Leveraging Information Tech & Social Media

Steve Jobs Bio Is Amazon’s Best-Selling Book of 2011

2011-12-06T09:19:00.003-08:00

Walter Isaacson’s bio of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs topped Amazon’s list of the top-selling books of 2011, though the title is still number three for best-selling Kindle titles.

While Amazon had predicted the bio, called Steve Jobs might take the number one spot for the year, the achievement is still impressive since the book wasn’t released until late October. Amazon did not release sales figures for the book. However, Nielsen BookScan had reported that Steve Jobs sold 379,000 copies in its first week of release.

With 25 days left this year, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the best-selling Kindle book. Number two is The Litigators by John Grisham.

In addition to netting strong sales, Isaacson’s bio, based on more than 40 hours of interviews with Jobs and hundreds of interviews with Jobs’s family, friends and business associates, has also been generally well-received by critics and is reportedly the basis of an upcoming movie from Sony possibly starring Noah Wyle or George Clooney.

What do you think? Does Steve Jobs deserve to be 2011′s best-selling book? Sound off in the comments.

Bonus: 15 Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes

Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes

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Steve Jobs Bio Is Amazon’s Best-Selling Book of 2011

2011-12-06T09:19:00.001-08:00

Walter Isaacson’s bio of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs topped Amazon’s list of the top-selling books of 2011, though the title is still number three for best-selling Kindle titles.

While Amazon had predicted the bio, called Steve Jobs might take the number one spot for the year, the achievement is still impressive since the book wasn’t released until late October. Amazon did not release sales figures for the book. However, Nielsen BookScan had reported that Steve Jobs sold 379,000 copies in its first week of release.

With 25 days left this year, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the best-selling Kindle book. Number two is The Litigators by John Grisham.

In addition to netting strong sales, Isaacson’s bio, based on more than 40 hours of interviews with Jobs and hundreds of interviews with Jobs’s family, friends and business associates, has also been generally well-received by critics and is reportedly the basis of an upcoming movie from Sony possibly starring Noah Wyle or George Clooney.

What do you think? Does Steve Jobs deserve to be 2011′s best-selling book? Sound off in the comments.

Bonus: 15 Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes

Inspirational Steve Jobs Quotes

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Yawning May Cool the Brain When Needed

2011-11-29T19:08:00.001-08:00

via medicinenet.com

Just Fitness - Fitness for the Rest of Us

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The Space Shuttle Program: In our hearts and homes

2011-08-08T20:51:00.001-07:00

People around the world watched as the space shuttle Atlantis took its last trip into space last week. This marked the conclusion of NASA’s space shuttle program however the thousands of technologies that were born from the program will stay wi

via teamedl.com

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What to Consider About Virtual Teams

2011-08-08T20:48:00.001-07:00

Communicating with individuals from all over the world is as simple as a click of a button. This considerably impacts our social lives and we are seeing more and more the result this has on business. The virtual team, or geographically dispersed team

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4 technology terms and what they mean

2011-05-30T16:06:00.001-07:00

Although technology is present in all of our daily lives, many of us are still unfamiliar with the terms associated with it. Fortunately, we’re here to clear up some of the confusion. Keep reading for an explanation of four common technology-related terms.

Cookies

Cookies allow websites to identify you when you revisit them. By enabling cookies, you are letting your browser store your information, such as username, password and preferences, and provide it for the site you are visiting. They are a time-saver that can be very useful for avid Internet users.

Although cookies are incredibly convenient, some view them as a privacy issue. They store your information and track your activity, which can make it easier for others to access your information. Most experts agree, however, that limiting the amount of cookies you use is sufficient for protecting your online identity.

URL

A URL, which is short for uniform resource letter, is essentially the web address of a website. It is what you type into the address bar of a browser when you would like to be directed to a web page.

Cloud

Cloud is one of the tech terms that is most common right now. Everybody is talking about the cloud. The cloud is the term for services that are based over the Internet and don’t require additional hardware or software, like Facebook or Google Apps.

Flash

Flash is an Adobe-owned platform that lets you view certain things on your computer. Many people install Flash players or plug-ins so that they can watch videos or animation or see dynamic displays on websites. Although Flash has been the longtime leader in its field, HTML5 is rapidly catching up with it.

Understanding the basics of tech terminology is a great way to better understand the technology we interact with.

For more tech terms and their meanings, check out this glossary.

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How you can use a workflow chart | Expert Data Labs Blog

2011-05-30T16:02:00.001-07:00

You might not realize how many processes you have memorized for your everyday routine and there are probably a lot. Those processes typically include a lot of intricate steps, which can make explaining or recreating that process challenging at times. Luckily, workflow charts are here to make it easier.

What are they?

A flowchart is fundamentally a diagram that outlines processes with differently shaped boxes (steps in the process are usually square while decisions are usually indicated with a diamond) and arrows that link those boxes. They are great tools when it comes to managing or outlining processes. For an example of a flowchart, click here.

Pros

Very straightforward way of conveying a process as the symbols are generally universally understood

Once it has been made, the process will often take less time than before

Helps users understand how each step impacts an entire process

Cons

Can be difficult to create, especially when the processes are more complicated

If you don’t have the proper software, this can be a very long process

How to create one

Creating a workflow chart is not as complex as it looks. Thanks to computer software that guides you through the process, it can really be much less painful that you may think.

Workflow software enables you to choose the type of box you’d like to use (to indicate a step or a decision) and then you fill in the information and connect the boxes as you see fit. If a certain step has multiple courses of action, you should indicate those with multiple arrows leading to those options. To see what different flowchart icons mean, take a look at this eHow article.

Workflow charts are a great way to help break down a process and better understand all of the steps that go into it.

