Tim Ireland on tabloids, media, blogs and politics
Consume!
Grant Shapps is invited to explain recently-deleted text by ‘Sebastian Fox’ of HowToCorp
15th Oct 2012
We begin today with a hat-tip to data spotter @jolyonjenkins. I urge you to listen to his highly relevant report for BBC Radio 4; Jolyon has been looking into exactly the kind of ‘get rich quick’ spivvery that HowToCorp has been engaging in, and he recently brought to my attention the presence/activities of ‘Sebastian Fox’ in an internet marketing forum hosted at warriorforum.com
Putting aside for a moment those serious unanswered questions about how this product is/was sold (as ‘Michael Green’, Shapps describes something called ‘Joint Level Partners’ in a manner suggesting that his is some form of ‘multi level marketing’ scheme, more commonly known as a ‘pyramid scheme’), here/today I want to focus on the legitimacy of the lead product itself.
The following are two different captures of the same discussion thread at warriorforum.com;
BEFORE: HowToCorp discuss ‘TrafficPaymaster’ at WarriorForum – Thread #1 (Sep 2012 version)
AFTER: HowToCorp discuss ‘TrafficPaymaster’ at WarriorForum – Thread #1 (Oct 2012 version)
What you will notice first is that all mention of detail of the product has been removed on the pretence that the product is now “only available to existing clients”.
There has been a pattern of this kind of behaviour from HowToCorp in response to scrutiny. As Grant Shapps has been assuring the public that everything is above board at HowToCorp, someone has been cleansing the web of visible traces of what he/HowToCorp have been up to; this has included changing the settings/preferences of several domains in order to remove any trace of them from the Web Archive.
There is a lot more detail in the 28 September version to be noted and discussed (as with my earlier/initial post about Wikipedia edits, it is a treasure trove of delights for other bloggers/journalists) but a key point I wish to highlight is ‘Sebastian Fox’ (Grant’s wife) openly bragging about how the product is designed to outwit Google rather than actually meet its content requirements, even after a now-famous update specifically designed to address the problem of junk and/or misappropriated content:
06-28-2012, 07:33 AM
howtocorp
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Social NetworkingRe: How To Build An AdSense Empire – here’s the PROOF you can do the same!
Quote:
Originally Posted by seoslugalso in terms of spinning…Google is catching up with spin articles…anyway of making it more unique?
People who say that “Google is catching up with spun articles” simply don’t understand how search engines operate.
Take these two sentences for example:
1. She walked along the road and before long she reached the corner.
2. Strolling along the street she quickly reached the street corner.Question…
Which of the two sentences above is the original unspun version?
Answer…
Neither. They’re both spun!
The point is that a search engine has absolutely no way of knowing whether a piece of content is “original” or not.
We use TheBestSpinner as our API in TrafficPaymaster. It’s as good as article spinning gets. And it’s way better than is required for a search engine ranking.
Seb.
TrafficPaymaster | Where Will You Send Your Web Traffic Roadblock?
The patronising lecture about search engines is 100% horse hockey, by the way, but what really matters here is that something that is normally very difficult to prove – intent – is very clear.
For all their talk about this product being an alternative to cheating, it is clearly designed to cheat Google and by extension their users, and hard working creators of original content (the system appropriates content written by other people and falsely presents it as original copy).
I would very much like to hear the Tory party chairman Grant Shapps and/or his wife resolve their demonstrable intent with issues such as copyright infringement especially, but – happily – HowToCorp’s position on cheating Google is already crystal clear; it doesn’t count if you don’t get caught!
Here’s another cleansed thread including incriminating data that HowToCorp have tried to erase, and an extract from same. Check out the text I have highlighted in bold:
BEFORE: HowToCorp discuss ‘TrafficPaymaster’ at WarriorForum – Thread #2 (Sep 2012 version)
AFTER: HowToCorp discuss ‘TrafficPaymaster’ at WarriorForum – Thread #2 (Oct 2012 version)
04-18-2012, 04:24 AM
howtocorp
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Social NetworkingRe: TrafficPaymaster can send you NEW traffic in 2 hours!
Hi Sandy,
Google may or may not like a particular approach, but the real question is whether there are any signs about how a page has been created. If the answer is no, well then it doesn’t much matter what Google officially thinks.
And that’s where pages produced by TrafficPaymaster are completely different from other WordPress auto-blogging packages. TPM doesn’t produce blog pages at all. In fact these are regular HTML pages which aren’t based on other blog software.
So there’s nothing that distinguishes pages produced by TrafficPaymaster from pages produced by you.
And that’s really the key to the success of TrafficPaymaster | Where Will You Send Your Web Traffic Roadblock?
Check out the TrafficPaymaster blog for loads more detail, feedback and success stories… TrafficPaymaster | Where Will You Send Your Web Traffic Roadblock?
Seb.
Summary: It doesn’t matter what Google thinks; if we can fool it into thinking the content is legitimate, we will have met their requirements for legitimate content. Genius!
What is most incredible about this attitude is how liberating it is. It doesn’t matter how fast you drive; so long as traffic cops/cameras don’t clock you doing it, you’re OK. Further, while police and people generally often frown on burglary officially, so long as no-one catches you coming, going or taking, no offence has been committed. Brilliant, eh? One wonders how much Mr & Mrs Shapps use this thinking outside of their business interests.
HowToCorp’s Michael Green & The 20/20 Challenge
11th Oct 2012
I’ve just watched Michael Green Sebastian Fox Grant Shapps on #BBCQT and I find myself awe-struck by his chutzpa. I mean, I knew he’d have no choice but to lie to some extent, but to pretend that some irrelevant edits on his Wikipedia page undermine anything published recently about his business interests is extraordinary!
Anyway, I wasn’t going to stand by and allow Grant to hide crucial data from the public while pretending everything’s above board and ship shape and tickety-boo and cleared by the ASA and what have you, so here for your reading pleasure is the full front-page pitch for Michael Green’s 20/20 Challenge; a sales vehicle for his TrafficPaymaster product. To be clear, this is the ‘$20K in 20 days or your money back’ offer that Grant would have you think was being described inaccurately in some quarters. I thought it would be for the best if we could all read the actual text as published and decide for ourselves.
On the subject of that product or any other HowToCorp product that deals/dealt with success in/via search engines, I happen to be a position where I know that Grant Shapps recognises my expertise in this field, so I will ask here, ever so politely in front of all of you nice people, if he might allow me to review his TrafficPaymaster product and/or any of his products that deal/dealt with SEO.
In the meantime, while we wait for Grant’s reply, here’s what he was promising back before Michael Green became his wife. Enjoy.
[NOTE - Random strings of text result from the page being archived with all text, including navigation and any 'ALT text' for images.]
At last! A simple… no fuss and proven approach to making money online…
Dear Friend,
Let me ask you something…
What would you do with $20,000 in your bank account in just 20 Days time?
Obviously it’s entirely up to you, but I’ve been surfing the net and here are a few ideas…
You could buy this brand new fuel efficient, environment friendly hybrid Toyota Prius for just $20,419 [okay, you'll have to find the extra $419 -- hint: run this program I'm about to tell you about for an extra day or two].
At 60 miles per gallon and a range of 714 miles on a full tank, it’s no wonder people rave about this remarkable vehicle. So imagine having the money in your bank account to buy one of these money saving gems in just 20 Days time!Price $20,419
Or maybe you’d prefer to go on a luxury vacation? Hmm, now let’s see for $20k you could go somewhere pretty damn exotic. And obviously you’ll want to do your own research, but how about these lavish surroundings that you could enjoy without stress next month with $20,000 tucked away in your bank account.
Price $20,000/week
This is just one real-life example of what you could do.
Stay in an exquisitely furnished, sophisticated five-bedroom colonial home in Edgartown village with heated luxury pool. Spacious bedrooms, gourmet kitchen, gracious living areas and central air conditioning to cater for your comfort.At $20,000 for just one week’s rental, it’s not the sort of thing you’d do at a drop of a hat, but if you could earn $20,000 in just 20 Days — well then why wouldn’t you take a well-earned break and relax in these comfortable surroundings?
But Is Earning $20,000 In 20 Days Actually Realistic?
You bet… and in a moment I’m going to show you how almost anyone can do this. And best of all, you don’t even need to have your own product (as of this very moment). Oh, plus you’ll only need to do this very much part-time over a 20 day period (or you can take longer to complete it if you prefer — I provide the timetable, but you can extend it out as you like).
Better still… this is a completely tried and tested system. And in a moment I’ll even show you the evidence!
But first, let’s just check what else you could do with your $20,000? Back to vacations and I’ve found a luxury cruise that might just take your fancy.
Now you may have been cruising before, but this is something completely different. Every room on this 700 guest ship has a balcony and dining is by the famed Le Cordon Bleu® of Paris.
In fact, this is one of the most spacious cruise ships afloat with her staff to guest ratio of 1 to 1.6 providing the highest level of personal service in the six-star tradition of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. For $20,000, it’s a special vacation that you’ll never forget!Price? Well you’ll have no trouble spending your
$20,000 on this six-star cruise linerOr perhaps you’d like to pursue your own sport or hobby, using your $20,000 towards whatever takes your fancy. Again, I’ve lined up some suggestions, but you’ll know best…
$20,000 can buy you a pre-owned Cessna 150 aircraft.
$20,000 can buy a sports boat to enjoy life.
$20,000 could help you own and keep a horse.
$20,000 could pay for a memorable ski vacation.
$20,000 down payment towards a house or car.
Spend Your $20,000 As You Like
Because The Choice Is Completely Yours…By now you’ve probably got the idea. You can use your $20,000 for whatever you like. Buy yourself (or the kids) an education, put $20,000 down towards a House or Car. Donate some or all of your newly earned wealth to your favorite charity. Just fill in your own dream below:
Type in your own $20k dream in the box below as a reminder about how you’ll spend the money!
I’ve got to tell you that one of the great secrets to making money online is to actually know what you’ll do with it once it has been earned. By filling out the box above, you’ll help to define your own dreams and goals and in the process you’ll dramatically increase your chance of success with The 20/20 Challenge toolkit.
Once you’ve completed the box above, please carry on reading below…
Who Else Wants To Put $20k
In Their Bank Account In The Next 20 Days?The problem with most internet marketing programs is that it’s very hard to know whether they actually follow the right money-making strategy. This 20/20 Challenge is completely different.
Why?
Because it actually works. And I can prove it!
You see most internet marketing products revolve around some sort of “get-rich-quick” scheme. Often as not, they’re based around ill-thought-through concepts which have been stolen from other marketers.
This program is completely different. Introducing The 20/20 Challenge Toolkit:
“This Extraordinary New Toolkit From Michael Green
Will Earn You $20,000
Within The Next 20 Days.”…Or You Can Get Your Money Back!
Now before you dismiss this as sounding “too good to be true”, check out the detail below to get your head around how The 20/20 Challenge will benefit you:
It’s absolutely true. You could realistically haul in $20,000 within just 20 Days!
