delight if it hit its target. The customers in the food shops were all so hurried they tumbled against each other at the door, crashing their baskets wildly, and left their purchases upon the counter, and came running back to fetch them, all in the best spirit. And then it was time for church, and they came, flocking through the streets in their best clothes and with their most pleasant faces.

For the Ghost, this was the signal to led Scrooge to his clerk's house. There he found Mrs. Cratchit, Bob Cratchit's wife, in a faded dress. Belinda Cratchit, second of her daughters, was setting the table, while young Peter Cratchit plunged a forkful of potatoes into his mouth. And now two smaller Cratchits, boy and girl, came tearing in, screaming that outside the baker's they had smelt the goose and just knew it was theirs.

"What has ever got your precious father?'' said Mrs. Cratchit. "And your brother, Tiny Tim? And Martha wasn't as late last Christmas Day."

"Here's Martha, mother!'' cried the two young Cratchits. "Hurrah! There's such a goose, Martha!''

"Why, bless your heart alive, my dear, how late you are!'' said Mrs. Cratchit, kissing her a dozen times.

"We had a lot of work to finish up last night,'' the girl replied, "and had to clear away this morning, mother!''

"Well! Never mind so long as you are here,'' said Mrs. Cratchit. "Sit down before the fire, my dear."

"No, no! Father's coming,'' cried the two young Cratchits. "Hde, Martha, hide!''

So Martha hid herself, and in came Bob, with Tiny Tim on his shoulder. Alas for Tiny Tim, he carried a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame.

"Where's our Martha?'' cried Bob, looking round.

"Not coming,'' said Mrs. Cratchit.

"Not coming!'' said Bob. "Not coming on Christmas Day?''

Martha didn't like to see him disappointed, even if it was only in joke; so she came out from behind the closet door, and ran into his arms, while the two young Cratchits hustled Tiny Tim off to see the pudding as it cooked.

"And how did little Tim behave?'' asked Mrs. Cratchit.

"As good as gold,'' said Bob, "and better. Somehow he gets thoughtful, sitting by himself so much, and thinks the strangest things you ever heard. He told me, coming home, that he hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas Day who it was that made lame beggars walk and blind men see.''

Bob's voice trembled when he told them this, and trembled more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty.

The children went out to fetch the goose, while Mrs. Cratchit heated the gravy. Peter mashed the potatoes with incredible speed. Belinda sweetened up the applesauce. Martha put out the plates. And the two young Cratchits set chairs for everybody, not forgetting themselves.

At last the dishes were set on, and grace was said. It was succeeded by a breathless pause, then Mrs. Cratchit plunged the carving knife into the goose. A murmur of delight arose all round the table, and even Tiny Tim beat on the table with the handle of his knife, and feebly cried, "Hurrah!"

There never was such a goose. Bob said he didn't believe there ever was such a goose cooked. Its tenderness and flavor, size and cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration. Served with applesauce and mashed potatoes, it was a sufficient dinner for the whole family

And then, as Belinda changed the plates, Mrs. Cratchit left the room alone to bring in the pudding. But what if it should not be done enough! What if it broke as it was being served? What if somebody got over the wall of the backyard and stole it while they were merry with the goose? All sorts of horrors were supposed.

Mrs. Cratchit entered, flushed, but smiling proudly. The pudding was like a cannonball, so hard and firm. "Oh, a wonderful pudding!" Bob Cratchit said, proclaiming it as the greatest success achieved by Mrs. Cratchit since their marriage. Everybody had something to say about it, but nobody said or thought it was a small pudding for a large family.

At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. Apples and oranges were put upon the table, and a shovel full of chestnuts on the fire. Then all the Cratchit family drew round the hearth, and Bob proposed: "A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us!''

Which all the family echoed.

"God bless us every one!'' said Tiny Tim, the last of all.

He sat very close to his father's side upon his little stool. Bob held his withered little hand in his, as if he wished to keep him by his side and dreaded that he might be taken from him.

"Spirit,'' said Scrooge, with an interest he had never felt before, "tell me if Tiny Tim will live.''

"I see a vacant seat in the poor chimney corner, and a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved," replied the Ghost. "If these shadows remain unchanged in the future, the child will die.''

"No, no,'' said Scrooge. "Oh, no, kind Spirit! Say he will be spared.''

"If these shadows remain unchanged in the future, no one will find him here," the Ghost repeated. "What then? Didn't someone say: 'If he's likely to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.'''

Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the Ghost, and was overcome with penitence and grief. And then he heard his own name, and looked up.

"Mr. Scrooge!'' said Bob. "A toast to Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!''

"The Founder of the Feast indeed!'' cried Mrs. Cratchit, reddening. "I wish I had him here. I'd give him a piece of my mind to feast upon, and I hope he'd have a good appetite for it.''

