Buttermilk & Molasses

Today: Live Blogging Social Media B2B Discussion

Later this morning, I'll be live blogging Sonali Shetty's presentation on digital branding at the Virginia International Business Council meeting -- she'll be speaking on digital branding and social media, especially as it relates to B2B. You can follow along starting at 11:40 at Compleo's live blog page here.

Gay RVA Breaks Out Of The Closet

A new weblog popped onto the scene early in the spring, and it was quickly evident that Gay RVA was taking the Richmond web community by storm -- the happy result of editor Kevin Clay's obsessive desire to put out some solid news and information coverage of interest to Richmond's burgeoning gay (and lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and queer) community (and the rest of us). In the months since its launch, Gay RVA has become quite a voice about town.

Gay RVA broke out with a new site design earlier this month, and it is now one of the nicest looking news/weblog sites around. It's also bubbling over with news, a calendar of events and other information.

Tobacco Avenue Eviscerated By NBC12

As part of an ongoing video series of local blogs, NBC12's Phil Riggan turns his sights on Jeff Kelley of Tobacco Avenue today.

In what can only be described as a set-up, Riggan's film crew captures lascivious footage of Kelley's ankle as he feigns blogging during a recent interview. The unsuspecting Kelley was apparently none the wiser.

Adding insult to injury, Riggan caps the scathing profile piece with commentary by NBC12's senior newsman, Gene Cox. Often a victim of Kelley's satirical antics on Tobacco Avenue, Cox turns his trademark razor tongue on the young whippersnapper at the end of the segment.

Otherwise, a fine piece celebrating one of Richmond's smartest bloggers. Go watch, or read.

The Land of Who Knew? (Richmond Pizza Blogs? WTF?)

I knew Richmond was a hotbed of food bloggers. I didn't realize there was a sub-scene of pizza bloggers roaming the streets and dishing on, well, dishes. But according to the ladies at Pizzalicious! there is at least one other pizza-friendly blogging team in Richmond -- the folks at Pamparius. And you know what they say about pizza blogs...

I think what really caught my eye was the fact that everyone (as in both blogs) had more than kind words for 8 1/2, which I've been lucky enough to eat more regularly now that the Visual Arts Center group I'm working with seems to have it with every meeting. It's that good.

Three words: garlic and "oven blisters".

The Ballad of G.I. Joe

The Ballad of G.I. Joe from Olivia Wilde

I'm sorry. I don't think I've been so taken by a song in at least six generations. Thanks for the lead, Mr. Beefy!

Church Hill People's News Recognized by NBC12

John Murden -- who single-handedly lifted Richmond's blogging community out of the muck, and whose face launched a thousand community blogs -- got another small tap of recognition for his pretty amazing contributions to Richmond's sense of community. The second of NBC12's weblog reviews hit the Internet today, and Murden was the star of the show.

In fact, Murden was the show.

John Murden runs the Church Hill People's News blog.  He has an appreciation for the old homes and history of the neighborhood. Originally from Chesterfield County, he moved to Church Hill in 2003.

"I've always loved the old houses and coming from the suburbs, when I got downtown I realized how fantastic it was just to live in the old architecture," he said.

He's also a teacher at Martin Luther King middle school in Church Hill.

"Moving in to a part of the neighborhood that was more directly faced with some of the urban challenges has I think been a strong piece of me becoming involved, and possibly me running the site," he said.  "Working where I live and walking to work every day and being out in the neighborhood and seeing my students -- It's a connection that re-enforces the whole package."

In his part time, between grading papers and renovating houses, he runs the blog -- serving the Church Hill community for the past five years.

Go watch the video. It's a great piece, and it tells a great story.

Great Advice for VCU's Incoming Freshmen

As thousands of new students prepare to descend upon the several mile square patch of concrete that barely contains Richmond's monolithic public university, "What's An Azalea" weblog has some advice for those new to the ways of Richmond and life as a college student.

Alternately insightful and eye-rollingly amusing, the advice is not only reasonably on-target but reminds me how little has changed since I was a scrawny straight-edged freshman hanging out in a very different Shafer Court. A few choice bits:

• If you are a young female and any boys start hitting on you as you walk through the compass area do not have sex with them. Hold out on having sex with anyone that is straight edge, period.

• Renting a house with roommates will also be in many cases cheaper than dorms. Get out of dorms ASAP you will lead a more fulfilling life, and probably save money.

