<div class= Wikinews discusses DRM and DMCA with Richard Stallman after GitHub re-enables public access to youtube-dl
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Wikinews discusses DRM and DMCA with Richard Stallman after GitHub re-enables public access to youtube-dl

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This article mentions the Wikimedia Foundation, one of its projects, or people related to it. Wikinews is a project of the Wikimedia Foundation.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

On November 16, code-sharing and hosting service GitHub re-enabled the public access to youtube-dl repository, a software which can download videos from the internet via the command-line. This move comes after Mitchell Stoltz, a Senior Staff Attorney of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), sent a letter to GitHub on the behalf of youtube-dl’s maintainers. The repository was previously blocked on October 23, after GitHub received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) take-down notice from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Started in July 2008, youtube-dl is a free/libré open source software written in Python which can download videos from various websites. Citing alleged violation of 17 U.S. Code § 1201 Circumvention of copyright protection systems, RIAA’s takedown notice had alleged youtube-dl was intended to circumvent the technological protection measures of streaming services and to redistribute music videos without authorisation. youtube-dl’s source code had a number of unit tests to check if the software works in different circumstances or not. Some of the test cases included URLs of some copyrighted songs.

In the letter to GitHub, EFF’s attorney Stoltz said “This file contains series of automated tests that verify the functionality of youtube-dl for streaming various types of video. The youtube-dl source code does not, of course, contain copies of these songs or any others […] the unit tests do not cause a permanent download or distribution of the songs they reference; they merely stream a few seconds of each song to verify the operation of youtube-dl. Streaming a small portion of a song in a non-permanent fashion to test the operation of an independently created software program is a fair use.” The letter stressed “youtube-dl does not decrypt video streams that are encrypted with commercial DRM technologies”.

The URLs to copyrighted songs were removed from the source code on November 16, and replaced with a test video that uploaded on YouTube by Philipp Hagemeister, former maintainer of youtube-dl. Philipp Hagemeister had previously spoken about the takedown with Wikinews.

youtube-dl comes with a small JavaScript interpreter where it acts as a web-browser would behave while receiving video data from the server. The script has “extractors” for various websites to handle videos from different sources. “Any software capable of running JavaScript code can derive the URL of the video stream and access the stream, regardless of whether the software has been approved by YouTube”, the letter read. It borrowed an analogy of Doors of Durin from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings for explanation: travelers come upon a door that has writing in a foreign language. When translated, the writing says “say ‘friend’ and enter.” The travelers say “friend” and the door opens. As with the writing on that door, YouTube presents instructions on accessing video streams to everyone who comes asking for it.

Hours after the public access was restored, Sergey M, one of the maintainers of youtube-dl wrote on GitHub, “We would like to thank @github for standing up for youtube-dl and making it possible to continue development without dropping any features. We appreciate [GitHub] for taking potential legal risks in this regard. We would also like to thank [EFF] and personally [Mitch Stoltz] for invaluable legal help. We would also like to heartily thank our main website hoster Uberspace who is currently being sued in Germany for hosting our essentially business card website and who have already spent thousands of Euros in their legal defense.”

Hours after GitHub restored the public access to the repository, Stoltz tweeted “I think of youtube-dl as a successor to the videocassette recorder. The VCR empowered people to take control of their personal use of free-to-air video, but it had to be saved from the copyright cartel. The same goes for youtube-dl. GitHub did the right thing here.”

youtube-dl is used by thousands of people around the world. Multiple Creative Commons-licensed and public domain videos on Wikimedia Commons are uploaded via a tool called video2commons, which relies on youtube-dl to download media. youtube-dl also lets users download videos from LiveLeak — a video-sharing platform for citizen journalism. Videos downloaded using youtube-dl are also used for the purpose of fair use, or for evidence.

When a copyright holder chooses to release their work, be it a photograph, a video, or audio, under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, they allow everyone to freely own, share or modify the work as long as the reusers properly attribute the author of the work. YouTube also hosts many audio and video recordings in the public domain which can be used for any purpose without any restrictions.

In the blog post announcing “youtube-dl is back”, GitHub said, “Although we did initially take the project down, we understand that just because code can be used to access copyrighted works doesn’t mean it can’t also be used to access works in non-infringing ways. We also understood that this project’s code has many legitimate purposes, including changing playback speeds for accessibility, preserving evidence in the fight for human rights, aiding journalists in fact-checking, and downloading Creative Commons-licensed or public domain videos.”

GitHub also announced any new 1201 takedown notices will be “carefully scrutinised by legal experts” to reject “unwarranted claims”, and said it will side with software developers if the claims are ambiguous. The announcement also mentioned GitHub Trust and Safety team would treat developer’s tickets as a “top priority”. GitHub also pledged donation of USD 1 million for developer defense fund “to help protect open source developers on GitHub from unwarranted DMCA Section 1201 takedown claims”.

GitHub had blocked public access to many forks of youtube-dl upon receiving the DMCA notice in October. At that time, Wikinews noted public access was not yet restored for the forked repositories listed in RIAA’s copyright notice and was still displays “Repository unavailable due to DMCA takedown”.

During the period when GitHub had disabled public access for the repository, Sergey M had been developing youtube-dl and hosting it on GitLab, another code-sharing and hosting site. However, since GitHub has restored public access of youtube-dl, Sergey M has made the GitLab repository private.