"My dear,'' said Bob, "think of the children, think of Christmas Day.''

"It would be Christmas Day, I am sure,'' said she, "on which one drinks the health of such an odious, stingy, hard, unfeeling man as Mr. Scrooge. You know he is, Robert! Nobody knows it better than you do, poor fellow!''

"My dear,'' was Bob's mild answer. "Christmas Day.''

"I'll drink his health for your sake and the Day's --- not for his,'' said Mrs. Cratchit. "Long life to him. A merry Christmas and a happy new year! He'll be very merry and very happy, I have no doubt!''

The children drank the toast after her. It was the first of their festivities that had no joy. Scrooge was the Ogre of the family. The mention of his name cast a dark shadow on the party, which was not dispelled for a full five minutes.

After it had passed away, they were ten times merrier than before, from the mere relief of Scrooge being done with. Bob Cratchit told them how he had a possible employer in his eye for Peter, and if that worked out, Peter would have quite a nice salary. The two young Cratchits laughed tremendously at the idea of Peter's being a man of business; and Peter himself looked into the fire and thought about the investments he'd make someday. Martha told them what kind of work she had to do, and how many hours she worked at a stretch, and how she meant to lie in bed tomorrow morning for a good long rest. All this time the chestnuts and the jug went round and round; and bye and bye they had a song, about a lost child traveling in the snow, from Tiny Tim.

There was nothing fancy in any of this. They were not a handsome family, they were not well dressed, their shoes were far from being waterproof. But they were happy, and grateful, and pleased with one another.

Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last.

By this time it was getting dark, and snowing pretty heavily; and as Scrooge and the Ghost went along the streets, the brightness of the roaring fires in the houses was wonderful. Here, the flickering of the blaze showed preparations for a cozy dinner. There all the children of the house were running out into the snow to meet their married sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles, aunts, and be the first to greet them. Here, again, were shadows on the window blind of guests assembling; and there was a group of handsome girls, all chattering at once, as they tripped lightly off to some neighbor's house.

If you had judged from the numbers of people on their way to friendly gatherings, you might have thought that no one was at home to give them welcome when they got there, instead of every house expecting company, and piling up its fires half-chimney high. Blessings on it, how the Ghost enjoyed what it saw!

But now, without a word of warning from the Ghost, they stood in a bleak and desert field, where masses of stone were cast about as though this was the burial ground of giants. The setting sun had left a streak of fiery red and then was lost in the thick gloom of darkest night.

The Ghost did not linger here, but motioned to Scrooge to follow out to the shore. There stood a solitary lighthouse. Great heaps of seaweed clung to its base, and birds rose and fell about it, like the waves they skimmed.

The two men who watched the light had made a fire. Joining their hands over the rough table at which they sat, they wished each other Merry Christmas.

Again the Ghost sped on, until he and Scrooge landed on a ship. They stood beside the sailor at the wheel, the lookout in the bow, the officers who had the watch --- and every man among them hummed a Christmas tune, or had a Christmas thought, or spoke softly to his companion of some bygone Christmas Day. And every man on board, waking or sleeping, good or bad, had had a kinder word for another on that day than on any day in the year; and had shared to some extent in its festivities; and had remembered the people he cared for at a distance, and had known that they delighted to remember him.

It was a great surprise to Scrooge, while he saw all of this, to hear a hearty laugh. It was a much greater surprise to Scrooge to recognize it as his own nephew's, and to find himself in a bright, dry, gleaming room, with the Ghost standing smiling by his side, and looking at that same nephew with approving affability!

"Ha, ha!'' laughed Scrooge's nephew. "Ha, ha, ha!''

If you should happen, by any unlikely chance, to know a man more blessed in a laugh than Scrooge's nephew, all I can say is, I should like to know him too.

When Scrooge's nephew laughed in this way --- holding his sides, rolling his head, and twisting his face into the most extravagant contortions --- his wife laughed as heartily as he. And their assembled friends roared out with them.

"He said that Christmas was a humbug!'' cried Scrooge's nephew. "He believed it too!''

"More shame for him, Fred!'' said his wife.

"He's a comical old fellow,'' said Scrooge's nephew, "that's the truth: and not so pleasant as he might be. But his crimes carry their own punishment, and I have nothing to say against him.''

"I'm sure he is very rich, Fred,'' his wife said.

"What of that, my dear!'' said Scrooge's nephew. "His wealth is of no use to him. He doesn't do any good with it. He doesn't make himself comfortable with it. He hasn't the satisfaction of thinking -- ha, ha, ha! -- that he is ever going to benefit us with his fortune.''

"I have no patience with him,'' she said, and her sisters and all the other ladies expressed the same opinion.