You’ll be using a tried and tested approach which actually works. I’ll even provide a glimpse of the day by day program at the heart of this system.
The system works from a standing start. No existing product, qualifications or specific skills required. Note: You will want to be computer literate enough to use a computer, create a webpage and understand how to FTP files to commercial server space. In other words, have the first clue about using the internet.
Crazy! Launch your own quality product (without ever having to write or program a single word). Yep, it’s absolutely true and I’ll show you how inside.
This is a self-contained toolkit. It includes absolutely everything you’ll need to succeed. With the only exception being a float of around ten bucks and a domain and webserver space.
Be admired as an expert or “guru” for your work. Sshhh. No need to mention that you didn’t create the product you’re about to sell to great popular acclaim J
Works in just 20 Days even if you only work on it part-time. Plus it’s completely flexible and you can pick and choose when you work on the system.
You can take longer than 20 Days if you prefer and either way you can slot The 20/20 Challenge project around the rest of your life — so there’s no need to feel rushed about achieving your own personal objectives, once you own this toolkit.
Ongoing earnings! Although the system is designed to net you $20,000 within 20 Days (assuming you follow it), there’s nothing which stops the set up from continuing to generate revenue for evermore. Imagine this. An ongoing passive form of income for years to come!
Spend the money as you like! That’s right. I can tell you how to earn the cash. I can even drum up some ideas above about how you might like to spend it. But ultimately the choice about how you spend the money is entirely yours.
Actually earn any amount of money. Yep, that’s right. The 20/20 Challenge targets $20k in 20 Days, but in reality there’s nothing to stop you from earning two or three times that amount using the exact same formula. I have and I’ll show you how to make it happen for you!
Stop Press! Having used the toolkit once to earn your targeted $20k, you can simply use it again to earn another $20k from scratch. Oh, and then you can use it again… and again… and again… and…Example Of Your Day-By-Day
Cash-Generating Schedule…Unlike other internet marketing packages which make some vague promises about how you might make some money through your online activities, my 20/20 Challenge toolkit actually gives you a day-by-day program to follow.
Click here to review the full 20 Days schedule.
And while nobody can say precisely where you’ll be on any given day during the program, the table on the left gives a reasonable overview of what you might reasonably expect.
So as you can see, The 20/20 Challenge includes a complete schedule of where you might expect to be with your money-making venture on each on the 20 Days during the program. But what this table doesn’t reveal is that the income generation doesn’t stop at day 20. It just keeps going on and on…
But It Doesn’t Stop At Day 20 -
…Because Your Income Will Continue To Grow!Just because you’ve reached Day 20 and your $20,000 earnings target, that doesn’t mean that the tap suddenly turns off. Far from it in fact! Perhaps I should explain…
What The 20/20 Challenge does for you is to provide a straightforward approach designed to rake in $20k within 20 Days, but that’s not the end of the story.
Having successfully completed the program everything remains in place and there’s no reason why the sales won’t just keep on coming. In fact my last product called Traffic Czar used The 20/20 Challenge approach and despite the 20 day promotion now being over, I still make ongoing sales. So what you have is an ongoing passive form of income that simply doesn’t stop just because you’ve reached your $20,000 goal.
Actually this couldn’t be easier, but before you go thinking that it’s just too good to be true, check out my real-life example which easily eclipsed the $20k+ target.
And Here’s Yet More Evidence That This Approach
Really Does Work And That You Too Can Bust
Through The $20,000 Target…In April 2007 I added a new product to my popular ‘How To’ range and called it Traffic Czar.
The product was produced to categorically prove that The 20/20 Challenge system really does work like clockwork. And here are the results…
On the left is a product that I developed and marketed using The 20/20 Challenge system.
That’s right… in just 20 Days, Traffic Czar generated $24,823.00 in pure profit. But then by simply leaving the website up and running that profit-figure continued to grow.
… By Day 37 the toolkit had generated $30,930.00 profit!
And just in case you’re still even just a tiny bit sceptical, I’ve included the full sales data below:
Still want to see even more proof? No problem. You can download my full Excel Sales Spreadsheet here.
“But Won’t I Need My Own Product
To Succeed Online?”You’re right that virtually every successful online entrepreneur has his or her own product to sell. And The 20/20 Challenge is actually no different.
BUT…
Unlike every other ‘How To’ program, The 20/20 Challenge doesn’t actually require you to personally create your own product. How come?
Well there are literally thousands of sources out there for products which are already complete and just looking for someone to market them. Get this right and you can make money by applying simple marketing techniques.
But before you go imagining that this is therefore some kind of affiliate marketing opportunity… stop right there!
It’s not…
With this toolkit you will own and promote your very OWN product, because that’s the only way to make real money online. It’s just that you won’t have to create it yourself!
I’ll Show You Where To Get Your Own
Products, Without Ever Having To Write A Word
Or Learn A Single Line Of Programming Code!That’s right… someone else will actually do the work for you. In fact incredibly they’ve already done that work in advance and the package that’s going to earn you $20k in 20 Days is already sitting waiting for you!
So now all you need to do is turn up, choose which product you’d like to market, make it your own by branding it as yours (don’t worry, I provide full detailed instructions about how to do this) and then market your own product to a ready-and-waiting marketplace!
It really couldn’t be easier.
But before you go imagining that this is all too good to be true, just remember that this is precisely the route that I’ve already taken and proven with my own Traffic Czar toolkit. The bottom line is that this approach works as the evidence above proves.
So how is it done?
Well nowadays there’s an abundance of bright and intelligent writers and programmers out there who spend all their time generating impressive scripts, source code, software and books.
Typically these clever people might be in Eastern Europe and beyond.
They spend their time developing these first-class resources, but typically then never actually get around to marketing the products. Instead they allow their work to be rebranded via what’s known as Private Label Rights and generally that’s the last anyone sees or hears of their truly excellent work.
Now since they’ve lost interest in the project, you have the opportunity to pick up where they left off. By using Private Label Rights (or PLR) resources and combining them with a rebranding approach that I’ve devised, plus some great marketing that I’ll show you, you can take what might otherwise be mistaken as apparently worthless products and turn them into huge money-spinners. And I mean really BIG!
The result… you can earn $20,000 (or more) in as little as 20 Days!
“But Won’t Buying The Full Rights
Cost Me An Absolute Fortune?”No. Far from it when you know where to look. In fact it’s likely to cost you as little as $1.99 and almost never more than 5 bucks or so to own the kind of high-quality products you need in order to earn over $20,000 in just 20 Days. Now how about that for ROI?
And remember. You’re not going to have to write a word or program a single line of code for yourself, but you will need to take the raw product and have it branded as yours.
If you’re fairly computer literate then you might choose to carry out the rebrand yourself. If not (and this is the option that I prefer and use), then you’ll have someone else rebrand the product for you. But don’t worry about that because I’ll provide you with the full detailed instructions and show you precisely how to go about making a 2 buck purchase into a $20,000 mini-fortune!
The 20/20 Challenge Contains A Simple
Day-By-Day Approach To Making MoneyBecause you’ll want to make your $20,000 by the end of the 20 day program, I’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure your personal success and detailed the entire program.
On the left you can see a copy of The 20/20 Challenge program which comes with this toolkit and details precisely what should be happening on a day-to-day basis (by the way — the right hand column keeps your running accumulative total).
But perhaps the most exciting thing about this program is that it is a part-time program, designed to fit around your busy lifestyle. If you want to take longer than 20 Days to complete the program then that’s fine. But even if you work to just 20 Days, most of the time it still isn’t full time work (not even close in fact). So this will fit around your existing work and life.
Here’s What You’ll Get With
The 20/20 Challenge Toolkit SystemThe chances are that by now you’d like to know exactly what to expect from this unique toolkit, so here’s where I’m going to let you get a glimpse of the inside track.
The most important thing to know is that with The 20/20 Challenge you won’t be expected to make large additional investments or purchases after you’ve got your hands on this toolkit. In other words, this is not a ‘sellathon’ for other products that you’ll require to succeed. There’s no big so called ‘back-end’ sale. I’m including everything you need in the toolkit itself.
In fact I’ve gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that you’ll get everything you need to succeed with this package. However, you should be aware that you’ll need a couple of inexpensive additions including a domain name, some commercial webspace and a few dollars in change to buy some carefully chosen Private Label Rights (PLR) products — I’ll show you where to find them for as little as 2 bucks! — and possibly some money to spend with a service like Elance or similar (don’t worry I explain this in great detail and you might actually handle this part yourself). If you do go down the Elance route (which is what I did), then you could expect an additional cost of around $30 to $50 probably for a number of products rebranded ($50 bought me 5 excellent rebrands done for example).
I hope that you’ll agree with me that none of these investments is out of kilter with earning $20,000+ online within just 20 Days. But if you’d prefer not to invest anything at all in your future, then click away right now!
Ah, you’re still here, so let’s take a look at what I’ll be showing you inside The 20/20 Challenge Toolkit.
The complete step-by-step instructions detailing the exact system that I personally used to rake in over $30,900+ in just 37 days. With this information in hand, there’s really no reason why you can’t do the same.
Discover how owning your own product is crucial to your own internet marketing success. But…
… Find out how to own your quality, in-demand, product WITHOUT the need to create it yourself from scratch.
Become the rightful owner of *hot*, must-have, products that will have the public biting off your hand to own.
Discover how to construct sales letters that have people pulling out their credit cards when they’re barely one-third of the way down the page. That’s right, all the little tips and tricks that no one else bothered to tell you about (or perhaps they don’t know either).
Find out how to market your product in advance of its completion using a pre-release technique which is so powerful that it’s netted hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past couple of years. And yet barely anyone is using this approach. You will and you’ll benefit — guaranteed!
Revealed: How to vacuum up Joint Venture partners to the point where you’re virtually having to fight them off. I mean it. You’ll be able to pick and choose who you work with and on what terms.
Attract affiliate marketers to your product and receive a secondary boost as your sales accelerate through the roof and off the chart.
.
Experience the eye-watering phenomenon of daily sales levels that you may never have experienced before online. It’s all do’able because of the unique combination of The 20/20 Challenge approach, not found in any other known online product!Experience how this system shows you how to automate your online business like never before. As part of your 20 day challenge you’ll be leveraging partners from around the globe for your product and your sales drive. And don’t worry, I show you how to do it all in step-by-step chunks. This really is almost child’s play!
Discover how simple pointer emails from you can quickly and easily multiply up your income with alarming efficiency.
Find out how deadlines sell and then use this information to your own advantage by ramping up your sales and income during the final 72 hour of the 20 day period.
Delight in building a range of products that goes well beyond the $20k in 20 Days target and carries on providing you with passive income forevermore!
Now you’ve learned the ropes, making your first $20,000 in 20 Days, just repeat as frequently as you like.
So What Have You Got To Lose?