If you would like more information on how to create a workflow chart, check out this eHow article.

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I was just reading this weekend where work flow / process maps were one of the things that separated the opportunity seeker from the strategic entrepreneur.

Steve
http://ExpertDataLabs.com

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How can Google Docs help boost productivity?

2011-04-19T18:07:00.001-07:00

How can Google Docs help boost productivity?

via Expert Data Labs Blog by EDL Admin on 3/18/11

Google Docs is a cool tool that many of us are familiar with. Its professional uses are constantly expanding, and the most recent updates only increase its business benefits.

The commenting feature in Google Docs saw some big changes this week. Some of the most substantial updates include:

Timestamps and profile pictures on comments

The ability to edit and resolve comments

Implementation of email notifications via @mentions

The email notifications feature is by far the most useful of these upgrades as they let you bring new people into the discussion as needed.

Since the notification will include the text of the comment, the team member does not need to have immediate access to Google Docs. He or she can simply reply to the email notification, and it will show up in the conversation.

In addition to the email notifications, the ability to edit and resolve comments will likely be very useful. Before, Google only allowed you to delete comments once an issue had been resolved. Now, you can “resolve” the comment and it will still be available for review. Now, you can check back and make sure that everything has been completed properly.

If distributed teams are working on a project, it can sometimes be difficult to make sure everyone is on the same page. Collaboration tools like Google Docs make it much simpler. The email alerts will let your team members know as soon as you need their help on a project and keep everyone in sync.

Having several people working on a document at the same time from different locations can get quite confusing. It’s easy to lose track of edits and it can be difficult to make sure you’re incorporating everyone’s input. These collaboration tools make the process much more streamlined.

If you’d like to learn more about the recent changes to Google Docs, take a look at this article.

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3 tips for conducting virtual meetings

2011-04-17T06:23:00.001-07:00

3 tips for conducting virtual meetings

via Expert Data Labs Blog by EDL Admin on 4/15/11

While many prefer face-to-face meetings, virtual meetings are a popular part of today’s business environment. It is important, however, to remember certain things when you’re conducting these meetings.

Proper etiquette is critical to the success of a virtual meeting. Many people treat virtual meetings as more laid-back than face-to-face ones, which is not always appropriate. Etiquette can go a long way in making participants view you as competent and an authority on the issue at hand.

Here are a few additional tips that can help you carry out more effective and professional virtual meetings.

1. Be prepared

Preparedness is essential for any meeting, virtual or not. When you’re conducting a virtual meeting, it can be easy to forget who your audience is. You want to be sure that the information you’re presenting is appropriate for each participant.

Also, ensure that everybody invited to the meeting has the appropriate login information. If the invitees can’t actually access the meeting, the overall purpose is lost.

2. Engage participants

Although it might seem normal to jump right into the presentation, taking a moment to introduce participants can go a long way. This helps build relationships, and makes the meeting feel less rushed.

Though it may seem cliché, having everyone give a little information about themselves, like their favorite food, or the highlight of their weekend, could be a great icebreaker. It allows everyone to see the other participants as more than just a face on a computer screen.

3. No side conversations

Side conversations can be unbelievably distracting to all participants, even if you’re not on screen at the moment. Not only can side conversations grab the concentration of the presenter, it can distract other attendees and deter from the point of the meeting.

There are many things you can do to produce a more effective and productive virtual meeting, and these are just a few of those. For more ideas, check out this Inc. article.

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4 ways to keep employees motivated

2011-04-15T07:52:00.001-07:00

4 ways to keep employees motivated

via Expert Data Labs Blog by EDL Admin on 4/8/11

Inspiring employees can often be hard to do when you’re running a small business. Funds are typically limited and there is not a lot of time to spare. Keeping your employees motivated, however, is critical to the success of your business.

There are plenty of ways to motivate employees that don’t include big bonuses or costly benefits. A hand-written thank you letter can go a long way when it comes to showing employee appreciation. Here are a few other ideas:

1. Ask for input

By asking for employees’ opinions, you are demonstrating that their ideas are valued. Employees are sure to be more inclined to work harder when they feel that their actions and opinions truly influence the company overall.

2. Change it up

Boredom can be one of the biggest de-motivators out there. Fortunately, there are a great deal of simple ways to derail boredom. Mixing up projects and responsibilities in an effort to allow employees to display their talents, even if they’re not completely work-related, can help inspire employees to work harder on all of their projects.

3. Focus on a great company culture

People really like working for companies that they feel are unlike the rest. Setting your company apart by integrating unique ideas into the company culture can help you find and retain great, motivated employees. Things like complimentary professional massages once a month can go a long way in creating a unique company culture.

4. Recognize people for a job well done

Working hard on something often feels like it was pointless if you are not acknowledged for doing it well. That’s why it is so essential to show some sort of recognition for your employees to keep them working just as hard.

Something as simple as a company-wide email highlighting their accomplishments can re-ignite motivation and make employees want to continue working hard. Although the attention may embarrass some, many people like to know that others recognize their effort.

All of these techniques are simple, affordable and can do wonders when it comes to motivating employees. Explore one or two of these ideas to see how they may affect employee morale and motivation.

For more employee motivation techniques, check out this article.

Posted via email from Expert Data Labs

How can Google Docs help boost productivity?

2011-04-15T07:18:00.001-07:00

How can Google Docs help boost productivity?

via Expert Data Labs Blog by EDL Admin on 3/18/11

Google Docs is a cool tool that many of us are familiar with. Its professional uses are constantly expanding, and the most recent updates only increase its business benefits.

