Us Vs. In Touch: The Gossip Rags Battle

Battle Of The Gossip Rags: Us Vs. In Touch

by Phyllis Fine , Friday, May 16, 2008
WHO NEEDS PRINT CELEB gossip anymore? After all, you can get updates on Jessica Simpson's activities all over the Web, seemingly by the hour.

And it's not as if these mags provide any kind of fresh spin or deep analysis that's lacking online. Here's what In Touch considers an exclusive scoop: "My weekend was good," says John Mayer, quoted after his first liaison with Jennifer Aniston.

Seems like gossip rags now exist primarily as a market for the paparazzi -- a theory suggested by the many remarkably similar photos in the May 12 issues of Us and In Touch. Both mags show Natalie Portman walking with her surgical-cone-wearing dog, before- and during-pregnancy head shots of Nicole Kidman, and -- hey, you can't have too many pix of Danny DeVito shopping for new eyeglasses, can you?

So are there any differences at all between the two mags, which I qualified for this gossip-off because of their identical cover stories? (People is often cited as Us' direct competitor, but People is in a different class. That's not just because of its no. 1 status in 2007 ad dollars -- as tracked by PIB, more than triple that of Us -- but because People acknowledges humans beyond the Hollywood axis.)

The J&J show: Both Us and IT feature stories about Jen and John's hot weekend together in Miami, with varying details about how they first hooked up, but the same overall theme: Is the ladies' man compatible with the world's most-famous jiltee?

The difference comes down to whether you like your voyeurism with an up-close, you-are-there vibe, or a focus on celeb perks.

IT provides blurry shots of the couple lying by the pool together -- both in bathing suits -- with details like "At one point, John and Jen's heads touched." Ugh! There's something so heavy-breathingly pathetic about viewing from this vantage point.

I prefer Us' focus on the services you get in a $3,000-a-night suite. As a former travel editor suffering from luxury hotel deprivation, I sigh for details like the couples' massage at Jen's Miami resort.

Us also gets clarity points for including all the lurid details in John's statement about Angelina Jolie; IT's incomplete quote may be PG-rated (no mention of blow jobs), but doesn't make much sense. (If you're wondering, it all has to do with Brad's presumed lack of a fantasy object because he's got the real thing.)

"Real" journalism? Us does a better, more even-handed job of parsing a "scandal" in a piece on the Miley Cyrus photo brouhaha. There's a sophisticated take on whether or not posing semi-nude was a calculated move; a disingenuous putdown of Vanity Fair, where the photos ran; and a sidebar on other "Young Stars Who Grinned and Bared" for an edifying touch of historical context.

IT's all about overblown headlines -- "Divorce Shocker: What Star Found Out"-- with no follow-through. What Star (Jones, natch) actually found out: nothing much, it seems. She's not even quoted in the story, which relies on lots of innuendo on whether or not hubby Al Reynolds is really gay ("I don't want to spoil my image of him," says his mother). In fact, IT has another story ("Lindsay Moves In With Her Girlfriend") where the subtext is, everybody's saying yes, she's really gay while at the same time denying it. Weird, and sadly not very gay-friendly.

Fashion Police: This Us feature, in which style experts sometimes too cutely rag on stars' rags (hey! It's catching!) adds a bit of welcome snark to the generally worshipful tone of most gossip mags. In IT, "Who Wore It Better?" does criticize fashion mistakes, but much more respectfully.

Most titillating tidbits: IT and Us both major in short items -- photo captions, really, in which sources invariably trot out the tritest quotes they can think of ("They're really sad. They were very in love," about a breakup). Within this format appear some odd and funny bits: In Us, Julia Roberts and Matthew McConaughey admit they don't wear deodorant; in IT, Kelly Ripa explains how wearing a pair of padded panties for a shapelier rear view feels "like I am sitting in a very cozy chair!"

Is this the end of civilization as we know it because trees are being killed for this crap: "Finally, Nicole's Bump Is Showing!" in IT.

Bottom Line: I rank Us higher because of its slightly less-sleazy approach to putting celebs under a microscrope.


MAG STATS

In Touch Weekly
Published By: Bauer Publishing Co.
Frequency: Weekly
Web site

Us Weekly
Published By: Wenner Media
Frequency: Weekly
Web site

Post your response to the public Magazine Rack blog.

