KALAMAZOO, Mich., and WASHINGTON – Michigan Citizen Action joined with the Fan Freedom Project today to issue a consumer alert about restrictive ticketing policies in effect for the April 12…
GRAND RAPIDS – The average airfare to fly out of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport dropped $9.50 in the third quarter of 2011 compared to the previous three months,…
I understand that automakers can’t make everybody happy, but it would be nice if they at least made me happy.
I have major doubts about that after reading a story in the Free Press yesterday about GM and other automakers’ plans entice my generation into buying new cars.
Our CEO Kelly Rossman-McKinney will be master of ceremonies for the
Popular directory of lobbyists and reporters coming to Android, iOS, BlackBerry LANSING – Truscott Rossman today released the first mobile app edition of the “Michigan Legislators’ Guide to Lobbyists & Reporters,” its…
LANSING –Truscott Rossman, Michigan’s premier bipartisan communications firm, started a new designated-giving tradition this year by offering employees $250 each to donate to a nonprofit organization of their choice. “It was…
LANSING – Gov. Rick Snyder’s “Extreme Makeover” of the state is the theme of Truscott Rossman’s 2012 calendar, which today goes out to more than 5,000 recipients worldwide. The popular calendar…
LANSING – State lawmakers, legislative staff and lobbyists remained full and energized during the final legislative session days of 2011, thanks to hundreds of pounds of fruit, cookies and other snacks…
We were proud to help our client Google put together its kickoff event in Detroit for the Michigan Get Your Small Business Online program, which is giving small businesses the tools they need to succeed on the Internet. Check out this great video from the event!
Nothing hurts worse than making a mistake that hurts people you care about. But we sure stepped in it yesterday by posting a caption contest for our annual calendar.
A month ago, Coke rolled out white Coca-Cola cans to celebrate the holidays. It was a symbol for a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund, meant to highlight global warming’s threat to polar bears' arctic habitat. The flop-of-a-campaign left Coke customers seeing red, and wanting back their precious red cans. Complaints of blasphemy came from consumers on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Sure enough, the drink giant’s spokesman announced this week that it would halt the production of white cans, shipping red back out by next week. And what happens to the 1.4 billion white cans that are being dumped because of the outcry... so much for saving the planet!?
Did you know the average Internet video viewer watched 21.1 hours online last month? That and more in today's roundup of links!
Jack Lessenberry's piece on Dale Kildee's "media lynching" deserves your attention. We've quoted part of the story below, but please read Lessenberry's full piece at Michigan Radio's website:
Patrick Clawson is one of the more aggressive investigative reporters I know.
The former CNN journalist is now semi-retired, and dabbles in a number of occupations. He is no great worshipper of government, titles or institutions. Last year he broke the news that Governor Granholm had awarded a huge tax break to a convicted embezzler whose business was entirely fiction.
Yet he is now outraged about a story he sees as totally irresponsible, and so am I. Yesterday, media throughout the state began reporting allegations that longtime Flint area congressman Dale Kildee improperly touched a young male second cousin of his more than half a century ago. The 82-year-old congressman, indignantly denied the allegations, and noted that the man making them had a long history of mental illness.
There has never previously been any hint of scandal involving Congressman Kildee, who has a wife, three children and announced months ago that he intended to retire after this term.
These stories bothered me when I saw them, because they contained absolutely no evidence or shred of proof. And because I know that any time anyone is accused of something like this, the accusation sticks to them through life, even if later exposed as totally false. What I didn’t know was that it had been checked out.
Pat Clawson contacted me last night and said that he and another well-known investigative journalist, a man instrumental in exposing Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick became aware of these allegations more than a year ago.
Clawson told me they both checked them out, and, “We each, separately and independently, came to the same conclusion. These allegations could not be substantiated in any way and were most likely false.” He notes the accuser has a record of drug abuse and a history of hospitalizations for mental illness.
As if we don’t have enough to do, this is the week we have to be thankful, too!
Frankly, I think going from 0-60 on that one is just too much to ask.
Still, we probably should make some effort, be it mumbling grace over our Turkey Day feast or doing a mental check-off on our gratitude for having a job, supportive family, whatever.