The commenting feature in Google Docs saw some big changes this week. Some of the most substantial updates include:

Timestamps and profile pictures on comments

The ability to edit and resolve comments

Implementation of email notifications via @mentions

The email notifications feature is by far the most useful of these upgrades as they let you bring new people into the discussion as needed.

Since the notification will include the text of the comment, the team member does not need to have immediate access to Google Docs. He or she can simply reply to the email notification, and it will show up in the conversation.

In addition to the email notifications, the ability to edit and resolve comments will likely be very useful. Before, Google only allowed you to delete comments once an issue had been resolved. Now, you can “resolve” the comment and it will still be available for review. Now, you can check back and make sure that everything has been completed properly.

If distributed teams are working on a project, it can sometimes be difficult to make sure everyone is on the same page. Collaboration tools like Google Docs make it much simpler. The email alerts will let your team members know as soon as you need their help on a project and keep everyone in sync.

Having several people working on a document at the same time from different locations can get quite confusing. It’s easy to lose track of edits and it can be difficult to make sure you’re incorporating everyone’s input. These collaboration tools make the process much more streamlined.

If you’d like to learn more about the recent changes to Google Docs, take a look at this article.

Posted via email from Expert Data Labs

An All Time Favorite Video - What's Yours

2011-02-26T15:25:00.001-08:00

Empowering You To An Extraordinary Life Make sure to check your inbox and confirm your request to join our list. Watch this and let us know if it puts a smile on your face. It's the first of many once you join in the game. Validation

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What would you do this year if you knew you were going to die?

2010-12-27T15:48:00.001-08:00

We are in the final week of 2010 with the new year approaching at what seems like warp speed. It is a time many of us reflect and set goals for 2011. The video's below aren't new, but they are worth watching as you plan out the year ahead. You

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Feeling Lonely....this is amazing

2010-08-22T17:06:00.001-07:00

Today's Game Can't believe what i find at TED.com. You'll want to watch this, if nothing more than to see the state of technology. Truly amazing

http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_molyneux_demos_milo_the_virtual_boy.html

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What Inspires You Today? Is it Your Life's Purpose?

2010-08-20T04:50:00.001-07:00

MY FRIDAY STORY

ARE YOU INSPIRED INTO ACTION?

By Dr. Brad Swift

You know something that I most enjoy and appreciate about knowing and living true to my life purpose? It's the ability to be inspired into action.

This morning I awoke around 6:30 and lay in bed for a while listening to the singing of the birds outside my window. As I lay there, I noticed I felt odd - a filling leftover from a strange dream I'd had while sleeping. As I became more conscious of the sensation, I decided I didn't want to start my day in such a strange mood, so I continue to lie there but shifted my thoughts from the remnants of the dream to my life purpose.

As I recited my life purpose statement to myself, I began to notice my mood shifting as well. How could I be purposefully, passionately and playfully of service today?, I asked myself, then recalled what I had on my calendar -- the wonderful clients I'm honored to coach, the Purpose Projects that I'm working on with the Coaches Community, the new Coaches Development Program that is targeted to start next week. Within a few minutes, I found I just couldn't stay in bed any longer. The opportunity to live on purpose was simply too compelling.

Once more I was inspired into action by my life and life purpose. Now, this isn't meant to sound like bragging, so please don't hear it that way. I just wanted to share it with you in case you don't find yourself pulled into your life by your dreams, goals and desires. I know it wasn't so many years ago that the main thing that had me get out of bed most mornings was the need to go pee. There just wasn't anything else going on with my life that was all that inspiring or compelling. But not anymore.

Living a life on purpose is amazing, and it all starts with readiness, willingness, and yes, a commitment to clarify your life purpose so that you can begin to live true to it. So, I ask you: What action could you take this week to become clearer about your life purpose? How will you inspire yourself into action?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Brad Swift is one of the foremost experts on the subject of personal life purpose, having founded the Life On Purpose Institute in 1996. An avid student of the human development movement and New Thought, he specializes in life purpose coaching with individuals and groups. He is the author of: · Coaching to Win: Building Your Business by Building Your Team · Life On Purpose: Six Passages to an Inspired Life -- an award winning finalist in the Self-Help: Motivational division of the Best Books 2007 Awards sponsored by USA News. Check out his website www.lifeonpurpose.com or contact him coachbrad@lifeonpurpose.com

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Thought you'd be interested

2010-07-24T17:29:00.001-07:00

I found a site that I think you'll really like. They have a
great daily service that includes inspirational quotes, stories
and free inspirational eCards.

Go here to check it out:
http://mydailyinsights.com/new

Hope you enjoy!

steve

To Your Success - The Game of The Day http://8pecks.com

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Ingram Micro Cloud Summit: Top 10 Highlights

2010-07-24T17:28:00.001-07:00

The Ingram Micro Cloud Summit is wrapping up in Dallas today. Roughly 250 VARs and managed services providers attended the conference. So what were the key takeaways? And better yet… what rumors surfaced behind the scenes? Here are some observations from MSPmentor.

The top nine highlights include:

1. Cloud Hosting Is Like A Hotel: Pay by the night and everything is taken care of for you, asserted Lew Moorman, president and chief cloud strategy officer at Rackspace Hosted.

2. Emerging Partnerships: As expected, Ingram announced cloud relationships with Amazon.com, Rackspace and Salesforce.com. And I hear more moves involving Ingram and Salesforce.com could be coming…

3. No Monopoly: Saleforce.com’s Peter Coffee predicted that there will be no Microsoft of the cloud. In other words, no single company in the cloud will generate the type of market dominance that Microsoft enjoyed on the desktop, Coffee asserted.