See what others are saying on the Magazine Rack blog.
Phyllis Fine is columns editor for MediaPost.

Magazine Rack for Friday, May 16, 2008:
http://blogs.mediapost.com/magazine_rack/?p=496

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More Drivers Need DUI Lawyers

New Year's Eve Arrests Leave More Drivers in Need of Aggressive DUI Lawyers

Aggressive DUI Lawyer, a network of southern California DUI lawyers, is offering services to the many drivers who were arrested for drunk driving over the holidays.

San Francisco, CA  -  January 5 -- Aggressive DUI Lawyer, a network of southern California DUI lawyers, is offering services to the many drivers who were arrested for drunk driving over the holidays.

The new year is here, and as the celebrations come to an end, the California Highway Patrol is revealing just how many drunk driving arrests took place over the holidays. Bay Area law enforcement agencies have been some of the first to release their drunken driving arrest statistics. They recently stated that 2,736 people were arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the Bay Area between December 14 and 30.

Undoubtedly, many people in Southern California have found themselves in similar situations, as the statistics from New Year's Eve will reveal. Aggressive DUI Lawyer, a network of San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles DUI lawyers, is offering their services to those arrested on DUI charges in Southern California. With an experienced DUI lawyer, Orange County, San Diego and Los Angeles residents will likely receive a more favorable outcome to their case.

More people are arrested during the month of December for drunk driving than any other month of the year, and many people in Southern California are currently awaiting trial. San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles DUI lawyers can assist with these cases, using their expert knowledge to get results. As Bay Area law enforcement agencies have already shown, drunken driving arrests are an unpleasant but undeniable part of the holidays. With an experienced DUI lawyer, though, it's possible to start 2008 on the right foot and put those drunken driving charges in the past.

To find a Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego DUI lawyer, or to get more information, visit www.aggressiveduilawyer.info.

About Aggressive DUI Lawyer:

Aggressive DUI Lawyer is a network of specially trained Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego DUI lawyers. Anyone who is arrested for drunken driving charges in these three counties can turn to them for information and assistance in the fight to clear the charges and get their licenses back.

Their basic company principles will ensure the best possible defense:

- Aggressive Defense: As their name says, clients get an extremely aggressive defense provided by a highly experienced lawyer who will leave no stone unturned and no evidence unquestioned.
- Client's Comfort: They get their clients out of jail in no time and take immediate actions to reinstate their driving privileges
- Investigations: They'll double check all the evidence and re-analyze all the samples provided.
- Provide the Best Services: Aggressive DUI Lawyer focuses only on misdemeanor, drunk driving and traffic matters in California.

Press Contact: Mike Cheslar
Company Name: Aggressive DUI Lawyer
Phone: 760 431 8594
Website: http://www.aggressiveduilawyer.info/

New IT Media Disposal Program From Kroll Ontrack

Kroll Ontrack Goes Green with a New IT Media Disposal Program

Erasure and Recycling Services Help Businesses and Individuals Safeguard Critical Information and the Environment

MINNEAPOLIS--  May 13, 2008 --Kroll Ontrack®, the leading provider of data recovery and legal technologies products and services, today announced a new media disposal program to help businesses and individuals safely dispose of their end-of-lifecycle hard drives in an environmentally conscious way. This fast, secure and convenient erasure and disposal service allows organizations and individuals to protect one of their most important assets - their data.

Kroll Ontrack's media disposal program is comprised of two steps:

Data Erasing Solutions: Kroll Ontrack offers two solutions that completely remove all traces of information stored on storage media and a verification service that ensures no traces of information can be recovered from the media following an erasure procedure.

    * Ontrack Eraser software: An easy-to-use, highly flexible data erasure software tool, Ontrack® Eraser, uses overwriting procedures to permanently remove data and meet the most stringent standards for data removal.
    * Ontrack Eraser services: A convenient, end-of-lifecycle service performed by Kroll Ontrack specialists that offers complete removal of your data using a "degausser," a hardware device that destroys data using strong magnetic fields.