"Oh, I have!'' said Scrooge's nephew. "I am sorry for him; I couldn't be angry with him if I tried. Who suffers by his foul mood? He does, always. Here, he takes it into his head to dislike us, and he won't come and dine with us. What's the consequence? He loses a very good dinner.''

Then Scrooge's nephew turned serious: "I mean to invite him to join us every year, whether he likes it or not, for I pity him. He may mock Christmas till he dies, but he can't help thinking better of it if I go there, in good humor, year after year, saying 'Uncle Scrooge, how are you?' If it only puts him in the vein to leave his poor clerk a little money, that's something.''

After tea, they had some music. And all the things that Ghost had shown him filled Scrooge's mind. He softened more and more, and thought that if he could have listened to music more often, years ago, he might have cultivated the kindnesses of life for his own happiness.

After a while, Scrooge's nephew and his children played games, and Scrooge saw how it is good to be young sometimes, and never better than at Christmas. There might have been twenty people there, young and old, but they all played, and so did Scrooge, who forgot that his voice made no sound in their ears and sometimes came out, and quite loudly at that, with his guess to their quizzes.

The Ghost was pleased to find Scrooge in this mood, and was delighted when Scrooge begged like a boy to be allowed to stay until the guests departed. But the Ghost said this could not be done.

"They're starting a new game,'' said Scrooge. "One half hour, Spirit, only one!''

It was a Game called Yes and No, where Scrooge's nephew had to think of something, and the rest must find out what. He only answering to their questions yes or no, as the case was. The brisk fire of questioning to which he was exposed, produced these responses: He was thinking of an animal, a live animal, rather a disagreeable animal, a savage animal, an animal that growled and grunted sometimes, and talked sometimes, and lived in London, and walked about the streets, be it didn't live in a menagerie, and was never killed in a market, and was not a horse, or an ass, or a cow, or a bull, or a tiger, or a dog, or a pig, or a cat, or a bear. At every fresh question that was put to him, this nephew burst into a fresh roar of laughter.

At last his sister cried out: "I have it! I know what it is, Fred! I know what it is!''

"What is it?'' cried Fred.

"It's your Uncle Scro-o-o-o-oge!''

Which it certainly was.

"He has given us plenty of merriment, I am sure,'' said Fred, "and it would be ungrateful not to drink his health." He reached for a glass of mulled wine. "To Uncle Scrooge!''

"Well! Uncle Scrooge!'' they cried.

"A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to the old man, whatever he is!'' said Scrooge's nephew. "He wouldn't take it from me, but may he have it, nevertheless. Uncle Scrooge!''

Uncle Scrooge had imperceptibly become so gay and light of heart, that he would have toasted his nephew's family in return, if the Ghost had given him time. But the whole scene passed with the last word spoken by his nephew, and Scrooge and the Ghost were again upon their travels.

Much they saw, and far they went, and many homes they visited, but always with a happy end. The Ghost stood by sick beds, and they were cheerful. He showed Scrooge foreign lands, and they seemed close at home. He visited struggling men, and they seemed patient in their greater hope. He went to the poor, and they were rich. In hospitals and jails, in misery's every refuge, the Ghost left his blessing and taught Scrooge new lessons.

It was a long night, and a strange one, for while Scrooge remained unchanged in his outward form, the Ghost grew older, clearly older. Scrooge had observed this change, but never spoke of it, until they left a children's Twelfth Night party, when, looking at the Ghost as they stood together in an open place, he noticed that its hair was grey.

"Are spirits' lives so short?'' asked Scrooge.

"My life upon this globe is very brief,'' replied the Ghost. "It ends tonight.''

"Tonight!'' cried Scrooge.

"Tonight at midnight. Hark! The time is drawing near.''

The chimes were ringing the three quarters past eleven at that moment.

"Forgive me," said Scrooge, looking intently at the Ghost's robe, `"but I see something strange, protruding from your robe.

From his robe, two children appeared. They were wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment.

"Look, look, down here!'' exclaimed the Ghost.

They were a boy and girl. Yellow, ragged, scowling, wolfish --- but also humble.

Scrooge was appalled. He tried to say they were fine children, but the words choked themselves.

"Spirit! Are they yours?'' was all Scrooge could say.

"They are Man's,'' said the Ghost, looking down upon them. "This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Need. Beware them both.''

"Have they no home or help?'' cried Scrooge.

"Are there no prisons?'' said the Ghost, turning on Scrooge for the last time with his own words. Are there no workhouses?''

The bell struck twelve.

Scrooge looked about him for the Ghost, and saw it not. As the last stroke ceased to vibrate, he remembered the prediction of old Jacob Marley, and lifting up his eyes, beheld a solemn Phantom, draped and hooded, coming, like a mist along the ground, towards him. 