Let’s face it. An opportunity to earn $20,000 in 20 Days doesn’t come along very often (perhaps never again in your lifetime) and as you sit there reading this you have two options:
1
Ignore this by clicking away to the next website. Result? You definitely won’t make $20,000 through this program in the 20 Days after you get your hands on the toolkit.2
Take positive action and find out whether you’re still in time to own a copy of this strictly limited availability 20/20 Challenge package.And the crazy reality of the situation is that as of this moment, you have absolutely nothing to lose by giving this a go!
That’s because the system is 100% guaranteed and if you decide that it doesn’t work for you, well then that’s your decision and judgement, not mine. I won’t be asking you for evidence or proof as to what really happened. In fact I’m prepared to make this straightforward pledge and put it here in black and white for you:
But This Sounds So Simple That There’s
Got To Be A Catch — Will I Be Able To Afford
The 20/20 Challenge Toolkit?First of all you need to understand that just like anything else in life, this program isn’t going to work for you if you simply pick up a copy and then leave it lying there. Ownership alone isn’t going to make you money!
But what makes The 20/20 Challenge such a remarkable package is that if you’re successful in getting hold of a copy and you simply follow the day-by-day instructions, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to replicate the success that others are having and make at least $20,000 in 20 Days.
So how much should a package like this cost?
Well we know the potential income is $20,000, but that’s only over 20 Days and there are two other factors we need to bear in mind.
1
As you’ve seen from my actual profit example above, this approach will continue to earn you money after 20 Days (it earned me $30,930 in 37 Days for example) and so the value of the toolkit is obviously greater than $20k.2
Having earned your first $20k, there’s absolutely nothing to stop you from using The 20/20 Challenge toolkit again… and again… In fact you can keep rolling this program out each month, making the total potential income $20,000 x 12 months or $240,000 from this incredible program!So here it is…
If you put this toolkit to work then you could repeat the system every month for the next year and potentially net nearly $1/4 million.
Now this isn’t an earnings guarantee and you should read the earnings disclaimer. But that said, we know that this system works because I’ve posted the evidence above. I include day-by-day instructions about every step that you need to take to make the program work for you and on the basis that it could net you a vast fortune this is one set of instructions that must be worth a fair amount.So what’s a fair price tag for The 20/20 Challenge? Well it’s tempting to sell the system for around $10,000.
That way your Return On Investment would be doubled when you successfully complete the first month of this program and earn $20,000. And in many ways that sounds fair enough.
However, I know that there are some folks out there who simply won’t be able to stump up $10,000 in one go, even though they might be prepared to take the risk. So I’ve contemplated a lower price break…
How about if I cut the purchase price in half and offer this incredible, money-spinning, package for just $5,000? I know that this would mean that many more people would enjoy the benefits of The 20/20 Challenge. And so for a while I’d fixed the price at $5,000. After all, when you set that aside my profit from using the system over just 37 Days, then you’ll see that $5,000 would be great value for money!
My mind was nearly made up with regard to the price point, yet something still continued to play on my mind.While I know that at $5,000, this toolkit would be worth every penny, I was also pretty certain that this figure would put off some of the very people who I’m most keen to help. So I went back to the drawing board and tried to imagine a price that would allow more people to participate.
How about I charge just 10% of the true $5,000 worth of this toolkit?
That means that you could pick it up for only $500, rather than $5,000. Whoa, now that seems more than fair! Okay, I’ll be giving away a lot of value at a deeply discounted price, but I also understand that some folks won’t be in a position to take the $5k plunge right now, whereas $500 would be plausible.
And that’s it, this toolkit will sell for $497 after the launch offer. That’s a real bargain because as you know the anticipated first 20 Day income is $20,000 and you’ll immediately appreciate the incredible ROI with this toolkit.
So for those who act right this minute (and I mean today Wednesday September 12, 2012Monday September 10, 2012 ), I have an extra-special treat in store.
If you go ahead and order your own copy right this minute, then I’m going to let you have the entire 20/20 Challenge toolkit at half price!
Yes that’s right, rather than paying $497, you’ll pay just $247. But you’ll still receive everything that you’ve just been reading about, plus an incredible extra bonus below, as a reward for acting during this post-launch period.
How come I’m making this one-off offer to you?
Simple. You’ll notice that although I’ve posted my own compelling proof of success on this website (see right hand graphic), but what I want is a few individuals to provide me with their own testimonials once they’ve put this toolkit to good use. So what I’m prepared to do during this post-launch period is let a small number of people get hold of a copy at half-price in return for a testimonial once you’ve encountered the success I’ve been telling you all about.
Here’s my actual Excel Spreadsheet with all the details.Although I’d appreciate a testimonial, there’s no absolute requirement to provide one. That’s because I want it to come from your heart and as a launch owner you’ll still enjoy all the benefits of the toolkit, plus this very special bonus which won’t automatically be available to full-price purchasers later on.
Act Today Wednesday September 12, 2012Monday September 10, 2012 And I’ll Throw In 10 Products
That You Can Rebrand And Sell Immediately!That’s right. In addition to getting your hands on this groundbreaking toolkit at 50% discount (only during this post-launch period), I’ll also throw in 10 products that you can immediately take, rebrand and sell as your very own!
Yes, it really is that simple because with the The 20/20 Challenge toolkit, I’ll show you how to earn $20,000 in just 20 Days by taking ownership of a single product, branding it as your own and marketing it. So now imagine what you could do if you actually owned 10 products to use right off the bat!
Remember the system I’m about to teach you enables you to go out and find literally thousands of potential products to take, rebrand and sell. But what I’m about to do here is take away the work and provide you with 10 suitable products, ready to use to make you rich.
But remember, this is a bonus that I’m providing during this launch period and in addition to the 50% discount. It represents an astonishing deal that will be gone if you walk away now. So pick up your copy right away.Let’s Quickly Recap On Exactly
What’s Included In This Incredible PackageYou’ll get everything that you’ll need to succeed with your 20/20 Challenge!
That’s right. You’ll receive The 20/20 Challenge toolkit which includes the valuable owner’s manual, packed with all the detail you need including every single step that you must take to ensure that you achieve your money-making $20k target.
You’ll receive access to The 20/20 Challenge Client Only Forum where help, support and comradeship; even split down into assistance on a day-by-day basis will be available. And you’ll get your own 20 day marketing challenge schedule to keep on your desk or pin on your wall to help you follow the straightforward step-by-step guidance.
Then as a special bonus you’ll also receive 10 ready-to-be-rebranded products, each of which are individually capable of earning you your $20,000 target!
And as a special thank you for acting right away, I’m throwing in yet another secret bonus, which you’ll find out about once you’ve completed your purchase.
Don’t Miss The Boat –
Book Your Copy Right This Minute!The sad fact is that, much as I’d like to, I can’t allow everyone who would like a copy to get their hands on the remarkable 20/20 Challenge toolkit.
You see, I don’t believe in spreading my secrets too widely and when a program works as effectively as this one and could genuinely sell for $5,000 to $10,000 a time, I’m simply not prepared to let it get out there at this ultra-low launch price for long.
Copies remaining?
The traffic light indicates whether The 20/20 Challenge is still available to you.
The traffic light currently indicates yellow. This means that copies of The 20/20 Challenge are currently available. However the light can turn red at anytime and then no further orders will be accepted at 1/2 price with the additional bonuses. Click here to order now before the launch offer ends.
I’m keeping a close eye on the copies sold and the traffic light system above indicates how many copies are left and the moment the light turns red, the pre-sale will be withdrawn and you will have completely missed your chance to own a copy.
Act Immediately To Secure Your Copy
By Clicking Here NowSpecial Order Notice:
This toolkit has only just been launched meaning that you’ll receive a huge discount for booking your copy now, as well as additional bonuses, including 10 ready-to-rebrand products.Please note that this toolkit is delivered digitally over the internet. This means that I can provide updates and enhancements without physically reshipping.
(Order now to guarantee access to The 20/20 Challenge Toolkit
at this hugely discounted post-launch price)
Click Here Now To Order Before The Sale EndsNote: You will be able to get immediate access your The 20/20 Challenge Toolkit
Yours sincerely
Michael Green
P.S. Let’s just do a reality check here as you weigh up your decision as to whether to purchase this The 20/20 Challenge toolkit. If someone walked up to you and offered you the chance to earn $20,000 over just 20 Days and give you your money back if you weren’t successful, shouldn’t you be grabbing the opportunity with both hands? Well that’s precisely what’s on offer here. So please grab it before that traffic light turns red!
P.P.S. Think about this. You have absolutely nothing to lose, and absolutely everything to gain by grabbing a copy of this toolkit while you can. Let’s face it, even if you only make $10,000 over 20 Days, then the chances are you’d find a useful home for all that cash — am I right? But you could make the full $20,000 or even more (I made over $30,900+ in just 37 Days and all I did was to follow my own clearly laid out advice which you’ll find in detail in the The 20/20 Challenge toolkit. Sometimes there are opportunities which are just too good to miss. This is one such occasion. So book your copy now.
Urgent Click Here Now To Order Before The Launch-Sale Ends Or The Traffic Light Below Turns Red!
Get Your Copy Now Before The Light Says STOP!
2002 – 2007 (c) ~ HowToCorp ~ Ltd and Michael Green. Worldwide Rights Reserved.
How To Corp is a limited liability company registered in the United Kingdom.
USA Tel: 206-984-1365 Fax: 206-350-5397
Got a question or need help?
Use my dedicated HelpDesk to ensure that our emails are never caught by spam filters.
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The 20/20 Challenge |How To Internet Marketing Forum |PureAdsenseGold | StinkingRich3.comAviation LessonsHow To Play Poker | Create and SELL Products ONLINE |Easy Ezine Toolkit |How To Find Happiness |How To Corp | How To PDF Creator | Easy-Download Protector | How To Present | How To Write A Newsletter |Read articles | Ezine Promotion | How To Create Popup | Internet Marketing Forum | How To Start A Forum | Marketing Strategy Internet | Affiliate Defender | EzineFormat | Email-Policy | Internet Policy | ezine-editors-list | Stress-Management | WorkingDocs | Create A Product Seminar | Web Audio Advice | How To Achieve The Swing In Golf | How To Create Smart Pages | Meaning-of-Dreams | How To Price A Product | How To Play Golf | SiteMap1 | Sales Letter PERSONALIZER | printhouse | PrintHouse Signs | PrintHouse Digital | printers-uk | HowTo-PlayGolf | American Newsletter Resource | Stop Heartburn | Credit Card Best Offers Banner Up | Instant Movie Making How To Joint Venture | print-quote-heaven | quality-brochure-printing | Recreate Your World | How To Blog For Cash | How To Master The Golf Irons | 101 Essential Hints and Tips | Traffic Czar2002 – 2007 (c) ~ HowToCorp ~ Ltd and Michael Green. Worldwide Rights Reserved.
How To Corp is a limited liability company registered in the United Kingdom.
USA Tel: 206-984-1365 Fax: 206-350-5397
Got a question or need help?