4. Market Shift: Roughly 10 percent of servers are in the cloud right now. That figure will shift to 50 percent by 2015, Rackspace’s Moorman predicted (sorry, I didn’t catch Moorman’s source for the data point).

5. Reliability: There will be hiccups. But cloud vs. on-premise is like airplanes vs. cars. Airplanes are more reliable but make headlines when there’s an accident. The case is similar with cloud computing, asserted Moorman.

6. Changing Teams: Sun Java veteran Matt Thompson is now an evangelist for Microsoft’s cloud effort. He says roughly 140 new applications debut on the Windows Azure cloud per hour. “We’re betting the company on the cloud,” said Thompson. “If I didn’t believe it I would have gone to one of 25 cloud start-ups.”

7. Public vs. Private Cloud: Several speakers dismissed private cloud opportunities. But Microsoft made the case that private clouds will be a bigger opportunity than public clouds.

A case in point: More than 10,000 customers now leverage Microsoft’s Windows Azure public cloud platform. But Microsoft evangelist Matt Thompson says the broader strategy is to take Azure’s core technology and make it available via on-premises Windows servers, SQL Server deployments and

8. Groundhog Day: Build your brand. Build your sales team. Hire some vertical market expertise. On one hand, I’m tired of hearing those messages. On the other hand, the messages remain true for VARs and MSPs heading toward the cloud.

9. The Dumb Money Has Entered the Cloud: Microsoft’s Thompson said VCs are now making pumping “dumb money” into cloud start-ups. In other words, VCs are hooked on the cloud hype but many VCs were late to the table and are now making wild bets that may not pay off.

10. What I Still Need to Check Out: I missed several breakout sessions today from a range of vendors. Although I couldn’t be two (three, or four…) places at once, I plant to catch up with some of those presenters tonight.

More thoughts soon. Thanks for reading.

Sign up for MSPmentor’s weekly Enewsletter, Webcasts and Resource Center. And follow us via RSS; Facebook; Identi.ca; and Twitter. Plus, check out more MSP voices at www.MSPtweet.com.

Read More About This Topic
Ingram Micro Talks Cloud With Amazon, Rackspace, Salesforce.com
Cloud: Where Ingram Micro Will and Won’t Play
How to Sell Customers on the Cloud’s Business Advantages
Ingram Micro Seismic: 1,600 MSPs Now Engaged
Autotask Community Live: Five Questions Worth Asking

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Posted In: Software as a Service and Hardware as a Service

Tags: Amazon Web Services | Ingram Micro Cloud Summit | Ingram Micro Seismic | Just Crotty | Lew Moorman | Microsoft Matt Thompson | Peter Coffee | Rackspace Hosted | Salesforce.com | Windows Azure

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Interesting spectrum of comments and ideas about cloud computing and where it is going. Makes me more and more confident that the course of EDL is the main stream of the future.

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Choose Happy Thursday!

2010-07-22T14:25:00.001-07:00

Wow - today is another long one. Actually borrowed this from another blog, thought you might find this useful.

Have a Great Thursday!

Steve

The concept of choosing your feelings may sound odd. Feelings are feelings, right? They just happen to us. We can in fact choose how we experience our emotions. We are not victims to the energy that moves through us, the energy in motion, our e-motions. Sure, they happen instantly and unconsciously at first, like a wave that rushes through the body…until we decide to increase our awareness and be the creators of our lives, instead of the victims. Choosing does not mean suppressing or denying how you really feel. Grief, anger, sadness, fear… they all play profoundly important roles as message-bearers. Feeling it, acknowledging it, and then choosing something new is key. Ignoring emotions or slapping a happy band-aid on them may keep them submerged where they could fester, keep you stuck, alter your perceptions, and make you sick.

Rose is in constant overwhelm. She loves what she does and does it well, however there is more and more and more to DO. She is working 12-15 hours a day, every day and she is wearing down emotionally. Her biggest nemesis is her equipment. Her PC is crashing, her printer chews up paper and her CD duplicator rejects discs she knows are fine. Rose has deadlines to meet and her equipment is out to get her. She is loosing her amusement and feels anxiety most of the time. Last Wednesday she had a full-blown crying meltdown when the fax machine jammed. Rose was ready to quit it all and die. Friday something changed. Rose took the morning off and played. She recognized a strange and unfamiliar emotion and consciously chose to call it Happy-Ease. When she finally entered her office at 1pm, she felt better than ever. It was time to call the equipment companies. Well – she was shocked at the results. The computer guy had an easy fix and the duplicator just began to work perfectly, all by itself! The printer began to print. And the fax-faxed! The connection between her mood and the mood of her equipment was undeniable. Now Rose sets her tone before entering her office and steps away if she notices feelings that don’t feel good. Her overwhelm and anxiety are disappearing and she’s experiencing more Happy-Ease.

Self-Coaching Tool:

Wear the Word. The habit of being victim to our emotions is strongly engrained in our belief systems. And we must choose differently if we are to become the leaders, healers and mentors we came here to be. Try this:

1 – Begin to consciously notice times when you are feeling lousy and the results around you. There IS a direct relationship. Then notice times when you feel great and how that affects your world.

2 – Write a list of words that you would like to experience (no analyzing, judging or censoring – just be wild and write down anything).

3 – Each day, close your eyes and randomly place a finger on one word. Wear that word all day, like a coat or hat. It may be uncomfortable or strange at first. Just play and be easy as you do this. You are re-wiring your internal system to become more fully who you truly are.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JIM SELF is an international speaker and author (Spirit Matters: Down-to-Earth Tools for a Spirited Life) who is often introduced as a teacher’s teacher and a healer’s healer. Since childhood, Jim has had the ability to recall his experiences within the sleep state. Over the last ten years, this awareness has expanded into relationships with the archangels, ascended masters and teachers of light. The tools and information presented in the program, Mastering Alchemy, is a co-creation of these relationships.

