August 2005 Archives

The Florida Division of Emergency Management site is a great resource for the latest information on Hurricane Katrina, including evacuation information from the State of Louisiana.

How long can a CNN weatherman hold his cool when an anchor continues to interrupt him and talk over him during his report on Hurricane Katrina? Digg points to a weather guy who knows.

Maybe it was CNN Daybreak anchor Carol Costellos' whining while she talked over him that finally made him snap (you need QuickTime to view the file).

Jimmy Wales, the guy behind Wikipedia, is featured in this month's issue of Florida Trend.

Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia that Florida Trend calls "a cult phenomenon." Wikipedia is written, edited and updated through a collaborative effort among readers worldwide, most of whom are volunteers. Its open nature means vandalism and inaccuracy are constant challenges, but readers are quick to correct inaccuracies and stop vandalism.

Josh points to a great article that explains wikis in more detail.

If you own or work for a small business, consider nominating yourself and/or the business for recognition during the 2006 National Small Business Week. The 2006 celebration will honor nearly 25 million small businesses nationwide for their personal achievements and contributions to America's economy. From the SBA's web site:

National Small Business Week honors America's entrepreneurs -- the men and women who start and grow the small businesses that drive our nation's economy. As part of the celebration, the U.S. Small Business Administration and its partners recognize small business owners and advocates from across the country.

Get more info or download a copy of the Nominations Guidelines. Nominations must be submitted by November 4.

Doreen recently pointed to a post by Christopher Hawkins. The Thrill and Agony of Working from Home was well written with solid tips so I took a few minutes to scan the rest of his blog. This guy is good.

Those few moments and reading 11 Clients You Should Fire were enough for me to subscribe to his RSS feed. Whether you work from home or not, office productivity tips are always helpful. I really agreed with him on Tip #3:

Dressing the part is a big help.

I have absolutely noticed a difference in both my demeanor and my productivity when I dress like I'm going to work someplace as opposed to when I roll out of bed, pull on the nearest sweats and T-shirt, and hit the office. Sure, it's nice to be able to work in sweats and a T-shirt in the privacy of my own home. But without fail, if I get dressed like I have a real office to go to, I am more professional and more productive.

Check Chris out. And if you have a great productivity tip, let me know.

It's only natural that the residents of our great state of Florida are nervous right now. After living through hurricanes Charley, Ivan and Jeanne last year, we take hurricane warnings much more seriously, and Hurricane Katrina reinforced the seriousness.

Hurricane Katrina was only a Category 1 hurricane, but when she came ashore yesterday, she did some serious damage. At least four people are dead. It's a bit scary to know that we still have three months of hurricane season left.

Sit up front.
You can hear better, you see what's happening on stage, and there are less distractions (they're all behind you).

Shel Israel, author of "Naked Conversations," says he plans on sitting in the second or third row at this week's Blog Business Summit.

Take notes.
Even today's top speakers follow this advice. Notes help you remember the less salient points post-conference.

I sat in the front row with Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul ) at a conference last year. There were nearly 2,000 people in the audience to hear Mark, and there he was taking notes on the speaker preceding his own keynote!

Edit your notes before you leave the session.
Fill in the gaps while the presentation is still fresh in your mind. It will be much harder to remember later. And, if there is a point you're unclear with, chances are you can catch the speaker and get clarification before he or she leaves the event.

PRSA's new online Media Room features RSS feeds that deliver news releases, notices and other daily news to subscribers. Users can select RSS feeds on Advocacy, Diversity, Professional Development, International News and Events.

Wayne Kelly (my award-winning Top 40 radio host buddy) and I are gearing up for our next "30 Days to Publicity Success" telecourse, which starts September 8.

Highlights from the list of things you'll learn:

The 5 different types of publicity and which are the fastest, cheapest and most prosperous;
The 5 critical components of any media release and how to integrate them into your pitch;
What the most important part of your media pitch is; and
The single most important question you must ask regardless of what type of publicity you are seeking.

You'll also be coached on radio interview etiquette, learn interview techniques that could have the media begging you for an interview, and receive your own practice interview on .mp3 with a professional critique that you can use to improve.

Not sure you're ready to enroll? Register for one of our complimentary preview classes.

Inbox: 9
Sent: 637
Trash: 0

Goal: 0 in all categories by 9:00 p.m. tonight. Wish me luck.

Today's email battle strategy: spend two hours on Saturday morning cleaning up...starting with a sent folder containing 1,756, and whittle away throughout the day until the goal is achieved.

Thank you for the emails, cards and phone calls. It has been a rough couple of weeks but your kind words and expressions of sympathy have been greatly appreciated.

We're trying to adjust to life without Lacy. It's strange not having her come into the office and remind me to take a break and play ball periodically throughout the day. While you never really "get over" the loss of a loved one, as time passes the pain subsides a bit and fond memories become a great source of comfort.