Walter | Cooler Insights

Should I or Shouldn’t I? – Ethics in PR

August 14, 2009 • Public Relations • 1 comment

Courtesy of Keith Maguire

As a public relations professional who deal with the media on a regular basis, I am often faced with situations which require a judgement call. These may take the form of a series of deeply probing questions by journalists who are determined to weed out the grains of dirt, or to develop a more sensational story from an otherwise run-of-the-mill piece.

While I believe in telling the truth, I am also aware that certain facts presented in the wrong context may end up leaving a false impression. The worst thing that can happen is to end up losing control of an unfolding story, and to be perceived as being uncooperative and unwilling to provide information to a hungry media circus.

Buzzing Blissfully with the Bees

August 13, 2009 • • 1 comment

Island Beehive at Kingscote of Kangaroo Island

Located just off the road from Kingscote (near the Emu Bay Lavender Farm) is Island Beehive – an organic honey farm located at Kangaroo Island. One of the biggest organic honey producers in Australia, Island Beehive produced and distributed a wide range of apian products like honey, royal jelly, propolis, beeswax candles, candies, pollen and more. Apparently, some claim that honey is one of the best foods offered by nature, with antibacterial and wound-healing properties. A dollop of honey (together with lemon) is also widely used as a cure for a bad throat.

The retail shop of the apiary offered a lot more than just honey. Yellow and black were the thematic colours here.

An Aromatic Afternoon

August 8, 2009 • Blog • 1 comment

As a pristine pastoral paradise, Kangaroo Island boasted of farms offering various primary produces. One of the first places which we checked out during our first afternoon on the island was the Emu Bay Lavender farm, a family owned property located beyond the Kingscote area of the island at its Northernmost tip.

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To give you a sense of orientation, I have included a Google Map above which shows where the place is. From Penneshaw where the ferry landed, it was a breezy drive through the largely empty roads through the farms and wilderness to reach this field of fragrant flowers.

Hoppin’ Happily to Kangaroo Island

August 2, 2009 • Blog • 2 comments

The greatest highlight of my family’s trip back in April to South Australia must be the one to Kangaroo Island, a sprawling sanctuary for nature and wildlife offering some of most spectacular sights I ever saw down under.

While it is seven times the size of Singapore, Australia’s third largest island (after Tasmania and Melville Island) is pretty sparsely populated with close to 4,300 residents. Almost all of its economy is agricultural, tourism (it hosts some 140,000 visitors a year) and fishing oriented. The charming farms on the island boasts of primary produce like honey, milk, wool, meat, fine wines, and eucalyptus oil.

Of course, the greatest thing about Kangaroo Island is its abundant wildlife, both freely frolicking the vast bushes or living in parks and reserves.

Why Being Quirky May Be Better

July 31, 2009 • Blog • disabled comments

Nobody does it quirkier than Richard Branson!

In the past, one sought to conform as much as possible to the IT crowd.

“Be part of this cool collective!”

How To Write Like a King

July 29, 2009 • Book Reviews • 2 comments

Courtesy of NPR.org

One of my lifelong dreams is to write and publish a book.

As a purveyor of the written word, I relish opportunities to create a polished piece of prose that can influence others or contribute to the body of knowledge in the world.

Author: coolerinsights