Don't miss Sharon Emery's op-ed, "End the bias on hiring people with disabilities" in today's Detroit Free Press!
Is it just a coincidence that the insular institutions involved in the alleged Penn State child sex scandal and those involving the Roman Catholic Church were both male-dominated? I don’t think so.
East Lansing, Mich. –– Nearly 200 educators from across the Great Lakes packed the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center for the state’s first place-based education conference on Nov. 9–10. The conference…
If you are expecting to read anything related to the latest medical solutions for killing viruses, you might want to go to Google.
The virus I’m referring to here is the power of a message that spreads quickly –
LANSING – Mike Nystrom, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA), today issued the following statement on Governor Rick Snyder’s message on infrastructure and transportation unveiled…
LANSING – Michigan is STILL not making the grade after receiving an overall D grade for infrastructure two years ago, the Michigan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers…
DETROIT – Michigan businesses can get free tools and resources to establish a website, find new customers and grow their businesses, when Google and its national and local partners launch Michigan,…
Here are some of the most exciting new features of the Facebook Timeline –
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan residents can be on the alert for dangerous roads and bridges – and immediately record them with a new mobile App unveiled by the Michigan Transportation…
LANSING, Mich. – Truscott Rossman is strengthening and expanding its team with the addition of recent Michigan State University graduate Lauren Zdeba as an associate account executive and former legislative staffer Wendy Larner as executive…
My daughter Jessica was among Michigan residents honored at the State Capitol Sept. 29 at the first annual “Donate Life” celebration, which honored organ donors, organ recipients and those still waiting for organ and tissue donations.
I knew the moment I gave away my daughter’s eyes and skin that those were the parts of her I’d miss the most.
Her eyes, those windows to the soul, so blue they could be a distraction. Her great aunt called them evidence of something special – as if we needed it.
Her skin, its texture and smell forever imprinted in my memory, conjuring images of my first born that I cannot live without. Especially now, nine years after her death, when memory IS Jessica.
Immediately after the accident – in those earliest moments of making my way through the buffered existence that is grief – answering “yes” to the question of whether my husband and I wanted to donate our daughter’s organs is one of the clearest things I remember.
A drowning victim at age 25, Jessica was a prime candidate for donation: young, no major illnesses, no wild lifestyle that could have harmed her beautiful body. She had lived a fairly circumscribed life, one defined more than we had hoped by her developmental disability.
But the world is a dangerous place, and life, fragile.
As mothers do, I had worried about that body, even as she lay on the beach while my husband and emergency workers tried to breathe life back into her. I lay down on the sand, straddling her ankles as they worked, trying to break the waves that persistently threatened to reach her. I tugged on the legs of her bathing suit, looking to preserve her modesty.
Ultimately, as the attempts to revive her grew more desperate, the EMS workers sliced open the entire front of her bathing suit and tried shocking her back to life.
Jessica never made it that far. Instead she made it to another place, one painful for most of us to even consider. Jessica became an organ donor.
As the parents of a daughter with special needs, her father and I were both burdened and blessed with the opportunity to maximize our child’s potential – even at the very end. For Jessica, donation was the opportunity to in essence create life, even though she never gave birth herself. Jessica needed help just to make it through the average day. In death, however, she became the helper – a role she relished on the rare occasion when it fell to her in life.
Everything possible had been done to save her – on the beach, in the ambulance, at the hospital. So when the nurse asked us if we wanted to see our daughter before making that long journey back home without her, we slowly shook our heads and answered simply, “No. She’s not here.”
That was when the next phase of guiding our child through life – the entire cycle of life, including death – began.
Without a heartbeat, her major organs were no longer viable for transplant. But other parts of her – eyes, bones and heart valves – could improve life and possibly even create additional days for someone else.
We didn’t succeed in saving her for ourselves on that warm August afternoon, but her gifts now extend beyond our dreams. At least three people are living better lives and perhaps longer lives because of our daughter.
Nine years on, we remain grateful for the whole of it – her birth, her life, her death and, most of all, her continued presence in the world.