Media Disposal Services: Kroll Ontrack's environmentally friendly media disposal service ensures certain media is disposed of in a method that protects both the owner of the stored data and the environment. Technicians dismantle the devices removing good parts for re-use prior to disposal of the storage media. All other hard drive and storage device components are turned over to Kroll Ontrack's recycling vendor that separates materials such as metals, circuit boards, copper wiring and aluminum into different commodities that are recycled and re-used for other products. Any left over materials are discarded in a manner that ensures no materials are deposited in landfills or incinerators. Specifically, they are disassembled using an optimal mix of physical and mechanical demanufacturing techniques to separate out hazardous materials from recyclable components.

"With this service, customers now have a convenient means to make sure their media does not fall into the wrong hands and is disposed of in a method that will not harm the environment," said Jim Reinert, vice president of software and services, Kroll Ontrack. "This is especially critical as both businesses and home users are looking for a safe and easy way to get rid of their mounting end-of-lifecycle machines."

From more information regarding this service visit www.ontrackdatarecovery.com.

About Kroll Ontrack Inc.

Kroll Ontrack provides technology-driven services and software to help legal, corporate and government entities as well as consumers recover, search, analyze, produce and present data efficiently and cost-effectively. In addition to its award-winning suite of software, Kroll Ontrack provides data recovery, advanced search, paper and electronic discovery, computer forensics, ESI consulting, and trial consulting and presentation services. Kroll Ontrack is a technology services division of Kroll Inc., the global risk consulting company. For more information about Kroll Ontrack and its offerings please visit: www.krollontrack.com; www.ontrackdatarecovery.com; www.engeniumsearch.com; www.trialgraphix.com.
Contacts

Kroll Ontrack
Kaitlin Creager, 952-516-3581
kcreager@krollontrack.com

Cell Phone Surveillance Product Uses SMS/GPRS/Bluetooth

Neo-Call First Cell Phone Surveillance Product to Use a Combined SMS/GPRS/Bluetooth for Information Transfer

Technological upgrades make it less expensive for Neo-Call users to transfer information between cell phones. Contrary to recent press reports about competing software packages, Neo-Call were the first to market with telephone monitoring software and Neo-Call software is neither detectable as a virus nor has been labeled as malware.

Mulhouse, FR  -  September 28 -- Neo-Call, a software package enabling users to monitor calls on a predefined target phone, announces a major upgrade integrating Bluetooth technology: Neo-LOG PRO. Users can eliminate data transfer charges between phones using Bluetooth and can set transfers according to a regular schedule or on request.

Recent press reports chronicling the competing package Flexispy's arrival on the market have cast cell-phone surveillance software in a negative light. M. Malone, spokesperson for Neo-Call, says it's very clear his company's software, not the recently released Flexispy package, was the first on the market. He warns users not to let bad press keep them from evaluating the merits surveillance products for legitimate uses.

"We have been on the market for a number of years and we already released dozens of new softwares," Malone said. "Neo-Call is the world's first that offer free trial period for the purpose."

Neo-Call works in the following way. Users install the software on a target phone and set their telephone number a predefined monitoring number. Whenever someone places a call to or from the target phone, their telephone numbers, voice recordings and text messages can be heard and recorded by someone calling from the phone with the predefined number. The software also provides a means of determining where a cell phone is geographically at a given moment.

"Unlike other software packages, ours does not require a third party intermediary server during data transfer," Malone said.

Neo-Call can be used to check a wayward spouse's phone, see if your teenager is dealing drugs or has fallen in with the wrong crowd, track a stolen car, see if employees are sharing secrets and keep track of members of a sales force, or use as a mobile baby monitor. Users must be careful to know the laws regarding listening to and recording calls because they are responsible for following laws in all jurisdictions where they are using Neo-Call.

Until now, users have been forced to rely on SMS and GPRS transfer to glean data from the target phone. This method results in data transfer charges to the target telephone but not the recipient's telephone. Bluetooth is a much better option for data transfer because neither phone incurs charges. Furthermore, it means data can now be downloaded from prepaid cell phones that have run out of units. Using Bluetooth, all data, including voice recordings, SMS copies, and a call list, are stored on the target phone and readied for a regular daily transfer to the recipient's phone.

To order, visit the company's website at http://www.neo-call.com/index.php?env=-index:m3--1-4-s. Buyers can customize software on the fly and download a package with the selected components to their telephone. Free trial is available at http://www.mobile-secuware.com.