Use my dedicated HelpDesk to ensure that our emails are never caught by spam filters.
There’s no need to register. Just go-ahead and submit a help ticket at www.HowToCorpHelp.com
The 20/20 Challenge |How To Internet Marketing Forum |PureAdsenseGold | StinkingRich3.comAviation LessonsHow To Play Poker | Create and SELL Products ONLINE |Easy Ezine Toolkit |How To Find Happiness |How To Corp | How To PDF Creator | Easy-Download Protector | How To Present | How To Write A Newsletter |Read articles | Ezine Promotion | How To Create Popup | Internet Marketing Forum | How To Start A Forum | Marketing Strategy Internet | Affiliate Defender | EzineFormat | Email-Policy | Internet Policy | ezine-editors-list | Stress-Management | WorkingDocs | Create A Product Seminar | Web Audio Advice | How To Achieve The Swing In Golf | How To Create Smart Pages | Meaning-of-Dreams | How To Price A Product | How To Play Golf | SiteMap1 | Sales Letter PERSONALIZER | printhouse | PrintHouse Signs | PrintHouse Digital | printers-uk | HowTo-PlayGolf | American Newsletter Resource | Stop Heartburn | Credit Card Best Offers Banner Up | Instant Movie Making How To Joint Venture | print-quote-heaven | quality-brochure-printing | Recreate Your World | How To Blog For Cash | How To Master The Golf Irons | 101 Essential Hints and Tips | Traffic Czar
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UPDATE – Almost forgot this special treat; a sneak peek behind the scenes of the 20/20 challenge, with all content officially approved by Michael ‘power of veto’ Green:
Behind the scenes of Michael Green’s 20 Day Challenge
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UPDATE – Via @AnyaPalmer, a part-archive of ‘Michael Green’ products, and an illuminating audio interview!
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UPDATE (12pm, 12 Oct) – More illuminating data for you, folks. Let’s start with this quote from Grant Shapps:
“Before I was in politics, I used to write business publications under the pen name Michael Green” – Grant Shapps
That’s what Grant Shapps said on BBC Question Time last night when confronted with text describing his now-infamous ’20/20 challenge’.
This is not the first time that Grant has claimed or implied that certain HowToCorp products pre-date his activity as an MP, and I have no regrets blowing this outright lie out of the water.
The entire site for the ’20/20 challenge’ only came into being in August 2007, two years after Shapps became an MP, and that is evidenced by the original registration date of the relevant domain name; the2020challenge.com
Domain: the2020challenge.com
Cache Date: 2007-09-10
Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
Server: whois.godaddy.com
Created: 2007-08-02
Updated: 2007-08-02
Expires: 2009-08-02Registrant:
HowToCorp
326 Main Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
United StatesRegistered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: THE2020CHALLENGE.COM
Created on: 02-Aug-07
Expires on: 02-Aug-09
Last Updated on: 02-Aug-07Administrative Contact:
Green, Michael michael@howtocorp.com
HowToCorp
326 Main Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
United States
2069841365 Fax —Technical Contact:
Green, Michael michael@howtocorp.com
HowToCorp
326 Main Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
United States
2069841365 Fax —
Further, when confronted with evidence like this, what Grant likes to do is pretend that his wife has been Michael Green (and/or perhaps ‘Sebastian Fox’) and handling all of the business since 2005.
That’s even easier to refute; here is the unmistakeable voice of Grant Shapps posing as Michael Green in an extended audio interview promoting that same ’20/20 challenge’ that he now pretends was conceived/produced before 2005 (untrue) and/or without his involvement (equally untrue).
Grant Shapps is lying. Grant Shapps is lying shamelessly, and he just did so on national television on a crucial question about his business interests.
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MessageSpace cannot be trusted with your personal data
9th Feb 2012
I’ve recently had cause to submit a subject access request to the advertising network MessageSpace. After spending weeks dodging the issue, Jag Singh finally issued a cursory response, but ultimately refused to disclose the data he had earlier acknowledged I was due under the Data Protection Act. Jag Singh also failed to disclose paperwork involving my ex-directory home address and how he came by this sensitive information.
When first confronted about the source of this address, which was not readily accessible by any legitimate means, Jag Singh claimed that he “forgot” how he came by it.
When compelled by law to produce any and all paperwork that included that same address, Jag Singh claimed that it had been “thrown away”.
So please be advised that you would do well to avoid sharing any personal data with MessageSpace, because if you find yourself on the wrong side of Jag Singh or anyone involved in the offshore company that operates out of his open-plan office (see: Global and General Nominees, the contraceptive device used by gossip bloggers Paul Staines and Harry Cole), then there is a very good chance that those personal details will be handled inappropriately, if not used against you in a needlessly intimidating manner.
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[Psst! Click here to see Paul Staines complaining about someone handling his personal details inappropriately.]
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UPDATE (16 Feb) – I can confirm that Jag Singh has no comment to make about any of the above. Instead of facing up to serious questions about their handling of sensitive data, MessageSpace choose to avoid the issue, and for as long as this post remains live without a further update, that’s the way it stands. I mention this last bit because Jag Singh has an unfortunate habit of pretending matters have been settled when they have not.
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The PR Transparency Project – Part 2: Operation ‘Big Stick’
23rd Jan 2012
Well, my scanner had flatbed kittens last week, but in the end this minor delay turned out to be a very good thing indeed. Not only did Tim Bell fail to offer any challenge to my publishing quite clearly (and accurately) that he was a shameless liar and convicted public masturbator, he made it absolutely clear that he is entirely unrepentant about deceiving the public, and fully deserving of what is to follow.
So, before we go to the PR industry with this one simple demand…
PR companies/professionals should reveal the name any profile(s) they use to edit Wikipedia, state this plainly in the ‘About Us’ section of their website, and link back to that same website from their Wikipedia profile(s).
… we are going to warn the public about this shady operator and in doing so (a) reveal the limits of Bell Pottinger’s reputation-management capabilities (b) display the capacity of powerful lobbying tools now accessible to the general public, and (c) show quite clearly why PR/marketing professionals can no longer afford to conduct themselves in the way that Tim Bell has been for most of his adult life.
If you would like to join this lobbying group, all those who agree with the above stated aim are welcome, and from today I begin the first round of recruitment by inviting experienced bloggers especially to contact me with:
1. Name or nickname
2. URL of your main/personal blog
[MINI-UPDATE - Note I said 'experienced bloggers especially'. This does NOT equate to 'experienced bloggers only'. New(ish) blogs will still carry sufficient authority to be useful, so don't be thinking your blog is too insignificant or not good enough. So long as your blog is mature enough to have gathered a positive response or three, you should be good to go. Happy to make this clear.]
Shortly after, I will then send you a random* chapter from Mark Hollingsworth’s book The Ultimate Spin Doctor: Life and Fast Times of Tim Bell, along with a copy of the Index and Notes/References (for participants who may wish to explore a relevant chapter/publication for more information).
From there your task will be to publish an extract of the book from your chosen chapter, and write an original article to accompany it that attempts to put the material into context or otherwise educate your readers about its significance.
I’m greatly tempted to list some of the wonderful revelations lurking in this book that have yet to become properly evident to Google and other search engines, but rather than ruin any surprises, I will simply ask you to imagine a version of Forrest Gump based primarily in the 80s and 90s, featuring a far less sympathetic lead character who staggers from one disaster to the next with barely a thought for anybody but himself and those who might contribute to his success.
It is about to become clear to anyone who searches for Tim Bell’s name why he should not be trusted with anyone’s reputation, and that the main reputation he has been working on all these years is his own ill-deserved reputation in reputation-management.
If you’d like to join the project, and you have a seasoned blog in good standing, please do get in touch.
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PS – Yes, I am perfectly happy for anonymous bloggers to participate in this stage especially for as long as Tim Bell continues to pretend that it was (and is) acceptable for Bell Pottinger to edit Wikipedia anonymously and otherwise engage in secret lobbying. You will not be expected to withdraw your article should he suddenly change his mind on this front (not least because your actions will not equate to his unless you’re an opponent or business rival of Bell’s who just happens to have a long-standing anonymous blog in their arsenal), but personally I will cease handing out chapters to anonymous parties and linking to same should Tim Bell suddenly pledge to change the habit of a lifetime.
(*Where I am familiar with a particular blogger’s strengths, I reserve the right to choose a chapter that best suits their unique capabilities and/or their familiarity with some of the relevant names/issues.)
Tim Bell – rogues and vagabonds and bare… oh my!
18th Jan 2012
My scanner is having some emotional problems right now (it’s never quite recovered from the mammoth task of scanning all those Page 3 girls) so formal recruitment and data distribution for The PR Transparency Project will be subject to a minor delay.
In the meantime, I thought it would be appropriate for me to acid-test the waters with what I suspect will be one of the most contentious items from this 1997 book about Tim Bell and get it out of the way. Having read the book, I can assure you that there are many more items of greater relevance to any discussion about Tim Bell’s conduct as a PR/ad executive (more), so if we can all get past this and move on, that would be a very good thing indeed.
I post the following without comment or analysis. While the following passage only refers to ‘Bell’, it is definitely about Tim Bell, Chairman of Chime Communications (holding company for a portfolio of 35 companies including the Bell Pottinger group), and it is an accurate scan and verbatim* transcript of Page 45 from The Ultimate Spin Doctor: The Life and Fast Times of Tim Bell (ISBN-10: 0340696745). I did not personally witness the incident, and being only 7 years old at the time, I would expect Tim Bell to be rather glad that I didn’t.

———–
EXTRACT FROM PAGE 45 OF ‘THE ULTIMATE SPIN DOCTOR: THE LIFE AND FAST TIMES OF TIM BELL’
This exhibitionism asserted itself somewhat differently in one of the most controversial incidents of his life. In the early hours of 21 October 1977, three days after his thirty-sixth birthday and close to the peak of his advertising career, Bell stood naked in the bathroom of his second-floor flat at 13c West Heath Road overlooking Hampstead Heath, and exposed himself to several women while masturbating. At 8.35 a.m. he was arrested and a month later, on 19 November 1977, appeared at Hampstead Magistrates Court. According to the official conviction certificate, he was charged with ‘wilfully, openly, lewdly and obscenely’ exposing himself ‘with intent to insult a female’ under Section 4 of the 1824 Vagrancy Act. He was found guilty and fined £50 with seven days to pay. Curiously, this newsworthy case was never reported in the local newspaper, the Hampstead and Highgate Express and only his close colleagues at Saatchi’s knew of it. To his credit, Bell never flinched when the incident, which later assumed an importance of some magnitude, was raised. He admitted the conviction but denied that the event took place. He confided to a colleague that his lawyers, Butcher Brooks and Co. advised him to plead guilty to avoid a scandal.
———–
[*Hyperlinks have been added. One to a Google Street View of the property involved, and one to the relevant Act. Text has not been altered.]