After this, Wikinews reached out to Richard Stallman, the founder of Free Software Foundation, who has been highly critical of DRM (digital rights management, the subject of the DMCA) for many years now, to discuss the harms of DRM and DMCA 1201.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Wikinews_discusses_DRM_and_DMCA_with_Richard_Stallman_after_GitHub_re-enables_public_access_to_youtube-dl&oldid=4619261”
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Tips For Kitchen Remodeling In Camp Hill

Tips For Kitchen Remodeling In Camp Hill

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byAlma Abell

Remodeling your kitchen can be an exciting project, but it can also be confusing and complicated. If you are not a do-it-yourself type of person, you may want to just call in the Kitchen Remodeling in Camp Hill professionals to get the job done for you, the right way. You want your Kitchen Remodeling in Camp Hill to be perfect and add value to your home, so using professionals to take care of it for you will aid in this task. Below you will find some tips for finding the best contractor for the job.

The best way to find a Kitchen Remodeling Camp Hill professional is by word of mouth. Talk to your family, friends, neighbors and even your co-workers to see who they used for their remodeling projects. If you don’t know anyone who has had a remodeling project done on their kitchen, then you can check the local Yellow Pages or even do a quick Google search to find contractors in the area.

Once you find a list of possible contractors, it’s a good idea to go to their websites and see how organized they are. If the website is sloppy, it may be that their work is sloppy as well. Go to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus to check out reviews on the companies that you are considering. You can find the good and the bad on any company on these sites in reviews.

Once you have narrowed your list to a few of the Kitchen Remodeling in Camp Hill professionals, you will want to call and let the contractor know exactly what you have in mind. Ask for an estimate describing in detail how much the remodel is going to set you back and don’t settle for the first estimate you get. Shop around, because no two contractors are going to charge the same.

Choosing a remodeling contractor isn’t that hard to do, but it can get a little confusing. Make sure that you follow the tips above, do your research, and your kitchen remodel should be started in no time at all.

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<div class=UK PM’s speechwriter awaits sentence
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UK PM’s speechwriter awaits sentence

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

An English lawyer has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. He faked a legal judgment and sent it to a father who was pleading in Taunton family court to be able to remain involved in his child’s upbringing. The lawyer, London barrister Bruce Hyman, now awaits his sentence. The judge indicated that he could receive a prison sentence. Bruce Hyman is well-known in media circles, having produced The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on BBC Radio. He also produced a series with Clive Anderson, at Above the Title Productions, called Unreliable Evidence.

The father, a former City financier, had attended a series of court hearings in order to make suitable arrangements to see his child following an acrimonious divorce. Shortly before one of these hearings he received an email, ostensibly from a self-help group to which he belonged, which had attached a Court of Appeal case that appeared favourable to an application he had made for the judge to stand down from the case. The father, who was representing himself, duly showed the case to the judge. At this point, Bruce Hyman, the lawyer representing the former wife, claimed to the judge that the case was a forgery, which indeed it turned out to be.

After confirming that the self-help group had not sent him the email, the father then embarked on some detective work his own. The fraudulent email was traced via its header to a dial-up internet connection and a phone number belonging to a shop in London. The shop was able to recover CCTV footage which showed a man sending the email from an Apple laptop. The man turned out to be Bruce Hyman.

Sentencing of Hyman is due in Bristol Crown Court on the 19th of September.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=UK_PM%27s_speechwriter_awaits_sentence&oldid=1699556”
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Concrete Cutting Adding A Pre Cast Concrete Stairway To Your Basement}

Concrete Cutting Adding A Pre Cast Concrete Stairway To Your Basement}

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Submitted by: Robert Short

Installing a pre-cast concrete stairway to your homes basement is actually quite an easy project for the advanced do-it-yourselfer or anyone that can coordinate a couple of sub contractors. Doing so will add a water tight weather proof egress to your basement that, in many cases, is necessary to comply with local building codes during a remodel. Either way, this newly added entrance will add much more function to your home and your basement.

First of all it is probably a good idea to explain what pre-cast concrete is. Pre-cast concrete is simply concrete that has been mixed, formed and vibrated in a very controlled plant type environment and then delivered or trucked to its final destination and installed. Despite the fact that some pre-cast concrete products are much thinner than conventional poured in place applications does not mean that the pre-cast products are any less quality and to the contrary they are usually much more durable.

In order to orchestrate this project you are going to need a hole dug, a doorway opening cut into your foundation and the actual pre-cast concrete bulkhead delivered and installed. Your first step is to locate a pre-cast concrete product dealer. A pre-cast concrete dealer can be located in your local phonebook, or better yet, your online yellow pages. Once you have located a reputable dealer you need to visit the pre-cast manufacturers showroom, which usually consists of a giant field full of stairs, bulkheads and culverts. You need to choose the size and style that is right for your project. A standard pre-cast bulkhead will generally cost less than $1000 and this includes the steel bulkhead cover and installation.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7odAbL3Ygts[/youtube]

Once you have chosen the right product be sure to ask for a worksheet or specification sheet that comes with your particular product. This spec sheet will tell you how much digging needs to be done and what size doorway your concrete cutter needs to cut in the foundation. The digging can be done using several methods. You can dig it by hand with a pick and shovel (not recommended), you can rent a small excavator (cost about $300) from a tool rental outfit and use the machine to dig it out or you can call a professional excavation contractor and have them dig it out for you (cost between $300 and $500). I highly recommend hiring a professional excavator for this part of the project. This process will take a professional less than a few hours and you can shop around for the best price. Please Note: Be sure to notify your areas DIG SAFE program and have them come out and locate any hidden underground utilities before you start your excavation. Also, keep in mind that your excavator will have to remove and dispose of about 50% of the dirt that he/she removes from the hole because the bulkhead to be installed will take up about that much volume of space. If this is not feasible, you may be able to use this dirt somewhere else on your property or you may be able to give it to one of your neighbors. Either way, fill dirt is a very needed and sought after commodity. Hence the old saying: Phil Dirtthe most wanted man in America.