Jim walks with a foot in both worlds. At the age of twenty-six, he was elected to his first of two terms to the San Jose, CA City Council and later became the Vice Mayor. Before completing his second term, he was asked by President Jimmy Carter to be an advisor and the Director of Governmental Operations for the Dept. of Energy. As an entrepreneur, he has successfully built and sold two corporations, and is the founder and current Board Chairman of a third.

Jim is a leader in the field of spiritual development and has been leading seminars on personal energy management and the Tools of Mastering Alchemy for over 27 years. He offers free live tele-seminars, videos and local classes around North America, plus a wealth of FREE material on his website, including downloadable articles, videos, booklets, essential tools and other useful information, including details of his free online Teleclasses, Webinars, and in-person talks, Level 1 weekend workshops, and Level 2 year-long seminars. http://www.masteringalchemy.com.

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Untitled

2010-07-21T19:20:00.001-07:00

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Take Stock Friday!

2010-07-16T04:13:00.001-07:00

It's take Stock Friday! This will even give you a few day's to follow the action ideas below.

LIFE'S INVENTORY

By William Lambert

So you have been living for 40 or 50 or 60 years. What do you have to show for it? What comes to your mind first? Your children? Your house? your car? Were your children an accomplishment or an accident? Should a spouse who loves you be listed in your inventory?

I did this inventory 10 years after I have been teaching school. I personally felt my inventory was not what it should be. I had a car and an apartment. I wanted a family and a house. I changed my behavior in an attempt to get those things.

Ten years later I felt that this was not enough. A wife and kids for me was not enough for my inventory. A new direction had to be derived. I spent much time in determining what truly makes me happy. I discovered that what really made me happy was helping other people.

My inventory includes letters from three people whose life I saved using my CPR skills. A distinguished teacher award. College Degrees, Letters from students that say without my influence they would never have attended college.

Action Step. Do your life's Inventory. Try to add things that cannot be taken away from you. Certificates, Degrees, and Marketable Skills that you enjoy. Do not focus on material things.

Action Step. Discover the joy of helping others. Share your skills, your knowledge, your understandings with others. Do this without seeking credit or anything in return.

Action Step. Look at your resume. Rewrite it as if you have accomplished more. Then work on making it happen. Never think the thought that "I am too old." There exist a list of people that were over 60 before they achieved their major accomplishments. The greatest joy in my life is when I received an E Mail stating that I helped someone change their behavior.

Action Step. Please note that you don't necessarily help someone if you give them material things. You really help when you teach them how to get their own and/or when you cause them to change behavior.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mr. Lambert has a Bachelor's degree from Lemoyne-Owen College in Biology and Chemistry, a Master's degree in Education, from Memphis State University, and he finished all the course work on a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a minor in Physics Education. He is a former teacher where he won the prestigious Distinguished Teacher Award. Mr. Lambert has made teaching his life. You can reach him at wlambert7@comcast.net

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It's a Take Action Tuesday in Western PA

2010-06-29T08:51:00.001-07:00

Everyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It's the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it that makes a difference.

~Nolan Bushnell

So it's Take Action Tuesday! My day started early and is scheduled to go very late... tomorrow too! And it is take action Tuesday - be in action - be action.

If you know what you are committed to produce, what action can you take now. Even a little action that will move you further towards your goal.

If you aren't sure what you are committed to - stop and ask. What is really important to me? If today were my last day, if this were my last moment - what would i want to have accomplished? If you are like me, an action to take will become clear. That's the thing to do. I invite you to do it now.

Love to hear the results of your actions. What you picked? What you did? What you produced? (or didn't produce)

Go For It!! What else is there to do?

Steve

If this message makes a difference for you, pass it on to your friends via email. Share it with your facebook, linkedin and twitter friends. Send them to http://8pecks.com for the online version.

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Finish Strong Friday at EDL Stadium

2010-06-18T04:55:00.001-07:00

This week I met a man in his late 70's. He was amazing. He'd recently lost his 2nd wife, who he'd found happiness with at 68. He was focused on his future, on leading a vibrant, active, meaningful life. He had so much more to contribute and he want to do that. I was inspired

So it's Friday. We've talked about this before. What can I get into today that will make a difference to my game. What can I get done this month... while it may look like only a little over a week left, it's actually 43% still to happen.

(i'd written this Game of the Day once and accidentally deleted part of it.... it sounds different this time.)

God gave us the sun rise and the sun set, he gave us the changing seasons. We made up the calendar; the weeks and the months. Use it to your advantage, don't let it use you.

It is your game, the one you are playing - as long as you're playing you might as well play to win.

Please take a minute to read my special request below - it's part of my game.

Have a wonderful day.

Steve

New to the Game of the Day? Want to catch up? Visit the site http://8pecks.com and look for the link "Background of the Game".

Special Request: I've gotten some feedback on the Game of the Day that it might have some commercial potential. I'd welcome and appreciate your thoughts and ideas on that. Do you find it useful? beneficial? What might make it better or what would you like to see? How could I spread it to more people who would find it useful? How could I ask you to help?

You can email your thoughts to me at steve@8pecks.com

I really appreciate your taking the time to read the Game of The Day. It's been fun so far, has made me think and I hope contributed to you. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to contribute.

Posted via email from Game of the Day

Make It Happen Monday!

2010-06-14T04:26:00.001-07:00

Wow! It's make it happen Monday at Starting Gate Park!

So today is the day we've all been waiting for. Today is "someday"!

