What's The Diff?

The things Quicken Loans team members care about and want to share with the world

Model D Media: Portraying a Positive Detroit

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Model D: Good Stuff in DetroitIt’s easy to find stuff to complain about in Detroit. I was born and raised there, so I know first-hand. Every night, the local news serves as a not-so-friendly reminder of the crime and despair in some areas of the city.

Now that I’ve given the stereotypical view of the city, let me introduce you to a bright spot: Model D.
Model D is a site that showcases all of the good things happening in the city of Detroit. From the West side to the East side to Midtown and Downtown, they cover everything you would think of and wouldn’t think of. I subscribe to the Model D blog and every time I read it, it gives me a sense of pride and makes me proud to say, “I’m from Detroit”.

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Remembering Randy Pausch “The Last Lecturer”

Monday, July 28, 2008

Like many people, I first heard about Randy Pausch when he became an internet sensation with his "last lecture."  And a sensation it was.  Pausch’s last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University in September 2007 attracted international acclaim and was viewed by several million on the Internet.

Pausch also collaborated with Wall Street Journal writer and author Jeffery Zaslow for a best-selling book about his last lecture. The book has remained at the top of non-fiction best sellers lists since its publication in April of 2007.

According to the AP, Pausch was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in September 2006. More from the AP:

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Are you down with Green Patriot Posters?

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Are you a Green Patriot?My main homie Charlie (7 times down, 8 times up) Kondek told me about Green Patriot
Posters (www.greenpatriotposters.org), "a new environmental campaign utilizing art and design to mobilize
Americans to face the ecological crisis posed by global climate
change."

He asked me if I’d mention it here on the DIFF.  Heckie yeah, I will.

According to Charlie, Green Patriot Posters is partnering with leading designers and design
firms to produce inspiring imagery for the campaign. Right now, a series of
posters designed by Michael Bierut is on 70 buses in
Cleveland. You can also see images of these buses here, at the site of
photographer Billy Delfs.

Charlie continued with: "Other designs by other
designers will be appearing as a result of this campaign in the coming months.
In September, Green Patriot Posters will launch an online competition.
Participants will be able to submit Green Patriot Poster designs, as well as
view and vote on posters from others."

Sounds cool to me – a great cause and a great idea. I love it and hope you do too!

Thanks Charlie and MS&L Digital for hooking me up with the great info. I hope this campaign is a huge success.

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How in the world did the Quicken Loans blog become a destination for folks having a conversation about Spirit Airlines?

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

This is a very interesting case study in blogging, word of mouth, and search.

Very interesting indeed.

It seems that a post on our blog has become a place for Spirit Airlines’ customers to converse about their experiences and service with Spirit.

People having a conversation about Spirit Airlines on the Quicken Loans blog? Huh?

How did this happen without anyone at Quicken Loans starting (or joining) the conversation? In fact, the only thing we’ve ever written about Spirit Airlines is a very positive experience one of our marketing project managers had last year.

Very interesting. Very interesting indeed. 

Here’s how it all went (and is still going – we just got another comment yesterday) down:

Continue reading “How in the world did the Quicken Loans blog become a destination for folks having a conversation about Spirit Airlines?” »

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It’s All-Ways or No Ways

Monday, July 21, 2008

All-Ways Towing Moves This Quicken Loans Guest BloggerBy Paul J. Pickett

Have you ever heard anyone brag on how good a towing company is? 

No way.

Me either.

So I can hardly believe I’m writing this post.  Okay, so here’s how it went down.  My wife called me at work a few evenings ago and said her car wouldn’t start – the engine wouldn’t even “turn over” (read: no sound when she turned the key). Since I’ve never had a stellar tow company experience, I Googled “towing company in Farmington Hills, MI” to find one close to my wife and her car. A bunch of companies popped up, but one stuck out to me – All-Ways Towing – because of the numerous testimonials from people who used words like “honest,” “ inexpensive,”  and “fast.”

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The Shooting Gallery Photography. Peace of Mind, Free with Purchase.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Shooting Gallery PhotographySo, I’m getting married. That’s not "new" news to anyone within a 3-country radius of me, but for the sake of the post… I’m marrying this super great guy in November. (Put your yak bag down–this isn’t about how my boyfriend is The DIFF–I have boundaries.)

Thing is, if you’ve ever planned a wedding you know that there’s this whole separate subculture of brides-to-be and their wedding day vendors. Photographers, florists, halls, hair stylists, DJs, make-up artists… You can almost smell the brow-sweat when you visit any of the wedding websites. And from a bride’s perspective, after all your virtual pavement-pounding from website to website, your research, your excel sheets, budgeting, phone calls and interviewing… half of you just really wants to hop the red eye to Vegas. Okay, more than half.

Continue reading “The Shooting Gallery Photography. Peace of Mind, Free with Purchase.” »

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Looking to Move? CNN Money’s Great Cities to Move To!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

CNNMoney: America's Best Places to Live 2008I was born and raised in the city of Detroit.  And though I love my city and have been in many arguments where I defend it – let’s face it, it is not one of the best places to live.  Especially if you are raising a family, have children in school or want some peace and quiet.  Now even though I love my city, I am always curious about what makes a city an ideal place to move.

Low and behold, as I’m munching on my lunch yesterday, I see a headline on the Yahoo frontpage that reads, "America’s best places to live”.  Now the article itself is pretty long, but it is worth a read as it lists 10 small cities that are ideal locations for families.

Check out some of these towns:

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A viral email success – click to feed a friend on the Animal Rescue Site

Monday, July 14, 2008

The Animal Rescue site celebrates its 6th anniversaryI think I’ve received the Animal Rescue site email about 10 times over the past several years. Many of you have probably received it too.

The latest time came from the one person who certifies it (in my mind at least) as bona fide viral. That would be my mom. She forwarded it to me and a few dozen other folks that she considers "animal lovers."

"Hello folks, sending this out to my animal loving friends. All you have to do is visit the site site and click the little button at the top of the page. They donate food to hungry dogs."

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Fresh from Detroit – Peaches, Greens and all produce in between

Thursday, July 10, 2008

New Grocery Businesses in Detroit are Great! I’m from Detroit, so I know how difficult it is to find good fresh groceries within the city limits. Of course there’s the Eastern Market, which I love. The problem is it’s pretty far to travel, especially if you just need a few things.

More and more, little produce places are popping up throughout the city and I’m loving it.

The most recent store I’ve seen crop up (pun intended) is Peaches and Greens. Thanks to Model D for the great picture of their building. I love it especially because they’re planning to stock the shelves with produce grown in their own local garden.

Continue reading “Fresh from Detroit – Peaches, Greens and all produce in between” »

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It must be in the water – American Beverage Association gives you the facts about bottled water

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

American Beverage Association makes it easy learn about water quality

I love that old saying.  If your friends all fell in love last month, “there must be something in the water”.  If your entire office seems to be announcing their pregnancies this year, “it must be in the water”. If only those were the real issues we had on our mind when drinking the cold clear stuff that’s necessary for life.

If you’re like me, you’ve become pretty skeptical of drinking any kind of water these days.  It feels like every second a new study is released that proves one type is more contaminated than the other, one more expensive than the other, or one more wasteful than the other.  So which kind is best for you?

Continue reading “It must be in the water – American Beverage Association gives you the facts about bottled water” »

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Thursday, May 17, 2012