David J. Garcia

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Entries from October 2008

Effective microcontent tells your story

October 30th, 2008 · 1 Comment

Last week I attended PRSA’s teleseminar on writing effective web content. The best key idea I got out of the presentation was this:
Effective microcontent can stand alone.
Microcontent includes:
Headlines, subheads, bolded words, links & lists
Try removing all your copy except the microcontent. In theory, your headlines tell your thesis, subheads give supporting arguments or themes (not just “Introduction” [...]

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A 25-second lesson in investing

October 27th, 2008 · 1 Comment

If you invested in a DJIA index in October 2007 (one year ago), you could have lost more than 40% by now–in just one year.
On the other hand, if you invested in a DJIA index any time before February 1998 (just over ten and a half years ago), you’re still up.

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The Evolution of Marketing Campaigns: A Case History

October 22nd, 2008 · 1 Comment

As I see it:
Ace Hardware.
We need a slogan! What rhymes with Ace?
Ace is the place.
The place? The place for what?
Um…
Ace is the place for the helpful hardware man.
Well, it turns out that not just men help with hardware, so…
Ace is the place for the helpful hardware folks.
Honda needs a nice, friendly image, what could we [...]

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I Support Prop 8: ISupportProp8.com

October 20th, 2008 · No Comments

I’ve already dealt with religion. And it’s pretty clear where I stand on certain political issues, thanks to my last job. I am, nevertheless, somewhat hesitant to broach this next topic on my semi-professional blog.
For those of you who may disagree with me, please understand that I have approached and intend to continue to approach this issue [...]

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Something new is around the corner…

October 16th, 2008 · 1 Comment

Stay tuned. I’ll be launching a new site by Monday at the latest.

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Things to remember in times like these

October 13th, 2008 · No Comments

“I know it’s stylish to be cynical these days.” Working for an investment bank has made me more likely to pay attention to economic news, and I’ve always been tuned into politics and global events. As depressing as they may sometimes seem, I think sometimes we need a reminder:
It’s cheesy, but nevertheless it speaks truth [...]

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Five easy ways to get more out of Gmail!

October 9th, 2008 · 1 Comment

These five simple, relatively unknown tips could each individually make your email life better. Together, there’s no stopping them (or you).
1) Quit worrying about periods! You can use period placement to filter your inbox, but spammers aren’t the only ones who occasionally misplace punctuation. Instead, add something like +spam or +mailinglist between your username and @gmail.com and filter [...]

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Relocation

October 6th, 2008 · 1 Comment

A little more than a week ago I loaded all my worldly possessions into my little car and drove away from Los Angeles. I dropped my car off in long-term parking at Long Beach Airport (which, as of Oct 1, 2008, now costs $11/day, if you’re wondering) and took a flight to Texas.
My stay there [...]

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From the Office of the Governator

October 2nd, 2008 · No Comments

Our work for the California Restaurant Association led directly to Tuesday’s signing of a compromise menu labeling bill by Gov. Schwarzenegger. It’s not all we would have liked, but it’s a definite victory. From his press release: 
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed SB 1420 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), which makes California the first state in the nation [...]

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