The PR Transparency Project – Part 1: making an example of Tim Bell
16th Jan 2012
After his company was caught secretly editing Wikipedia on behalf of some very unsavoury clients toward some no-less-unsavoury ends, Tim Bell has had the audacity to project this wrongdoing back onto Wikipedia and Teh Internets as a whole:
James Thomlinson, head of digital at Bell Pottinger, apologised, admitting: “We did get some of the things wrong.” But he called for Wikipedia’s rules to be updated, blaming the wrongdoing on its “confusing” editing system and “the pressure put on us by clients to remove potentially defamatory or libellous statements very quickly, because Wikipedia is so authoritative.”
Lord Bell, who as Tim Bell advised Margaret Thatcher on the former British prime minister’s election campaigns, said he was sorry the situation occurred but was less apologetic about the content of the changes.
“As far as I am concerned, we have done absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever … We did not make any change that was wrong, it’s a means and ends discussion,” he said.
He said he believed Wikipedia’s guidelines implied that “if you are a paid adviser, you must be lying. Obviously we find that offensive.”
He bemoaned the lack of a “regulatory body” to complain to online, where reputations can be destroyed “in one minute”.
Source: Financial Times (subscription required)
That last assertion comes to you from a shameless liar who has spent decades destroying the reputations of others covertly for personal and political gain, and this behaviour continues into the 21st century. What comeback did any of these victims hope to have against Tim Bell’s anonymised attacks? This is blatant projection from a sock-puppeting liar, I won’t stand for it, and neither should you.
Tim Bell’s straw man relies on the widely-held view that there is little-to-nothing wrong with lobbying on behalf of a client (OK by me), making factual updates to Wikipedia (OK by me), or attempting to put your best face forward in the top ten searches for your name/brand (OK by me)… but what Bell Pottinger have engaged in is secret lobbying, including some wholly unacceptable commercial updates to what is supposed to be a reference library, in an attempt to covertly influence both Wikipedia and the top ten searches for a series of names/brands.
It is clearer now more than ever that if we wish to change how things are done at Bell Pottinger, the person we need to reach is Tim Bell, and we are going to reach him through the top ten search results for his name. We are, at the same time, going to attempt to bring about positive change in the PR industry as a whole.
When I say ‘we’, I mean me and you. Yes, you. If you’re up for a bit of danger and detail, that is.
Speaking of the latter…
Lord Tim Bell is Chairman of Chime Communications plc, a communications group which owns Bell Pottinger Group plc* (aka Bell Pottinger), the multinational public relations company that bears his name, and follows his principles.
The problems Bell Pottinger have run into recently stem directly from Tim Bell’s long-standing resistance to transparency. He appears to think that secretly editing a reference library in favour of commercial interests in exchange for money is OK, and this ethical blind spot has been there since long before the web and Wikipedia became an issue. Mr Bell needs to learn that the age of secret lobbying is over, and while it may be difficult to change the mind of someone as obstinate as he, I think we have a jolly good shot at changing the landscape that surrounds him in the attempt.
I invite you to join an informal lobbying group with one simple demand; that PR companies/professionals declare any profile(s) they use to edit Wikipedia, name and link to them plainly in the ‘About Us’ section of their website, and link back to that same website from their Wikipedia profile(s).
(This, in much the same way that web users would expect them to declare the names of Twitter accounts under their control, for subtly different but fundamentally similar reasons.)
Once PR companies/professionals declare these editing profiles and link to them from their sites (and link back to their own sites from these same profile pages), we enter Wikipedia territory. There is a significant debate to be had here about whether these profile pages generally should list all of the previous profiles/edits at the outset in a clear declaration of interest, but with the exception of Bell Pottinger and other bodies operating under Tim Bell**, personally I think it a matter for PR bods and Wikipedians to negotiate between themselves. It is not within my power to grant amnesty for any past indiscretions, and that is at the heart of that particular debate about any company who has not yet been caught out; should their new account be impacted by any of their past activity, and what measures can be taken to clean the slate?
Getting back to the simple demand for transparency, we are going to face some resistance here from people like Tim Bell who do not agree about the need for it.
To counter this resistance, we are going to speak softly and carry a very big stick. But first we are going to seek to bring vital perspective to the debate about transparency while initially demonstrating the effectiveness of our very big stick.
Here we reach the part about making an example of Tim Bell.
Tim Bell is all about shaping reality more to his liking by using image, lies and illusions to make others behave in ways that get him what he wants. He earns money by claiming that he is an expert in reputation management and his underlings make all sorts of claims about their capacity to ‘cleanse’ the top ten searches for names and brands by means both fair and foul.
The current top ten results for ‘Tim Bell’ are presently dominated by absurd puff pieces where Bell is simultaneously described as “the most influential man in PR” as he nobly declines the title of “founder of modern PR”. (Interviewer: “Lord Bell thanks very much for your time today.” Bell: “Please call me Tim.”)
Seeing as Tim Bell rejects the concept of transparency outright, those of us who ultimately pay the price for his profiteering are going to have to impose some; we are going to displace much of the existing top ten with factually accurate and highly relevant material that Tim Bell would much rather faded into the distance. Note use of the word ‘relevance’ here; we do not seek to G-bomb anyone, but instead feed new and entirely legitimate relevance into the system.
On my desk is a copy of The Ultimate Spin Doctor: Life and Fast Times of Tim Bell by Mark Hollingsworth. The contents are at present largely invisible to Google and other search engines. That is about to change.
This is an unauthorised biography that Tim Bell tried very hard to prevent, and it’s a fair bet that Bell doesn’t want material*** from it populating the top search results for his name, not least because he is going to look like a hopeless manager of reputations if he cannot cleanse his own top ten.

Chapters from this book will be shared out to participating bloggers who are part of our lobbying group. Each will then write a post based on any short extract they may choose to draw from the chapter assigned to them. In this way, the 10 chapters will be shared among an unknown number of bloggers, and the top fifty or so searches for ‘Tim Bell’ will begin to take on new relevance.
(Psst! Chapter One of this book talks about Tim Bell pretending to be Australian in the hopes of bypassing the class system, and I sure hope I draw that one myself, but I expect the most popular chapter will be the one detailing Tim Bell’s conviction for ‘wilfuly, openly and obscenely’ exposing himself ‘with intent to insult a female’ under Section 4 of the 1824 Vagrancy Act.)
Also, once I/we start releasing verbatim extracts from this published material, portions of it will begin to appear in Wikipedia, coalescing into legitimate points of reference on that page, which will probably remain the highest search result for his name.
(Note – One cannot legitimately participate in this lobbying group while editing Wikipedia entries relating to Tim Bell, especially not anonymously. It goes beyond hypocrisy; it amounts to a conflict of interest, it is not fair to the wider Wikipedia community, and it is wholly unnecessary; allowing what we publish from the book to filter into Wikipedia naturally will be more than enough.)
Please keep in mind here that we are talking about the online publication of material that has seen print without legal challenge. That said, Mr Bell may choose to exploit a little-known loophole in English libel law that allows him to challenge each instance as a fresh publication (see: The Bastard Duke of Brunswick) and if this does happen, then Bell can be expected to use any or all of the following methods to effect removal with the likely exception of #10 (consider yourselves warned):

I expect what is going to test if not defeat Tim Bell’s capacity for reputation management is the ability of any web user to conduct themselves according to his standards, and it is on this note that we come to the hook…
Those of us familiar with Teh Interwebs know that there’s a world of difference between your average Joe maintaining a single anonymous blog/identity and PR boffins using multiple false/anonymous identities on behalf of clients for money, and we can’t expect Tim Bell to learn that much in such a short time, but I am hoping that the prospect of dealing with an unknown number of anonymous account holders based in several different countries will help him to better appreciate his own position, if only to the extent of having him revise his policy on covert lobbying.
Admittedly, there is a danger that within the group of people who target Tim Bell anonymously but legitimately, there will be people with a hidden vested interest who use this exercise as ‘cover’ to engage in a little subterfuge for reasons of profit, politics or personal payback (i.e. to attack him illegitimately), but should Tim Bell change his mind and decide all of a sudden that he doesn’t think it appropriate to lobby covertly, then my support for anonymous briefing against him will fall away naturally, as will that of others.
Now that point is made, I hope you understand the primary reason why I do not publish the chapters immediately today, and instead provide Mr Bell with a single and short-lived opportunity to consider the scope of what I propose. It is entirely possible that the above has the potential to change his perspective even before it grows beyond the status of thought experiment. (And if he doubts my capacity to engage at this level, he should search for ‘Billy Brit’ and consider that it took less than a week to effect total pwnership of that brand in Google, at a time when Google moved a lot slower than it does today.)
Should Tim Bell fail to take advantage of this opportunity, we can go about making an example of the man with our consciences clear and our position unassailable. Should he unexpectedly take the opportunity to embrace transparency, the effectiveness of our very big stick will be clear to others, who will take note.
Either way, it will then be time to put the following repeatedly and succinctly to any and all in the PR/lobbying industry, and those operating at its fringes:
PR companies/professionals should reveal the name any profile(s) they use to edit Wikipedia, state this plainly in the ‘About Us’ section of their website, and link back to that same website from their Wikipedia profile(s).
The nature of this campaign should make it clear that these changes are in line with public expectations about what is fair and right. Those in PR who believe otherwise will, of course, be free to lobby for secret lobbying, and I wish them luck. They’re going to need it.
The landscape of PR is about to change. Clear boundaries are about to be set, and the covert lobbyists who operate outside of them are about to become far more obvious than they would prefer.
(Psst! If you’re a blogger and you want ‘in’ on the outing, recruitment begins shortly, and chapters will be distributed randomly soon after that. Please stand by.)
——
[*Also Good Relations, Harvard, Stuart Higgins Communications and Resonate, but I'm sure we'll get to those PR company names and Chime Communications plc too in good time if the fight looks like taking a while; we're talking consequences so natural that effort will be required merely to keep this powder dry. Then there are client names, and all the relevant client-specific ammo Bell Pottinger have yet to defuse because they refuse to name their past editing profiles or even admit to any wrongdoing.]
[**Tim Bell is prone to telling people what they want to hear in order to get what he wants. Should he ever announce a change in policy regarding tranparency, only complete disclosure of Wikipedia accounts/edits to date is likely to convince me of his sincerity in this matter. I am not inclined to take Tim Bell at his word, because it means nothing.]
[***Some people in PR, like some people in law, do not mind being portrayed as bastards. Often, bastards are needed by other bastards. But Tim Bell cannot afford to be made to look incompetent, or petty, or disloyal to clients who suddenly find themselves mired in scandal. Material covering all this and more is contained in Bell's unauthorised biography, and he won't want it out there, though he may be forced to pretend otherwise shortly.]
[It should go without saying that this principle should apply to anyone engaging in PR-like activity, including SEO companies/professionals offering any image-oriented services. I personally do not edit Wikipedia. At all. I advise clients against it generally and against covert forms of influence quite specifically. I recognise that mine is a rigid standard, but I do not seek to impose it. Rather, I seek to popularise a widely-agreed standard of transparency for those who do engage in Wikipedia editing as part of their PR efforts. Just tell us who you're paid to represent when editing what's supposed to be reference material, folks. It really is as simple as that.]