Contact:
Aston Maurice
Neo-Call
+33614677471
email protected from spam bots

Press Contact: ASTON MAURICE
Company Name: Neo-Call
Phone: +33614677471
Website: www.neo-call.com

Sexography Tale of Survival and Finding One's Self

Phoenix Books' Sexography: a Triumphant Tale of Survival and the Journey to Finding One's Self

A new memoirs detailing the triumphs and tragedies associated with learning about one's sexual self, Sexography by Carly Milne opens a new door of discussion about surviving sexual traumas with honesty, wit and hope.

Los Angeles, CA  -  October 29, 2007 -- Sex may sell, but getting women to talk about it from the heart without theatrics and jokes isn't always the easiest task...and it's not hard to understand why. Women are plagued with issues about sex from birth, sometimes causing them to act out, other times creating feelings of shame and guilt -- and that's not even counting those who have suffered from various forms of abuse. One unique book seeks to change all that by ushering in a new era of intimately honest communication designed to deconstruct female sexuality. That book is Sexography, written by Carly Milne.

By turns serious and playful, Sexography maps the coming of age, tragedy and rebirth of one woman's sexual self. From "making out" with imaginary Hollywood stars in her closet (and getting busted) to coming to terms with abuse, assault and rape; from embracing her curiosity enough to become a sex toy tester to accepting and dealing with her tumultuous past, Milne paints a brutally honest -- and, at times, amusing -- picture of what it's like to learn about and experience sex in every sense of the word.

"At times my path has been dark, but what helped me through it was dealing with it creatively," Milne says. "I've seen and done some off-the-wall stuff to help me heal, like openly blogging about intimate details of my sex life, publicly experimenting or working as a publicist in the porn industry. And I'm not saying everyone needs to do what I did, but maybe what I went through can help others find their own path."

Milne's story begins in her childhood homes of Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where she began her journey with the typical kind of curiosity that all children have, doing things like examining her Barbies for some hint of genitalia. But soon she found herself faced with sexual abuse at the hands of trusted adults, which is where her story takes readers on a wild, amazing and sometimes painful trip that spans both Canada and the U.S.

Milne vividly recounts first kisses and first loves amid brewing trauma, sharing the inner workings of her mind as she finds the strength to battle through events that threaten to tear her apart. After discovering her likes and dislikes, marrying and divorcing, and finding a caring support group, Milne finds the courage to heal herself once and for all.

In an effort to further open the channels of communication about these issues, Milne has partnered with RAINN -- the Rape and Incest National Network -- for various fundraising events surrounding the book's release. Says Milne, "Working with RAINN is an honor. Part of the reason why I wrote the book is because I wanted to help other women who have suffered through similar experiences, giving them the change to find a voice and regain their strength. Being able to do that is worth everything I went through."

Whether you've been through similar experiences or just know someone who has, Sexography will change your mind about why and how survivors survive.

About Carly Milne:
Carly Milne has written for Glamour, Variety, Maxim, Stuff, Bitch Magazine, Whole Life Times, AOL and more. She has also been interviewed by Marie Claire, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Sex TV and E!, among many others, and has been published in several books. This is her first full-length non-fiction work. Read more about her online at www.carlymilne.net.

For more information on Sexography, please contact:
CJ Bergthorsen, Type A Public Relations
310.933.5796
www.typeapr.com

Press Contact: CJ Bergthorsen
Company Name: Type A PR
Phone: (310) 933 5796
Website: www.typeapr.com

Continuing Education Scholarship Recognizes Non-Traditional Learners

Newly Established Continuing Education Scholarship Recognizes Needs of Non-Traditional Learners

Destiny Solutions Inc. Announces First Annual Scholarship for Continuing Education Students

Louisiana, New Orleans  -  March 26, 2008 -- Destiny Solutions Inc., creators of the first strategic continuing education business solution, announced at the 93rd Annual University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) conference that they will give continuing education students throughout Canada and the U.S. a chance to win a $2,500 scholarship.

The Destiny OneCE Scholarship is available to any non-traditional learner currently enrolled in a course or a program through the continuing education division of a Canadian- or American-accredited college or university. Non-traditional students tend to be 25 years of age or older, maintain part-time enrollment and, according to The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), have at least one or more of the following characteristics: financially independent, delayed enrollment, works full-time, has dependents, single parent or no high school diploma.

"Continuing education contributes in a large way to people's lives by enabling lifelong learning, which helps people feel good about themselves and do well in society," said Shaul Kuper, CEO of Destiny Solutions. "We created this scholarship to help make continuing education more accessible and give a non-traditional student the ability to advance."

Non-traditional students make up 89 percent of undergraduates at two-year public and private colleges, 57 percent of undergraduates at four-year public colleges, and 50 percent of undergraduates at four-year private colleges, according to the University Continuing Education Association. The Destiny OneCE Scholarship is distinctive because there are few scholarships devoted specifically to non-traditional students engaged in continuing education, and not all employers offer financial assistance for professional development.

Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows 54 percent of adults participate in lifelong learning through the workplace or an education system. NCES also found the median out-of-pocket expense for non-traditional students enrolled part-time in a college or university degree or certificate program was $1,144.

Often, non-academic barriers prevent students from continuing their education. A national study found non-traditional students have lower completion rates than traditional students, and are less likely to be enrolled after five years. Through its annual scholarship, Destiny Solutions Inc. hopes to make life a little easier for a student, Kuper said.

The deadline to submit applications for the Destiny OneCE Scholarship is 5:00pm on July 31, 2008. Destiny Solutions Inc. will announce the scholarship winner in August. For application terms, visit www.DestinySolutions.com/DestinyScholarship.pdf. For more information about Destiny Solutions Inc. or the Destiny OneCE Scholarship, contact Matthew White at 1-866-403-0500 ext 200.

About Destiny Solutions Inc.
Destiny Solutions Inc. is the creator of Destiny OneCE: the First Strategic CE Business Solution. The company is focused exclusively on the continuing education industry and has created technology that liberates customers from mundane administrative tasks and enables them to focus on their strategic priorities. Destiny Solutions' clients include the Stanford Center for Professional Development, the University of California Santa Cruz Extension and the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. For more information please visit www.destinysolutions.com.

Press Contact: MATTHEW WHITE
Company Name: Destiny Solutions Inc.
Phone: 1-866-403-0500
Website: www.DestinySolutions.com

---

 Getting a good education can help you with owning your own business. Of course you will need to investigate getting some business loans, and you may need insurance and bonding, but when you have the knowledge and capital you should have success.

Gourmet Coffee Gift Boxes Just in Time

Volcanica Coffee Announces the Addition of Gourmet Coffee Gift Boxes Just in Time for the Holidays.

Today, Volcanica Coffee announced a new addition to their product line and now offers gourmet coffee gift boxes. The new gourmet coffee gift boxes are available in various assortments that contain their famous Kona Coffee, Costa Rica Coffee and Blue Mountain Coffee.

Fort Lauderdale, FL  - November 30, 2007 -- Today, Volcanica Coffee announced a new addition to their product line up and now offers gourmet coffee gift boxes. The new gourmet coffee gift boxes are available in various assortments that contain their famous Kona Coffee, Costa Rica Coffee and Blue Mountain Coffee.

The most popular gourmet coffee gift box is the Classic Coffee Gift Box which contains the top gourmet coffees from Volcanica and retails for $129.99. Each Classic Coffee Gift Box includes one pound of each of Volcanica Blue Mountain Coffee, Volcanica Costa Rican Reserve , Volcanica Costa Rican Original and Volcanica Kona Gran Reserve. The gourmet coffee gift boxes are available at www.volcanicacoffee.com/coffee-gift.htm.

Also available are the Signature Coffee Gift Box and the Coffee Lovers Gift Box. Both contain different assortments of the types of Volcanica Coffees an are available lower prices. Each coffee gift is shipped in a beautiful white gift box with the coffee bags nestled in crinkle cut paper.

Volcanica Gourmet Coffee Beans is a specialty importer and retailer of exotic single origin gourmet coffee beans. The Company is committed to offering only the finest quality coffee from volcanic regions around the world that is wonderfully exotic and remarkable in taste. The Volcanica Coffee website is located at www.VolcanicaCoffee.com.

Press Contact: DIANE CONTRERAS
Company Name: Volcanica Gourmet Coffee Beans
Phone: 877-454-7031
Website: http://www.volcanicacoffee.com/