tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35605202642622457712012-01-18T19:33:08.095-05:00MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.comBlogger1211100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-11978878092640626692012-01-17T11:44:00.008-05:002012-01-18T16:10:22.754-05:00

Ever wonder what is going on in your local area or in a place you will be visiting on a certain date? Flurbit.com is a search engine that attempts to collect all activities in a certain area. You can search by area, designating the mile radius you are willing to travel and which categories you are interested in. Looking for all the sport activities or family activities or performing arts

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-6850886218405191232012-01-17T10:47:00.006-05:002012-01-17T14:38:36.450-05:00

Jim Collins wrote the widely acclaimed book Good to Great a little over 10 years ago. Now he has written a follow up book Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck -- why some thrive despite them all.The basic premise of the book is that it is the choices we make, not chance, that determines a company's fate. This readable book with advice and excellent examples of enterprises that have been

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-76800830362329670342011-07-27T09:27:00.000-04:002011-07-27T09:27:00.168-04:00

So you think you could do a better job with the budget situation than our current leaders in Washington? Now's your chance. There's a computer game titled "Budget Hero 2.0" and according to a story in the Washington Post, you can play and see how your policies would work. The game was developed by the Woodrow Wilson Center along with American Public Media. Jane Harman is a former Representative

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-55756469474754476362011-07-21T17:00:00.000-04:002011-07-21T17:00:02.572-04:00

According to a recent Pew Research survey, the average age is getting older for those of us using social networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The number of social networking sites users has doubled just since 2008.The Pew Research survey has some very interesting statistics on the age of social network users, the frequency of use, and how trusting social network users are. Read the full

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-15547391806772060442011-07-13T09:42:00.000-04:002011-07-13T16:12:52.381-04:00

Urban areas constantly have to work to manage the vines and shrubs that can overwhelm their green spaces. This usually requires lots of manpower, time, and equipment during the growing season. But there is another way---I found an article in Virginia Town and City, May 2011, that I loved. The City of Charlottesville is trying another approach--goats! This spring their new program was launched.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-89950327490780711322011-07-05T10:55:00.011-04:002011-07-07T15:51:59.722-04:00

Innovation involves change and change can be difficult to implement. For "practical advice on fostering innovation within your agency," use the Public Sector Innovation Toolkit as a guide. The toolkit helps you learn about the innovation process, evaluate your organization's capacity for innovation, assess the strengths of an idea, and get tips on putting together a business case. All the tools

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-55221034701314780042011-07-01T11:59:00.000-04:002011-07-01T11:59:00.365-04:00

Twenty-one new words for social media have been added to the 2011 print edition of the AP Stylebook. So are you an end-user or are you just having an enduser experience?See the complete list of words added and their definitions for more details. And if by chance you need a mobile version of the AP Stylebook, apps are available for your Blackberry or IPhone, IPad, or IPod Touch.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-26034740741843127942011-06-21T14:41:00.000-04:002011-06-21T14:41:00.369-04:00

But are you going to get away? Do you view vacation as a luxury, or as a necessity vital to your health? According to the 2011 Work Stress Survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 77 percent of Americans are stressed about at least one thing related to their job. Top stressors included low pay, commuting, unreasonable workload and fear of being fired. But despite the stress, only 57 percent of

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-73325795889763542342011-06-15T16:00:00.002-04:002011-06-15T16:00:01.675-04:00

Has your agency implemented any apps yet? PTI ( the Public Technology Institute) is compiling The Book of Apps: Innovation in Government. You are invited to share success stories about any apps that your agency has developed and implemented. Submit information on apps by September 1, 2011. Include a description, how the apps are used, and the impact on citizen engagement and government service

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-51647495173675918522011-06-09T14:16:00.000-04:002011-06-09T14:16:01.082-04:00

Twitter has certainly been in the news lately. The original claim by Congressman Weiner that his Twitter account had been hacked caused Twitter to issue some tips about how to keep an Internet account safe. Some of these include:strong passwords including numbers and symbolsuse of unique passwords for each website usedbeing aware of suspicious linksdon't give out usernames or passwordshave

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-25437364923419549372011-06-03T09:44:00.000-04:002011-06-03T09:44:00.571-04:00

In the May 2011 issue of American City and County I spotted an interesting article titled "Mobilizing governments." The article discusses how governments are utilizing mobile technologies for their own and their citizens' advantage. Our neighboring county, Fairfax County, was prominently featured in this article. By the end of this year, one in two Americans will own a smartphone according to

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-1828689210573588832011-05-27T15:00:00.003-04:002011-05-27T15:00:05.165-04:00

Royal Pingdom has some fascinating internet numbers for 2010. Broken down by categories like Email, Websites, Social Media, Domain Names, and Internet Users, the numbers are impressive. As they say, be prepared for a good kind of information overload. Here is a sampling:89% of emails are spam - that's 262 billion per day107 trillion emails were sent on the Internet in 2010255 million - number of

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-71596953994560149362011-05-19T10:00:00.000-04:002011-05-19T10:00:02.499-04:00

