Missy's Hampton Roads Homepage

• Hartford, I'm coming for you!

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  Yes, Hartford Insurance, I'm coming for you! No, not because of any health care issue, but a customer service issue. And, not even MY customer service issue. It's an issue with literally hundreds of your customers and your customer's customers.Confusing, you say? Explain, you say? Here goes...I moved to Hampton' [...]
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  Posted: September 08, 2009, 5:26pm EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Hampton Roads' Identity Crisis

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  I finally had the opportunity to listen to the 8/31 Hearsay with Cathy Lewis radio show on WHRV via iTunes.Someone called in and blasted the region for the moniker “Hampton Roads” again. It prompted me to share this with Cathy and her staff via her Facebook page and her new [...]
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  Posted: September 03, 2009, 5:24pm EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• It's the people-driven economy, stupid!

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  Is social media a fad? Or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution? Welcome to the World of Socialnomics ... [...]
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  Posted: August 31, 2009, 1:02pm EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• A Glass Half Full: The Better Man

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  by Felix Dennishear the author read the poemI was the better at getting and keeping,You were the better at spend and spend;I was the better at grubbing and heaping,But who was the better man in the end?Yes, who was the better man, my friend?Who was the better man?You were the [...]
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  Posted: July 19, 2009, 11:34am EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Searching for crab in Hampton Roads

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  I'm missing my family's reunion this weekend... an all day steamed crab eating and cold beer drinking extravaganza. Anyone know where I can pick some great steamed Chesapeake Bay blue crab around Hampton Roads?While I like Dungeness, Snow, King, etc. crab, there's just nothing like Old Bay all over some' [...]
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  Posted: July 07, 2009, 8:58am EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• HarborFest in Norfolk, Virginia

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  Bertel under "DeVine," a human-grapevine hybrid gyrating around Town Point Park!Parade of Sail from atop Norfolk's World Trade Center:The new Town Point Park and tall ships from the Half Moone Cruise Terminal:Bertel and his Independence Day cupcake... his words, not mine...and the pièce de résistance.... an outrageous dual fireworks show! [...]
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  Posted: July 05, 2009, 10:18am EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Visiting our Congressman Glenn Nye and Washington DC

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  Jillian, me, Bertel (Bert XI), Bert and Representative Nye at the CapitolJillian and Bertel in front of the CapitolThe two Berts, Bert X and Bertel XI, at the FDR MemorialJillian and Dad pose at DC's Newseum (my fave - the museum of the news) at the front page of The [...]
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  Posted: July 04, 2009, 9:59am EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Can you eat 36 Hot Dogs? The Black Widow can!

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  Bert and I enjoyed watching Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas of Alexandria compete in Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at MacArthur Center in Norfolk (blocks from our house) on Saturday, June 6th. The place was mobbed!Thomas, 41, weighs 100 pounds and won the competition by eating 36 hot dogs [...]
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  Posted: June 15, 2009, 11:02pm EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Bertel's Blog

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  I'm proud to say that my stepson (nine years old) has taken a special interest in computers, graphic design, social media, etc. He's on Twitter, started a blog and talks to his Dad and me with Skype video. What a cool kid! Way to go!' [...]
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  Posted: June 14, 2009, 8:28pm EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Jillian's Videos

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  My 12-year old stepdaughter makes very cool music videos. She could show me a thing or two! Makes me proud to see such creativity... [...]
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  Posted: June 14, 2009, 7:35pm EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• SmartRegion.org

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  I've been a bit busy with several websites and creating a blog for my work at the Hampton Roads Partnership. Be sure to visit SmartRegion.org to learn more about Hampton Roads and sign up to receive the HRP e-News, too.' [...]
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  Posted: April 15, 2009, 10:05am EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Your chance to be heard and learn how to get engaged!

