Dip Pressing
My employer has apparently launched a blog.
On the one hand, I've been advocating for years that my employer take a plain-language, humorous, go-ahead-and-look-behind-the-curtain approach to public relations (much as the IRS -- of all agencies -- does quite well on their website).
On the other hand, this isn't it.
The two words that spring most readily to mind to describe the new site are "wooden" and "Penthouse." And I don't mean that combination in a good way.
"Wooden," because it's hard to have a high muckety-muck post "Gee, what a long day at the UN! Gosh, I'm so tired!" and not have it sound desperately and artificially folksy. Slightly more successful is a gosh-wow description of Delhi -- of all places -- written by a 20-something temp who spent a few weeks there; at least the Labradorishness comes off as guileless. The non-high-muckety-muck blog team, incidentally, appears to have been carefully chosen to "look like America," which is rather amusing, as my employment environment as a whole looks considerably more like an Episcopalian congregation in Presque Isle. Separate blog entry on that soon.
"Penthouse," (and I type that relishing the anticipated Google traffic) in that a Blackwater post elicits only comments defending the company, and other representative comments to other posts are invariably along the lines of "I, too, would like to join your remarkable organization. Can you explain in detail the steps I need to take to serve my country, much as you brave and selfless patriots have done?"
Hey, don't get me wrong: if it works, and actually has an image-improving effect, that's great; I'd be happy not to argue with success. But I'm not buying it, and I'm curious whether anyone else will.
This is the point at which I'd link to it, but I'm thinking that's not such a good idea. It should be a snap to find, though: you're encouraged to go have a look and report back.
On the one hand, I've been advocating for years that my employer take a plain-language, humorous, go-ahead-and-look-behind-the-curtain approach to public relations (much as the IRS -- of all agencies -- does quite well on their website).
On the other hand, this isn't it.
The two words that spring most readily to mind to describe the new site are "wooden" and "Penthouse." And I don't mean that combination in a good way.
"Wooden," because it's hard to have a high muckety-muck post "Gee, what a long day at the UN! Gosh, I'm so tired!" and not have it sound desperately and artificially folksy. Slightly more successful is a gosh-wow description of Delhi -- of all places -- written by a 20-something temp who spent a few weeks there; at least the Labradorishness comes off as guileless. The non-high-muckety-muck blog team, incidentally, appears to have been carefully chosen to "look like America," which is rather amusing, as my employment environment as a whole looks considerably more like an Episcopalian congregation in Presque Isle. Separate blog entry on that soon.
"Penthouse," (and I type that relishing the anticipated Google traffic) in that a Blackwater post elicits only comments defending the company, and other representative comments to other posts are invariably along the lines of "I, too, would like to join your remarkable organization. Can you explain in detail the steps I need to take to serve my country, much as you brave and selfless patriots have done?"
Hey, don't get me wrong: if it works, and actually has an image-improving effect, that's great; I'd be happy not to argue with success. But I'm not buying it, and I'm curious whether anyone else will.
This is the point at which I'd link to it, but I'm thinking that's not such a good idea. It should be a snap to find, though: you're encouraged to go have a look and report back.
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