Please consider joining the circle. If you don’t have a heart sticker on your Michigan driver’s license, you aren’t a registered organ donor. And you need to be. The lives of thousands of people literally depend on it.
Sign up on the Michigan Organ Donor Registry at www.Michigan.gov/sos.
Truscott Rossman is currently hiring an Executive Assistant for our Lansing office.
For more details or to apply, please contact our Chief Operating Officer Jeff Tippett at jtippett@truscottrossman.com or 517-487-9320.
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Key Accountabilities Gutting no-fault would wallop state’s economyLANSING – Auto insurers’ plan to gut Michigan’s no-fault law would deal a severe blow to the state’s economy. A study released today by East Lansing’s Anderson Economic Group estimates… Something to talk about
 On hurricane watch… in Michigan
Now, mid-week after the Storm-of-the-Century-that-Wasn’t, there’s a lot of second-guessing about the response of public officials and the media. “Over-reaction” is the catchphrase, especially on the part of the media. As one Internet commentator succinctly observed: CNN in hurricane = Pigs in sh** I gotta say, it was the weekend and I was glued to my TV set, along with the rest of the nation. Let’s face it, weather reporting is entertainment if you’re not in the storm’s path or worried about someone who is. So for most of the country, this was entertainment at its best: The information being transmitted not only held your interest but allowed you to participate in the country’s ever-flowing news conversation. Watching Hurricane Irene was kind of like watching Sarah Palin discuss Paul Revere – damn entertaining, with the added bonus of empowering listeners to pontificate on “national events.” That’s what passes for political discourse in this country these days, and newstainment feeds it. I loved the observation of Lee Siegel writing for The Daily Beast about what he considers our over-reaction to Irene: “… perhaps the most plausible reason for our wild response is that weather is authentic, while our public life is more and more fabricated. We long for the clarifying crisis because the response to it is clear and direct. We will know, as a nation, what to do in response to a disaster. In every other area of politics and social issues, we have no idea, as a nation, what to do.” That’s why I for one was glad to see our leaders being decisive with Irene. If some think it was overkill, so be it. I liked seeing our leaders dig in their heels and stand up to a problem. And the fact that Irene seemed to back down in response just added to the lore. Now I’m ready for our leaders, including those at the state and local level, to apply that kind of resolve to the problems that don’t have any entertainment value – the ones that really need solving. Michigan Voters Oppose Cuts to Auto Injury BenefitsLANSING – Nearly two-thirds of Michigan voters oppose the insurance industry’s efforts to avoid paying for the extensive medical care the state’s auto no-fault law requires them to provide severely… P.S. I Love You…Traverse CityLast week the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was named the most beautiful place in the country. For those of us fortunate enough to have grown up in Northern Michigan, (Traverse City for me), this is no surprise! The summers are magical, making up for the tremendously long winters. The fall is lovely. And Christmas in Traverse City is a Norman Rockwell painting. I am asked several times each summer what people should do on their vacation in the Grand Traverse Area… Thank goodness for coffee
 Ben Franklin once said that beer was proof God loves us and wants us to be happy. Coffee is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy. As much as I like a good beer, I could live without it. There is no way I would want to live without coffee. Crippen Buick GMC Mazda Volvo receives green dealer certificationLANSING, Mich. – Green Dealer Support (GDS), a national sustainability counseling organization, awarded Crippen Buick GMC Mazda Volvo (Crippen) with green dealer certification today. Crippen is the first dealership in… A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words: Why NOT a Photo Op?
Attention candidates: Your staff's latest brainstorm - a clever photo opportunity - can break your election mojo faster than I can say "Michele Bachmann swallows." Resist the urge to blindly follow your campaign team's itinerary and instead ask yourself this: If I do this will I look like...
I used to be an intern in the Clinton White House?
 A total dweeb playing GI Joe in a toy helmet?
 I moonlight as a proctologist?  I played a sperm in Woody Allen's "Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex (But Were Afraid To Ask)?"  I'm a hypocritical homophobe who secretly enjoys a man-on-man hug more than I should?  I'm a clueless dork going through the motions?  And just in case you-the-candidate think you can suck it up and put lipstick on a pig in front of a camera ala a Rick Santorum concession speech, remind yourself that your family might not be the Academy Award winning performers you turned out to be. 