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  [...]
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  Posted: March 16, 2009, 8:01am EDT
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Happy Valentine's Day

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  My honey sent me a V-gram! awwww!Missy "hearts" Bert, too! [...]
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  Posted: February 13, 2009, 6:56pm EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Things For Which I'm Thankful

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  ... sorry, I missed "Thanksgiving." But, better late than never.My honey, Bert, first and foremost.My family and friends. New and old, near and far.My job and the opportunity to work with others who truly want to make a difference in our community.My geekness; geek is the new "cool."My job. Did [...]
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  Posted: February 09, 2009, 2:04pm EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• PolarPlunge.com

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  Hampton Roads really DOES have it all. PolarPlunge is for a good cause, Special Olympics. It's cold, but heart-warming. If you missed it, there's always next year... [...]
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  Posted: February 08, 2009, 10:40am EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• 25 Random Things About Me, from Facebook

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  From Graphic from my Homepage Picasa Album [...]
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  Posted: February 07, 2009, 3:12pm EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Honeymoon in Vegas, Helicopter Ride over the Strip

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  [...]
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  Posted: February 06, 2009, 3:12pm EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• It's spelled N O R F O L K, but not pronounced that way

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  Ok, watch this to the end: here's a NY student at ODU who knows the proper pronunciation!' [...]
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  Posted: February 05, 2009, 7:23am EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Avenue Q came to Hampton Roads

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  We missed seeing the Tony Award-winning "Avenue Q" in NYC in 2008; go figure, it was sold out! But, luckily, we got tix during their Norfolk VA show.In a word, "Avenue Q" is AWESOME! Sesame Street for adults! Loved it! [...]
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  Posted: February 04, 2009, 2:16pm EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Voting is a privilege

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  The Inauguration on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 of our 44th President, an African-American man, prompted this post. My prediction of many years ago has come to pass.I've always said - since I was old enough to understand such matters, i.e. knee-high to a grasshopper - that the U.S. would have' [...]
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  Posted: February 02, 2009, 7:25am EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Born Again American, watch, listen, read...

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  by Keith CarradineJust a workin’ man without a jobIt got shipped off to China via Washington, D.C.And I know I’m nothin’ special, there are plenty more like meJust the sameI thought I knew the rules of the gameI stood up for this country that I loveI came back from the [...]
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  Posted: February 01, 2009, 12:06pm EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Air and Simple Gifts

  Number of comments: 1
  One of my favorite moments of the Inauguration on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 was this performance. John William's new "arrangement" for Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration, featuring Itzhak Perlman, Yo Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGill.Mr. Perlman has appeared in Hampton Roads many times with the Virginia Symphony, and we've' [...]
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  Posted: January 22, 2009, 7:18am EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Schmidt-Gutenberger Family Christmas 2008

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  [...]
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  Posted: January 03, 2009, 6:05am EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Our Wedding Pictures in Las Vegas

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  Click on the picture above for our Wedding Albumand Happy New Year to one and all! [...]
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  Posted: December 30, 2008, 8:35pm EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• Heartwarming Holidays in the Military

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  12/19/2008 - U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Heath Bahyi observes boxed cargo being air-dropped from a C-130 Hercules aircraft over the island of Yap Dec. 19, 2008, during Operation Christmas Drop. The drop, which is the Air Force’s longest-running humanitarian mission, is part of a tradition to deliver supplies to [...]
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  Posted: December 25, 2008, 12:05am EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• GM in bankruptcy?

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  Guess that's what's next since the feds aren't planning to help save the last manufacturing industry in America. Too many lawyers and financial types in Congress? Wall Street gets help, but not manufacturing. We can't all work in the service industry, can we? And, isn't it a national security threat' [...]
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  Posted: December 12, 2008, 6:45am EST
  by Missy Schmidt (formerly Missy Blankenship)

• I said "YES"! Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Bert Schmidt

  Number of comments: 3
  November 28, 2008Now you will feel no rain, For each of you will be shelter to the other. Now you will feel no cold, For each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no more loneliness, For each of you will be companion to the other. [...]
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  Posted: November 28, 2008, 6:26pm EST
  by Missy Blankenship

• My friend Patrick's Book Party

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  Join friends of Patrick Evans-Hylton at a book signing party for his newly released cookbook: Popcorn! Patrick’s book is being so well received, it is being featured (not just on the bookshelf) in the Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Target and the usual booksellers/online stores nationwide. It’s such a hit [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2008, 11:12pm EST
  by Missy Blankenship

• Increase Stakeholder Communication in a Downturn

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  I've been giving this a lot of thought since (1) taking my new job at the Hampton Roads Partnership and (2) since the economy is tanking. Read on...Our stakeholders want to know we care. In a recession, stakeholders NEED to know we care. That means that now more than ever' [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2008, 3:13am EST
  by Missy Blankenship

• So what does it all mean?

