The Secret Powers of Time

If you do not know what you are doing, please seek counsel from those who do

©  Sana Booker, Executive Director, Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Mini-Morsels, May 6, 2010.  Used with permission

Take a look at the NYT article published on Earth Day, 2010:
For Earth Day – 7 New Rules to Live By

What are the rules for charitable deductions?  The IRS has a nice “Ten Tips” article that provides plain guidance.   Here’s a very quick and abbreviated summary – for more information check out the link to the article, below:

1.    ONLY qualified charities
2.    NOT time or services
3.    NOT tickets or merchandise for fund-raisers
4.    Fair-market value = deduction amount
5.    Donated items must be usable
6.    Must have documentation
7.    > $250 must have better documentation
8.    Noncash donations > $500 require separate tax form
9.    Noncash donations > $5000 require appraisal
10.    Must be able to itemize (Schedule A) to deduct

Ten Tips for Deducting Charitable Contributions

Yet, I enjoy the beauty and magic of mathematical concepts.  The logic to solving a math problem and the lure of solving the (math) puzzle  always hold an attraction for me.

Steven Strogatz is a professor of applied mathematics at Cornell University, and has just launched an entertaining blog on the NY Times website about math – from pre-school to grad school.   The first entry is fun – I look forward to learning more about math from this perspective.

Now, if I could just get my kids to have the same feeling about their math homework…

From Fish to Infinity – Steven Strogatz Blog

All the posts located on one web page

Lately, I’ve had inquiries about how folks can protect their creative works from being used (or abused) through the Internet.  While I’m not sure that you can completely prevent your content from being used without your permission, you can find unauthorized use on the Internet, through the use of a few good search tools:

Copyscape- checks URL (websites) for plagiarism (text).

Tineye – allows you to upload an image to search against.

There are a number of image search engines that allow you to search for images by words and phrases – here are two to get you started:

PicSearch

Google Image Search

(PS – all the images I use on my website are either free, licensed, or created by me.  Just so you know.)

UPDATE – February 3, 2009

Today’s issue of Blue Avocado has a great article about copyright protection – for more information, check it out:

Nonprofits and Copyright – What You Need to Know

1. Practice Active Listening. Frequently, people are so concerned with getting their turn to speak, they don’t listen to what the other person is saying.  Slow down and really listen to the other person (instead of thinking about your next response).
2. Look for Common Ground. The best way to meet someone is in the middle – a place where you both agree.   Start there, and work your way toward the areas where you disagree.
3. Choose Your Battles. Not everything is critically important.  Many times, disagreements escalate because each party insists that every issue has equal and high importance.  Prioritize your issues – what can you live without?  What is really important?  What must be resolved, right now, and what can wait until later?
4. Preserve Dignity. This is also called “saving face,” and it’s not about you – it’s about the other person.   My greatest successes in conflict resolution are times where I’ve made a point to preserve both my client’s dignity and the dignity of the other person.  If people feel that they are honored and valued as individuals and that their point of view is given credit by the other side, they spend more time working toward a solution to a problem, and less time defending their honor.
5. Speak Quietly and Use Civil Language. Loud voices and strong words (not only vulgar language, but inflammatory, belittling or other words that will stir up trouble and ignore Tip #4, above) focus on posturing, not on the problem.  Most people listen less when voices are raised.
6. Step Back, Take a Breath, Cool Off. No matter what people say, conflict is personal.   When people say,  “don’t take it personally,” they are only adding insult on top of insult.  Of course, it’s personal, or else it wouldn’t be a conflict.  If you find yourself getting angry and offended, and unable to return the discussion to a point of reason, take a break.  I have been known to end meetings if they start to get out of hand, rather than allow the discussion to devolve into personal attacks.    This will give everyone a chance to cool off and think about things.
7. Assume There is a Solution. How you approach conflict resolution is critical – if you believe that there is a way to resolve a conflict, you will find it.  If you believe that the problem cannot be solved — you will prove yourself right.

USA Weekend Make a Difference Day

Volunteer Match

While USA Weekend touts October 24 as Make a Difference Day, the United States officially observes National Volunteer Week in April

Presidential Proclamation

The point, however, is not to merely observe the “official” day for volunteering.  The point is to volunteer as a part of your lifestyle.  What do you do to “give back” to your community?  How do you spend your time making your world a better place?  How do you “count” in the world?

What you do doesn’t matter – what matters is that you “do work”  in your community in a way that is personally meaningful to you.  So…

Go – Do – Make a Difference

The Gospel According to Starbucks. This is a delightful and thoughtful study by Leonard Sweet on how the Starbucks corporate culture has not only (consciously or unconsciously) adopted what should be everything good about Christian evangelism, but has also captured the very essences of what we humans need to center our lives.

I just finished leading a discussion on this book in a number of Sunday School classes this summer, and it worked very well as a good read and good discussion book.

The book focuses on Starbuck’s passion for coffee that has become so entrenched that it has become a cultural icon.  The author proposes that this is a passion that Christians – or any other people of faith, for that matter  – should be able to translate into a passion for our faith.

The last chapter about the history of coffee is a fascinating walk through millennia of culture, starting in China and moving across the globe (and civilizations) to the US.

Bottom line – humans crave connection with each other, and coffee is a cultural touchstone to help us accomplish this connection.

Reminds me a bit about the goal of this website:  Coffee, conversation, and … connection.

Part of my law practice includes school law, and I’ve been researching the use – and abuse – of technology by students.  It’s rather appalling how much our children do not know about proper conduct (or, maybe I’m giving them too much benefit of the doubt – maybe the know and don’t care).    Some recent information about this issue:

Hamilton County School Cell Phone Policy

Issue-Brief-A Troubling New Trend-Aug09

And, yes, my kids have cell phones, and they know that their parents monitor their cell phone use and periodically review text message history. Also, my kids have cheap cell phones with voice and text only – no picture or video capability.

My main frustration is a way to haul all this gear around in a compact, yet roomy, bag, that also includes “purse stuff” (some of which is the aforementioned iPAQ, camera and phone – maybe Kindle (depending on the conference))

After a fruitless search, online and in stores, I decided to make my own. Here are a few pictures.  The fabric is a nice two-sided black denim – silver on the reverse, which worked out as a handy design feature.

Yes,  Kindle, netbook and reading glasses, plus all the normal purse gear fit in their own little compartments.  Not too heavy, sturdy enough for travel, and zipper closure.  Dimensions are approximately 15″ x 15″ x 3″

Way to go, Dad!

I’m not a huge fan of social networking. I can’t help but think that there are other things I should be doing with my time. I have a Facebook page – I signed up so I could keep track of my kids.  I rarely add content.   I’m not saying this a bad thing; I simply may not be as “social” as the average Jane.

Social networking for professionals: Does it work? Is it worth it? Just like anything – it depends upon what YOU put into it, and what you expect OUT of it.

Futurelawyer post — Tigger or Eeyore?