That's right, its the day all procrastinators look for. It's the day when the thing we've been putting off is on the top of our to do list. If you are a super-procrastinator with a really big list, just pick on thing and put it in the top spot.

Today's is its day in the sun.

So take a look, pick something that you just haven't made the time for but you know you should be doing, get it done or started today. It's sort of like an amnesty day, no guilt, no making yourself wrong for not having done this thing before.

Take the next action and let us know what happens.

--------------------------------------------------

Don't make excuses - make good.

Elbert Hubbard

Posted via email from Game of the Day

TED Blog: TED and Reddit asked Sir Ken Robinson anything -- and he answered

2010-06-14T04:25:00.001-07:00

via blog.ted.com

Lots of good stuff in here.... how we educate, what we measure, a different paradigm for moving forward.

Posted via web from Game of the Day

Ingram Micro Cloud Summit: Top 10 Highlights

2010-06-13T19:14:00.001-07:00

The Ingram Micro Cloud Summit is wrapping up in Dallas today. Roughly 250 VARs and managed services providers attended the conference. So what were the key takeaways? And better yet… what rumors surfaced behind the scenes? Here are some observations from MSPmentor.

The top nine highlights include:

1. Cloud Hosting Is Like A Hotel: Pay by the night and everything is taken care of for you, asserted Lew Moorman, president and chief cloud strategy officer at Rackspace Hosted.

2. Emerging Partnerships: As expected, Ingram announced cloud relationships with Amazon.com, Rackspace and Salesforce.com. And I hear more moves involving Ingram and Salesforce.com could be coming…

3. No Monopoly: Saleforce.com’s Peter Coffee predicted that there will be no Microsoft of the cloud. In other words, no single company in the cloud will generate the type of market dominance that Microsoft enjoyed on the desktop, Coffee asserted.

4. Market Shift: Roughly 10 percent of servers are in the cloud right now. That figure will shift to 50 percent by 2015, Rackspace’s Moorman predicted (sorry, I didn’t catch Moorman’s source for the data point).

5. Reliability: There will be hiccups. But cloud vs. on-premise is like airplanes vs. cars. Airplanes are more reliable but make headlines when there’s an accident. The case is similar with cloud computing, asserted Moorman.

6. Changing Teams: Sun Java veteran Matt Thompson is now an evangelist for Microsoft’s cloud effort. He says roughly 140 new applications debut on the Windows Azure cloud per hour. “We’re betting the company on the cloud,” said Thompson. “If I didn’t believe it I would have gone to one of 25 cloud start-ups.”

7. Public vs. Private Cloud: Several speakers dismissed private cloud opportunities. But Microsoft made the case that private clouds will be a bigger opportunity than public clouds.

A case in point: More than 10,000 customers now leverage Microsoft’s Windows Azure public cloud platform. But Microsoft evangelist Matt Thompson says the broader strategy is to take Azure’s core technology and make it available via on-premises Windows servers, SQL Server deployments and

8. Groundhog Day: Build your brand. Build your sales team. Hire some vertical market expertise. On one hand, I’m tired of hearing those messages. On the other hand, the messages remain true for VARs and MSPs heading toward the cloud.

9. The Dumb Money Has Entered the Cloud: Microsoft’s Thompson said VCs are now making pumping “dumb money” into cloud start-ups. In other words, VCs are hooked on the cloud hype but many VCs were late to the table and are now making wild bets that may not pay off.

10. What I Still Need to Check Out: I missed several breakout sessions today from a range of vendors. Although I couldn’t be two (three, or four…) places at once, I plant to catch up with some of those presenters tonight.

More thoughts soon. Thanks for reading.

Sign up for MSPmentor’s weekly Enewsletter, Webcasts and Resource Center. And follow us via RSS; Facebook; Identi.ca; and Twitter. Plus, check out more MSP voices at www.MSPtweet.com.

Read More About This Topic
Ingram Micro Talks Cloud With Amazon, Rackspace, Salesforce.com
Cloud: Where Ingram Micro Will and Won’t Play
How to Sell Customers on the Cloud’s Business Advantages
Ingram Micro Seismic: 1,600 MSPs Now Engaged
Autotask Community Live: Five Questions Worth Asking

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Posted In: Software as a Service and Hardware as a Service

Tags: Amazon Web Services | Ingram Micro Cloud Summit | Ingram Micro Seismic | Just Crotty | Lew Moorman | Microsoft Matt Thompson | Peter Coffee | Rackspace Hosted | Salesforce.com | Windows Azure

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Interesting spectrum of comments and ideas about cloud computing and where it is going. Makes me more and more confident that the course of EDL is the main stream of the future.

Posted via web from Expert Data Labs

What's This Mean? Wednesday

2010-06-09T05:29:00.001-07:00

Todays game is a little different.

Most of us have heard of this guy - Albert Einstein. He's credited with having a pretty big impact on our understanding of our physical world with his theory relativity and the like.

Below is a quote from our friend Albert. I noticed it recently as a post on a friend's post on Facebook. Take a moment to read the words, question their meaning and look to see how they apply in your life. Are you present to the mysterious?

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."

Albert Einstein

Are you present to the mysterious?

Appreciate if you'd take a minute and put your thoughts and comments on the blog post of today's game. Whatever you choose to say is fine, consider that it will most likely contribute to another person's experience. Post it here at http://8pecks.com

Have an awesome day.

Steve

Posted via email from Game of the Day

Totally Terrific Tuesday

2010-06-08T04:51:00.001-07:00

Good morning everyone. It's been a few days since the last Game of the Day - a week in fact. Hope you missed it, I actually missed writing it. There was nothing wrong, just busy.