Once the hole for your bulkhead has been successfully dug out and the portion of the foundation that needs to be cut is exposed you need to clearly layout your cut lines with a measuring tape, a bright yellow lumber crayon and a 4 level as instructed on the spec sheet. Now it is time to call a professional concrete cutter and find out what their pricing and availability is (cost is usually $425+/- to cut and drop the piece). They will charge you approximately an additional $100 to jack hammer the piece into manageable pieces and up to $500 to remove the piece from site. In order to avoid the break up an disposal charges, simply have your excavation contractor dig a grave for the concrete at the bottom of your excavation. This way you can just bury it and save yourself some time, money and hassles. Explain to the concrete cutter that you need a standard doorway for a bulkhead. Ask them how much they charge and when they can schedule your job. Ask them for a morning appointment. You are going to have to coordinate the concrete cutting and the bulkhead installation so that as soon as the concrete cutter is done the bulkhead is immediately installed. So you can now schedule your bulkhead delivery and installation for about 12 noon. Most pre-cast concrete product manufacturers will do the installation for you at no additional cost or it is included in the price.

I recommend calling each of your sub-contractors a day prior to their arrival just to verify that there are no scheduling conflicts. This will minimize the amount of problems that will occur and give you plenty of time to reschedule each subcontractor if one of them runs into a problem.

As soon as your bulkhead and metal bulkhead cover have been successfully installed you will need to back fill or replace the dirt that was removed from the hole. This can be done by hand with a shovel by an experienced do it yourselfer or you can make arrangements to have your excavation contractor return once the installation is complete and do the backfilling for you. It is always a good idea to allow this dirt to settle before adding your topsoil or planting any grass or flowers. The ground around the bulkhead should be settled pretty good after several heavy rain showers.

Well, good luck and if you choose to tackle this project congratulations. For more information on this subject just do a search for pre-cast, concrete cutting or bulkhead.

About the Author: To learn more about converting your basement into an apartment, remodeling your basement or just installing a precast concrete stairway and a bulkhead please visit Affordable Concrete Cutting Boston’s website at

affordableconcretecutting.com

Source:

isnare.com

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<div class=San Jose, CA, USA, city manager resigns amid Norcal investigation
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San Jose, CA, USA, city manager resigns amid Norcal investigation

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Wednesday, December 21, 2005

San Jose, California —Del Borgsdorf, the city manager of San Jose, California announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing “personal reasons” and the “political environment” for his decision. While he denies it is was a factor in his decision, the resignation comes one day after Santa Clara County District Attorney George Kennedy announced his office will investigate the city’s contract with Norcal Waste Systems for possible criminal prosecution. Borgsdorf has been criticized by the city council for not informing the council of the $11 million rate hike promised to the company by mayor Ron Gonzales.

Borgsdorf’s resignation follows the resignation of other city officials; Stephen Haase, the city’s planning director, and John Bjurman, the city’s director of information technology, resigned earlier in the week. In addition, the city council formally censured mayor Gonzales last week, and asked for formal apologies from Borgsdorf and city attorney Richard Doyle over the Norcal contract. In addition to the waste removal scandal, the city government has been criticized for a no-bid contract with Cisco Systems to provide IT equipment in the new City Hall; the Cisco deal cost city taxpayers over $3 million in equipment costs and construction delays.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=San_Jose,_CA,_USA,_city_manager_resigns_amid_Norcal_investigation&oldid=2808434”
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<div class=Man attacks people, kills 7 in Akihabara, Tokyo
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Man attacks people, kills 7 in Akihabara, Tokyo

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Sunday, June 8, 2008

A lively shopping district was suddenly struck by an indiscriminate murder spree on a Sunday afternoon. A young man attacked a crowd with a rented truck, and then stabbed people with a dagger, around 12:35 JST (3:35 UTC) on Sunday in the Akihabara district of Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. The suspect, identified as Tomohiro Kat?, aged 25, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Seven people were killed, and ten injured.

The injured people include pedestrians, a 53-year-old policeman, and a taxi driver, 54, who is believed to have left his taxi in order to help a pedestrian hit by the truck. About 17 ambulances came to the scene. NHK reports that medical teams trained for disasters joined the rescue.

The dead are six men aged between 19 and 74 and a 21-year-old woman; each was identified by police.

The truck, traveling on Kanda My?jin-d?ri (Kanda My?jin Avenue), ran into the crowd at a crossing on Ch??-d?ri (Ch?? Avenue), which is a vehicle-free road every Sunday. After entering the crowd, the truck continued moving for about 30 meters. The suspect then exited the truck and began stabbing people. According to a witness, the suspect, upon being pursued by police, ran south on Ch??-d?ri and was cornered in a narrow alley. The suspect dropped his knife after the police officer drew his gun, and was overpowered by the officer and several bystanders.