How to rock your internship from start to finish
How NOT to get an internshipIn the interest in helping interns get hired and in the interest of easing the workload of the folks at TR who review internship requests, here are a few tips of what not to do when applying for an internship. Good luck in your internship hunt! Lansing Area Women Come Together to Support Child Care, Early Childhood EducationLANSING, Mich. – More than 200 area women are expected to raise money for child care and early education programs by attending a Women’s Caring Program (WCP) Twilight Gathering next… The Brainstorming Game: Stupid or Stupendous?How can we create an environment in our business or workplace where new ideas are encouraged and celebrated? Megan Brown offers ideas for brainstorming. Are you using a modern web browser?You might not pay that much attention to what web browser you use. Most computer users seem to just use whatever was bundled with their computer. If you haven’t looked at new web browsers lately – you’re probably missing out. Hope Network to strengthen SE Michigan behavioral health, rehabilitation servicesGRAND RAPIDS - Pontiac-based New Passages Behavioral Health & Rehabilitation Services today joined forces with Hope Network, a statewide provider of specialty health care services and community-based programs, strengthening care… Rising Women Leaders in Grand RapidsThe other day I had lunch with a woman who is absolutely spectacular. A fond farewell to Truscott Rossman
It is difficult to come to terms with the final day of my year-long stint as senior intern with Truscott Rossman. I can’t help but feel nostalgic as I walk the halls of Boji’s eighth floor, knowing that today is the capstone moment of a long, arduous and highly-rewarding internship adventure. Michigan businesses first in country to benefit from new impact investment initiativeLansing, Mich. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), State of Michigan Retirement Systems (“SMRS”), The Dow Chemical Company and InvestAmerica have partnered to provide Michigan businesses with debt and equity… Are Europeans better at newspapers than Americans?
Putting all the ethical questions aside, the recent kerfuffle over News of the World in London casts images in my mind of the great newspaper wars of old. European newspapers just seem more exciting than their stodgy American counterparts. Spinning in Hollywood: Meg’s Top 5 Public Relations Flicks
1. The Queen – After Princess Diana died in a horrific car crash in 1997, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Royal Family disagree over how to address her death publicly. The movie examines the Royal PR team’s attempt to distance themselves from the “people’s princess,” after the messy divorce of Charles and Diana. Blair convinces the Queen to make affectionate comments about her grandchildren’s mother or a PR nightmare will ensue. 2. Frost/Nixon – Richard Nixon, the shamed former U.S. president attempts to save his face and legacy with a historic interview with David Frost. The movie portrays PR pros on both sides of the interview preparing their subjects and attempting to control the outcomes of the interview. Look out for Nixon’s top political PR aides: Jack Brennan (played by Kevin Bacon), and a young Diana Sawyer (played by Kate Jennings Grant). 3. Jerry Maguire – “The key to this business is personal relationships…” Dicky Fox gives Jerry Maguire the best advice he’ll ever get. In this film, we see Maguire go off the deep end. He leaves the comfort of a firm to go into business for himself. The only thing that will save him is his key relationships. Great film – and some of the best one liners of all time! 4. Ohmail vs. Email
So today’s announcement from Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warning that mail delivery could move to just three days a week – possibly in 15 years – is hardly earth shattering. Summer reading for the PR professional
There are few better ways to spend a hot summer day than lying on the beach with a good book. While many prefer their summer reading on the lighter side, there are plenty of good reads that will sharpen your PR skills without leaving you passed out and burning in the sun halfway through the book. Here’s my short list. Charlie Cain: The Man, The Myth, The LegendCharlie Cain's brilliant writing skills, institutional knowledge, great smile and loving spirit will be missed at Truscott Rossman, and in Lansing. We will miss our buddy. We may just have to memorialize that quote board. TR featured in Grand Rapids’ Rapid Growth Media todayCheck out Rapid Growth Media today for a great story on our firm's expansion into Grand Rapids: In John Truscott's opinion, Grand Rapids is a "high energy, high growth city." That's… Hello Spotify: Streaming music onlineToday, the Swedish music service Spotify launched in the United States. Spotify has long been considered one of the best streaming music services (with ten million users worldwide), but due to copyright restrictions, was never available in the States until now. Pretty cool stuff. Free concert in Lansing’s Durant Park tomorrow night!