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  I'm feeling overwhelmed with information, for one. Shift Happens 3.0 (*~*)Here is my 2007 post of Shift Happens, the original, and Shift Happens 2.0: CLICK' [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2008, 1:29pm EST
  by Missy Blankenship

• ROME wasn't built in a day, Return on Marketing Effectiveness (ROME), that is

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  In the process of strategic planning? Be sure to include Return on Marketing Effectiveness (ROME). As we drill down in focus to goals, objectives and appropriate measures, you'll need help from all departments.I've seen some great 1-page, at-a-glance dashboards for tracking MARKETING OBJECTIVES, especially those objectives with specific goals which [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2008, 4:11pm EST
  by Missy Blankenship

• More on Bloggers' Block, 10 Ways To Create Content For Your Weblog

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  From Sheila Ann Manuel Coggins, http://weblogs.about.com/mbiopage.htmTop Ten Tips On Beating Bloggers' BlockYou know that feeling... the awful sensation that you just can't possibly blog about anything. Nothing inspires you enough. Everything seems too mundane. And, the more you think about blogging, the less you are inclined to blog. Indeed, if [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2008, 2:13pm EST
  by Missy Blankenship

• Well, does this make you feel a little better?

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  Heard of the economic woes in Zimbabwe from BBC Radio: 80% unemployment rate and an inflation in the millions.Not having enough digits in the National Debt Clock doesn't sound so bad, does it?I don't know about you, but I'm still sick over this. Read more from Scott Reynolds Nelson, professor' [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2008, 9:34pm EST
  by Missy Blankenship

• Environmental Policy and the Next President

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  Attended BPF held at Nauticus in downtown Norfolk on the evening of Tuesday, October 7th. Panelists were Ann Swanson of Chesapeake Bay Commission, Donald Luzzatto of The Virginian-Pilot, and Dr. Timmons Roberts of the College of William and Mary. My favorite Public Broadcasting Host, Cathy Lewis, of Hear Say with [...]
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  Posted: October 31, 2008, 9:00am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Keyword Density Analyzer

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  A very cool web tool:See for yourself:http://www.webconfs.com/keyword-density-checker.phpHere's one I did for my company's website: www.HRP.orgIf you find other widgets, let me know. I'd love to add a tag "cloud" to my sidebar.' [...]
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  Posted: October 29, 2008, 10:40pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Missy Joins Hampton Roads Partnership (HRP)

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  Missy joined the Partnership in September 2008 as Communication Manager. HRP is a public-private organization convening regional leaders from government, business and education, facilitating regional collaboration and action, pursuing global economic competitiveness as a region, benefiting all citizens of Hampton Roads.Her primary responsibility is to devise and implement a comprehensive [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2008, 11:40am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• My High School's 30th Class Reunion

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  Recently attended my high school class reunion. Central High School, that is. Home of the "Fighting Falcons," although I was never sure what we were fighting about.30 years. wow! Attendance was fairly poor. My guess is that with everyone's busy lives, taking a weekend in the fall to re-visit people' [...]
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  Posted: October 25, 2008, 10:17am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• My favorite Meme...what's yours?

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  From Wikipedia:A meme (ryhmes with "Tim") is a popular term for a learned thought, feeling, or behavior, including ideas, theories, practices, habits, songs, dances and moods. Memes propagate themselves and can move through popular culture in a manner similar to a virus. Examples are tunes, catch-phrases, beliefs, clothing-fashions. Meme-theorists contend [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2008, 2:45pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Transforming Managers into Better Communicators, Even Leaders

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  As PR/Marketing people, we all have circumstances where someone depends on us to help them handle managerial, yet emotional, situations: Provide advice on the spot Tell them something they don’t already know Give them what step(s) to take next What is the predominant management problem today? Managers tend to over-analyze, i.e. [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2008, 7:59pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Keep juggling 'cuz multi-channel marketing is the way to go