Today is Totally Terrific Tuesday. This is like a bonus day. Everything today, no matter what occurs in the context of being totally terrific. So my job, (and your's if you choose to accept it) is to find the terrific in everything around me today.

There is a chance that one or two situations will creep in that my not look so terrific. It's in finding the terrific in them that will give me "power", creativity and effectiveness in dealing with the situations. That's what terrific Tuesday is all about, me causing today to be terrific no matter what life throws my way.

Confused about this? No problem, let me know and I'll be glad to help you.

Welcome to Terrific Tuesday.

Posted via email from Game of the Day

Tell Your Story Tuesday

2010-06-01T13:43:00.001-07:00

Welcome back to the game. It's "Tell Your Story" Tuesday.

Get the word out. Let the world know who you are and what you have to offer. We all have something unique to contribute to others, to make a difference in their businesses, and their lives. This is where our business comes from, telling our story

Not sure what story to tell, well use this as the opportunity to get your story clear. You have one, we all do. Seek out help if you need it, but get this done. Each day that goes by with out your story being told is a loss for the rest of us..

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Time is within your control.

Luanne Oakes, Ph.D.

Posted via email from Game of the Day

Be Grateful Thursday!

2010-05-27T03:16:00.001-07:00

Be Grateful? What kind of game is that?

I know for myself, sometimes I have to remind myself how grateful I am for the opportunity prospects, customers and clients give to us. It is the opportunity to be of service to them. They trust me with their problem, they trust me with their pain, they trust me with their business. All of this when they aren't always sure what to do, they trust me. I am grateful.

And this opportunity is what allows us to be in business, to contribute, to make a difference for them. I am grateful.

Sometimes it doesn't look like an opportunity. Helping clients and customers can sometimes be frustrating. I remember they are frustrated too. I am grateful that they have trusted me in their frustration.

I'm grateful that God gave me the abilities to be of service, to have something of that others find valuable to contribute. That I have a team of other very competent people to help and support me. I am grateful.

In today's game, take a moment in each interaction. Ask yourself, am I being grateful? Can I express my gratitude in some simple way? Could be as simple as saying "Thank you for the opportunity to be of service." The expression will be different for each of us.

Thanks for reading this, and giving me the opportunity to contribute to you in even a small way. Thanks for the opportunity to be of service.

Have a grateful day! (and pass it on)

Steve
Game Of The Day

Posted via email from Game of the Day

Game for today: What's Next Wednesday

2010-05-26T04:24:00.001-07:00

What's next? Such a great question!

When we are in action, What's next? is the question to ask as we complete each task or challenge.

When we are planning our day? It is the question to ask as we review opportunities and goals.

What's next? is the question for the next action to take to further your game. I love this question, simple and to the point.

So it's "What's Next?" Wednesday at the Park.

Appreciate your thoughts on the image today....

Posted via email from Game of the Day

Its Take Action Tuesday!

2010-05-25T05:09:00.001-07:00

It's Take Action Tuesday.... following on from Who's on Base Monday this is perfect. Who's sitting out there, stranded, waiting for you? Where would taking the next step move your game forward?

Not that we need to be reminded, but taking action is the key to getting things done. And taking action doesn't always mean you have to do it, can you leverage an event or someone else's efforts.

With one day down, and 4 to go - what's your score? Lots of time to impact it if you take action now, today. Move it forward, win your game.

Thought for Today

------------------

Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilites - always see them, for they're always there.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

There is power in the questions we ask, most of us would agree. There may be even more power in the order we ask them..... the lvideo link below may hold a secret.

What do the Wright Brothers, Martin Luther King and Apple Have In Common?

Posted via email from Game of the Day

Who's on base Monday?

2010-05-24T12:26:00.001-07:00

Who's on base or who's in play? A great question for Monday. Have mentioned before we use Dave Kurlan's Baseline Selling approach and today is "running the bases" day.
A great time to take a look and ask:
who's on which base?

how long have they been there? Are they getting stale or worse yet, rotting!

what's it take to get them to the next base, what's the next action?

You can use this process for many situations. we use it to manage opportunities... what ideas do you have?
Steve
--
Steve Peck

Posted via email from Game of the Day

How to Live Before You Die - Steve Jobs

2010-05-22T10:23:00.001-07:00

Found this quite by accident. A commencement address by Steve Jobs, someone who participated in changing the world, making "a computer for the rest of us". That certainly gave us a life today that may never have happened in quite the way it did. There is a "little world changer" in all of us. Do yourself a favor today. Take 15 minutes and listen and let this speak to you. Leave your comments below on what you heard.

via 8pecks.com

Well worth the time to watch.

Posted via web from Game of the Day

Too much data leads to not enough belief

2010-01-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

Too much data leads to not enough belief: "

Business plans with too much detail, books with too much proof, politicians with too much granularity... it seems as though more data is a good thing, because data proves the case.

In my experience, data crowds out faith. And without faith, it's hard to believe in the data enough to make a leap. Big mergers, big VC investments, big political movements, large congregations... they don't usually turn out for a spreadsheet.

The problem is this: no spreadsheet, no bibliography and no list of resources is sufficient proof to someone who chooses not to believe. The skeptic will always find a reason, even if it's one the rest of us don't think is a good one. Relying too much on proof distracts you from the real mission--which is emotional connection.

Everything Changes - Video Post

2009-09-11T03:42:00.000-07:00

Everything Changes - Video Post: "

In our fast-paced world, how can we learn to cope and embrace change? That's the topic of my latest video post:

(Can't see the video? Visit www.karlblog.com to watch!)