[Declaration of Interest: Due to a minor matter of libel against me that Carter-Ruck refuse to discuss, I have a vested interest in compelling Tim Bell's chosen law firm to take part in any form of communication/negotiation. That said, this is only going to happen if Tim Bell does the most stupid thing imaginable and risks unleashing the Streisand effect. That said, I have good reason to believe that Tim Bell is prone to bouts of extreme stupidity, so better safe than sorry.]
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Wonga.com are lying about student loans
12th Jan 2012
Hi folks. I’m facing some delays on the Dorries matter (mainly waiting for evidence; the Met are 5 weeks late), but I’m sure we’ll be back on track shortly.
In the meantime, here’s an open letter to loan company Wonga.com, who today reacted to a massive backlash (more) by claiming they did not actively target students.
To: john.moorwood@wonga.com
From: Tim Ireland
Date: Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 9:44 AM
Subject: “we do not actively target students as potential customers ”Dear John,
If you do not target students, how do you explain the following Page Title and META Tags that are still live on the same page where you claim “we do not actively target students as potential customers”?
(*Please note that chevrons have been replaced with brackets to avoid any data display issues. Otherwise, code is verbatim.)
[title]Student Loan – Alternative to Education Loans | Wonga.com® Official Site[/title]
[meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /]
[meta name="description" content="Are you a student? Need a fast loan? For loans in the UK, Wonga is the fastest! Wonga gets you cash within 15 minutes of approval." /]
[meta name="keywords" content="student loan,student loans,short term loan,cash,credit card,personal loan,loan,money" /]
[meta name="robots" content="index,follow" /]
[meta name="DC.title" content="Student Loan - Alternative to Education Loans" /]source: http://www.wonga.com/money/wonga-student-loan/ (mirror – ‘view source’ to see the code)
You also claimed the following in that same statement on that same page:
“The previous article on this page was several years old and one of many brief pieces we have written about the broad subject of credit since we launched our online loans service. No-one was directed to this page, nor was it prominently promoted on the website.”
But there is a prominent indexable link to this page from your front page and every other page. It is one of only 13 links of this type, so it is clearly a high priority and promoted very heavily in SEO terms:
Payday Loans | Short term Loans | Cash Loans | Cash Advance | Fast Cash | Quick Loans
Quick Quid | Loans Online | Loans for bad credit | Borrow Money | Student Loan | Student Overdraft | Credit Card DebtA similar page which also carries today’s statement targets queries about student overdrafts (a link to it is included in the list referenced above). This page ranks 8th in Google for queries for ‘student overdrafts’, and this is clearly by design and not by accident. According to SearchMetrics, you also currently rank 34th in Google for ‘student loan’ and 19th for ‘loans for students’.
Do you still wish to pretend that these pages were an accidental afterthought of no current significance to you?
Be warned that I am an SEO professional with over a decade of experience, and I am unlikely to react favourably to further distortions. Also, this is an open letter that I have published on my blog, so do yourself a favour and don’t waste my time by hiding behind the sofa and pretending that you’re not home.
Tim Ireland
www.bloggerheads.com
As usual, you can expect updates to follow. Cheers all.
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UPDATE – I think it’s best if I let the resulting correspondence speak for itself at this stage:
From: John Moorwood
To: Tim Ireland
Date: Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 10:23 AMHi. We will be removing the pages / links completely soon, we just wanted to have a message there temporarily to make a few points.
[John Moorwood ]
Sent from my iPhone-
From: Tim Ireland
To: John Moorwood
Date: Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 10:26 AMYes, but the ‘points’ you make are demonstrable lies and distortions, and I have published an article saying/displaying this quite clearly. Do you seriously have no response to that?
Tim Ireland
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UPDATE – Greg Power has noticed that Wonga.com are still actively bidding for queries relating to students and student loans in AdWords. This is completely distinct from their SEO efforts/excuses, and it is not something that happens by accident. Wonga.com are actively pursuing students and trying to flog them loans at a typical APR of up to 4214% while claiming that they never intended to do any such thing:

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UPDATE – Take a look at this page from the Wonga site (spotted by Tom Hatton). It features an expensive-looking video that tries very hard to look like a news programme. The nice lady behind the desk encourages students to use Wonga.com in order to avoid “a nasty debt hangover after graduation”. (Hey, why risk “hefty overdraft fees” when you can simply take out a Wonga loan with an APR of over 4000%?)
Wonga.com removed the page very quickly after it was spotted/highlighted on Twitter, but if they ever remove the video itself, the text on this mirror of that page contains the entire script. I have also saved a copy of the video should Wonga.com ever care to deny that at the very end – during the fade-out – there is a blink-and-you-miss-it alert in news-ticker style text (spotter: Jon W). This text announces that “unauthorised” debt with Wonga carries a 46,000,000% interest rate. No, totally not kidding:

Wonga.com’s repeated claim that they did not intend to target students is a demonstrable lie, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
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[MINI-UPDATE - I previously typed '47,000,000%' when the accurate figure (as per the screen capture) is 46,000,000%. Now corrected.]
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UPDATE (16 Jan) – Errol Damelin, founder and CEO of Wonga.com, has been made aware that his staff lied about targeting student loans. He took no detectable action in response, and offered no reply; he simply forwarded my email to the same people who have been lying to the public. (Just for the record, should he later wish to pretend that he knew nothing about this at the time.)
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UPDATE (16 Feb) – It is now over a month since this article was first published. Yesterday, I emailed the CEO of Wonga.com for a second time, and for a second time, I watched as the recipient merely passed the email on to underlings who continue to (a) ignore this evidence and (b) stand by a demonstrable lie:
To: Errol.Damelin@wonga.com
From: Tim Ireland
Date: Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 8:47 AMDear Errol,
Wonga.com currently invest heavily in TV ads claiming that they offer “straight talk” about money. Meanwhile, they stand by what you know to be a demonstrable lie about targeting the student loan market.
It is over a month since I last wrote to you about this matter. I should warn you that I tracked my last email, so I know it was read by the recipient and then forwarded to the same team at Wonga who continue to stand by a demonstrable lie.
What does this mean? It means that you cannot claim to be unaware of the details*; you do not enjoy the luxury of plausible deniability.
This dishonesty and inaction in the face of due criticism is entirely unacceptable. I seek a response to my article (see link) and my original email (below), plus a fitting explanation/apology for my being stonewalled by your staff, even after I contacted you directly and pointed out that they were ignoring me and the evidence I had published:
http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2012/01/wonga/
A man in your position cannot afford to turn his back on evidence that his staff are misleading the public about their practices. I urge you to take this matter seriously and respond today.
Tim Ireland
www.bloggerheads.com(*Unless you’d care to take a page from James Murdoch’s book, and claim that you saw the email but didn’t read it.)
To: Errol.Damelin@wonga.com
From: Tim Ireland
Date: Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 10:01 AMDear Errol,
Since the initial (dishonest) response, your staff have seen fit to ignore me rather than admit to any of the evidence I have uncovered that reveals they lied about targeting students.
Wonga.com definitely did target students, and there is evidence that they assigned budget to do this in SEO, in PPC, and even through video production:
http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2012/01/wonga/
So I dare to email you in your mighty tower of ivory and ask just what in the hell is going on at Wonga.com, and if you approve personally of (a) the targeting of students in this way, and (b) the dishonest response to the resulting backlash.
I would even go so far as to mention that you may want to cast an eye over your customer base and determine if there are any customers you have gained through your targeting of students who are currently accruing any significant debt with you; it’s a ticking time bomb.
Tim Ireland
www.bloggerheads.comPS – How do you justify a penalty rate of 47,000,000%?
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John Elmes and why you can’t trust Times Higher Education
14th Jun 2011
Recently, staff at Times Higher Education surprised a lot of their readers and supporters by seeking to promote themselves in blogs with the name ‘bloggerheads’, and acting both arrogantly and dishonestly when it was pointed out to them that someone (namely, me) had already been using the name for 10 years:
Ann Mroz: patronising, unpleasant and dishonest
The Times Higher Education correspondence
THE tank on my lawn (and how/when it got there)
John Elmes claimed that editors senior to him came up with the ‘bloggerheads’ name for his “round-up of the scholarly web”. Editors senior to Elmes then claimed it was the work of editors junior to them.
Me, I dare to assume that because it was John’s baby, he at least had some say in naming it. He certainly sought to retain the use of ‘bloggerheads’ in a thoroughly unreasonable fashion; it was Elmes who initially asked me if I had “copyrighted” the name (i.e. before I was passed on to senior editors who asked if I had trademarked the name) and it was Elmes who, at a peak in our dispute, took to naming the feature ‘The Bloggerheads’.
That said, the arrogance and dishonesty I encountered went right to the top; Editor Ann Mroz initially pretended that I had no rights under law because I had not trademarked the name, and then changed her position when I called her bluff. The Deputy Editor (Phil Baty) claimed that Times Higher Education were not aware of my site before using the name ‘bloggerheads’, but my site tracking says otherwise, and a week after I confronted their lawyer with this finding, no-one at Times Higher Education has offered any kind of answer to this.
While I am pleased that THE have finally removed all references to ‘bloggerheads’ from their site, I am greatly disappointed by their refusal to investigate/explain this discrepancy, their general dishonesty, and their apparent last-ditch effort to pass the following off as a condition of that removal:
“I must ask you to please remove your blog post header describing our editor as “dishonest” and the picture of our employee from your website immediately.”
I was even more disappointed to later discover that no explanation or apology of any kind was in the offing (especially after I had produced evidence suggesting that it was not quite the innocent mistake Times Higher Education had made it out to be).
I was, however, entirely unsurprised to see that the new name Elmes/THE had chosen was entirely lacking in invention; John Elmes’ round-up of the scholarly web is now named… ‘THE Scholarly Web’:

(slow hand clap)
Unlike certain MPs, I am not sniffy about those who have been educated at university, but I reserve the right to point and laugh when it is clear that such an education has been wasted.
To close, for those who have some degree of faith in Times Higher Education, it is my sad duty to inform you that the magazine is staffed by the type of people who do not admit to mistakes, and instead seek to erase them, while bullying anyone who dares to make a noise about it; i.e. in one very important respect, they are no better than your average tabloid. I am sure that media-watchers especially understand what this means about taking anything THE claim at face value; they will know what a veneer of perfection usually hides.
Regrettable, but there it is. There is no getting away from the fact that Times Higher Education were entirely dishonest in their dealings with me, and then sought to erase their mistake rather than admit to any of that. They certainly don’t have any intention of acknowledging their error in print. How can you trust anything they commit to print if that’s their attitude?
THE tank on my lawn (and how/when it got there)
3rd Jun 2011
The following is a copy of a letter I have just sent to the lawyer that Times Higher Education referred me to earlier this afternoon. I did not hear from this gentleman before close of business today, so I did what I normally do in these situations… I continued to dig around in an effort to find out just what the hell these people were playing at.