See also 

List of Christmas carol adaptations

(source:huffingtonpost.com)

Social media marketing

Social media marketing is a recent addition to organizations’ integrated marketing communications plans. Integrated marketing communications is a principle organizations follow to connect with their targeted markets. Integrated marketing communications coordinates the elements of the promotional mix;advertising, personal selling, public relations, publicity, direct marketing, and sales promotion. In the traditional marketing communications model, the content, frequency, timing, and medium of communications by the organization is in collaboration with an external agent, i.e. advertising agencies, marketing research firms, and public relations firms. However, the growth of social media has impacted the way organizations communicate. With the emergence of Web 2.0, the internet provides a set of tools that allow people to build social and business connections, share information and collaborate on projects online.

Social media marketing programs usually center on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their social networks. A corporate message spreads from user to user and presumably resonates because it is coming from a trusted source, as opposed to the brand or company itself.

Social media has become a platform that is easily accessible to anyone with internet access, opening doors for organizations to increase their brand awareness and facilitate conversations with the customer. Additionally, social media serves as a relatively inexpensive platform for organizations to implement marketing campaigns. With emergence of services like Twitter, the barrier to entry in social media is greatly reduced. Report from company Sysomos shows that half of the users using Twitter are located outside US demonstrating the global significance of social media marketing. Organizations can receive direct feedback from their customers and targeted markets.

Introduction

Social media marketing is considered as a powerful strategy of low-cost promotion through social media channels. Social media sites allow the sharing of opinions and customer experiences on companies, products and services. Social media websites are usually not moderated or censored and customers can critically assess products, companies and services in a positive or negative way.

Online social media involves:

Sharing: Anything can be promoted to everyone (example: DIGG)

Networking: Anyone can connect with everyone from anywhere (example: Facebook)

Publishing: Everyone can publish anything for everyone (example: Twitter)

Platforms

Social media marketing which is known as SMO Social Media Optimization benefits organizations and individuals by providing an additional channel for customer support, a means to gain customer and competitive insight, and a method of managing their reputation online. Key factors that ensure its success are its relevance to the customer, the value it provides them with and the strength of the foundation on which it is built. A strong foundation serves as a stand or platform in which the organization can centralize its information and direct customers on its recent developments via other social media channels, such as article and press release publications.

The most popular platforms include:

Facebook

YouTube

LinkedIn

Twitter

MySpace

Reddit

Blogs

Flickr

Delicious

Benefits of online social Media

The audience is in control

It is a two-way communication

The message to be delivered can be adapted and designed so as to appeal to the target audience

The focus is on the audience and its experience rather than on the brand

It is a powerful way of influencing and getting the audience to be involved

The user can participates in the co-creation

Software tools

Several companies are now providing specialized tools and platform for social media marketing. Popular tools include:

Shoutlet - Social media marketing platform

Sysomos - Social media monitoring and analytics provider

Hubspot - Inbound social media marketing

(source:wikipedia)

History of all

Christmas travel put on hold

Witheringly cold weather coupled with unusually large snowfalls has brought much of western Europe and the United Kingdom to a standstill. As the holiday traveling season begins, thousands of flyers are stranded at airports, drivers caught in massive traffic jams and hospitals shorted of essential medical personnel.

Officials at London’s Heathrow announced Saturday night the airport would be closed until Sunday after delaying flights earlier in the day. Gatwick had been closed earlier in the day, but began allowing flights after clearing 4 inches of snow from the runways.

Airports in Scotland were still operating but were experiencing delays caused by conditions at other airports. Airports in France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and as far east as Bulgaria were reporting delays and cancellations. Some 2,500 air travelers were stranded overnight at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany.

Snow was expected to continue to fall into Sunday, with up to 10 inches expected in some regions. Northern Ireland had already received the most snow in 25 years.

Health officials in Wales were appealing for help from drivers of four-wheel drive vehicles to pick up many members of hospital medical staffs stuck at home. In other areas, Coastguard helicopters were called in to pick up doctors and nurses at their homes and deliver them to hospitals.

Traffic officials advised people to stay off the roads unless absolutely essential. In some places, trucks trying to spread sand on the roadway were blocked by abandoned cars and jackknifed trucks.

The BBC reported a major highway, the M5, was blocked for 20 miles by a massive traffic jam. The Automobile Association reported it had assisted drivers at more than 11,000 breakdowns during the severe weather.

At least four people were reported killed in weather-related accidents in Britain.

The worst doesn’t appear to be over yet. Overnight temperatures were predicted to drop to 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 Celsius) this week. Forecasters expect another 8 inches of snow in some regions of the UK, with 2 to 4 inches more in London. Northern Europe should continue to have below-normal temperatures into the start of next week.

The average low this month in Britain has been 19 degrees F (minus 7 C), which could make this December the coldest on record.

(source:allheadlinenews.com)