Every weekday, PR Daily associate editor Alan Pearcy highlights the day’s most compelling stories and amusing marginalia on the Web in this, #TheDailySpin.

If there’s one thing the Internet has taught me, it’s that even if you despise cats and never picture yourself having kids, a video of either will make you smile faster than Taylor Swift can pen a song about another ex-boyfriend. But I’m not sure why it took me so long to realize this. If a group of Montana fifth-graders in 1995 could predict it’s popular uses in a student-produced PSA, there’s no excuse for the rest of us having missed the memo.



Tournament organizers didn’t miss catching one of the country’s top young Scrabble player hiding blank letter titles at the national tournament in Florida before they busted him for cheating in Round 24 of the 28-round event.

As for a real sport controversy, many are blasting a digitally altered image of second-string New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow in the current issue of GQ magazine, where the popular footballer appears posed as Jesus Christ on the cross.

Marketers are in a bit of a crisis of their own. Reports Business Insider, of the 10 unhappiest jobs in America, both marketing director and marketing manager made the list, at No. 9 and No. 7, respectively. See the rest of the dejected vocations here.

Regardless of job title, anyone dissatisfied with their current position and longing to make a career move ought to be pleased to learn that “Sesame Street” is holding an open casting call for a recurring new character—one that’s human.

An iconic real-life TV personality, the late Meryl Streep Julia Child, whose work and kitchen creations continue to live on, would have turned 100 on Wednesday. Say it with me now: “Bon Appétit!”

Shark Week certainly had quite the appetite Sunday when it took a bite out of the Olympic ratings war, beating NBC’s broadcast of the closing ceremony from London in TV check-ins with a final count of 77,103 to 60,498.

[RELATED: Discovery Channel’s Twitter strategy creates social frenzy around Shark Week]

CNN is also hoping to score bigger in the television arena, and apparently it believes adding late night and reality programming might be the answer.

Crocs co-founder wasn’t at a loss for answers when he was pulled over for alleged drinking and driving. They just weren’t the right ones. Arrested Saturday night for a DUI after police discovered him passed out in his Porsche, George Boedecker provided officers with quite the belligerent rant, including fabricated claims that “his girlfriend,” Taylor Swift, had been driving the car, but had fled the vehicle after they got into a lovers’ quarrel.

Perhaps Boedecker was merely caught up in an augmented reality project for Crocs. Reported as “the new QR Code,” the concept is the latest technology trend being tapped by brands and marketers.

Meanwhile, Pinterest is riding technology’s mobile wave, having just debuted device-specific apps for both Andorid and iPad.

On the other hand, Ben & Jerry’s social media is cozying up to Facebook, having just launched a new app that collects user data to find you the perfect “spooning” partner.



A knack for spooning aside, The New York Times Company must’ve found something it liked on Mark Thompson’s résumé. The departing director general for BBC has been named the company’s new president and chief executive. Congrats! Now about getting rid of that paywall …

Is there something you think we should include in our next edition of #TheDailySpin? Tweet me @iquotesometimes with your suggestions. Thanks in advance.