I've made an observation of my neighborhood on trash day over the past couple weeks that has left me perplexed by human nature. When we first moved in and bought a new bright blue recycling bin to set out at the curb on trash day, we were amongst a very small population; the diligent few of us would go out each week, with our household's supply of recyclables, while other neighbors sans the recycling bins would come out with large amounts of trash, the majority of it belonging in the magical blue bins.

For those of you who frequent the Joomla! websites, you may have noticed a new button on the top menu called "Community".

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Well not really, but "Fresh" might just have an uncanny connection to social media and SEO...

I have been in the marketing business for several years, and as such am always concerned that I have become indifferent or even numb to all the creative messages that are presented to me during the course of a day. It's not that this is a purposeful intent on my part, it's just that I am asked to evaluate many kinds of creative, both online as well as print and broadcast, and I wonder whether it takes more to move me than your average consumer.

Most everyone who lives in Kansas City – and many who have visited – have experienced the friendly "Hi May I Help You" service at Gates Bar-B-Q, a well-known local barbecue joint. Well, I use the term "friendly" a little loosely. Some might call it "overwhelming" or even "frightening." It's a shout from behind the service counter, just about the minute you walk in the door. And the "Hi May I Help You" shout continues until you respond by shouting back your order. It scared me a little at first, but I've come to enjoy yelling out "Beef on bun! With fries!"

I'm not sure where I first heard this phrase, but I've adopted it as my own over time. The reactions I've received when using this phrase have ranged from "it's pretty harsh" to "what exactly does that mean?". Those were my reactions when I first began thinking about the words early in my career. Why do I have to do art on my time? Shouldn't the work I do for clients be artistic as well? Is there a place where these ideas can intersect? Fortunately, time and experience have taught me the answers to these questions, and I find the phrase more relevant with each passing day.

It's been a struggle for physicians to get their hands around the reason behind marketing, let alone branding. I would like to try to explain the importance of branding when it comes to physicians and patients.

If you work with Joomla! enough to the point that you have a lot of sites, you will inevitably forget your Super Administrator password. I know I have done it. Do not fear, there is hope!

The best part is that this works for both Joomla! 1.0.x and Joomla! 1.5.x.

A few months ago I was very excited to find that a new Chick-fil-A was opening close to my house. Before that, the closest one was a good hour drive away in a part of Kansas City that I rarely visited. I remember when that store first opened, and several my friends told me how they waited in line for hours just to be one of the first to get a sandwich. At that time I had never been to one of the restaurants, and didn't understand all of the hype. It seemed to me that they were crazy fans - sort of like those Star Wars fans who used to camp out overnight in line just to see the movie. While I am still not a super fan, and I won't be standing in line anytime soon, I am in awe of their brand presence and the fact that they can inspire that kind of following.

The word “green” no longer applies just to the color of the grass in KC this time of year, but it is now the buzzword in nearly all industries; you can hardly turn on the radio, tv, or hop online without hearing, reading or seeing something pertaining to buying green or living green. This topic of “going green” is near and dear to my heart, not just because, well to be honest, I enjoy being on top of the latest trends, but also because of my husband, who I have lovingly nicknamed “Captain Planet”. Living with a LEED certified Architect will quickly raise your awareness to the carbon footprint you leave each day just from your work and play. We have been recycling religiously, reducing the energy and waste our household consumes, and buying organic when we have the opportunity for several years now.