Better than any BOGOF deal with Holyrood PR you get five for free! And if you like the links below we have even more topical links on our facebook and twitter pages, so why not call over and take a look for yourself and please feel free to suggest your own links.
ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN (Adrian)
Its fifty years since Yuri Gagarin made his single-orbit flight around the world – ushering in the era of human spaceflight. And while international space programmes now showcase some of the most cutting edge computer technology, it’s amazing to think that the early years of space flight were co-ordinated by machines that were no more complex than a modern-day calculator. The BBC has taken a fascinating trip down memory lane to highlight the ups and downs of the historic 108 minute flight, which propelled the Soviet Union into the front of the space race and, as a result, spurred NASA into sending the first manned flight to the moon by the end of the 60s.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12380744
WAYNE ROONEY – NO PR POLISH BUT STILL TALENTED (Laura)
Came across this interesting article in today’s Telegraph, which talks about how England footballer Wayne Rooney lacks PR polish which more often than not distracts attention away from his talent on the pitch. Being a Liverpool fan I hate to admit Wayne is a world class player, but this is somewhat let down, thanks to his love of prostitutes, boozing and swearing to camera and it is not often a week goes by where Wayne or his wife Colleen are in the papers. I think with Wayne we just have to accept that he is never going to be a debonair role model like David Beckham and that we should instead remember him for his talent on the pitch rather than his headlines off the pitch.
DISGRUNTLED INSURANCE CUSTOMER PROTESTS JCB STYLE (PAMELA)
A plant hire operator blocked an Insurance company office building entrance with his JCB because he didn’t like the way they handled his insurance claim. The man from York was watched by 180 employees as he had a 90 minute show down with Aviva managers before finally being escorted off the premises by armed police. It emerged that after an accident with an articulated truck, Aviva decided to have the JCB repaired instead of writing the vehicle off, which the man believed left the vehicle with a string of problems, rendering the JCB un-roadworthy. At least he would have brought some entertainment to an otherwise dull day in the life of an insurance salesman. TBC
McILROY’S MASTERS IMPLOSION – DID HE ‘CHOKE’ OR DID HE ‘PANIC’? (Scott)
Young golfing sensation Rory McIlroy performed one of the saddest implosions in golf at the weekend. Immediately, his fall from ‘unassailable lead’ to ‘also ran’ in the US Masters was likened to a similar meltdown by Greg Norman 15 years earlier. It reminded me of Andy Murray’s Australian Open capitulation in February, when he crashed out of the final with a whimper. This article by Malcolm Gladwell is a fascinating insight into the different reasons why sports stars fail.
http://www.gladwell.com/2000/2000_08_21_a_choking.htm
DOWNING STREET’S FLIGHT OF FANTASY (Raymond)
It was the picture that has done more for David Cameron’s publicity than an army of PR gurus – the PM and his wife Sam sitting in the departure lounge of Stansted waiting to board a Ryanair flight for a short break to Malaga. So good was the picture – which appeared on most front pages on Friday – that it was suggested it was a aupberb piece of PR by Cameron’s new spindoctor Craig Oliver. The truth is – it was taken by a fellow passenger Beckett Fish who posted it on facebook which in turn was picked up by his pal who passed it onto parliamentary blogger in cheif Guido Fawkes who then negotiated worldwide picture rights. Suffice to say, Mr Fish will not be travelling by Ryanair for his next flight.