The suspect has been quoted as confessing to police, “I came to Akihabara to kill people. I’m tired of the world. Anyone was OK. Today I came alone.” The suspect, a native of Aomori City, lived and worked as a dispatched temporary employee in Shizuoka Prefecture. After being held at the Manseibashi Police Station, he was sent on Tuesday to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.

At the scene, a table covered with a white cloth was set for memorial flowers and other offerings on the morning of Monday, June 9. As acquaintances of the dead and passersby visited, the table soon filled—almost flooded—with flowers, drink bottles, pictures, and folded paper cranes.

The incident occurred on the same date with the 2001 Osaka school massacre, in which eight elementary school students were killed.

NHK reported the incident as confirmed within 45 minutes, interrupting a news channel program for one minute. Some newspapers created special issues to report the incident as June 8 was a Sunday and also a press holiday, many newspapers in Japan were not scheduled for delivery on that evening or the following morning.

The Akihabara district is famous for its Electric Town with wholesalers and retailers of video games or electric gadgets such as PC parts, televisions and kitchen appliances. It has also become famous for distinctive trends in cultures created or supported by the youth.

Local residents, business owners, and government officials from Chiyoda Ward assembled for an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss whether the practice of maintaining the vehicle-free area on Sundays ought to be continued. The Tokyo Metropolitan Public Safety Commission is also expected to discuss the issue.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Man_attacks_people,_kills_7_in_Akihabara,_Tokyo&oldid=771790”
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Super Foods Instantly Look And Feel Better With The Super Food Checklist

Super Foods Instantly Look And Feel Better With The Super Food Checklist

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By Anita Fowler

Our meals should consist of certain amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. It is best to limit the amount of sugar and fat that we intake daily. In this article, I will share with you different foods that, when incorporated into your daily diet, will bring instant satisfaction to the way you look and feel.

Our meals should consist of certain amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. It is best to limit the amount of sugar and fat that we intake daily. In this article, I will share with you different foods that, when incorporated into your daily diet, will bring instant satisfaction to the way you look and feel.

First, we do not want to mix the good with the bad. If you want to see the benefit of nourishing foods, take a look at what is currently in your refrigerator, freezer and kitchen cabinets.

In order to make room for the yummy stuff, clean out old foods and junk from your kitchen. If you have any of this stuff on this list, toss it!

Bad Food Checklist:

1. Frozen Dinners – Watch out for the sodium and fat content. You will save a lot of calories, by making your own dinners. In place of baking the frozen dinner, bake some chicken or fresh fish.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou7NLJhXTRw[/youtube]

2. Potato Chips – Are just too high in sodium and fat. Potato chips are empty calories. No real nutrition value.

3. Margarine – Next time you pick up margarine in a tub, read the label. Check for amounts of Trans fat.

4. Candy – Most candy contain highly saturated palm and coconut oils, and a lot of sugar.

5. Donuts – Before you buy those donuts, keep in mind, an average size donut is about 300 calories, will contain around 10-15 grams of fat, and mainly made up of Trans fat, enriched flour, and sugar.

6. Soda – These drinks are nothing but carbonated water, and sugar.

Now, for the good stuff. You may not like some these items. Buy the ones you do like. For every bad food item you eliminate, replace it with one of the Super Foods.

Super Food Checklist:

I have an extensive list of wonderful super foods. Today I will share just a few to get you started.

1. Nuts – Nuts are my favorite Super Food. I always make them number one, because of the variety and the simplicity of nuts. Nuts are so easy to add to your grocery list. Choose any nut like, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, or walnuts. Nuts drastically reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. They also can reduce visible signs of aging and wrinkles.

2. Yogurt – If you are wanting to lose weight, add yogurt into your daily food intake. Naturally rich in calcium. Studies have shown that yogurt, helps to reduce belly fat, while maintaining muscle.

3. Onions and Garlic – Both in the same vegetable family. They contain flavonoids that stimulate the production of glutathione. Glutathione enhances the elimination of toxins. This aids in reducing risk of stomach cancer.

4. Beans and Lentils – Beans are high in protein, carbs and dietary fiber. Pick the ones you like best, pinto, navy, black or kidney). Beans are low in fat, and release very slowly into the bloodstream to provide long lasting sustained energy.

5. Acai Berry – I saved this one to highlight last on my list. This little berry has gained a lot of attention lately in the health world, and with good reason. Harvested in the Rain Forest of Brazil, acai taste like berries and chocolate. Recent studies say that Acai is one of the most nutritious and most powerful foods in the world! Packed with anti-oxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids. It has 10 times more anti-0xidents than red grapes.

This is not a diet, it is not a weight loss program, it is a process. It takes time to get rid of old habits. You can take baby steps. Remember, just do a little bit at a time. By implementing some of the suggestions, you can begin to reap the benefits of our food supply, hopefully begin to look and feel better.

About the Author: Anita is a Ace Certified Fitness trainer, and a Former National Bodybuilding Champion. She has worked over 20 years in the Fitness Industry. For more info visit afitgirl.info. Or contact Anita at afitu@yahoo.com

Source: isnare.com

Permanent Link: isnare.com/?aid=588632&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet

<div class=Denny’s Super Bowl free ‘Grand Slam Breakfast’ brings 2 million diners
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Denny’s Super Bowl free ‘Grand Slam Breakfast’ brings 2 million diners

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Friday, February 6, 2009

Denny’s 1,600 chain restaurants across North America, Puerto Rico and Canada, were slammed for eight hours Tuesday with hungry patrons standing on sidewalks for nearly two hours to take advantage of the $5.99 “Grand Slam Breakfast” giveaway.

