From time to time, people ask me how public relations has changed
during the two decades in which I've been seeking publicity.  My
answer:  technology.  Twenty years ago, the fax machine was a
newfangled novelty.  Our primary means of communicating with
journalists was the telephone and the US Mail.  The advent of e-
mail and the web has made life easier in many regards and tougher
in others  - namely, thanks to hordes of clowns with money making
schemes and software that "blasts" press releases
indiscriminately to reporters, it's become very hard to get your
e-mails through to spam-weary reporters.