Thursday, September 14, 2006

I have three more radio interviews coming up this week.

What I haven't decided yet is if I should tell you in advance.

I mean, if I don't tell you, then Pfizer's PR people go crazy trying to find out where I'm going to be, so they can send one of their letters to the radio station in advance.

At least they've stopped writing that Dr. Rost knows naaaaaaaaaaaaaathing. Now they mostly send court papers, dozens of pages.

But if I do tell you I will make it easier for them to send their little Peter Rost letters. In a way I want them to continue to do that. You see, that way there is dynamic and conflict right away. Big company can't stay away from fired employee, and keeps sending letters. And then we have something to talk about for an entire hour.

Funny thing is, big company PR departments often execute flawlessly, the problem they have is that WHAT they execute, the strategy, is often warped. The more attention they give to me, the more credibility they give me. Best would be for them to be totally silent and stop acting like bullies. But that is hard, you know, your boss asks, "what have you done about Dr. Rost today," and then you can't say the best thing to do is nothing.

Of course, you may wonder, how I can write something like this. Perhaps they will follow my advice, and then I don't get any more fun letters from Pfizer arriving ahead of me at varous media outlets.

Cool, don't worry. The problem for Pfizer is they don't really know if this is good advice, or if I use reverse psychology. Or perhaps they know, that I know, that they know, that I know that they know that I use reverse psycholgy. And then it becomes impossile to know anything.

It's tough to read this blog, it takes experience and know-how to really know what I mean. Not even I do, sometimes. And that's the whole idea. Imagine how much fun we'll have in depositions when they ask what I meant, what the legal disclaimer applied to, and so on. And even I will be too confused to give a coherent answer.

After all, this blog is not meant to be used in a court room. I make that very clear in the disclaimer. But just like bulls with little red flags dangling in front of them, certain lawyers are likely to run right into those red flags. Of course, that could also have been an attempt at reverse psychology.

Or perhaps, I'm just getting a bit tired. I just finished off a photo shoot with a very big magazine. I'll tell you more about that next week. They had no space for Pfizer's letters they said. Or maybe that was just in my head.

Signing off for today. But I may change my mind.

16 comments:

Kansas said...

You are so ornery...and I'm so confused :>

Anonymous said...

oh please, you 'won't be posting as often.'

You can't stay away. It's your own personal peanut gallery. and you are probably so tech savvy that we fit right in your pocket.

Maybe you won't be pontificating about baby birds and gyrating chicks as much...

but you are hooked more than we are.

I just want to hear you ripple into the MSM that washes over Joe and Jen Blow while they eat their Salisbury Steak and watch the evening news.

Peter Rost said...

OK, ok, ok I can't stand this torture of being away from my blog for several hours. The abstinence, the breathing gettin heavy, sweat breaks out on my forehead, my hands shake . . . I'm back and I can't help it!!!

Anonymous said...

I knew it...you can't stay away.

Seriously though, I am poor. Like, I can't afford to fill my gas tank until my check clears tonight. Part of the reason is my kid is sick and I've spent quite a bit on his healthcare...

Give me more than a teaser as to why I should part with $10 to buy your book. I'm not an insider. Without pre-empting the exciting climax or giving away the (apparently) juicy details - are you appealing to me? Is there an action or rallying cry against Big Pharma? Any solutions to our awful system? (I do have an education and like to be pro-active about important issues).

You are in a tricky spot to produce and market a 'tell all' while litigating the very story, but I am into ACTION.

I likey that you've spoken with M. Moore - he has balls and I'm convinced that he is a public defender (while making a buck). I'm convinced that you also have balls, but your motivation - I still don't know.

Sorry Peter, I know I make you think in a non-business model way.

Anonymous said...

Posted over at truthout. Don't ya love it, don't ya love it, don't ya just love it.

6. Federal Whistleblower Protection in Jeopardy

Though record numbers of federal workers have been sounding the alarm on waste, fraud, and other financial abuse since George W. Bush became president, the agency charged with defending government whistleblowers has reportedly been throwing out hundreds of cases - and advancing almost none. Statistics released at the end of 2005 by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility led to claims that special counsel Scott Bloch, who was appointed by Bush in 2004, is overseeing the systematic elimination of whistleblower rights.

Sources: "Whistleblowers Get Help from Bush Administration," Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Web site, Dec. 5, 2005; "Long-Delayed Investigation of Special Counsel Finally Begins," PEER Web site, Oct. 18, 2005; "Back Door Rollback of Federal Whistleblower Protections," PEER Web site, Sept. 22, 2005.

Peter Rost said...

I don't necessarily agree with Adam Hanft conclusions, but all those stories sure caught my attention. I don't mind that lonelygirl wasn't so lonely, after all that was part of the fun, was she or wasn't she. As for HP and their spying . . . well that is a different story. I guess if I hadn't been the target myself I would've been shocked. But I'm not. this is modern corporate America. HP just got busted.

Anonymous said...

Peter, before this intrigue goes any further, I think it might be a good idea for you to spell out exactly what a "whistleblower" is. I'm sure many of us have a vague idea, but not what the precise, legal definition is. What, for example, is the difference between a whistleblower, a malcontent, and an opportunist? Look at the scandal with Bill O'Reilly and that Golddigger assistant that set him up, and extorted millions from him. He may be a scumbag, but I don't think anyone thinks he's a molester, yet she walked away with a fortune.

Anonymous said...

Yes, what is a whistleblower, when your legal cases have been dismissed?

Anonymous said...

Your post sounds so amazingly similar to something I once heard in a movie....hmmm...could it be:

Vizzini: But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you: are you the sort of man who would put the poison into his own goblet or his enemy's? Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

Man in Black: You've made your decision then?

Vizzini: Not remotely. Because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows, and Australia is entirely peopled with criminals, and criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.
And you must have suspected I would have known the powder's origin, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

Man in Black: You're just stalling now.

Vizzini: You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? You've beaten my giant, which means you're exceptionally strong, so you could've put the poison in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But, you've also bested my Spaniard, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that man is mortal, so you would have put the poison as far from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

Pfizer must be going crazy trying to figure out where you are going to be. Good work.

Anonymous said...

What movie (or book) is that from Rose?

Argon said...

Buttercup: All the time it was your cup that was poisoned

Man in Black: They were both poisoned, I've spent the last few years building up an immunity to Iocane powder.

If you set up the rules beforehand then you have control of the outcome. That's why knowing the motivations of the managers at Pfizer allows the baiting to help with his book tour.

Glad they can be so obliging and good luck with your book sales I hope it does well

Anonymous said...

THE PRINCESS BRIDE.

A truly wonderful and well made movie. Rent it, buy it or whatever, but do watch it and you will see that scene played out.

It's one of the highlights of the movie. Great family movie as well.

Benedict 16th said...

Peter,
I think you need a couple of t-shirts saying things like:

Just 'cos you are paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you.

You are just jealous 'cos the voices are talking to me

Cheers
Benedict

Peter Rost said...

Johnnyboy, and Anon, what is a whistleblower? Ohhhhh, you have to read the book to learn about that . .
:)

Argon said...

Funny you should ask that since I already made one of those, and you can get one for yourself at:

>Voices T-shirts

Peter Rost said...

Oh that is sooo funny!