The letter will reveal what I found about an hour ago. Monday may reveal if it is of any significance of not.
Until then, I leave you with this…
Dear Mr [lawyer's name snipped],
I think it only fair to warn you that I have just isolated the Service Provider for Times Higher Education (THE) in my site tracking, and have found evidence that contradicts their claim not to have known about my site before May 13 (i.e. when I first emailed them, taking issue with their use of my name).
We were not aware of your blog and I assure you that there is no attempt to hi-jack.
(Phil Baty, May 13, via email)As you can see here, their first mention of the name on their site (as an upcoming feature) was on May 5:
“Starting next week, Bloggerheads – what the blogs are saying”
http://www.freezepage.com/1307137423LHYVOYNNTIThis, BTW, makes it clear that the feature was originally meant to be a blog about blogs from the beginning, which is something Baty et al later tried to downplay/deny (a lot), but I digress.
My point is that I am detecting a visit from before May 13. From before May 5, even.
This is an important issue, as I still have every right to be upset about how THE reacted after the fact if they had merely blundered in initially without looking, but it strikes me as a strong indication of bad faith if THE were indeed aware of my site before using the Bloggerheads name. In fact, it might be taken by some as an indication of outright dishonesty.
I shan’t tell you the exact date/details just yet. Why not have their IT people have a peek at the relevant http records first, and find out what this reveals from their end? This simple investigation should take a few minutes and may reveal someone from a different department, or perhaps even a different office in the same building accessing my site, which would leave us mainly with the reaction after the fact to deal with. Of course, I’d probably have to take your/their word for some of what they say they have found, but right now I have the added insurance of withheld details (i.e. not only the date) so in the unlikely event that THE are foolish enough to pull a fast one, there is a good chance that any fiction will be found out, if you’ll pardon my alliteration.
By the way, this is an open letter, and it has been published on my site (minus your name/details, as you’ve shown no sign of requiring exposure so far). I hope that does not strike you as too confrontational, but the fact of the matter is that THE parked a tank on my lawn and tried to claim ownership of my humble board with a nail in it.
So, please, I beg of you; don’t be moaning about my board with a nail in it until you get that bloody tank off my lawn and repair the damage to my grass.
Cheers
The Tim Ireland
www.bloggerheads.com
The Times Higher Education correspondence
3rd Jun 2011
(Psst! If you are new to this issue, please read this first.)
The following is the guts of my correspondence with staff from Times Higher Education after they tried to claim ownership of the name ‘bloggerheads’, the name I created in 2001 (see screen capture below).

The correspondence clearly shows that their argument switches from a question of copyright to one of trade mark, and that they begin to seriously stonewall from the moment I called the latter bluff and registered the name as a trade mark. These key points have been highlighted (by me) in bold.
The overall exchange has been edited for brevity, and one individual email has been subject to a minor edit to remove details that should remain private for personal security reasons. As usual, any such edits (and/or corrections of minor typos etc.) are marked [like so]. The exchange up until the point they accuse me of bad manners is complete and unedited so you might make a judgement about my manners for yourself.
I’d like to think I showed considerable restraint when they offered to re-label it ‘THE Bloggerheads’. I made the mistake of assuming good faith, and I was confident the issue would make itself apparent almost immediately. I was wrong, obviously. John Elmes made a particular point of switching his use of the name to ‘The Bloggerheads’ at a key point in this dispute.
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From: Tim Ireland
To: john.elmes@tsleducation.com
Date: Fri, May 13, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Subject: ‘bloggerheads’Please consider a [using] new name. This one’s taken.
Cheers
Tim
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From: John.Elmes@tsleducation.com
To: Tim Ireland
Date: Fri, May 13, 2011 at 3:08 PM
Subject: ‘bloggerheads’Dear Tim,
Thanks for your email, I appreciate your concern.
I just wanted to know if you had any copyright to the name. I only ask because my column is a small addition to a specialist higher education magazine, and the subject areas tend to differ drastically from yours.
I was having a look around the net and found this:
http://www.abeano.com/bloggerheads-new-for-2011-transparent-dummy-mag-tropical-waste/
It seems as though we aren’t the only ones to have utilised the expression ‘Bloggerheads’.
Kind regards,
John
John Elmes
Editorial Assistant
Times Higher Education
26 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4HQ
Tel: +44 (0)203 194 3315
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk-
From: Tim Ireland
To: John.Elmes@tsleducation.com
Date: Fri, May 13, 2011 at 3:27 PM
Subject: ‘bloggerheads’I raise the issue as a matter of manners. I am aware that others have shown poor manners, thanks.
Will you consider using your own, unique name?
T
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From: John.Elmes@tsleducation.com
To: Tim Ireland
Date: Fri, May 13, 2011 at 4:55 PM
Subject: ‘bloggerheads’Dear Tim,
I will raise it with my editors, but their view (they are the ones that came up with the name) was your site is distinctive enough to my column to remove any conflict. It is certainly different in terms of aesthetics, font and motivation, so we believe it won’t be an issue
Best,
John
John Elmes
Editorial Assistant
Times Higher Education
26 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4HQ
Tel: +44 (0)203 194 3315
www.timeshighereducation.co.uk-
From: Tim Ireland
To: John.Elmes@tsleducation.com
Sent: 13 May 2011 15:27
Subject: Re: ‘bloggerheads’Please advise your editors that if you intend to promote yourself through Twitter, any hashtag you use will be the same as my username. We will most definitely intersect in a way that is an issue for me, and I will ask you again if you (or your editors) will seriously consider using a unique name of your/their own invention instead of hijacking the one I have been using since 2001.
T
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From: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
To: Tim Ireland
Date: Tue, May 17, 2011 at 3:44 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Dear Tim,
Thanks for your emails to John Elmes.
We were not aware of your blog and I assure you that there is no attempt to hi-jack.
Times Higher Education (THE) is a specialist higher education magazine, and our “bloggerheads” is dedicated entirely to scholarly/higher education policy debates on line, covering blogs and social media. It is quite clearly distinct from your blog, with a clearly separate audience.
It is clearly labeled with the strap: “A weekly round up of the best on the scholarly web”.
We have no intention to promote this column on Twitter using the “bloggerheads” hashtag.
As a courtesy to you, we have also added the THE logo to the name, which is now: “THE BloggerHeads”
Kind regards,
Phil Baty
Deputy Editor, Times Higher Education
Editor, Times Higher Education World University Rankings
26 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4HQ
Tel: 0203 194 3298http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/THEWorldUniRank
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimesHigherEd-
From: Tim Ireland
To: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Date: Tue, May 17, 2011 at 4:07 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Thank you for that at least. I would prefer there is no room for confusion, and I reserve the right to protect the name ‘bloggerheads’ should it become an issue. I really would prefer that you consider changing the name to a unique name of your own invention, though, and think it would be wisest in the long run.
Tim
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Tue, May 31, 2011 at 7:26 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Phil, despite your assurances, the predictable has happened and users in Twitter are referring to you as ‘bloggerheads’ and not ‘THEbloggerheads’ as promised. I also note that you continue to bill yourself as ‘bloggerheads’ on your site, and this is turning up in the top ten for searches for my website, crowding out other web presence[s] in my name:
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=416093
I once again request that you create your own unique name instead of using the name I have been using for over 10 years.
(Please don’t embarrass yourself by citing others’ use of the name; this use emerged in the middle of a campaign of harassment, and I fully intend to take the issue up with this other web user, as soon as I am able.)
Bloggerheads is a unique name of my own invention. You have no business using it. I ask you again to stop using it.
Instead, try inventing your own name. Like I did.
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From: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
To: Tim Ireland
Cc: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 9:12 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Dear Mr Ireland
Please forward me your trademarking documentation and I’m sure we will be happy to comply.
Kind regards
Ann
Ann Mroz
Editor
Times Higher Education
26 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4HQ
Tel: 0203 194 3326http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/
Follow THE on Twitter: http://twitter.com/timeshighered
Follow Ann Mroz on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AnnMroz-
From: Tim Ireland
To: “Mroz, Ann”
Cc: “Baty, Phil”
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 9:31 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Why not say what you mean? You are happy to trade off a name that I invented if I cannot defend myself with costly legal muscle, and you care nothing for the inconvenience it will cause or the lack of respect it shows.
I can easily prove that I created the name and have been using it on the web for 10 years. That has until recently been good enough for others and it should be good enough for you… unless of course, you are the type of organisation that likes to stamp on the little guy.
Even the New York Times had the good sense to modify their use of the name to ‘bloggINGheads’. They understand that marketing yourself on the web requires some sensitivity to others inhabiting the relevant community.
I will ask you one more time to show me a modicum of respect and engage your mind(s) just long enough to come up with a unique name of your own invention.
Please, show me the respect I am due. You would not like it if someone seized control of your name.
Tim Ireland
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From: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
To: Tim Ireland
Cc: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 9:33 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Dear Mr Ireland
No, I would not like it if someone seized control of our name which is why I took the trouble to protect it by legal means.
I always show respect to people who are polite.
Kind regards
Ann
Ann Mroz
Editor
Times Higher Education
26 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4HQ
Tel: 0203 194 3326http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/
Follow THE on Twitter: http://twitter.com/timeshighered
Follow Ann Mroz on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AnnMroz-
From: Tim Ireland
To: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Cc: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 9:37 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Please do not pretend that everyone is in a position to defend themselves in this way, and please do not insult me further by calling my manners into question after the way you have treated me.
Do you intend to continue using the unique name that I created, despite my very clear objections?
T
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Cc: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 9:52 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Allow me to explain the situation to you:
I will repeat that I have been subjected to an extended campaign of harassment, targeting myself and my family, causing great distress and considerable financial difficulty. I have never had cause to invest in a trade mark before, as for many years previous to this, simple respect within the web community was enough. I am certainly not in a strong position to rush out and do it now.
You risk compelling me to undertake this expense, and I do not think I am giving anything away by revealing that you may be able to swoop in an register it in your own name, despite your knowledge of my moral claim to it.
Neither move casts you in a good light, and I fully intend to make this dispute public if you refuse to be reasonable. I would remind you that you are seeking a brand to promote yourself in the blogging community, not distance yourself from it by charging in with a steamroller.
I will ask again: Do you intend to continue using the unique name that I created, despite my very clear objections?
T
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From: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
To: Tim Ireland
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Tim,
We adopted the name “Bloggerheads” for a small column on page 24 of our magazine, without any awareness of your blog.
We note that the name is not protected by you, and is indeed used by others on the Internet.
We note that the content of the THE column is entirely unrelated to your blog – we look exclusively at social media on higher education issues, a very narrow field.
Our distinct content is clearly marked in a sub-heading to the column: “A weekly round-up of the best on the scholarly web”.