Denny’s, a dining chain with annual revenue of about $900 million, has advertised in a TV commercial Sunday during the Super Bowl XLIII that it would give away its signature breakfast from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. local time Tuesday, at all its restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, while supplies lasted.

Denny’s Diner has promoted the iconic dish giveaway heavily, with a bold 30-second appeal ad that aired during the third quarter of the Super Bowl 43 on Sunday, plus another 15-second ad during the post-game show, offering a free breakfast to some 90 million viewers. In addition, it has placed a full-page ad in USA Today‘s Monday edition. The promotion was further announced on The Today Show and notices were also sent out to the chain’s “Denny’s Breakfast Club” members.

The NBC ad, which was bought to unveil a new promotion for customers squeezed by the recession, may have cost as much as $3 million, said Nelson Marchioli, CEO of Denny’s Corp. Super Bowl XLIII’s 30-second commercial time slot costs $2.4 million–$3 million for the airtime alone, excluding production and talent costs.

The game was televised live by the US NBC Sunday Night Football and Canada’s CTV Television Network. BayTSP has reported that, “as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, commercials that initially aired during NBC’s Super Bowl XLIII broadcast subsequently had been watched online more than 28 million times.”

“The promotion has a total cost of $5 million U.S., which includes $3 million for the commercial on NBC,” said a Denny’s spokesman, noting also that the company received about $50 million in news coverage, most of which was positive. According to a Denny’s representative, two million people walked through the restaurant chains’ doors Tuesday, and each Denny’s restaurant served an average of 130 Grand Slams per hour.

With the “Denny’s Feeds America” promotion, the company has reported 14 million hits on its Web site between Sunday night and Monday morning. Denny’s shares rose 6 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $1.98 in afternoon trading. The stock has traded in a range of $1.18 to $4.10 over the past 52 weeks.

“Denny’s free Grand Slam” has ranked in the top 10 Google searches early Tuesday and fell to No. 18 by the end of the promotion, while “denny s locations” was #9 on Google Trends, which tracks fast-rising searches. It has also held spots No. 1 (Denny’s) and 7 (Grand Slam) on Twitter‘s trending topics. It has generated much chat on Twitter, garnering 1,700 tweets on Tuesday, compared with its average of 59. Doritos, winner of the USA TODAY survey for best Super Bowl spot ad, had 933 mentions after reaching a peak of almost 3,300.

The idea of the TV ad was to get people to come in and re-evaluate Denny’s Diner. “A lot of people have forgotten what Denny’s is, or they think they know, while we’ve come out with a whole lot of new products. We felt like we needed to jump start the brand,” Denny’s Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer Mark Chmiel said.

“We’re celebrating the Grand Slam this year,” Chmiel said. According to the company’s financial data, on January 15 Denny’s reported systemwide comparable-store sales for the fourth quarter were down 6.1 percent, compared to a 0.2 percent decline from the same period in 2007.

According to Robert Gonzalez, public relations company Hill & Knowlton spokesman, Denny’s has expected at least 2 million people to eat a free Grand Slam by the end of the promotion. “Every restaurant is packed with people and lines,” Gonzalez said. “Everything today is about fast. People are on the go, and they’re eating fast food. It’s cutting into sit-down dining,” he added.

“Each of the more than 1,500 Denny’s were planning to make about 100 Grand Slams an hour,” Denny’s spokeswoman Cori Rice said. It had predicted it will have served about 1,400 people per location, more than five times the normal volume. “Grand Slam Breakfast” is a four-item option on its menu, consisting of two pancakes, two eggs, two strips of bacon and two sausage links. It weighs in at 44 grams of fat, 56 carbohydrates and 770 calories.

Nationwide, Denny’s expected to sell about 2 million Grand Slams — about 15 percent of the annual tally. According to Mark Chmiel, chief marketing operator and executive vice president, the diner chain has reported approximately 2 million meals worth more than $12 million were given away nationwide and each Denny’s restaurant served an average of 130 Grand Slams per hour. It estimated it has earned about $50 million worth of public relations following the free Grand Slam campaign, Chmiel said.

The company is also experimenting with a Grand Slam Burrito and also has introduced for this year, a Grand Slamwich, which includes eggs, bacon, sausage and cheese between two slices of bread, with a teaspoon serving. “It already has shown strong consumer appeal,” said Chmiel. The company has received flood of e-mails and letters proving the positive impact of the Grand Slam campaign and commercials on its customers.

Chmiel also announced he’s planning a third major promotion in this year’s third quarter, which happens to include another major sporting event, the World Series. “That’s one we’re definitely looking at,” he said.

Jobless Paris Winslow of downtown San Francisco, California has joined the long line which stretched from the front door on Mission Street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, to the corner of Fourth and up the block. “The economy is getting kind of scary. This line looks like those pictures of soup kitchen lines during the 1929 Great Depression,” Winslow said.

“I came all the way from San Francisco for a free $6 meal, Isn’t that pathetic? A year ago, I never would have done this. These days I’m willing to put my ego on the back burner,” said Stephen Weller, a jobless contractor who waited with his dog, Emmett. California Denny’s restaurant managers have issued rain checks (for free chilled meals, as security backed by actual bacon) to anyone who failed to get in by the 2 p.m. deadline.