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  Multi-channel marketing is not only next "generation", it meets, no exceeds all the criteria required of marketing today: Reduced costs (outbound marketing is expensive with low response rates) ROI (estimates range from 10 to 40 times more profitable than outbound marketing) Increased revenues Great customer experiences (touch points know what [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2008, 1:19pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Fast Facts About Norfolk Virginia

  Number of comments: 1
  Norfolk is one of the top 10 markets for business relocation and expansion, according to Expansion Management Magazine. USA Today called Norfolk one of the Top 10 booming downtowns, recognizing a decades-long housing, retail and financial boom in Norfolk. Norfolk Virginia is a city of some 238,832 residents and encompasses 66 [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2008, 11:17am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Dealing with Life?

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  Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life: * Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them. * Always read stuff that will make you look good, if [...]
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  Posted: October 18, 2008, 2:29pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• 100 Blog/Podcast Topics I Hope You write

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  List from Scott, that guy with the name tag (click image above for his very cool website): 1 How I Use Facebook 2 Ways I Embrace My Audience 3 Should My Town Use Social Media? 4 A Community I Love 5 Technology That Empowers Me 6 How Flickr Did it Right 7 How Best to Comment on [...]
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  Posted: October 17, 2008, 10:30am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• The Boomer Project

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  I highly recommend the Boomer Project as the pre-eminent resource for everything you could want to or need to know about the Baby Boomer generation. [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2008, 11:50am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Baby Boomers, Born to be Wild

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  Cute cartoon video of baby boomers singing a very twisted version of Steppenwolf's " Born To Be Wild"... [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2008, 12:27am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• The paradox of time and history, today

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  Something to ponder... The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more [...]
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  Posted: October 11, 2008, 10:22am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• What does it all mean?

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  Life is change, as is marketing. While job searching, I stumbled upon some compelling, and worrisome, market research* proving we live in exponential times: So, you’re “one in a million”? There are 1,300 people just like you in China; 1,100 in India.China and India have more honors kids than we [...]
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  Posted: October 10, 2008, 4:42pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• the new world of working with millenials (aka Gen Y)

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  the new world of work http://www.askgeny.com/ Millenial Generation [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2008, 9:47pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Why does Generation Y love luxury brands

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  Recently answered this HARO inquiry by a student for an article on "Irrational Spending in Generation Y" for her NYU Journalism Class: "My article is about how Generation Y spends money with false rationales. What are the psychological and sociological reasons for spending on luxury goods when there are loans to [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2008, 9:52am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• So What Can a Nonprofit Do With Social Networking?

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  Social networking is one of the most popular ways constituents connect and meet people. Nonprofits can parlay social networking into fundraising and awareness campaigns. Ways nonprofits can use social networking and fulfill their missions. 1. Set up group pages and individual profile (more is better; be everywhere): develop a presence on social networking [...]
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  Posted: October 08, 2008, 3:43pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Ten Top Ten Lists for Blog Content

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  Here are the Ten Top 10 lists. #1) Top 10 Favorites. You know this kind of list. Your favorite lists can be just about anything - books, movies, videos, music, actors/actresses, artists, writers, hobbies... You get the picture. #2) Top 10 Dislikes / Peeves. Same thing as the 'favorites' list. Only on the nastier [...]
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  Posted: October 07, 2008, 5:07pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Sales/Solicitation Food for Thought!

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  Today is 20% of your sales/solicitation week. Two sales/solicitation days are 10% of your month. To have only two "slow days" each month is equivalent to having more than one full month of "slow days" each year. Sales point: Every moment of every sales/solicitation day matters. These are your "money hours.”** Hesitation for a [...]
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  Posted: October 06, 2008, 7:33pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Twitter, Ultimate Time-Waster or Great Tool?

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  Check out this Twitter presentation from http://twitter.com/chriswinfield of 10e20, an Internet marketing and web development company based in New York & Florida. Please note: I have NO affiliation with 10e20 other than as a fellow marketer and inhabitant of planet Earth. Here are my not-in-any-particular-order Top Ten fave responses (ok, really 11, [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2008, 12:43pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Understand History or doomed to repeat it?