HOW TO: Do Good on LinkedIn

2009-09-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

HOW TO: Do Good on LinkedIn: "

This series is supported by Toyota Prius and presented by harmonytweets, a Twitter-based platform for filtering conversations around design, sustainability, eco technology and philanthropy. Leverage Twitter to communicate around ideals you care about at harmonytweets.com.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve focused on how you can use the web to do good. Whether you’re using your own blog, Twitter or Facebook — social platforms can be a real catalyst for contributing to social good.

With more than 43 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is most frequently used as a way of networking with business colleagues and potential employers and employees. Just because it can be used for personal enrichment doesn’t preclude LinkedIn from being used for social good. Check out some of our favorite ways to use LinkedIn to contribute something back. Do you have any other ideas or tips? Leave them in the comments!

1. Find Upcoming Fundraising Events in Your Area

Last November, LinkedIn launched its Events feature in conjunction with Eventbrite. But conferences and conventions aren’t the only types of events you can find or promote on LinkedIn, you can find Fundraisers too!

In the “Find Events” menu of the Events panel, you can search for events by keyword, date, area and here’s the big key, “event type.” Select “Fundraiser” and set your date and area parameters — and even keyword if you have something special in mind — and see what turns up. This is a great way to find fundraisers in your own area that you might not have been aware about.

Do you have an upcoming fundraiser or charity event? List it on LinkedIn so that others can find it and RSVP.

2. Use the Groups Feature to Promote Your Cause

LinkedIn Groups are a great way to bring like-minded individuals together. You can create a group for your non-profit or special interest group and also search for like-minded groups already on the web.

Recently, LinkedIn has added more ways to easily interact with group members and personalize automated messages. Make sure your groups profile is descriptive of your purpose and then add your group to the Groups Directory.

Find individuals in your network who share your interests and invite them to join your group. Have an upcoming event? Create a group for attendees to join and share ideas.

3. Answer Someone’s Question

In Dan Schawbel’s HOW TO: Build Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn, he recommends asking and answering questions as a way to build brand awareness. However, just by answering someone’s question, you can achieve a lot of social good.

It might sound small, but sometimes nothing can be more helpful than giving your time and your knowledge to others. See what topics you have a handle on and offer up your input, suggestions and resources.

4. Forward Someone a Job

LinkedIn is increasingly becoming a great resource for individuals who are looking for jobs, but it can also be a great place to find jobs for other people. Do you know someone who is unemployed? Peruse some of the job listings on LinkedIn and forward some of the leads to your friend.

Sometimes the best way to achieve social good is simply to be on the lookout for others. Directing opportunities to those that can benefit is a great way to do this.

5. Write a Recommendation

In the same vein, one of the easiest, but potentially most helpful things you can do on LinkedIn is to write a recommendation for a friend or colleague. More and more companies are turning to social networks like LinkedIn to get information on potential employees. Having a positive recommendations, especially when they are detailed and specific, is a great way to create a good impression.

It’s often only after we move on to new careers or opportunities that we can really appreciate the work of those around us. Take time to recommend a colleague that has helped you at a past job. Even if they aren’t looking for something now, just having that bit of recognition out there can go a long way.

Do you use LinkedIn for social good? What are your best tips and tricks?

Series supported by Toyota Prius, presented by harmonytweets

This series is supported by Toyota Prius and presented by harmonytweets, a Twitter-based platform for filtering conversations around key inspirational themes core to the Prius brand including design, sustainability, eco technology and philanthropy. Leverage Twitter to communicate around ideals you care about, including inspiration, hybrid technology and volunteerism at harmonytweets.com.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, IvanWuPl

Reviews: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, iStockphoto

Tags: how to, linkedin, Lists

Top 10 Facebook Songs on YouTube

2009-08-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Facebook Songs on YouTube: "

Last month we brought you the Top 5 Twitter Songs on YouTube…but it’s not just the microblogging site that has earned musical tributes. With Facebook’s global audience and mainstream popularity, dozens of odes have been penned; we’ve narrowed them down to just 10 of the best.

From rap to musical theatre, we bring you the best Facebook songs on YouTube.

The Facebook Song (RhettandLink)

An Internet comedy duo put Facebook to music, with hilarious results. Best verse: “Before the Internet, friendship was so tough / you actually had to be in people’s presence and stuff / who would’ve thought that with a point and a click / I could know that Hope Floats is your favorite flick?”

The Facebook Skit

Enrique Iglesias’ Hero is co-opted by a Facebook stalker.

Honest Graduation Song (College Humor)

College Humor tells the nostalgic story of two high school buddies who take separate paths in life, with Facebook as their only connection. Alas, a change in fortunes necessitates a switch to LinkedIn. (Available on YouTube, embedded from College Humor.)

R U F**king Kidding Me (Kate Miller-Heidke)

Australian singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke performs her humorous and familiar tale about a past love who tries to add her on Facebook. (Warning: strong language.)

Mr. Creepy Facebook Stalker Guy

A short and sweet tribute to Mr Creepy Facebook Stalker Guy and his leery ways.

2005 Miami U. Cheezies a cappella: Facebook Song

From back in 2006, the “Miami U. Cheezies” perform their ode to Facebook. Inspired by the Everly Brothers.

Vince Dyer’s Facebook.com Song

“Won’t you be my friend / I just want some friends / on Facebook”, goes the refrain. Cute.

Facebook Gangsta

A man lives a double-life through Facebook. (Note: strong language on this one too.)

Facebook Anthem

Too many people have turned “We Didn’t Start the Fire” into Internet parodies….so here’s another.

Be My Friend (The Facebook Song)

Edges, a musical by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, famously features the song “Be My Friend”: here’s Penn State’s live performance.

Know of better Facebook songs? Let us know in the comments.

Reviews: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube