Beginner's Guide to Building a Professional (looking) Website

Introducing RobbyMarshall.com, my first website built from the ground up. I picked up a few insights along the way. If you’re looking to build your own website, or even just spice up a blog, here are a few beginner’s tips that really helped me out.

Potent Quotables: Twerrible Twocabularies

For those of you who are active Twitter users, I encourage you to read the article, if only to satisfy your jeer quota for the day. I’m not even going to get into how barf-tastic this article was (“tweethearts,” “twilebrities”). This article is just an embarrassment to proponents who understand and utilize the power of social media for good.

Am I blocked in China?

What could I have possibly written to get my website banned in China? I thought maybe my slow server was to blamed, but nope. I am indeed censored by the People’s Republic. Here’s how you can check to see if your own site is being blocked.

This blog is brought to you by Sprint

“I have a blog topic for you,” said my friend Tiff. “It’s not the normal topic for you, but it’s so ridiculous that it must be blogged about.” She was referring to the recent proliferation of Sprint into her guilty pleasure, ABC’s “Desperate Housewives.” Sprint recently partnered with the network to produce a series of integrated ads that run alongside the show as a sponsored spin-off series, “Another Desperate Housewife.” The mini-series’ story line consists of a housewife, her cheating husband and her best friend/betrayer — and how each uses Sprint to conspire against the others. The ad peeps are calling it a revolution.

Potent Quotables: CNN. Nobody leaves more things there.

Some amazing gems from Jon Stewart’s recent rant on CNN this past Monday.

What Eater Means to the New Age of Food Media

There is perhaps nothing more symbolic of the state of modern food journalism than Conde Nast’s recent announcement that Gourmet, after 68 years in publication, would be shutting down the presses. Once the stalwart of food magazines, Gourmet — which has survived World War II food rationing, the Baby Boomer rise of TV dinners and ’80s fusion cuisine — could not compete with a severe recession and a rapidly changing media landscape.

So what does this say about food media today?

With the rise of blogs, user-generated review sites like Yelp and social media like Facebook and Twitter, food media has never been more instant… or celebrity-driven. Enter Eater.

Potent Quotables: News from Idiots

“Here’s something everybody should understand about journalism…”

Does marketing drive media, or does media drive marketing?

Marketplace on American Public Media had an interesting report last Friday on the recent influx of 40-year anniversaries in advertising and the media. One explanation for this influx is that 40th anniversaries currently celebrate the end of the ’60s, or the golden age of the Baby Boomer generation. A more plausible explanation, however, comes from Jason Torchinsky of Ad Nauseum, who says that anniversaries are simply the latest step in the “holiday-ification” of everything. It’s the same idea behind National Peanut Butter Day (January 24) and National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month (October), though perhaps less arbitrary. This poses the question: does marketing drive media, or does media drive marketing?

The Murphy-Goode Q&A Series

And it’s done! All three L.A. finalists for Murphy-Goode’s “A Really Goode Job” have said their piece. On Saturday, they will head to Sonoma for a reality competition showdown of a lifetime, except without the cameras, the confessionals and uncontrollable crying on national television. A winner will be announced as the four-day trip draws to a close on July 21. I am particularly impressed with this group of Angeleno candidates — each is so distinct that it’s impossible to predict who Murphy-Goode will hire. Read our interview series here.

Murphy-Goode Q&A: Rachel Reenstra

Rachel Reenstra is serious about one thing: not taking herself seriously. And for that reason alone, she already fits right in with the Liar’s-dice-playing, Viking-helmet-donning, owl-watching folks over at Murphy-Goode. Their motto: “We take our wines seriously — ourselves, not as much.” Read our Q&A about this actress/comedienne/host.

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