A big eater could also “Slam It Up” by adding any two additional items for 99 cents each to their meal. Customers on Tuesday were also handed “bounceback” coupon books that include offers for additional free menu items with purchases. Chicago Tribune reporter Kevin Pang has eaten five free Grand Slams on Tuesday at five different Denny’s Diners in four hours. He claims to have consumed 4,100 calories at Harwood Heights, 5:36 a.m, at Schiller Park, 6:22 a.m., at Franklin Park, 7:08 a.m., at Melrose Park, 7:41 a.m. and at Grand Slam No. 5 Oak Park, 8:57 a.m.

“The Grand Slam has always been a Denny’s favorite. This free offer is our way of reacquainting America with Denny’s real breakfast and with the Denny’s brand,” Denny’s CEO Nelson Marchioli said in a statement. In 1977s, the Grand Slam started as a baseball-related promotion in Atlanta, Georgia. Its normal price averages around $5.99. Marchioli said the event was also a way to kick-off its “Year of the Grand Slam” promotion. Denny’s claimed it has sold 12.5 million Grand Slams a year.

“The economy’s tough and people are jumping all the way to fast food to try to figure it out. We all use fast food, whether it’s for time or convenience or for money. But you can go to Denny’s and you don’t have to give up a real breakfast and that was the whole focus of our commercial,” Marchioli explained. McDonald’s (MCD, Fortune 500) has done well during this economic meltdown since the global recession pushes people toward less expensive dining options.

McDonald’s has announced plans Wednesday to open 175 new restaurants in China this year despite the global economic crisis, thereby increasing the number of outlets in China by 17 percent, from 1,050 currently. Last month, McDonald’s 2008 net profit has risen 80 percent from 2007 to 4.3 billion dollars.

Marchioli has also introduced Denny’s $4 Weekday Express Slam, which is a streamlined version of the Grand Slam. “I want to take back share. For too long, we have allowed others to take share, whether it was Starbucks or McDonald’s. They’re fine competitors and I don’t expect to take all their business from them, but I’d like a little bit back,” Marchioli noted.

According to Rafi Mohammed, author of “The Art of Pricing,” people love free. “It triggers a Pavlovian response in people,” said Mohammed. If Pavlov’s dogs salivate when a bell rings, Denny’s free Grand Slam breakfast has attracted 2 million hungry customers. “I believe free maximizes trial and doesn’t devalue a product as long as it is a rare event. Aside from the cost, the major downside is that it attracts customers who truly have no intention of coming back,” he added.

According to University of Portland consumer psychology professor Deana Julka, people flock to free promotions amid just a few dollars saving because there’s nothing in life for free. “So when there’s something out there that costs nothing, it creates a psychological rush. Especially in these times when people feel overtaxed or overburden, there’s an internal reward people feel by getting something for free,” she said. “It’s being thrifty and feeling like you beat the system. Free really hits the spot for a lot of people,” Julka added.

“Free is an emotional hot button. When free is concerned, there is no downside – or, at least, we don’t see the downside immediately. So we overvalue everything that is free. People love free stuff, particularly when money’s tight,” said Dan Ariely, a business professor at Duke University, author of “Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions.”

Experts, however, explained these moves need to be done sparingly, since giveaways can teeter in the balance between desperation and a well designed marketing ploy. “Giving your product away for free is not worth it because it undermines your brand value,” said branding expert Rob Frankel, saying people are attached to the idea of it being free, than the actual product itself.

Free giveaways are not anything new in the food industry. “It just feels good when you can get something for free and not have to worry about it coming out of your wallet,” Frankel noted. Dunkin’ Donuts and Panera Bread all have had free coffee and food promos last year. “In November, Starbucks gave away free cup of coffee to anyone who came in on Election Day. Have you taken a look at how Starbucks is doing now?” Last week it has announced it would shut down 300 stores, in addition to the 600 it already planned to close.

On February 24, IHOP will be offering a free shortstack to every customer to encourage donations (in place of the cost) for Childrens Miracle Network. The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) is a United States-based restaurant chain that specializes in breakfast foods and is owned by DineEquity. The chain had more than 1950 restaurants in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and Mexico. Since 2006, IHOP’s National Pancake Day celebration has raised over $1.85 million. In 2008, over 1.5 million pancakes (12 miles high if they were stacked) were given to customers for donations.

Denny’s (“Denny’s Diner”) is a full-service diner/family restaurant chain in the United States. It operates over 2,500 restaurants in the United States (including Puerto Rico), Canada, Curaçao, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, and New Zealand). The resto chain is known for always being open, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert around the clock.

Today, Denny’s operates about 1,600 restaurants in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. There are also about 578 Denny’s restaurants in Japan operated under a license by a subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings, seven Denny’s locations in New Zealand, and approximately 38 Denny’s diners in the United States. Denny’s headquarters is now located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, headquarters of the parent company Trans World Corporation that acquired Denny’s in 1987.

Denny’s was historically notable for offering a free meal to anyone on their birthday. The offer included a limited number of meal options from a special birthday menu. The promotional ritual ceased in 1993, though occasionally individual franchises will continue the tradition.

In 2008, Denny’s has ceased to be in the ranks among the top diner chains in the $83 billion breakfast market, whose top five firms — McDonald’s, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Burger King and IHOP — accounted for 22 percent of the volume. “A lot of consumers have written Denny’s off their let’s-go-there list,” said Ron Paul, president of Technomic, a consulting firm.

Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers (15–4) and the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals (12–8) to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2008 NFL season. It was played on February 1, 2009, at Raymond James Stadiumin Tampa, Florida. It has an attendance of 70,774 and 98.7 million viewers. Pittsburgh earned its sixth Super Bowl win, thus securing sole possession of the record for most Super Bowl wins.

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<div class=New Zealand dog saves five children; receives international attention
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New Zealand dog saves five children; receives international attention

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Saturday, May 5, 2007

A small, “nicely trained” Jack Russell Terrier gave his life to help save a group of five children from two aggressive pitbulls last Sunday in Manaia, Taranaki, New Zealand.

The dog named George is being described as a hero, gathering a huge amount of international media interest in the process.

The dog suffered massive injuries that the vet had never seen to that extent before, which resulted in 69-year-old Alan Gay, the dog’s owner, allowing George to be put down. He now regrets this decision.

The two pitbulls rushed at the group of children that George was following to the dairy, including a four-year-old. George then started barking loudly at the pair of dogs, and put himself between the dogs and the children. Mr Gay told Fox News, “If it wasn’t for George, those kids would have copped it.”

Despite having received offers of new dogs, Mr Gay has said that he will wait a while before getting another Jack Russell Terrier, as he is afraid it could happen again.

It is also believed that the two attacking dogs, which have been destroyed, were bred to be aggressive, including being fed the drug methamphetamine, commonly referred to as “P” in New Zealand.

Mr Gay has said that Manaia has had a problem with stray dogs before, but he never expected that George would become a victim.

One story ran in USA Today, which prompted over 120 comments, and one reader to personally call Alan Gay expressing their condolences.

Responding to the huge amount of media interest, Mr Gay said, “This really surprises me, and it’s marvellous. I never expected this … I’m surprised it got around the world as it did.” He says he has been getting a huge amount of phone calls from the media and the public. “The phone has been going since about half past seven this morning. Every time I hang up it rings again. It’s worn out; I might have to get a new one.”

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How To Get 1,000,000 Customers Internet Marketing Strategic Plan

How To Get 1,000,000 Customers Internet Marketing Strategic Plan

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Submitted by: Brock N. Allen

This step-by-step “How To Get 1,000,000 Customers” Online Marketing Blueprint can be applied to almost any business, whether you are trying to get 100, 1000, or 1,000,000 new customers.

Step 1: Conduct Online Market Analysis

Analyze your: market segment or business vertical, identify your ideal customer profile(s), as well as why customers buy from you (or should buy from you), Do the same thing to analyze your competition – and be sure to try to understand why people buy from them.

Key: Remember that your prospects care about solving their needs not your business issues. What are the problems they are trying to solve? The goal here is to gain a better understanding of what your customers are actually “buying” – rather than what you are trying to sell to them.

Step 2: Perform Industry and Keyword Research

To attract web traffic, visitors, leads and customers it is critical that you be able to get visibility on Page#1 of Google (and other) Search results. Think with an open mind, and use the tools available to identify different “niches” that will lead customers to you (Google’s free “keyword tool” can be used, for starters). Recognize that the way to achieve Page 1 rankings in those niches is to focus on “long tail” keywords that have at least 50-100 searches per day, but 30,000 or less competing sites (sometimes even the sites ranking for those keywords are too competitive, so you really need to conduct some SEO competitive analysis, too).

Key: You will be far more successful by focusing your efforts on Google Page 1 rankings for multiple keywords, rather than struggling to get Page 1 rankings for just one or two search terms that are especially competitive.

Step 3. Create Something of High Percieved Value & Give It Away For Free to Attract Prospects, and to earn their trust. It may sound contradictory, but it has become almost axiomatic over the past few years that giving stuff away for “free” is actually one of the best methods to make money online. The ideal “give way” is either an eProduct, or some other information product or resource that can be given away digitally. Your goal here is to establish credibility and trust – and the “hook” you will be using is the opportunity for the free “instant gratification” that can be achieved by leveraging digitally downloadable (or deliverable) content.

Tip: The viability of offering visitors a “free subscription to a newsletter’ is pretty much over. Downloadable information-packed PDF reports, or streaming video’s (which can be hosted on YouTube, eZ3 media, Viddler, etc), or other original and “actionable” content that is related to solving their business needs have the best conversions now.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjhQ859n_js[/youtube]

Step 4: To Get Your “Publishing” Platform or Infrastructure In Create a Blog, Website, Facebook, Twitter, or other web 2.0 Social Media site(s).

Tip: The goal here is to make it easy for prospects and customers to recieve, be exposed to, or otherwise find and get your content. Web 2.0 Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc offer a powerful opportunity for your message to “go viral”.

Step 5: Get an Auto-responder account (such as Aweber, Get Response or others) and place “Lead Capture Forms” on your site – in the sidebar, header, or anywhere that prospects will see them. You most likely have encountered lead capture forms numerous times. Both Aweber and Get Response offer a wealth of training materials, and they are designed to be relatively easy for a customer with “average” technical skills.

Note: The goal here is to build a sales pipleine of viable prospects by using a lead capture form, “squeeze page” or “squeeze form” to “squeeze” contact out of visitors and prospects seeking to obtain the unique and valauable digital content you will be offering them.

Step 6: Set up your Auto-Responder and create follow-up sequences of emails to Automate the Follow-up. This is relatively easy to do. Once you have an auto-responder account, just follow the instructions to create a List Name, Opt-In Options, Success Page options, etc. Pay special attention to the very first email you visitors and prospects will get – as this will have a significant impact on their opinion of you.

Tip: When creating a follow-up sequence of emails, consider the “incoming mindset” of your visitors and your desired “action” that you want to elicit from them. Be aware that in many cases, converting prospects into buyers online takes as long as it would offline. Your objective should be to engage them and to provide them with enough value for them to remain on your auto-responder “opt-in” mailing list long enough for you to earn their confidence that you can fulfill their requirements.

Step 7: Offer Your “High Percieved Value” Item In Exchange for the Contact Information of Your Prospects. As an essential pre-requisite of acquiring new customers is that they have to develop a sense of trust in you, the item you offer in exchange for their contact information whoul help to convey and underscore your ability to solve their needs or requirements. It follows that, if you are offering some form of digital content (i.e. PDF report, video, etc) that the content should be closely related to the problem they are trying to solve.

Note: In this day and age, virtually everyone wants instant gratification. This is especially true when someone is trying to deal with a business problem or some form of “pain”. The most compelling opt-in offers for email list-building purposes offer the promise of “instant gratification”…such as “just enter your email address here and I’ll meet you on the other side”. That’s what works.

Step 8: Promote Your Offer! Now you will want to make your offer available anywhere and everywhere that it is appropriate (and business-like) to do so.

Obviously, your offer will be displayed prominently on your website or blog where it can be seen throughout the site. Now create or edit your signiture footer for all emails to further promote your enticing opt-in offer. Start visiting Forums where prospective clients spend time and actively participate in the dialog…using your offer-promoting-signiture footer every time. Post on Craigslist, Backpages, Kajibi, and in your local city or town classified ads sites. Get your business cards re-printed with your new offer-promoting signature footer on them. Advertise in the inexpensive supermarket classifieds. Go online and create free “identities” on web 2.0 sites that allow you to do so.

Key: Now that you are all set up – Your primary objective is to push your free offer to as many people as possible. Use Facebook, Twitter, and lots of other Web 2.0 Social Media properties to blast your enticing offer out – and to make it easy for people to get it!

Step 9: Nurture Your Leads While Developing Their Trust

Now that you are begining to build an opt-in email list of prospects, you need to carefully nurture them along. Recognize the reality that people buy when they want to buy – not when we want them to buy, or when we need them to buy. Your challenge is to continually supply them with enough useful information (no spam!) so they will remain on your opt-in list and so they will consider you as an authority for information, or a trusted supplier. That way, when they are ready to buy, they will already have you in mind, and they will be “pre-sold” on doing business with you.

Tip: It may make sense to use one signature file for emails that you send to people who are not yet on your opt-in list, and another one for your opted-in “subscribers”. That way you can actively (or, perhaps “passively”) promote the opt-in offer to the broad public, while presenting a “buy” offer to your subscribers in your nurture sequence of follow-ups).

Step 10: Manage Your Sales Process

Do you even use a sales process? You should! As the old saying goes: Only that which can be measured can be managed. It is only by implementing a sales process that you can realistically monitor where your prospects are in terms of making a buying decision. Then, if you continually track your prospects, and take particular note of the prospects you “lose”, then you will have an opportunity to “fix” your sales process to mimize prospect-loss. One of the greatest benefits of actively using a sales process is that it will significantly enhance your ability to forecast sales – this is especially true if you are disciplined about updating the data.

Important: There are a number of sales-process concepts or types that you can easily find. Don’t waste too much time trying to figure out which is the best one. In all likelihood, in terms of using a sales process to monitor and manage your sales, anything is probably better than nothing.

Step 11: Deliver On Your Promises

If you a serious about making this plan work, it is absolutley essential that you deliver on your promises to the customers you get. One of the most potent marketing forces in existence is “word of mouth”. In fact, the great power of Web 2.0 Social Media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc, is the technologies ability to automate and accelerate the communication of information in ways that old fashioned “word of mouth” can’t possibly keep up with. Good news travels fast – but bad news travels faster…and farther.

Important: To make this plan your own reality, whether you are getting your next 100, 1000, or 1,000,000 clinets, make sure that you take care of your customers to the extent that you deliver on your promises. And, know this, if you make a habit out of “over-delivering” on your fulfillment – it will most likely accelerate and amplify everything associated with your marketing and sales efforts.

Step 12: Optimize This Process And Repeat It Over and Ove

This plan, like virtually every plan, calls for a series of interrelated and repeatable actions. The more efficient you can be, in performing those actions, the more effective the techniques in this plan will be. You will benefit greatly by continually monitoring your own performance, and by always searching for ways to improve each and every step in this process. Continually seek ways to optimize the efficacy of your own efforts and repeat these processes wherever they can impact the growth of your business.

Important Key Tip: Take aggressive action to implement your own version of this plan – and never quit.

About the Author: Brock N. Allen is an Internet Marketing Expert and Principal of Boston B2B Online Marketing. Boston B2B Online Marketing provides professional Search Engine Marketing (SEM), SEO, and Lead Generation services to small businesses throughout the metropolitan Boston area, as well as the United States. For more information, please visit

BostonOnlineMarketing.net

.

Source:

isnare.com

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