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  The Hampton Roads Ad Club recently invited Jason Chambers to speak to our group in Norfolk. Jason teaches advertising at U. of Illinois. He shared info from his book, Madison Avenue and the Color Line, specifically about black women in advertising through the years. More importantly, he alerted us to the fact [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2008, 10:24am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Online Newsroom from the Journalist's perspective

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  To have a successful online newsroom (which furthers your Communication Goals), it IS all about what the Journalist wants. Above is a graphic depicting who is using Online Newsrooms now (2008 survey by TEKgroup International). Here are the Top Ten survey results from the more than 400 journalists queried: Search-able Archives [...]
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  Posted: October 04, 2008, 9:17am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Ding, dong, SEO is Dead!

  Number of comments: 2
  SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is DEAD or, at least, as a stand-alone strategy! Now we use SEM (Search Engine Marketing) which includes the following action-oriented tactics: Build linksAdd backlinks Write articles and distributeWrite press releases and distributeAdvertise using Pay Per Click (PPC)Employ social networkingBlog and commentBe fresh and dynamic, updating frequently Create [...]
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  Posted: October 02, 2008, 10:58pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• National Arts and Humanities Month

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  October is National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM), our opportunity to recognize and celebrate the positive impact the arts bring to our schools and communities. [...]
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  Posted: October 01, 2008, 11:38pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Undecided Voter? (second request)

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  If you're undecided in this year's Presidential campaign, then "What Matters", the local public affairs TV show on WHRO-PBS and hosted by Cathy Lewis, wants you for a special election coverage show in October. Contact Barbara Hamm Lee, WHRO Chief Community Affairs Officer and Producer of "What Matters", to be part [...]
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  Posted: October 01, 2008, 9:42pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Word of Mouth Marketing, whatssup?

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  FYI- generally accepted forms of word of mouth marketing: Buzz Marketing: use high-profile celebs, entertainment or news to get people to talk about your brand. Viral Marketing: create entertaining or informative messages designed to be passed along in an exponential fashion via social media or email. Community Marketing: form or support niche communities [...]
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  Posted: October 01, 2008, 5:01am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Cool Social Marketing and Media Web Tools

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  I e-met Cha Cha via Twitter and she has a social media blog. Click on the link above for her ever-updating list of cool tools for social networking sites. Tell her I sent you! [...]
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  Posted: September 30, 2008, 9:59am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Capitol Steps or Halliburton Steps

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  The Capitol Steps, who started out as a group of Senate staffers, appeared at Virginia Beach's Sandler Center on Sunday, September 28th. They satirize the crazy business of U.S. politics. And, they're equal opportunity artists of the political lampoon, i.e. they're "bi-partisan butchers"! And hilarious! My face hurt from laughing [...]
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  Posted: September 29, 2008, 10:18pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Round and round we go... where we end up, do you know?

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  An article in TIME magazine (15 Sep 08) claims that just ten roundabouts in Virginia save 200,000 gallons of gas a year due to no more idling. Roundabouts calm traffic. Traffic engineers' main reason for using highway roundabouts is more safety at lower cost, compared to traffic light-controlled intersections, overpasses with [...]
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  Posted: September 29, 2008, 2:05pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• LMAO at Last Comic Standing on Tour

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  Enjoyed Last Comic Standing (LCS) at Christopher Newport University’s Ferguson Center for the Arts on September 26th. Louis Ramey, 5th runner up on the 6th season of LCS, served as MC. His jokes, rapport with the crowd and overall professionalism leads me to believe that America may have gotten this season’s [...]
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  Posted: September 28, 2008, 10:14pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Blogging Projects

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  Ever run out of things to say (i.e. write about)? Not me! And, now I've found some great lists of cool topics for even more blog-fodder. Here's my short list, and, of course, I'll always blog about Hampton Roads. 1. Photo Tour, take pics of off-the-beaten-path things to see in each of [...]
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  Posted: September 28, 2008, 10:27am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Social media in moderation

  Number of comments: 1
  Posted this Q&A on with some interesting variety of responses to follow: How do you impress upon those in social media that moderation is key; if you're profile is on the web, everyone can see it??? Just realized my nephew (20 yo) looks like an idiot online! A follow-up from my first [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2008, 5:13pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• YELP, help is on the way!

  Number of comments: 2
  Yelp is all about the power of word-of-mouth, WOM in an online community format. Review everything local to share your insider tips, warn others about bad experiences, help folks who are new in town, and support your favorite local vendors. I'm doing my part (check out my reviews by clicking on [...]
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  Posted: September 26, 2008, 8:12pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Marketing Tactics with an Eye on Strategy

  Number of comments: 0
  On my list of "things to do", key marketing tactics for success: Marketing Plan, keep it simple, listing purpose in marketing, key benefits, target audiences, marketing weapons, niche (value proposition), and identity. Marketing Calendar, for the next 12 months, including media, metric to measure and results. My "Name" or "Brand", something easy to [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2008, 9:43pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Social Media and Marketing, getting started

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  Courtesy of my friend, Lizz Gunnufsen, Public Communications Coordinator for the City of Chesapeake, here is a recap of her efforts to implement SM into her city's government: SocialMediaGovernment Looks like her forays into Social Media have paid off with her MANY requests to give the presentation to others. Way to go, Lizz! [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2008, 11:51am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• UrbanPlanet, we live here so get used to it

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  Great online discussions revolving around communities can be found at UrbanPlanet.org, like this one on Virginia Beach Light Rail and Transit, Light Rail/BRT and other Transit initiatives. Lynx Light Rail in Charlotte NC Photo credit deritastudio [...]
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  Posted: September 23, 2008, 10:14am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Do you have Great PR Manners?

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  I saw this great PR email request posted recently and had to share. Fill in the blanks with your name, company name, location, prospect's name and see if it works! Oh, so simple and yet SO effective! TO: _______________ Good evening, my name is _________ with _______ (PR/AD agency) in City, State______. We [...]
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  Posted: September 22, 2008, 10:29pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• 2008 Marketing Facts from AMA, MarketingPower.com, did you know?

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  Top 10 U.S. Sponsors for 2007: 1. Anheuser-Busch (#1 in 2006, too) – wonder what will happen with the InBev purchase? 2. PepsiCo (#2 in 2006, too) 3. Coca-Cola (up from #4 in 2006) 4. Nike (up from #4 in 2006) 5. GM (dropped from #3 in 2006) – and surely will drop even more? 6. [...]
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  Posted: September 22, 2008, 1:34pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• HD Radio(TM) Content Sees Strong Momentum

  Number of comments: 2
  WHRO makes the Wall Street Journal! Here's the excerpt: Hampton Roads Uses Six Channels to Time Travel. Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications is taking multicasting to a new level with two FMs in Norfolk, Virginia. In what could be the most ambitious complementary programming strategy for HD Radio programming today, WHRO and WHRV [...]
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  Posted: September 21, 2008, 3:39pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Bert's brother, the advertising model

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  Ya' jes gotta chck out the Bubba! [...]
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  Posted: September 21, 2008, 3:20pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Social Media Business Marketing Plan

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  What is the goal? Prioritizing the goal(s) will help determine the proper tool(s) and to help stay on track vice diluting efforts by jumping at every networking opportunity. What is the budget? While most services are free, the professional time required to be successful, according to researchers, can be as much [...]
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  Posted: September 20, 2008, 9:57pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Branding By Word of Mouth or the Power of the Story

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  Belief in a brand is the most powerful influence of all, even to the point of altering our physical sensations, mixing our own personal experiences, and reducing all we know about a brand to an easily accessible impression or perception. Humans are social creatures. We’ve flourished on earth because we take [...]
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  Posted: September 20, 2008, 1:45pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• "Social Networking" has taken over porn's top spot

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  Photo CreditOnline fever has everyone all atwitter. An article on Reuters highlights that Social networking sites are the "hottest attraction on the Internet", taking over the top spot long held by "porn". This is a MAJOR change in how people communicate. And, a welcome change in online users' "interests", too. Research [...]
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  Posted: September 20, 2008, 1:39am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Moving images

