Jul 192011
 

Welcome to the third installment of Parente on Parker. In this series I take a look at some of Robert Parker’s picks for the best wines in the world under $25, and see how his reviews stack up. Here are the three wines discussed today, with links to additional information: 2009 Barbera D’Alba from Andrea […]

Jul 142011
 
Wisdom of the Crowd Saves BMW SULEV owner

Last week I was part of a discussion thread in the BMW group on LinkedIn.  An owner of a 2005 BMW 325 was in shock after going to his dealer with a fuel pump problem, and was desperate for help. He was desperate because the dealer had quoted him a price of $6,500 for the […]

Jul 122011
 
Interview with Antony Van Couvering -- Part II

Here’s the second part of my interview with Antony Van Couvering of Mind and Machines focused on the business opportunity of new TLDs. You can read part one here. Q: Can you talk about your Espresso registry services platform, and the advantages that offers for new TLD operators? Espresso is the gTLD cousin of CoCCA, […]

Jul 082011
 
Talking Domain Names with Antony Van Couvering

Today I’m pleased to publish the first of a two part interview with Antony Van Couvering, of Mind + Machines. As you will read, Antony has been a force in the domain name business since before there way such a thing. The recent approval of new top level domains (TLDs) by ICANN promises to fundamentally […]

Jul 062011
 
Curb Rash Repair on an E39 M5

Over the Fourth weekend I attempted to repair some road rash on my M5. The wheels are in very good condition, but there was one pretty big gash on the rear passenger side rim. So I checked out my DIY options. There are different kits on the market, but right off the bat I hit […]

Jun 302011
 
No Need for ROI? Where Do I Sign?

I’m a regular reader of Fast Company, and find it useful in keeping up with current business trends. Often the tools and trends I read about aren’t immediately applicable to the B2B and B2G worlds my agency lives in, but it’s good to keep an eye out. Last week I read a story that definitely […]

Jun 282011
 
Adjusting a Bilstein Suspension on an E39 M5

About a week ago I finally adjusted the Bilstein PSS9 suspension on my 2002 E39 M5. As I wrote back in April, the car came with this very expensive and desirable modification when I purchased it. It also came with a Rogue short shift kit, Dinan exhaust and some nice cosmetic mods like sensible grade […]

Jun 212011
 

Today’s video talks about how French wines can often vary greatly year to year. The wine used as an example is Domaine Grand Veneur Clos Sixte Lirac, and the differences between the 2006, 2007 and 2009 vintages. Lirac is a region in the southern Rhone area of France, very close to the more famous Chateauneuf […]

Jun 162011
 
Know When to Say No to Potential Clients

My post last week about PR professionals bearing significant responsibility for unappreciative clients has gotten good readership. It has also fostered some discussion threads in PR focused LinkedIn groups, with some of the feedback being it’s easier said than done to temper unrealistic client demands. Of course that’s true, and sometimes clients have every right […]

Jun 142011
 
#1 on Google -- A Personal SEO Success Story

I’ve been publishing this blog for three and a half years. I launched it with three topics to work with rather than just one, since I thought that would make it easier to come up with interesting content. That has turned out to be mostly true, but it still can be tough to consistently publish […]

Jun 102011
 
Not Appreciating PR -- Is It the Client, or Us?

I get a lot of value from discussions on LinkedIn. Right now there is a very active thread in the PR Professionals group about “what do you say to a client who doesn’t see the ROI from PR.” This discussion has hit a nerve, and it has received 78 comments. Here’s the link, but unlike […]