As an employee, do you feel your boss really listens to you? As a boss, do you think you are really listening to your employees?Listening is hard work! But, a recent posting on the Washington Post's On Leadership: The Federal Coach has some tips and advice for those wishing to pay more attention to their listening skills.1. Listen, repeat, ask questons to gather more information.2. Don't be

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-46257781801545206122011-05-12T12:00:00.000-04:002011-05-18T12:59:17.922-04:00

Have lots of notes in various places---if you need a central place for notes that is searchable and conveniently located on your phone or your computer. Springpad may answer your needs. "Springpad gives you a place to quickly and easily save anything you want to remember. Take a note, create a task, scan a product barcode and look up the book your friend mentioned."Material can be saved into

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-53552847363408795162011-05-06T09:34:00.000-04:002011-05-06T09:34:00.870-04:00

Back in February, I wrote a piece about the importance of writing thank you notes in business.This was from an article by Peter Post, Emily Post's grandson and director of The Emily Post Institute. I ran across another interesting article by him in the March/April issue of Training.He gives five "essential" tips for people preparing for an interview--it could be a job interview, it could be for a

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-27382807210092174472011-04-28T09:00:00.000-04:002011-04-28T09:00:14.615-04:00

We've run across some interesting tidbits of info for you from the March issue ofGovernment Technology:We've all heard stories of pedestrians having accidents due to texting and other technology distractions. Well a few states are starting to take action. In New York, a bill was pending that would ban the use of mobile devices while crossing the street. Oregon and Virginia had bills pending that

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-43322092429061135992011-04-21T18:59:00.017-04:002011-04-22T10:34:54.449-04:00

I came across an article recently that got my attention – it had to do with happiness, society and how you live your life and it is the subject of a lecture by Lord Richard Layard, “Is a Happier Society Possible?” According to Lord Layard, if we ask the question “how should we live?” the answer is: “we should each aim to produce the most happiness we can in the world around us, and the least

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-39410311323175076262011-04-08T13:00:00.000-04:002011-04-08T13:00:06.264-04:00

The U.S. Census Bureau released Virginia's 2010 Census data for the local areas on February 3. The February 2011 edition of Virginia Town & City had some of the highlights, according to the Demographics & Workforce Group of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. Here are a few of those highlights: Virginia's population now totals 8 million. This reflects a

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-23028542265412140982011-04-04T12:24:00.004-04:002011-04-16T13:55:13.483-04:00

We've all done this---we click on a link without thinking and immediately every one of our email contacts is getting spam seemingly from us.David King shows us how to begin to minimize the damage. (This information is toward the end of the post).The first step is not to panic, then admit the mistake publicly, try to delete the mistake if you can and finally if the mistake was potentially

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-9354437081006718682011-03-27T12:04:00.004-04:002011-04-19T15:16:23.078-04:00

According to Jared Newman of PCWorld, Google Chrome is still the best web browser. Even with new versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox coming out, Newman still prefers Google Chrome. Read his recent article "Sorry IE9 and Firefox, Here's Why I'm Sticking with Google Chrome" to find out why.Then tell us which web browser is your favorite and why you like it.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-26992785131297327182011-03-26T10:01:00.016-04:002011-03-31T11:03:46.474-04:00

If your business or government agency has a Facebook or other social media presence, you may be concerned about how to handle negative comments. A recent article from Biz Report provides some guidance in Eight Ways to Manage Negativity on Facebook Pages. The article recommends: having a clear policy about the the type of discussion you expect and the consequences for followers who don't play by

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-52004819936269907742011-03-23T13:09:00.000-04:002011-03-23T13:09:00.490-04:00

As proud as we Americans are of our democratic process, we are not very good when it comes to actually showing up at the polls. According to an article in the December 2010 issue of Governing, the US ranks around 140 in voter participation among the world's countries. Some point to weekday voting as a contributing factor for this embarrassingly low voter-turnout rate. Why Tuesday? is a national

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-17494101096914151452011-03-16T11:31:00.001-04:002011-03-16T15:05:40.554-04:00

Free Management Library is an educational web site featuring free, online practical information that visitors can apply quickly. There are 650 topics with over 10,000 links to articles about personal, professional and organizational development for nonprofits as well as for profit institutions.Since Social Media is such a hot topic these days, I selected that topic from the Free Management

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-45554821062481556622011-03-10T16:00:00.000-05:002011-03-10T16:00:04.920-05:00

Check out AreaVibes. This is an interesting web site which combines demographic information with interesting statistics on the cost of living, crime, education and employment for a city. There is an overall areavibe score for the city and how the city ranks within the state and nationally.Need to know how many airports are within 30 miles of the city, or the average amount of time for a one way

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-62752953050608391602011-03-03T20:00:00.000-05:002011-03-03T20:00:00.697-05:00

What are the employer's cost for employee compensation? What is the current participation in individual retirement accounts? Almost any question you might have about employee benefits can be answered by the Databook on Employee Benefits which is maintained by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.The databook contains 60 chapters with several appendices including a legislative history of