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  My Twitter "friend", John Dickerson, is Slate.com's Chief Political Correspondent. He recently tweeted his must-see playlist of past Presidential campaign ads. Most interesting about the Tweet was learning about the Museum of the Moving Image in NYC (Astoria). Check out the "Web Projects" link for more web-accessible motion memorabilia. I'd never heard [...]
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  Posted: September 19, 2008, 12:08pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Generations defined, the "Greatest", Boomers and beyond

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  The "Greatest Generation" refers to Americans who fought/lived in the era of World War II, preceded by the Lost Generation of the 20s and immediately followed by the Silent Generation of the 50s. "Baby boomers" refers to the huge group of people born between 1946 and 1966. One-third of American employees today [...]
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  Posted: September 18, 2008, 9:57am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Just the Facts!

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  For a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters, visit FactCheck.org. According to their website, FactCheck.org's mission is to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics by monitoring the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, [...]
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  Posted: September 17, 2008, 10:04pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Hard knocks can be the best teacher

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  For marketing or communication management positions, I often wonder why organizations feel compelled to hire someone with background in the product or service versus hiring someone who is a professional marketer by trade. Learning a new product/service is relatively easy. A marketing professional can bring an objective view of your product [...]
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  Posted: September 17, 2008, 4:44pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Time's Top Ten, revisited

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  Stephan Savoia / AP One week later and Time's Top Ten still lists five articles re: Sarah Palin (down from six stories last week): 1. Sarah Palin The Republic Veep pick is the first female vice presidential candidate in GOP history 2. The Evolution of the College Dorm From the monastic rooms [...]
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  Posted: September 16, 2008, 9:47pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Mass transit can work here

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  Listened to Joel Rubin's "On the Record" recently and heard his recount of a trip to NYC. Here is the video. Scroll to 20.42 for Joel's show wrap-up re: mass transit in NYC and why we need something similar here in Hampton Roads. Food for thought! Photo credit pedestrian shots [...]
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  Posted: September 16, 2008, 9:29pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• The Hit Parade (media hits, that is)

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  John Guiniven, associate professor of corporate communication at my alma mater, James Madison University (JMU) and fellow PRSA member provided some insight into measuring PR recently in PRSA's "Tactics": tracking numbers of hits (media impressions) is only one part of any ROI measure of PRmedia hits don't mean much unless the [...]
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  Posted: September 15, 2008, 9:30pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Norfolk, then and now

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  She looks a little different nearly 25 years later... Norfolk 2008 Norfolk 2008 Norfolk 1984 click on photos above for large Flickr versions [...]
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  Posted: September 15, 2008, 11:08am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• SNL highlights Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton

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  thank you Tina Fey! you were spot on! I think we've found who'll play Sarah Palin in the movie of her life. [...]
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  Posted: September 14, 2008, 6:01pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• 757hamptonroads and citizen journalists

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  You have heard the statistic according to NewspaperDeathWatch.com that over 8000 newspaper journalists nationwide have been "laid off"? Soon, "citizen journalists" like bloggers will be the only remaining writers of news. Which scares me on so many levels: like who is fact-checking? who is editing? where is the fair-and-balanced? Read this post by [...]
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  Posted: September 14, 2008, 4:48am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Social Media and Communications Objectives

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  Photo credit gauravonomics What would you add as Communications Objectives for using Social Media? Posed this question to my online (and offline) Social Media buddies. Lorraine and Vicki tied for 1st place, IMHO. I'd like to use a blend of both in place of my Ten C's list. Edward R. Gurney, Sr. [...]
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  Posted: September 14, 2008, 3:37am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Hot, Flat, Crowded - you betcha!

