Cornell’s Family Disputes Suicide Reports

The morning after a big concert in which he declared Detroit was once again “Rock City,” legendary grunge rock frontman Chris Cornell was found dead in his hotel room. Legions of GenX fans of the former Soundgarden and Audioslave lead singer and songwriter were devastated to hear the news. Then the other shoe dropped. Investigators ruled the death a suicide, and the rumor mill fired up.

Toyota has the fastest SUV

Well, after a major road test, it’s official, the Toyota Land Cruiser is the world’s fastest SUV. The Land Cruiser in question topped 230 miles per hour driving on a long runway, though those who performed the feat say no one should ever try that at home.

Netflix Gets a Foothold in China

Netflix has been trying to get into the massive Chinese market for years now, and, as of a report by CNN last month, they may have actually cracked the code. At least it looks that way for now.

Twitter Targets Emerging Markets with Twitter Lite

According to GSMA Intelligence, as of 2016, 82% of all smart phone users around the globe are still on a 3G or slower network. This means that the vast majority of the world has to wait a very long time for a Twitter feed to load, if they can even load it at all. In addition, the vast amount of data that the average Twitter feed blows through can be frustrating to users who have data limits or are charged for overages. The third hiccup in the Twitter trifecta is the massive amount of storage that Twitter demands, using 100 MG of storage or more. These three factors can make Twitter an unobtainable feature for many users around the world with slower or older phones.

US Aluminum Going After China on Trade Issue

Not since the dreaded “Chinese drywall” fiasco have US industry insiders been this aggravated with China. After American producers filed a complaint against Chinese aluminum suppliers, these raw materials companies appealed to the Trump administration to opt out of imposing suggested sanctions.

Bob Jones University Regains Nonprofit Status…Too Soon?

During the 2000 Presidential election, a bomb was dropped right into the middle of conservative politics in America. While it wasn’t enough to keep George W. Bush, the self-proclaimed born again believer, out of the White House, it shook some segments of the Religious Right to the core. Now, sixteen years after the fallout, the group at the center of the PR crisis is hoping there’s been enough water under the bridge.

Trump To Win With Theresa May

President Trump is kicking off his foreign policy agenda by renewing ties with one of America’s closest allies, Great Britain. The President said he considers the connection between the two countries to be “one of the great bonds” and says the US, “…pledges our lasting support to this most special relationship… Together, America and the United Kingdom are a beacon for prosperity and the rule of law.”

Arnold Tired of Hearing About Donald

One of the constant proverbial pokes in the eye this past campaign season has been that Donald Trump is “nothing more than a reality TV star.” Now, the veracity of that statement can be easily challenged, but that didn’t stop the political left from making hay with that line of argument multiple times.

Trump, for his part, made a point to repeat, ad nauseum, his insistence that going forward, he would have nothing to do with The Apprentice, the reality show in question. That role would now belong to movie star and former California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. But this did little to deter naysayers and late night comics enjoying their dig at The Donald.

Maher latest media man to look under the hood

HBO funnyman and political commentator Bill Maher is doing some very public soul searching, the latest in a series of media personalities, most on the left, who have had "come to Jesus” moments subsequent to the 2016 presidential election.

A few days after far-right political commentator and radio host Glenn Beck offered a stunning – and many say wholly disingenuous – retraction of … pretty much the bulk of his career … comedian and TV host Bill Maher has come out to admit he should have taken Trump more seriously, and he regrets some of his thinking and commentaries.

English Uber drivers get a big win

Uber just got out of court. Again. This time the case was in England, and, this time, Uber lost. In a battle against their own employees, Uber was instructed to make sure British Uber drivers not only make at least the standard minimum wage but also qualify for paid leave and other benefits.

Jenner stalking hits the headlines

In the wake of the reported theft of millions in jewelry from Kim Kardashian and subsequent allegations related to the reports, “Keeping Up” was shelved indefinitely. Now Kim K’s sister, Kendall Jenner, is making her own headlines.

“Wonka” actors offer tribute to Gene Wilder

With the recent death of Gene Wilder, apparently to complications related to Alzheimer’s, the entertainment industry lost a true giant, a performer beloved by generations for very different reasons.

Nate Parker denies rape allegations

Sometimes success can come back to bite you. Somewhere during his rising wave of fame thanks to “Birth of a Nation” someone leaked a long ago rape allegation story about director Nate Parker. Did he or didn’t he? The headlines insinuated.

Charlotte loses NBA All-Star Game

Ever since the dust-up in North Carolina over gender neutral bathrooms fired off, there have been substantial social, PR, and financial consequences for the state, and for the city at the epicenter of the debate: Charlotte.

Latest Massacre Ignites Gun Debate in Congress

The Orlando terrorist attack was one of the largest mass shootings in the nation’s history, and you can bet people are taking sides in DC.

Big Brands Furious Over Propaganda Pitch

If you don’t live in the U.K., you may not be aware of a strong and concerted push by some to encourage Britain to exit the European Union. Some Brits don’t want to be taken down with what they see as a sinking ship, and they don’t want to be on the hook to help out some struggling countries, socially or economically.

NFL versus the NY Times

 

The NFL swings a very big stick in both financial and PR concerns, but they may have bit off more than they can chew taking on the New York Times in a PR battle.

News Station Ad Backfires Horribly

 

Girl power pro women adverts are all the rage these days, but when a French TV station tried to borrow some of that goodwill, they just ended up with rage.

Big Pharm Boy Arrested

Well, sometimes instant karma really can getcha. After hiking up the price of an HIV treatment drug, Martin Shkreli quickly became the most hated man in America. Sure, others have done it before him, and, yes, the entire pharmaceutical industry has horrendous PR ratings, but this guy came to represent everything consumers hate about an industry that regularly saves and enhances their lives … but makes an absurd profit while doing so.