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-32333694526834639152011-02-24T10:21:00.003-05:002011-02-28T08:58:56.400-05:00

"Don't forget to send a thank you note!" Seems we've been hearing that advice since we were kids. And those of us who are parents continue the reminder for our own children. But do you remember to do the same at work? When was the last time you sent a "thank-you" to a fellow worker who went out of his way to help out? Or how about that last job interview? Did you send the interviewer a note

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-34149118508622292362011-02-17T17:00:00.000-05:002011-02-17T17:00:04.753-05:00

Okay, you were all set to dive into the next project and really make some headway when....someone stops by to chat, the phone rings.... interruptions happen. Sound familiar?Following these tips from Jason W. Womack of the Womack Company will give you uninterrupted time again. He suggests:1. Setting "ask me" times during the day. Set aside several times during the day when your team can ask you

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-7126933524953704702011-02-10T12:45:00.000-05:002011-02-10T12:45:00.403-05:00

Addictomatic searches the best live web sites for the latest news, pictures, tweets, etc. Search for your business, your name, a current event or something that interests you. The result will show what Twitter, YouTube, Google Blogs, Yahoo Web Search, Flickr and more have on your search topic.This morning I put in Cairo and saw pictures, video, tweets and news reports on the current situation in

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-36781311644255259802011-02-03T13:01:00.008-05:002011-02-03T18:16:28.441-05:00

How do you select the applications (apps) that will be most valuable for you on your Android, Apple handheld devices or BlackBerry? The number of apps available can be overwhelming. Apple currently has 332,230 apps available, Android has 107,539 apps and BlackBerry is reported to have over 10,000.So how do you choose? Here's a blog of My Favorite Apps and Searcher Magazine in the December 2010

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-67778500428479805972011-01-27T12:10:00.004-05:002011-01-27T18:08:33.286-05:00

According to A National Survey of Social Media in State Government the average age of a social network user is 40 years old! To find out how states are using social media to connect with citizens, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) conducted a survey of states to see what states have adopted, how current applications are applied and the extent that

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-21651310939183527992011-01-19T11:48:00.009-05:002011-01-21T15:46:03.447-05:00

Curious about life expectancy in Virginia, or air quality, education or health? What is the employment outlook? This data and more can be found at Virginia Performs, a site with facts on every aspect of life in Virginia. Data is gathered from state and national sources and can be viewed in text, graph or map form. You can also compare Virginia's numbers to other states or regions within

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-31940070318158017712011-01-12T09:06:00.000-05:002011-01-12T09:06:00.745-05:00

Let's start at the beginning: RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." There's a very quick and clear explanation of RSS on YouTube.Another good place to get basic information on RSS is the government's website USA.gov, "Government Made Easy." Like the site says, it's an easy way to keep up with news and information that's important to you. The content is delivered directly to you rather than

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-38923528360907177642011-01-11T11:35:00.019-05:002011-01-12T14:55:48.583-05:00

These are the links to the Chamber of Commerce presentation on Twitter for Business. If you have any other Twitter tips, please share.Twitter CreatorCommon CraftHowcast How to Use TwitterWhat is Following on TwitterSearch on TwitterTwibs for BusinessFriend or FollowTwittercounterExecTweetsSee how Kodak, Naked Pizza , and street vendors use Twitter to draw businessBy using Twitter one pizza place

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-47482728177675477932011-01-07T15:03:00.017-05:002011-01-07T16:09:44.236-05:00

The 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011 and will end its session on January 3, 2013. You can follow House and Senate proceedings as they happen - even streaming video! Next week Virginia and Maryland begin their legislative sessions. The Virginia General Assembly convenes January 12, 2011. You can also take a virtual tour of Virginia's Capitol and grounds, if you can't get there in

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-71094006458155401752010-12-28T12:08:00.002-05:002011-01-21T15:42:37.358-05:00

If you work for a state or local government and expect to receive a pension when you retire, you will find the Brookings Institute's primer on deficits in the pension funding interesting.Nationwide the shortfall adds up to over 3 trillion dollars so the report looks at the causes of the deficit, why we should care, and how to potentially solve the problem.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-19604541179292255762010-12-20T15:04:00.000-05:002010-12-20T15:04:00.495-05:00

It's that time of the year again. Right now we are totally immersed in holiday planning. But in a very short time, we will also be bidding 2010 goodbye and welcoming yet another New Year.As we begin to think about that transition, we can think in terms of our workplace as well as our personal life. The Workplace Training Center puts out a newsletter titled Communication Briefings. Its December 5

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-54867397920844162822010-12-17T11:50:00.003-05:002010-12-30T14:42:07.111-05:00

The American Medical Association recently released the full text of all articles in the American Medical News. All articles from the past ten years and selected articles back to 1995 are searchable. The advanced search screen allows you to search in headlines, description, keyword, author or by date or section of the publication.American Medical News will be a great addition to good medical web

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-49483448197750818712010-12-15T12:32:00.001-05:002010-12-15T12:32:00.547-05:00

Still have holiday shopping to do? Here is a list of online shopping resources as well as listings for shopping bots (web sites that show price comparisons). I saw a great site called dealcam for finding that camera or digital recorder on someone's holiday list.A good shopping bot is price.com. The list contains pages of other shopping web sites---you are sure to find something for everyone on

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-8983921890822179992010-12-10T12:25:00.002-05:002010-12-10T12:25:00.230-05:00

How exciting that many free resources for professional development exist on the Internet. In a recent LLRX blog posting there is an extensive list of web sites with course work from major universities like Yale, MIT, Berkley, Stanford, and Oxford to name of few.If listening to your IPod is the way you like to learn, check out ITunes U for lectures, language courses and many other educational

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-22430292472919385422010-12-02T14:13:00.003-05:002010-12-02T14:16:48.026-05:00

Is your audience falling asleep? Maybe it’s time to ditch the PowerPoint! Try graphic recording or visual facilitation instead. Studies prove that visual representation helps you remember more of the key points and ideas presented at workshops and training sessions. Companies like HP, Dell, Schwab and Kraft Foods have been using graphic recording for years. Not only does this technique aid

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-63272789080273773822010-11-24T15:09:00.006-05:002010-11-24T16:06:25.929-05:00

It's that time of year once again - holiday season! Holidays can bring joy, fun and great experiences, but they can also add stress to your home and work life. Did you know that one in four people report missing work due to stress? Mental Health America has valuable information on their website for coping with stress and stress related issues.A few of their strategies for managing stress at work

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-73441650662552404782010-11-19T10:49:00.000-05:002010-11-19T10:49:00.157-05:00

The November issue of Searcher magazine has an interesting article by Richard Oppenheim from the Oppenheim Group titled "Technology Trends, pt. 3" In it he cites some interesting statistics concerning our use of technology and social networking. There are also interesting predictions. Here are just a few:By 2013, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common web access device worldwide.By

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-53849976478710609892010-11-08T12:15:00.004-05:002010-11-10T12:31:30.227-05:00

Interesting report put out by NASCIO (which represents the Chief Information Officers of the states). During this past summer states were surveyed about how social media was being used in each state, what best practices concerning social media had been developed and the implementation process for social media involvement. Forty-three states including Virginia responded to the survey.One of the

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-77929633227463862232010-11-03T16:37:00.010-04:002010-11-05T15:42:35.632-04:00

The Center for Local, State and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) at the University of Michigan, has a Public Sector Excellence Database designed to highlight innovative and creative programs throughout the US. The meta-database covers awards from 2006 to the present. You can browse the listings, or search for specific topics. Programs cover everything from sustainability to citizen involvement, education

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-49542439834781499222010-10-29T10:12:00.000-04:002010-10-29T10:12:00.197-04:00

Perhaps we prefer not to admit it, but we all make mistakes. We're human, it happens. And some of those mistakes are bound to happen at the workplace. A blog posted in Harvard Business Review's Best Practices discusses the optimal way to handle these types of blunders. The good news is that even large mistakes do not have to leave a permanent mark on your record. Most contribute to

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-4562901513506176972010-10-21T16:05:00.003-04:002010-10-21T16:05:00.244-04:00

It's kind of hard to ignore the fact that November 2 is turning out to be a very important election day in many parts of the country. So, if you're a political junkie, have we got a site for you! It's Election and Voting Resources , put together by the good folks at IPL2. Here you can find information on candidates and issues, money in politics and links to official party sites. There are blogs

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-35744339981007393042010-10-12T15:04:00.000-04:002010-10-12T15:04:00.836-04:00

It's been awhile since we've pulled some ideas from our Innovators Insights newsletter. So here are a few more new programs being tried by local governments.Delaware has created a state-sponsored garden in place of roadside memorials honoring crash victims. These memorials are so important to family and friends. But transportation experts worry the roadside memorials are distractions in

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-89296317539835913692010-10-01T15:25:00.021-04:002010-10-06T12:30:00.410-04:00

How a company handled its employees during the economic downturn may affect employee loyality once the economy gets moving again, according to the 2010 Deloitte Ethics and Workplace Study. Results of the study show that many employees are planning to start job hunting once the economy improves. Why? One reason is a decided lack of trust in how decisions were made during the recession, along with

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-37295300420971135972010-09-30T10:16:00.003-04:002010-09-30T10:16:00.563-04:00

On September 21, we reported that the RSS reader we use, Bloglines, will no longer be in service. The original date the site was reported to end was October 1. We have received notice that they are extending the date to November 1, in order to allow users more time to export their feeds to another reader. For instructions on how to do so if you currently use Bloglines, please refer to our

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-51498275559966590632010-09-27T13:47:00.000-04:002010-09-27T13:47:00.933-04:00

The Library of Congress has redesigned Thomas, the federal legislative web site. Thomas, named after Thomas Jefferson, makes federal legislation--either pending or passed--acessible by bill number, keyword, or bill sponsor. Thomas is a gateway to legislation passed by congress since 1989. Appropriation bills are listed separately by department. You can search appropriation bills back to 1998 on

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-39864952609653936352010-09-22T15:42:00.002-04:002010-09-22T15:42:00.287-04:00

Emily Post, certainly one of the more respected names in all things having to do with manners and etiquette, is now online. I have a few etiquette books on my home bookshelf, but having access to a trusted online source is a big plus. The Emily Post Etipedia is a very user friendly comprehensive online reference.You can answer your etiquette questions by typing in keywords, or by browsing the

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-53538212873957575612010-09-21T11:50:00.003-04:002010-09-21T12:13:17.999-04:00

On October 1, 2010 Bloglines will no longer continue to be an web based news aggregator. Since the MAGIC staff have used Bloglines in all our training for reading lots of different web sites, you may have a Bloglines account.There are easy directions on the Bloglines web site to move all the web sites you have collected to another news aggregator. 1. Click on the "Feeds" tab after you've logged

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-78411276666324277392010-09-17T12:32:00.004-04:002010-09-17T12:32:00.412-04:00

Constitution Day is celebrated today, September 17. This year's emphasis is on jury duty. The web site has not only information on jury service but some other interesting topics. Courtroom simulations include texting while driving, downloading music, freedom of speech, and a primer on the foreign itelligence surveillance act.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-60353948318858839692010-09-14T11:59:00.000-04:002010-09-14T11:59:00.160-04:00

It's back to school time and this morning I found an exciting web site with over 150 free textbooks. Open Culture lists these textbooks by category. Headings with many textbooks include Business, Computer Science and Information Systems, Mathematics, Physics and Economics and Finance. If these are not your subjects, however, there are listings for Linguistics, Art, Education, Biology, and as well

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-56325254736487689172010-09-08T09:00:00.000-04:002010-09-08T09:00:06.973-04:00

We've run across another interesting report in the August 6 issue of Innovators Insights.It involves New York City and its attempts to become more senior friendly. As boomers age and empty nesters return to cities in increasing numbers, New York is attempting to attract new residents as well as retain their current seniors. For instance, they are giving pedestrians more time to cross

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-37692379529690580742010-09-01T12:53:00.000-04:002010-09-01T12:53:00.389-04:00

Need to design a business card, certificates, to do lists, invoices, time sheets or fax cover sheets? Free Printables has forms that can be downloaded and customized for your particular need. You'll even be able to find forms for resumes, letters of resignation, contracts and much more.Printable Flyer Templates also has a number of business forms including templates for pamphlets, leaflets, or

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-68697807238363727182010-08-26T12:00:00.004-04:002010-08-26T12:00:02.109-04:00

Summer is about over. Already you can see a change in nature. Have you had a chance to take some time off and rejuvenate? If not, why not bring some playtime to work?In the Summer 2010 edition of Style, a magazine for Acura owners, an article titled"Beyond the Sandbox" by Linda Dunlop sings the praises of play. We all hear stories of employees at Google who can play Guitar Hero or even a game of

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-18626234314472306472010-08-20T13:00:00.001-04:002010-08-20T15:11:16.876-04:00

Are you one of many people who has a credit card from a major airline so that you can hopefully take a free trip one day? I know I am and it is sometimes frustrating to try to use the miles I've accrued.Susan Stellin wrote a great article recently in the New York Times. Although she maintains that there is no perfect travel-rewards card for everyone, there may be some credit cards that work for

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-36927086817386197292010-08-13T09:00:00.000-04:002010-08-13T09:00:09.823-04:00

Are you a computer hacker's dream, using the same passwords for every account you own for fear of forgetting them? We've all been warned time and again against writing this information down, so how in the world could you possibly keep multiple passwords for your various accounts without getting them hopelessly mixed up? Here's a site for you! I found this handy tip in the July issue of Government

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-8130435535234662452010-08-06T15:00:00.002-04:002010-08-06T15:00:01.913-04:00

Thought it might be worth mentioning a few of our newest books. There's something for everyone among these:How to Say-It for First-Time Managers: Winning Works and Strategies for Earning Your Team's Confidence, by Jack Griffin. This book can be considered a communication primer for new managers. It covers everything from delegating and running meetings, to mentoring and motivating

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-82380149504225604232010-07-30T15:00:00.000-04:002010-07-30T15:00:00.320-04:00

It's Friday and so we're sharing a few pieces of totally unrelated information we've come across. There's a lot of press lately about the problem of obesity in America. Seventy percent of Americans are concerned about their weight and seventy seven percent are trying to lose or maintain their weight, according to a new survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. Of those

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-19952728241860003862010-07-21T16:13:00.000-04:002010-07-21T16:13:00.401-04:00

In the May and July issues of Governing Magazine, there were interesting articles about new and creative ways some libraries are helping out their communities. In San Francisco, the Public Library partnered with the city's Department of Health and hired a social worker to assist the many homeless that use the library on a daily basis. The social worker handles referrals to social services for the

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-47495155529952576282010-07-16T16:00:00.000-04:002010-07-16T16:00:02.763-04:00

That's what TED all about - ideas worth spreading. Started in 1984 as a conference combining people from the fields of technology, entertainment and design, today TED hosts 2 conferences a year, a TedTalks video site, the Open Translation Project, the Open TV Project and the Ted Prize. The mission of TED is, "We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-33193422484777659162010-07-07T15:37:00.002-04:002010-07-07T15:37:00.636-04:00

Now you'll have no excuse for misplacing a list, idea, book you'd like to read or a packing list. Just log onto Evernote, a software program that gives users a single place for all types of notes and information, including typed and handwritten memos, web page excerpts, emails, photos or phone messages. It's free and can be used to capture information from a variety of sources. You'll be able

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-83013845925670351222010-07-01T14:34:00.006-04:002010-07-02T10:34:38.198-04:00

A new book recently came across our desks in MAGIC. Save Your Brain, by Paul David Nussbaum, Ph.D. grabbed our attention. In it, Nussbaum talks about ways we can keep our minds “young and sharp.” There have been more than a few books lately on this same topic, but this one seems particularly easy to read and applicable to daily life. He offers 5 “critical areas of brain health”:• Socialization•

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-3925366673481641912010-06-29T14:47:00.001-04:002010-07-15T16:53:42.951-04:00

An exhaustive list of web sites which contain information on Employment Resources is maintained by Marcus Zillman. There are over 150 web sites here that not only list jobs but also include web sites like the Occupational Outlook Handbook which discusses job qualifications, education and looks at how a particular field is growing. Other web sites listed include LinkedIn, a professional place to

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-13260318605239351012010-06-24T16:57:00.012-04:002010-06-25T10:46:45.532-04:00

I always thought that brainstorming was the most effective way to get people to think creatively to solve problems or come up with new ideas. Turns out, it's not all that effective. According to an article in the Jan/Feb 2010 Harvard Business Review, brainstorming can actually stifle creativity for any number of reasons. Participants have to wait their turn to share their ideas which may cause

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-76595661097200350572010-06-16T16:00:00.002-04:002010-06-16T16:00:01.692-04:00

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a consumer alert having to do with the Gulf oil spill. Please be aware of any e-mails, websites, door to door collections, mailings, or phone calls from groups/individuals claiming to raise money for environmental causes or remediation related to the Gulf oil spill. For more details, read FTC Warns of Oil Spill Scams. You can now track the oil spill in

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-21449306463749823382010-06-10T11:33:00.000-04:002010-06-10T11:33:00.621-04:00

Here are a few more snippets of interest from Innovators Insights. This time from Italy: Milan’s city hall has installed touch screens to register citizens’ satisfaction with services received. You can choose a green smiley face, a yellow face, or a red frowning face. Be forewarned: if you choose the red frowning face you will be further questioned. Citizens are asked whether the wait time,

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-82540096363572587512010-06-03T14:04:00.017-04:002010-06-03T15:01:44.414-04:00

A recent article in the Washington Post about Instant Recess caught my eye. Created by UCLA professor Toni Yancey, the goal of instant recess is to get people moving at work by starting a daily 10 minute exercise break. Sounds simple enough, but will it work? It does look like fun and if it's fun, people will change their behavior - just look at the piano stairs video!From Lift Off! 10-Minute

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-46316160495901398222010-05-27T11:26:00.000-04:002010-05-27T11:26:00.495-04:00

Once again, I’ve come across a variety of unique news items. Innovators Insights, a newsletter produced by the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center lists programs from various jurisdictions around the nation who are using these solutions for problems in their localities. St. Louis is providing identification tags for the homeless. They affix these tags to their possessions, so that city workers and

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-76860678916420051322010-05-19T09:00:00.000-04:002010-05-19T09:00:09.277-04:00

A recent New York Times article about the rise of company gardens caught my attention. Google, Yahoo, Best Buy, PepsiCo and Kohl's are just a few of the corporations with vegetable and herb gardens. What a great idea! Gardening is becoming more and more popular and offers many health and stress relieving benefits. Not to mention the "green" advantage of locally grown produce. Is your

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-35362968526306395572010-05-14T15:18:00.000-04:002010-05-14T15:18:00.741-04:00

In the course of the past week, while quickly browsing through a new journal we've received, I've come across some interesting facts. Most have no relation to the others. But instead of focusing on a single topic this week, I thought I'd share some of them with you.From the April 2010 issue of Government Technology: 92%, the percentage of worldwide e-mail that's spam. I guess in light of that

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-52804808856133239452010-05-06T09:00:00.006-04:002010-05-06T09:14:57.800-04:00

The economy may be improving, but employment statistics are certainly not instilling confidence. Even if you are fortunate enough to be employed, in this time of continued budget cuts no job is totally secure. In an article in the April 16-18 edition of USA WEEKEND, contributing editor and very successful author Stephen Covey gives some tips on how to make you "indispensible" in the workplace. "

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-88010175237511672792010-04-28T09:00:00.000-04:002010-04-28T09:00:11.353-04:00

"Spyware is everywhere, hijacking computers without the owner's knowledge." So begins an article in the February 2010 edition of The Internet Connection. Now that they've gotten our attention, CERT, the Computer Emergency Readiness Team gives tips on how to avoid this happening to our computers. Why should we worry? Because spyware, also known as adware, is used by the advertising industry. It's

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-54813673655026997782010-04-22T09:00:00.009-04:002010-04-22T11:01:49.518-04:00

Today we celebrate Earth Day! United States Senator Gaylord Nelson got the environmental ball rolling in 1969 and the first official Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. Forty years later, people still gather to celebrate nature and focus attention on the many environmental challenges we face.For an overview of Earth Day visit American Memory at the Library of Congress.Current news

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-68355440425916802962010-04-15T14:36:00.000-04:002010-04-15T14:36:00.524-04:00

Lists: bucket lists, grocery lists, to-do lists. We seem to surround ourselves with lists of all kinds. I found a list recently that I thought was interesting. Stephen Abrams is the editor of a blog called Stephen’s Lighthouse. He’s also an expert on libraries, innovation, and library technology. In his blog he posted a list of “50 Little Things You Can Do to Empower Other People.” We all are

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-20983412563955458512010-04-12T18:38:00.000-04:002010-04-12T18:38:00.688-04:00

and not miss the important stuff. Are you constantly being interrupted by frivolous emails? Afraid you might miss the really important messages? A webapp called AwayFind might just be your answer. AwayFind notifies you of your most important emails - the ones you can't risk missing. You select the criteria and how you want to be notified - by IM, SMS, call or Twitter. Or you can choose to

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-42934187363401482772010-04-06T14:51:00.000-04:002010-04-06T14:51:00.373-04:00

Does social networking have a place in government? Are governments using Facebook, Twitter and other social networking tools to improve performance and service - are they using social networking at all? A new study by the Human Capital Institute (HCI) called "Social Networking Government: Opportunities and Challenges," reports on a survey conducted by HCI to determine what social networking

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-2832644282486301752010-03-31T12:23:00.003-04:002010-03-31T12:23:00.278-04:00

Launched in the fall of 2008, Yammer provides a way for companies to have a Twitter like social network but with private and internal communications. The best parts--Yammer is web based so requires no internal IT support and it operates as a "freemium" service. Customers who have enterprise email addresses have free access but premium features do have a slight charge.Why Yammer? It is a great

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-8084932591452711852010-03-29T14:27:00.001-04:002010-03-29T14:27:00.305-04:00

Are you in the market for a reading device? Wired has a nice article comparing ten e-Readers. Ranked from worst to best the top two are Apple IPhone 3G and the Kindle from Amazon.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-56870585391938324442010-03-25T11:23:00.002-04:002010-03-25T11:23:00.596-04:00

What employer does not want employees who are focused and functioning on the job? Lisa Earle McLeod has a 3 step no cost method for keeping employees engaged. Her article on the Forbes web site describes keeping employees connected and excited in a workplace even if bonuses and pay raises are not in the company's future.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-75274654863826202632010-03-22T09:46:00.000-04:002010-03-22T09:46:00.149-04:00

I think we would all agree that for whatever reason, society in general seems to be less civil. At some point or another, we have probably all been guilty of forgetting the manners we were raised with. And it has come to this: John Hopkins University professor P.M Forni co-founded The John Hopkins Civility Project in 1997. Now known as The Civility Initiative at John Hopkins, Dr. Forni directs

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-17609891931546434422010-03-11T16:08:00.002-05:002010-03-18T19:51:17.502-04:00

Tripit is an online servie that will organize in one place all your travel plans -- flights, hotels, rental cars, trains, cruises -- no matter where they were booked. As you receive emails confirming your travel just forward these emails to plans@tripit.com. (You'll need to register first but registration is free).Tripit processes the emails and creates a master itinerary not only with your

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-15094199793089017932010-03-10T10:30:00.001-05:002010-03-11T19:30:05.283-05:00

The Census Bureau has released data on Internet Use in the United States: 2009 — Tables include "national- and state-level data showing who is accessing the Internet, cross-tabulated by age, sex, race, Hispanic-origin, educational attainment and employment status. State data show Internet usage at home versus use at other locations. Also included is whether people are using broadband or dial-up

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-58178023569119004602010-03-05T14:00:00.000-05:002010-03-05T14:00:01.309-05:00

I recently came across an article in Searcher magazine that listed "websites for feeling better in these tough times. " Although everyone is probably feeling a little better just to see the snow disappearing, many still face joblessness or the prospect of joblessness, the economy still seems shaky, and the weather is just plain weird.These websites will provide some insight into your level of

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-4973973497336565972010-02-23T10:00:00.000-05:002010-02-23T10:00:05.319-05:00

Who knew there even was one? According to an article published February 12 by Roy Saunderson on Incentive Magazine’s website, Employee Appreciation Day is March 5.While it’s nice to be recognized on this day, it’s even nicer to know your contributions are valued year around. Saunderson gives 10 ideas to show your employees they are appreciated every day! Here are a few:Seek out significant acts.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-31158133107933951872010-02-12T15:23:00.006-05:002010-02-16T13:40:40.333-05:00

The Big Count has begun - in remote Noorvik, Alaska. Census workers start in far off Alaskan villages so the residents who leave for fishing and hunting grounds in the spring will be counted. The rest of Alaska, like other parts of the US, will receive their census form in the mail around mid-March.It's important to be counted! The ten year Census count determines the number of seats your state

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-39969514710954705092010-02-02T10:37:00.002-05:002010-02-02T10:37:00.755-05:00

Tis the season to get last year's earnings and deductibles together to prepare your tax forms for Uncle Sam. And while doing this, you may find you need an additional form for something or other. Here's a good site to keep in mind: forms.gov This is a centralized location to access federal government forms of all types. There is a catalog of business and citizen federal forms, including forms for

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-84018431994713389892010-01-26T11:32:00.004-05:002010-01-27T11:01:46.166-05:00

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to look for a new job, then you will definitely want to check out the Riley Guide. You will find links here to web sites with information on job listings, resume writing, salary negotiation, interviewing and recruiting, and cover letter and thank you note writing.Cover-Letters.com has some very interesting approaches to responding to an advertised job.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-2258716495107232152010-01-22T13:58:00.023-05:002010-01-22T15:24:28.937-05:00

Did you make a New Year's resolution to learn a new skill, either for work or personal growth? Maybe you had kind of a vague idea that you should polish your skills to be better prepared in today's uncertain job market. If that's the case, you might want to give web learning a try. There are many free resources that can help you sharpen existing skills or develop new ones.Let's start with

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-13306912769647228972010-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:002010-01-15T09:00:06.210-05:00

Even in an economy such as ours today, there is always a need to hire new employees. And once hired, the organization is best served by making sure those employees succeed so that the chances of them staying increase. An article in the June 2009 issue of T&D titled “Making New Employees Successful in Any Economy” states that the first 90 days of their employment is critical to their success and

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-69193265884356766342010-01-06T20:18:00.021-05:002010-01-08T10:45:52.205-05:00

Politics. Environment. Race. Immigration. Big Government/Small Government. Just a few of the controversial topics that stir strong emotions in many people. Have you ever gotten into an argument with someone who didn't share your world view and wondered why you couldn't just have a calm, rational, discussion? Or have you avoided certain hot button topics because it seemed pointless? Well, the

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-54266954409572586472009-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:002009-12-31T09:00:05.548-05:00

At this time of year, we inevitably look back to the year about to end. We make lists: the top 10 stories of the year, people we have lost during the year, etc. I guess there’s nothing wrong with a little reminiscing. However, I prefer to look ahead, to the New Year and to the future. In the January 2010 issue of Training I found an interesting article titled "Job Meltdown or Talent Crunch" by

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-91578759750299696162009-12-18T11:10:00.011-05:002009-12-18T15:16:29.887-05:00

Ah, the end of another year and time to start thinking about what 2010 will hold for us. Entrepreneur magazine shares their take on hot 2010 trends in a feature article titled The "10 (and 1/2) to Watch." You might be surprised to learn that, in spite of the recession, it's a good time to be an entrepreneur! History shows that startup rates remain constant through recessions; in fact over half of

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-85272295489894444062009-12-11T09:32:00.000-05:002009-12-11T09:32:00.778-05:00

During the holidays, we are familiar with certain sayings, such as “It is better to give than to receive”. We generally relate this to gift giving, of course. But an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on December 7, 2009 suggests that this lesson can be used year around by businesses and government. We should always be mindful of opportunities to give back to our customers, our suppliers, our

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-64027543112086090382009-12-02T16:13:00.056-05:002009-12-03T20:25:07.764-05:00

Google wants you to send at least one snail-mail card this holiday season and they're making it really easy and fun to do. Just select from several very attractive postcard designs, choose your recipient and write a brief message. Google takes care of the rest! Happy Holidays from Google.Americans spend about $25 billion on gift cards each year, according to creditcards.com. Doing your homework

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-23245218606653109192009-11-24T09:00:00.000-05:002009-11-24T09:00:04.037-05:00

Are you aware that the message you are projecting may be quite different than the words you are using? Body language experts love to show clips of politicians and other celebrities compromising their words with their facial expression or hand gestures. Even if you are not often in the public eye, you probably do public speaking on occasion. Or perhaps you are going to holiday parties this year.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-66087396925359562002009-11-18T18:29:00.096-05:002009-11-23T09:55:56.273-05:00

One thing I've always wondered about it is why it can be so hard for some people to part with their things. Most of us have stuff around that we no longer need or use, but just can't seem to part with. Somehow we get attached to this stuff, even the stuff that we don't particularly like! But why? Why is it so hard to part with things? Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational: The Hidden

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560520264262245771.post-14993034539439869982009-11-09T10:00:00.000-05:002009-11-09T10:00:00.603-05:00

What would you think if you were told that a company with 100 employees may lose up to $450,000 per year due to email blunders?The September 2009 issue of Training Magazine cites a special report from Creative Communication and Training titled “The Top 10 Email Blunders That Cost Companies Money.” 1. Inaccurate or vague subject line: can result in unread messages and overlooked information.2.

MAGIChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00106827181368658191noreply@blogger.com0