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| Vladimir Putin |
It’s time for Donald Trump to play his trump card.
As rumors swirl about the possible ill health of his dear friend, Vladimir Putin, the former “Apprentice” host should make a pilgrimage to Moscow to convince the Russian leader to end his disastrous “special military operation” in Ukraine.
He could serve as Joe Biden's special envoy to Putin. Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson played "private humanitarian" roles for the US on missions to North Korea and Myanamar.
Time may be running short for Putin.
By withdrawing Russian troops from Ukraine, the Russian strongman would kill two birds with one stone.
He would stop the senseless slaughter of Russian soldiers that he dispatched to Ukraine on a fool’s mission that has unified NATO and tanked Russia’s economy.
More important to Vlad, crediting Trump as peace-maker would pave the way for him to return to the White House.
A Trump restoration is more than Putin could have ever asked for.
Carl Icahn, the corporate raider whose activities resulted in the loss of jobs for many American workers, has recast himself as friend of labor.
The 86-year-old Icahn is waging a fight against McDonald’s and supermarket giant Kroger for sourcing pork raised in “gestation crates” on industrialized family farms.
In a letter to Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen, Icahn lumps animal welfare together with providing a living wage to workers as key issues ignored by the supermarket giant.
Citing his new mission as doing whatever he can to to remedy glaring corporate injustices, Icahn wrote: “Your company is conducting itself in ways which are unconscionable with regards to animal cruelty and flagrantly side-stepping financial obligations to workers who don’t make a fair wage (while you received $22.4M in 2020).
“What is totally reprehensible is that you managed to personally profit from the extremely high margins caused by the pandemic while at the same time reining in your “Hero Bonus” promise to front-line workers.
“Heroes they are indeed, and while those workers risked their lives to keep America fed and Kroger’s business alive, the board allowed you to give yourself a staggering pay package while inexplicably removing the workers’ meager $2 an hour raise.
“This mockery of meritocracy is the quintessential example of why capitalism and business get a bad rap and people are disillusioned with the American dream.”
Through the Barberry Corp investment vehicle, Icahn owns 100 shares of Kroger. He is getting plenty of mileage from that investment.
Weber Shandwick wants to be known as the “in-culture communications agency.” The goal of the Interpublic unit is to help clients create brave ideas that connect with people and shape culture.
The firm promises a proprietary analytics method to drive impact and a cultural intelligence engine driven by its 250 in-house “culture creators.”
Working with members of the Weber Shandwick Collective (e.g., United Minds management consultancy, Resolute digital arm, KRC Research), the firm promises an “earned-first point-of-view backed by a broad range of expertise built for the convergence of media, policy, society and technology.”
Weber Shandwick describes the in-culture communications push as a “new articulation of the agency’s mission, it’s something we’ve done for many years.”
William Brangham, the ever so serious reporter of the PBS Newshour, gave a nice plug to Amazon during his May 2 appearance.
He covered news of a facility in Staten Island voting against joining the newly formed Amazon Labor Union. That tally came on the heels of a vote last month at a larger SI warehouse to join the ALU.
Maximilian Alverez, editor in chief at Real News Network who does a “Working People” podcast, told Brangham that employees at the smaller warehouse were largely part-timers and already living close to the edge.
“The thought of losing this election, of facing more retaliation may actually scare you more than it did the workers at the first facility,” said Alvarez.
Brangham then summed up Amazon’s pitch that it pays workers well and offers benefits so there’s no need to unionize.
He then delivered a big PR plug for Amazon: “And I know people, I have interviewed people who have gone to Amazon and found good jobs and benefits there.”
Brangham deserves a free year of Amazon Prime service.
The NBA, which promotes legalized gambling 24/7, seems more than hypocritical for banning player for placing bets... Diocese of Brooklyn promises to issue press release the next time one of its priests is charged with sexual abuse... Truth Social aspires to be one of Donald Trump's iconic American brands, just like Trump University or Trump Steaks or Trump Ice Cubes.
Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun puts competition on notice... Macy's throws in the towel as it appoints two directors nominated by its unwanted suitor... The Profile in Wimpery Award goes to the Ford Presidential Foundation for stiffing American hero and former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
JPMorgan Chase chief Jamie Dimon's "letter to shareholders" is a must-read for PR people and others interested in fixing America and living up to its potential... Get ready for the PPE shortage when the next pandemic hits... Nixing Netanyahu. Gaza carnage turns US opinion against Israel's prime minister.
Trump Media & Technology Group sees Elon Musk's X as an option for those who want the free expression promised by Truth Social but without Donald Trump, owner of 57.3 percent of TMTG... Chalk one up for "anti-woke warrior" governor Greg Abbott as University of Texas lays off 60 DEI-related staffers... Five percent of Americans see the US as its own worst enemy, according to Gallup.
Nine of the Top 100 firms that participated in O'Dwyer's rankings last year apparently threw in the towel for the 2024 scorecard. Seven other firms also went AWOL.
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May 9, 2022, by Joe Honick
Too many unanswered questions....first with Republicans hardly moved an inch over Trump's adoring praise of Putin as a genius for this butchering of Ukraine...then the still "interesting" hire of Navigator operation to do what reality tells most of us has already been done with respect to the "education" of Biden and Congress both of whom have scrambled to help Ukraine in massive terms.
Biggest question is Democrats' total lack of targeting the Trump for his fawning over Putin and even less attention from the media of all sorts. It remains necessary to raise those questions until someone somewhere offers answers.