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  Thomas L. Friedman, NY Times columnist, has published the next steps after his acclaimed best=seller, The World is Flat. It's Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America. HOT=global climate change FLAT=global middle class growth CROWDED=global population growth (1Billion more born in next 12 years) Forget [...]
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  Posted: September 13, 2008, 12:46pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Personal Branding

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  Chris Brogan just sent me his Free eBook on Personal Branding. Ok, he sent it to everyone who subscribes to his blog, but, hey, he's sharing, and I like what he has to say! Check it out! [...]
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  Posted: September 13, 2008, 2:28am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• How To Debate a Girl, and Win

  Number of comments: 1
  Loved, loved, LOVED the open letter to Sen. Joe Biden from Slate senior editor, Dahlia Lithwick. Dahlia's sage advice to Sen. Biden? Pretend Sarah Palin is a man. And don't be such a "Joe Biden". Dahlia writes that Gov. Palin is "a charming, confident, and gifted reader of speeches", but points [...]
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  Posted: September 12, 2008, 3:49pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• How Do You Move From Print Advertising to Digital Advertising?

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  The following query was posed on LinkedIn by Mark Gordon, Webmaster at Prince William County Park Authority:"We have a print magazine that we want to move to a digital format. Our current print magazine has advertisers that we would also like to take to the digital side. What steps would [...]
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  Posted: September 12, 2008, 12:10am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• PRSA Submits Formal Challenges to McCain and Obama on Ethics

  Number of comments: 1
  The Clean & Fair Campaign 2008 group on Facebook just sent this important message: The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) announced that it has submitted written challenges to the communications directors of the McCain and Obama campaigns. In a letter to Robert Gibbs (Obama for America) and a letter to [...]
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  Posted: September 11, 2008, 2:58pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Virginia Ideas Forum, what a brilliant idea!

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  Pardon the pun, but truly ... what a "brilliant" idea ... for the Commonwealth of Virginia to create a simple web tool to ask citizens for their ideas. Ideas that can be discussed, expanded upon and, potentially, acted upon. I signed up for a free account. You should, too. Just click [...]
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  Posted: September 11, 2008, 12:25pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Newt Gingrich at The Norfolk Forum

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  Last night at The Norfolk Forum, the guest was Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House and now member of the professional speaker circuit, author and health/health care transformer. Mr. Gingrich, a self-described "passionate American", honored Hampton Roads by referring to us as a "region of enormous import". (agreed, Newt!) His [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2008, 11:21am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Come on, stop with this "silly" stuff!

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  What's wrong with this picture? It's okay that six (yes, SIX!) of Time's Top Ten stories this week are about Republican Vice Presidential candidate, Governor Sarah Palin. This election season is ground-breaking, to be sure. (Three were environment-related and #10 a tongue-in- cheek piece on the Obama/O'Reilly interview). However, how sad [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2008, 5:19am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Undecided Voter?

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  If you're undecided in this year's Presidential campaign, then "What Matters", the local public affairs TV show on WHRO-PBS and hosted by Cathy Lewis, wants you for a special election coverage show in October. Contact Barbara Hamm Lee, WHRO Chief Community Affairs Officer and Producer of "What Matters", to be part [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2008, 4:45pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Social Media and Youth, just realized my nephew looks like an idiot online

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  "What, if anything, are kids/young adults taught in grade school/high school and/or college re: online profiles and social media such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.? What if you found out that your college-age nephew, who is slated to take over the family business after college, looks like a total idiot [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2008, 11:07am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Music stopped me from dying young, a poignant life story

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  Remember the Six-Word Life Story query. Telling yours in six words. No more. No less. I posed the query on LinkedIn as well as Facebook with phenomenal results (90 responses from LinkedIn alone). I already submitted mine for SMITH Magazine's next six-word memoir book. Here are the global results of my Six-Word [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2008, 2:54am EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• In the questionnaire tradition of James Lipton, best response

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  Best response from my earlier post and the winner is Lorraine Baker, Owner-Creative Business Consultant-Writing & Editing Professional at LBEnterprises Here are Lorraine's responses: * In your lifetime, what was the first marketing campaign you can recall? You’re not going to believe this, but it was actually Me. At age 3, I was [...]
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  Posted: September 08, 2008, 5:37pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship

• Further Proof of an Unhealthy Economy

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  Un`em*ploy"ment\, noun "the rate of unemployment is an indicator of the health of an economy" according to Reference.com. According to a September 5th report from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate rose from 5.7% to 6.1% in August. Of the 2.2 Million job drop in the last 12 months, nearly [...]
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  Posted: September 07, 2008, 10:14pm EDT
  by Missy Blankenship