Tuesday 5 April 2005

Google Ups Ante In Email Wars
Now 2-Gig, plus Cars, Chickens and Pots

Google Inc. last week announced they will now offer two gigabytes of storage space with the Gmail service in a move, some say as one-upmanship to Yahoo, who had their own announcement of jumping up to one gigabyte for their email users.

But Google didn't stop there.

Along with the 2-Gig of space, Google is also throwing in 'a chicken in every pot' and 'a car in every garage'.

Taking a cue from both President Hoover and Oprah, Google announced a mega-deal with Purdue Chicken, Revereware and Buick, that will offer 1,000 Gmail users the opportunity to win a full-load 2005 Buick, a set of pots from Revereware and a month's supply of chicken from Purdue.

Georges Harik, director of Gmail, indicated that an across-the-media promotion for it's Gmail is planned, though, technically, Gmail is still in beta mode. For Buick, Purdue and Revereware, there will be special Ad Word placement and targeted promotions.

Winners of the loot will have the ability of using special icons with their Gmail - a car, pot or chicken - to highlight their winning status. The Buick's will come with a tablet PC, with Google the default search engine.

Yahoo spokeswoman Karen Mahon scoffed at the promotion.

"They're tying themselves to the person that lead us into the 1929 stock crash and Depression.

Mahon offered that Yahoo will soon have their own new campaign - 'Our Friend, The Email'. This is a nod to the 1950's Disney program, 'Our Friend, The Atom' and the Eisenhower Administration's exploitation of it in their push to promote atomic energy.



Washington Monument Reopened After Trim
500-Feet Chopped Off For Security Precautions

The Washington Monument was reopened to the public last Saturday, the first time since September 2004, after a $15-Million security project.

Once scaling over 555-feet tall, the new monument is now standing at 55-feet and has additional security, with vehicle barriers and a brighter lighting system.

A National Parks spokesperson indicated the chopping down of the height of the monument was necessary due to new Homeland Security rules and concerns.

Spokesman Bill Lane said that the shortened monument will only be apparent to those that actually visit it. The Parks Service will continue to sell postcards and posters depicting the old, 555-ft. monument.


Bewitched Tune Writer Dies
Third of Show To Fall From Spell Cast in 1964

Jack Keller, a Pop songwriter who wrote the theme song for "Bewitched" and other TV sitcoms died last Friday at the age of 68 in Nashville, Tenn. No cause was reported and the coroner is investigating reports of a spell cast in 1964 that may have contributed to his death.

In 1964, Bewitched debuted on American television starring Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha, a witch, married to mortal, Darrin Stevens, played by Dick York. Legendary actress Agnes Morehead appeared as Endora, Samantha's mother.

Reports are sketchy but numerous people recount a day on the set when Endora, forever torturing Darrin for being a mortal, married to her daughter, during a break, playfully cast a spell on Montgomery, York and Keller, who happened to be standing nearby.

York ended up leaving the show in 1969, due to chronic back pain and died in 1992.

Montgomery went on with the full run of the show and appeared in movies following it before passing away in 1995.

Keller also wrote the theme for the television show Gidet, as well as hit tunes for Connie Francis and is credited as the producer of the first album by the group, also of television fame, The Monkees.