Kick back, relax and enjoy some smooth jazz tomorrow evening at the free “Rhythm of Summer” jazz concert in Durant Park from 5 to 7 p.m., featuring Lansing’s Too Smooth for Notes! Are Michigan lawmakers suffering from a fear of tweeting?Not that I’m looking for Michigan’s version of Anthony Weiner … but I’d love to see a Michigan politician make a bold, important move on Twitter. The recipe for teamwork
That same teamwork is being applied at Truscott Rossman. Our team has a wide array of skills and experience. It isn’t too often I have to go outside of our team to get the information I need to serve my clients. In addition, we all know that our work product is better with lots of input because you never know who will have the next great idea. Memories of Charlie CainMemories of our friend and colleague Charlie Cain. Remembering Charlie CainAward winning Michigan journalist Charlie Cain died Saturday at Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital following a brief, but valiant battle with cancer. Cain, 60, had been a Detroit News reporter and… Charlie CainWe are saddened by the loss of our friend and colleague Charlie Cain. He was a truly valuable member of the Truscott Rossman team and he will be sorely missed… This doesn’t happen in Grand RapidsIt is a beautiful sunny day in Grand Rapids, but today all Grand Rapidians are in shock and disbelief of the tragic happenings that occurred yesterday. From the time I left my home, to the moment I walked into the office, every person that I encountered had a comment about yesterday, and I heard a version of “this doesn’t happen in Grand Rapids” at least three or four times. Big scary technology
Communities like Royal Oak, Sterling Heights and even liberal, hipster Ann Arbor feel that if their elected officials are emailing or texting during meetings, then it must be to discuss city business, which is in violation of the Open Meetings Act. Transparency in government must absolutely be protected, but I can’t help but think an outright ban on these communications tools goes one step too far. Communication: When you don’t speak the same language …Last week, my family embarked (together!) on our biggest adventure yet - my brother’s wedding in Daegu, South Korea. It was an once-in-a-lifetime experience, and memories were made that will be engrained in our hearts forever. One part of the trip that was sometimes challenging was the language barrier. Why Google+ is worth checking outDespite previous failures, I think Google+ offers a number of useful features that make it worth using. Over time, I can see Google+ growing to become a formidable rival to Facebook and Twitter. Here are some reasons I think it’s worth checking out Google+. Happy Social Media Day!In celebration of Mashable’s Social Media Day (#SMDay) – “a day to celebrate the revolution of media becoming social” – I thought I would use my weekly blog post to honor some of the things I love about social media. The Mitten’s spectacular shoreline – Should we let the rest know?