• Are you Crazy??? Go to the commons, upstairs to the counseling center and get free counselors, psychiatrists, group therapy, etc. They are high quality and professional. Then you take the prescription they offer you over to student health and get it filled for way way cheap. You will never again in your life have access to free therapy, and if you think you don’t need it then you’re crazy, which means Go!

Ah, student health.

I remember well the autumn of 1989. I was working four jobs (full-time editor of the student paper, part-time PR hack for the university, part-time City Desk intern at the Times-Dispatch, and an almost full-time dairy clerk at Ukrop's) and taking five classes. I weighed 135 pounds, drank about two gallons of coffee every day and was sleeping about three hours a night.

I found myself in the Student Health Center looking for some of the free meds mentioned above (for allergies, hello) and the nurse asked what was going on in my life. I told her. She was livid about the student load deal and immediately got on the phone. An hour later, I had my fat check.

A month later, I was eating better and drinking better beer at the Village Cafe, but I was still working four jobs. I ended that semester with an A in Dr. Messmer's historiography class and four F's.

Despite the fact that I was working like a mad man, I was broke and my student loan application had been rejected.

Another Worthy Richmond History Site Lands

What happens when you combine the knowledge and talents of two of Richmond's most passionate working urban preservationists with a long-time library archivist? That's right, you get The Shockoe Examiner, a weblog that explores the history of Richmond from some sharp perspectives.

The Shockoe Examiner's Tyler Potterfield, Ray Bonis and Catherine Easterling are the new Kepone of the Richmond blogging community.

As their latest post with its brief editorial introduction to a letter in Style Weekly about the proposed art gallery for VCU suggests, they are a no-holds-barred kinda group:

Below is a great letter about the proposed new art gallery for VCU. Let us hope that VCU does not raise enough money for this project and another building design is selected.

They recently had a great post of clippings (one seen at the top of this post) about the "high steeples of Richmond" as seen in 1900. You won't see that view anymore.

Another recent post was an excerpt from a 1858 issue of Harper's Weekly about the relocation of the remains of President James Monroe from New York to Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery.

They join Harry Kollatz of Richmond Magazine, Ed Slipek of Style Weekly and WCVE's Brooks Smith as stellar keepers of this city's history -- and future.

"F*** You, Penguin" Is My New Favorite Respite on the Web

Making me smile is a tough feat, which you already know if you've seen photos of me having the best time of my life playing with my daughter, so I was relieved to discover a website that not only makes me smile but it serves a bolder purpose -- warning the public about some inherently dangerous critters. F*** You, Penguin is not just adorable. It's adorably funny. I mean, if you're okay with some language tossed in with your cute animal photos.

Here's the perfect example of what I mean:

Thanks a lot Zoological Society of London. Yesterday, I had no idea the long-eared jerboa existed. Today, he's hopping around all over like he owns the fucking joint. Well here's a little bit of info now that you are on the big stage, Long-eared Jerboa: I don't need you, the people don't need you, and you sure as hell aren't going to get special treatment from me just because you are a combination of a mouse and a kangaroo with a little bit of giant ears thrown in just to be fucking difficult. And why are all the pictures of you at night? WHAT ARE YOU HIDING, JERBOA? Whatever. I was living my life long before I knew what you were, Long-eared Jerboa, and I will go on living my life long after I have set you as my desktop picture.

And here's additional evidence:

Why, Hamster, why? I am but one poor soul, trying to make my way in the world. I do what every decent citizen is supposed to do. I call my grandmother on her birthday. I recycle whenever there is a recycling bin on my side of the room. For a living, I run a modest blog, where every morning I get up and try to give a little back to the world.

So why do you have to be such a soul-crushing asshole? It's just broccoli, Hamster, I'm not really sure why you are all "Broccoli?! Wow, I never expected broccoli!" Everyone knows hamsters love broccoli. You are not fooling anyone. So my only guess as to why you are making that face is that you are actively trying to destroy me. Well fuck you, Hamster. Because I've got the broccoli now. Or something. Shut up.

Please just go.

Public Service Opportunity at RichmondWiki

Do yourself a favor and hop over to RichmondWiki. While you're there, take a moment to add a bar, restaurant, business, church or nonprofit organization to its growing encyclopedic database of all things Richmond.