When you alerted us to your blog, as a courtesy, we immediately agreed to re-design the column masthead and change the name of the column to “THE Bloggerheads”, incorporating our protected brand “THE” (Times Higher Education”), to make the clear differences even more explicit.
The website now displays the column as “THE Bloggerheads”: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=416254&c=1
We have also agreed, again purely as a courtesy, that we will only promote the column as “THE Bloggerheads” on Twitter and other social media.
We have been courteous and considerate throughout, and have made these clear concessions as a matter of good will, without any obligation on our part at all.
We feel these concessions are quite sufficient and entirely reasonable.
I trust that in the event that you decide to make this “dispute” public, you will reproduce this response in full.
Thank you for your correspondence,
Phil Baty
Deputy Editor, Times Higher Education
Editor, Times Higher Education World University Rankings
26 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4HQ
Tel: 0203 194 3298http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/THEWorldUniRank
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimesHigherEd-
And, as you will note, that is exactly what I have done. I have reproduced their response in full. In fact the full exchange above is entirely unedited, and I am really pissed off about being compelled to have to take it to this step because it necessitates a public acknowledgement of specific difficulty my stalker has caused me. Normally, this is something to be avoided with people engaging in this type of harassment, as it tends to encourage them.
Unfortunately, to protect my sole source of income, a site I have invested 10 years of my life in, the point must be made publicly that both Ann Mroz and Phil Baty were made aware of the issues surrounding an immediate investment in a trade mark registration.
Back to the correspondence:
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’How am I back talking to you now, Phil? Is it because you were the person who claimed to have invented the name, thereby causing this dispute?
I have already explained that I was in no position to protect myself from the small number of two-bit operations who also sought to capitalise on my name. I have been in contact with these other parties since you sought to capitalise on my name yourself and use their hijacking as an excuse. Please don’t embarrass yourself further by using these people as cover (or by excusing your ‘mere’ use of it in the back pages of your magazine). You already admit that you chose to use the name to promote your web initiative without first determining if someone else in the web community was using the name (a simple search in Google would have alerted you to my blog and the various other web presences in my name using this same name) so you cannot now defend its continued use by pretending that you were always aware of this.
I am bloggerheads. It is my creation, I use the name to blog about blogging, and I have done so for 10 years.
Specialised arena or not, you seek to blog about blogging, and despite your assurances/concessions, people are already using my name to refer to your web round-up.
Oh, and we are most certainly in dispute, despite what your scare quotes might imply, and I would welcome the opportunity to air this matter in full, as well as your earlier correspondence and the arrogance it reveals:
I trust that in the event that you decide to make this “dispute” public, you will reproduce this response in full.
Despite your tangential defence about what may appear in page 24 of your magazine, you are using my name, you are using it on the web as well as in print, you did not even have enough regard for the web community to check if someone was using the name ‘bloggerheads’ before committing to it, and you have been stubborn, evasive and unreasonable since I called you on it.
I have repeatedly stated that I would much prefer it if you created your own name. This challenge appears to be beyond you, or perhaps you are the type of person who refuses to back down even when they know they have made a mistake.
I will ask you again:
Do you intend to continue using the unique name that I created, despite my very clear objections?
T
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’I might also add this [snipped for security reasons]
In short, you compel me to commit to considerable expense and inconvenience at a time of great difficulty.
I would really rather that you were reasonable about the matter. Why not use a name of your own invention? Where is the problem here? Have you foolishly invested money in use of the name without doing so much as a Google search for any other instances of it? Is that why you compel me to commit to considerable expense and inconvenience? Or are you merely being stubborn because of the arrogance this suggests?
T
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It was at this stage I considered the only way to end the matter without wasting days/weeks of my time was to meet the trade mark challenge. We had a lonnnng discussion about it in this house. We couldn’t really afford the expense, but Bloggerheads was a vital source of income. How could we not protect this asset from someone who was so obviously hostile in their seizure of it?
After the trade mark registration process was completed and relevant documentation secured, I called their bluff:
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Congratulations. You have compelled me to undergo the expense or registering my unique name as a trademark at a time when we can ill-afford it.
Now, are you going to be so difficult that you continue to use the name in the ~6 months it will take to process the application, or are you going to finally decide to play-act at being reasonable now you’ve put us through this major inconvenience?
Tim
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 1:09 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Well? I’ve called your bluff. What’s your response?
T
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 1:27 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’To be clear; I expect a response this afternoon.
Putting aside the patronising way you dismiss my moral claim to this name, you gave me the impression that if the name was protected as a trade mark you would comply with my wishes. I have today begun the registration process, and now you refuse to budge from your existing position, even though you appear to have NO CLUE about the circumstances in which the name came to be used in your magazine and on your website. You can’t even name the sub-editor you imply presented the name as an original piece of work.
Did you mean what you said about trade mark, or was it merely a bluff? I have cause to be upset with you either way, but I will be especially upset if it is the latter, after I explained my circumstances to you.
Do you intend to continue using the unique name that I created, despite my very clear objections?
Tim
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From: Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
To: Tim Ireland
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 2:18 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Dear Tim,
Can you please direct all further correspondence (and phone calls) on this matter to our Information Assurance Officer, Arshid Bashir.
He is on arshid.bashir@tsleducation.com
Or 020 3194 3384Thank you.
Phil Baty
Deputy Editor, Times Higher Education
Editor, Times Higher Education World University Rankings
26 Red Lion Square
London WC1R 4HQ
Tel: 0203 194 3298http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/THEWorldUniRank
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TimesHigherEd-
After offering a summary of the issue that was complete bollocks, Arshid Bashir refused to engage on the matter of trade mark (and tort, as raised in the email that followed his summary):
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Bashir, ArshidWed, Jun 1, 2011 at 4:36 PM
To: Tim IrelandDear Mr Ireland,
If I can first of all very briefly introduce myself: I am responsible for independently assuring to the TSL board that all functions and activities comply with all legal and regularity requirements and obligations.
Looking at your concerns expressed over the exchange of emails, can I suggest that we limit ourselves to the core issue and not become embroiled or distracted by side-issues or assumptions and conjecture.
If I can summarise your position:
1. It is your contention that you have prior rights on the title ‘Bloggerheads’ which you have used on your website for a number of years, but which had not been registered as a trademark.
2. And, although an accommodation was mutually and informally agreed a few weeks back by prefixing our use of the word ‘Bloggerheads’ with the word ‘THE’, you have subsequently became dissatisfied based on search engines results ranking our content too highly, relative to yours.
3. You are also unhappy we may use ‘Bloggerheads’ as a Twitter hashtag as this is your Twitter user name. We have clarified this is not our intent.
Whilst I can appreciate your views on ‘ownership’ of this word and subsequent discontent that your web presence may have been impacted; it is clear that TSL is not, and has not been in breach of any trademarks or any other proprietary rights.
I am sorry that our position may not be one that you would like, however TSL has neither sought nor would wish to seek to undermine the rights of others. In my opinion I also think it is highly unlikely that consumers or visitors to our respective content would confuse either web site with the other and therefore unlikely to be detrimental to you or us.
Can I also advise you that all future communication from within TSL will be by myself.
Yours sincerely
Arshid Bashir
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From: Tim Ireland
To: Arshid.Bashir@tsleducation.com
Cc: Ann.Mroz@tsleducation.com, Phil.Baty@tsleducation.com
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 4:50 PM
Subject: FW: ‘bloggerheads’Your summary of my position is rife with assumption and conjecture, but happily I do not have to explain myself any further to protect my rights.
I have now approached an experienced intellectual property lawyer and I have been informed that it appears that the THE is committing the tort of “passing off” in respect of “Bloggerheads” and that it appears you would not have a sensible defence to a claim. I have a substantial and prior trading reputation in respect of my expertise of blogging and web-related matters that pre-dates your entire website by many years.
Accordingly, please remove the references to “Bloggerheads” from your site immediately.
Tim Ireland
www.bloggerheads.comPS – Both the Editor and Deputy Editor have been CCed, because it was they who (a) gave me the false impression that I needed a registered trade mark to protect my rights, and (b) gave me the false impression that they would cooperate were such a trade mark registered. With all due respect, this matter has been needlessly complicated by these organ grinders playing lawyer, and I have every right to inform them of their error and expect an apology to go with their immediate cooperation.
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Arshid Bashir answered this challenge… by refusing to address it in any way. In a phone call (that I recorded) I asked Bashir if he had a response to the tort issue. He replied; “we do not have to answer every email you send us”. I pressed him further, and he responded; “I do not think it would be productive for us to debate the matter”. Then he hung up on me.
Arshid Bashir now refuses to answer my emails or take my calls. Any attempt to reach Ann Mroz, Phil Baty or John Elmes results in my being referred to Arshid Bashir (who now refuses to answer my emails or take my calls).
I think it’s safe to interpret not only the copyright and trade mark challenges as a bluff, but the ‘concessions’ also. Here I will remind you that the ‘concession’ of referring to themselves as ‘THE Bloggerheads’ (i.e. T.H.E. Bloggerheads) quickly changed to their use of the name as ‘The Bloggerheads’ (i.e. the one, only and original accept-no-substitutes bloggerheads) at a peak moment in this dispute.
As for some of what they claim in mitigation, most of it is laughable and contradictory in places (e.g. senior editors blamed an un-named junior editor for the decision to use the name, the junior editor I spoke to blamed senior editors), plus it clearly paints a picture where the matter is mainly insignificant from their point of view. If this were the case, then it would be an insignificant matter for them to stop using my name.
However, they refuse to stop using my name, and I think this correspondence includes several instances revealing bad faith on their part. Key to this was the stark bluff from Ann Mroz that she would respect my rights if I went through with the trade mark paperwork.
After compelling me to reinforce my ownership with trade mark, they now appear to be waiting for me to engage lawyers, at further expense they know I will have difficulty meeting.
(Instead of using a rude word here, I will let you choose your own, but I ask that you not repeat it under comments. Let’s not do these people any favours.)
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UPDATE (2pm) – Times Higher Education have just emailed to say that they “can confirm we have decided to change the name of our column in THE”. Unfortunately, they offer very little detail beyond this apart from some apparent conditions (!) so I have responded to the relevant requests, and will let you know of any outcome in due course.
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UPDATE (damn near 5pm) – Times Higher Education have ignored my response to their conditions/requests, and have instead referred me to their lawyer, who has not yet been in touch. It looks like they mean to leave me hanging all weekend. Charming.
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UPDATE (11:45pm) – Their lawyer might not have managed to make contact today, but Times Higher Education have late this afternoon removed from sight every page on their site that used the title ‘bloggerheads’. So we’re on our way to a resolution at last.
By the way, you may note in this correspondence that THE claimed to have been unaware of Bloggerheads before May 13 (i.e. when I first emailed them, taking issue with their use of my name). About an hour ago, I looked into my site tracking data and detected a visit from before May 13:
Bloggerheads – THE tank on my lawn (and how/when it got there)
I’m a guy who likes to be positive right down to my blood cells, so I am hoping this is not the indication of bad faith it appears to be.
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