It’s astounding that the world hasn’t discovered Michigan’s vacation real estate yet. Aside from Madonna in Bay Harbor and a few other celebrity enclaves in Northwest Michigan, the rest of Michigan’s 3,200 miles of Great Lakes shoreline are open for business! You might want to get up for this…
Sitting can kill you. It’s no joke, sitting for prolonged periods of time is extremely bad for your health. Even if you exercise regularly, if you sit for several hours a day, you are at a greater risk for several leading causes of death, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes. City needs more time to improve marijuana store rules, residents, businesses sayLANSING – City residents, business owners and community leaders today called on the Lansing City Council to extend the moratorium on new marijuana stores, allowing more time to draft responsible… News industry will get better
“It gets better,” is the key message of an incredible social media campaign to support gay youths who face bullying, but it’s also a phrase I found myself using on Tuesday. That’s when 15 of my former colleagues and friends at the Lansing State Journal were laid off. In pursuit of “going viral”Planning quirkiness seems a lot like planning happiness – a direct assault rarely pays off. Like happiness, virality is a byproduct. You have to find just the right initial experience for both happiness and virality to emerge. That’s the quest we’re all on. MDOT Undergoes Major ReorganizationLANSING – A Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) reorganization plan, which cuts staff and offices, was heralded today by the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association (MITA). The “MDOT Reinvented” plan,… A ride on the wild side
Good customer service is not industry specific
When people have experiences that exceed expectations they will want to come back. Kids’ Food Basket: Yet Another Reason to Love Grand RapidsThe Kids' Food Basket is an amazing not-for-profit organization that helps “attack childhood hunger” here in Grand Rapids. It’s time for King James to put down the royal shovelHow did LeBron James become the most hated person in professional sports? He made a bad decision. And I’m still amazed someone in his inner circle didn’t stop it. “The Decision,” as it was publicized, was an epic public relations disaster. It instantly hurled a spotless NBA superstar into America’s number one villain. Like many people, I watched the entire hour-long show because I couldn’t believe James and his team would do something so stupid, not because I cared where James was going to play basketball. Truscott Rossman Earns National Recognition with PRSA Bronze Anvil AwardLANSING – Truscott Rossman, Michigan’s premier bipartisan strategic communications firm, received a national 2011 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation from the Public Relations Society of America for its work with the… Why do my thumbs hurt?
Why do my thumbs hurt? Wait, my arm is tingling and numb. Ouch, I have a knot in my chest. Are these just symptoms of getting older? What's up with this? Whatever Steve Jobs is selling — I’m buying
In “The Manchurian Candidate,” Frank Sinatra’s character is brainwashed into calling his commanding officer “the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life.” Dapper Dads and Women Working Wonders Rockin’ in LansingAfter record-setting attendance and votes, the Dapper Dads event raised more than $117,000, nearly tripling funds raised during last year’s event. The top finishers (determined by the number of $5 votes each contestant drew) were Ken Stewart from Jackson National Life and Glenn Granger from Granger Construction. The dads included area doctors, lawyers, lobbyists, athletes, news anchors, business owners and more. Tell TED –
My talk on the “Disabled Listener” is 14 minutes of me talking about being a stutterer and dealing with all of you fluent speakers. That description makes even me cringe, so you can understand why I’ve been absolutely blown away by the positive response. (The official versions of the TEDx Lansing talks have just been released on YouTube, so if you’re one of the 600 people who endured the unofficial version of my talk, please take another look.)
Don’t wait for bad news to get worseThe moral of the story is to be ready and act immediately to counter any situation that can damage your reputation. You can’t rely on others to accurately tell your story. Reporters often don’t have the time – and too often fail to take the initiative – to fact check an “official” source before publishing a story. Official sources – from police officers to elected leaders to company representatives – get stuff wrong too. My journey to the networking Super Bowl
When I started going to networking events four years ago, “networking” seemed like a euphemism for forced conversation. Plus, I always felt pressure to get something out of it – land a new client, reinforce my personal brand or impress some big CEO. Grand Rapids: Cool City, Hot ArtIt is an exciting time to be a Grand Rapidian. In the past couple of weeks, the Grand Rapids Lip Dub has received national TV coverage, Newsweek Truscott Rossman Named No. 1 Michigan PR firm by MIRS/EPIC-MRAGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Less than six months after its launch by the state’s two most effective communications consultants, Truscott Rossman was named Michigan’s top public relations firm by the… Truscott Rossman’s Secret to Success: OwnershipSuccessful organizations build ownership among their stakeholders. Truscott Rossman: Michigan’s most effective public relations firm – againYesterday, MIRS and EPIC-MRA released their most recent biennial survey of state Capitol insiders. 48 percent of all respondents selected Truscott Rossman as the "Most Effective Public Relations Consulting Firm." We are truly honored! The importance of key influencers onlineOne message – sent to just a thousand people – set off a firestorm last week, putting a major retail chain on the defensive and generating many negative media stories in the process. This wouldn’t have been possible without the power of social media – and more importantly, the power of building the right network of key online influencers to help carry a message online. Here’s to a tie-free Island!
Yes, it’s the Detroit Regional Chamber’s annual “Mackinac Policy Conference” – where networking and political fundraising are taken to high art form and lobbyists, staff and reporters steer people – politicians and the business mucky-mucks – either to or away from each other. Don’t be afraid to take a step back to get across the finish line
Never be afraid to take a step back, ask for help or ask tough questions. It’s the only way you will know if you’re going in the right direction. Turning 27Well…it’s here… today is my 27th birthday. It was a year full of ups and downs, and of course, my first wrinkle. Michigan Transportation Team Headed to Washington to Advocate for Highway, Sewer FundingLANSING – Michigan Transportation Team (MTT) officials will travel to Washington, D.C., this week to make sure lawmakers know that the level of investment proposed for Michigan in the FY12… Arnold keepin it real with less than ideal
Not to prolong this Arnold thing, but the news just keeps getting juicier! The latest headline: “Arnold's Two Sons Born Days Apart.” CNN is reporting that California birth records show Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son with a member of his household staff was born the same week as his son with wife Maria Shriver. You can’t help but rewind to nine months previous and speculate on the logistics of that. Or not. Might be TMI. Apparently divorce records show the housekeeper’s husband left her a few weeks after she gave birth to Schwarzenegger’s son. Regrettable, but understandable. Another marriage down the tubes. Now Arnold and Maria are Splitsville and Maria and her kids are spotted frolicking on the beach while Arnold is seen driving in his fancy car – alone. We like our celebrities to do at least some atonement, and for Arnold, that may be enough for us. Can’t help thinking about “Mad Men’s” Don Draper’s observations about what we want:
We know the world’s not perfect and yet we pursue the ideal. That’s the reason social science experts say the number of U.S. households with married couples is declining. In Michigan it’s down to 48 percent, according to the latest Census figures. “People do value marriage, but it’s more like an ideal, not a necessity,” news reports have quoted Bill Doherty, University of Minnesota professor, as saying. If we’re chasing the ideal, no wonder we’re disappointed – and no wonder we ourselves disappoint. Truscott Rossman grows Grand Rapids officeLANSING, Mich. – Truscott Rossman, Michigan’s premier bipartisan strategic communications firm, is pleased to announce the addition of Kim Boyer-McLaughlin as Director of Strategic Marketing. She will be based in… Sharon Emery at TEDxLansing 2011
Here's Truscott Rossman VP Sharon Emery's speech from TEDxLansing 2011: "The Disabled Listener: They can talk, they can hear, they just don't listen:" “I am truly sorry.”Sharon Emery: I’m experiencing a kind of wonderment today regarding the news that former California Gov. Arnold Public Transit Officials Call for Increased Transportation Funding, Launch New Website to Help Citizens Cope with Gas PricesLANSING, Mich. – Increasing the state’s investment in public transit would create jobs vital to Michigan’s economic turnaround and give commuters reprieve from skyrocketing gas prices, members of the state’s… iPad in businessThe iPad is a great business tool. Here, we look at some of our favorite notetaking apps. 15 Billion Gallons of Sewage Dumped Into Michigan WatersLANSING – Almost 15 billion gallons of foul, raw or partially treated sewage, enough to fill nearly 25,000 Olympic size swimming pools – has been dumped into Michigan's rivers, lakes… Shepler’s grateful for MPSC involvement, despite canceled Mackinac Island ferry hearingsMACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. – The owners of Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry today praised the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for its part in helping the ferry operator get a franchise… Truscott Rossman Launches New WebsiteLANSING, Mich. – Truscott Rossman, Michigan’s premier bipartisan strategic communications firm, today unveiled its new website, www.TruscottRossman.com. The website features 24/7 access to the online edition of the 2011-2012 “Michigan Legislators’… Inside Truscott RossmanA look inside Truscott Rossman, with photos by Andrea Kerbuski. |
How about it? Was everyone obsessed with Hurricane Irene over the weekend or what? I was on the shores of Lake Huron and couldn’t help speculating that the nonstop wind and roiling of those beautiful green waters just had to be hurricane related – even though the wind off the lake was coming from the north and Irene was barreling her way up from the south. Details!
I went to work with my husband Sunday night.