An interesting piece from Nightline this past Friday night August 7th.
Category Archives: English
Yo Yo Is Far From End of Its StringLink Farm – Nibble on Your Feeds
“Snackr is a new Adobe AIR app that lets you display items in your RSS feeds in a beautiful scrolling ticker on any edge of your screen. I am absolutely giddy about it after only a few minutes of use. Snackr is something you’d supplement your existing reader with, not a replacement. It is not for the faint of heart or information averse, either.
If you’ve ever fantasized about having the river of news flow straight into your brain, this is the closest I’ve seen yet. I’ve uploaded a small OPML file of my top priority feeds, limited Snackr to displaying items from within the last 5 days and am in heaven.” Marshall Kirkpatrick, Read Write Web
Admittedly I have only been using this tool for a day now, however, I can say that as a self-proclaimed King of All Media e’ molto divertente! Check it out.
Family Business – Taking the Perks Away
“Companies are slashing benefits right and left.  But it’s tougher to lose the company car or a generous dividend when your dad or your sister takes it away,” writes Jillian Mincer in a recent Wall Street Journal article.  Small businesses in America, most of which are family-run, are now pressed to cut benefits and perks to their family members in order to sustain their operations. Needless to say these decisions are often contentious and quite emotional.
“Another challenge is that different generations typically don’t feel the same way about the company. The baby boomer who founded the firm may be willing to work extra and to accept significant cuts. But those in their 20’s may not even appreciate how lucky they are to have a job in a recession.”
Occasionally management of closely-held businesses believes they are entitled to their “bennies” yet asks their rank and file to bear the burden of the cuts. Depending on your POV there are plenty of pro and con arguments for such a decision.
During these economic times have you seen or been faced with cutting benefits to family members?
Intervista – Mirella Una Mental Trainer
In the introduction to her book, Daydreaming About Tea, Mirella M. P. Grillo writes, “A Chinese wise man says: ‘we drink tea to forget the noise of the world.’ In fact, there is no other drink, in nature, holding so many different properties. Tea sharpens and calms, cold or hot it is equally nice, available in a great variety of types. Tea is pleasant, warm and relaxing.”  In getting to know Mirella, and her work as a mental trainer, I believe one of her gifts is to help her clients focus on their dreams and ‘forget the noise of the world.’ In this spirit, it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Mirella M. P. Grillo the 3rd Italian female entrepreneur featured in the Women @ Work series.
1)Â DA QUANTI ANNI AVEVI IL TUO TRAINING BUSINESS?
>Sono una Mental Trainer (una via di mezzo tra uno psicoterapeuta e un
formatore) e lavoro nel settore della comunicazione, con un occhio particolare per il suo lato psicologico, da 25 anni. Non tratto patologia ma tutto quello che ha a che fare con l’interagire, il saper parlare in pubblico, il saper dirigere un gruppo, il migliorare la propria leadership, ecc.
I’m a Mental Trainer, I’m in the middle between a psychotherapist and a coach, and I’ve been working in the communication area since I was 24. I’m not a doctor. My job is about the interaction with people, about public speaking, about the leadership, about how dealing with difficult people , about managing, and teamwork, etc.
2)Â PERCHE’ HAI COMINCIATO? PER ESEMPIO, AVEVI UNA PASSIONE PER CRESCITA PERSONALE OPPURE L’INDIPENDENZA CHE TI DA’ UN’ATTIVITA’ IN PROPRIO?
>L’idea è nata da un articolo che parlava di quanto una persona possa acquisire ulteriori capacità utilizzando in modo più appropriato le proprie capacità intellettive. E’ stato come aver incontrato una calamita. All’epoca già lavoravo ma ho ricominciato a studiare. E ora eccomi qua, una dei cinque Mental Trainer d’Italia. Amo il mio lavoro, ho quattro pubblicazioni alle spalle (la quinta è in elaborazione) e tanta gratificazione.
The idea was born from an article about the right use of our brain. For me it was as a magnet. At that time I worked as journalist but I started studying again and now I am one of the five Mental Trainers in Italy. I love my job. I wrote four books (the fifth is on the way) and a lot of satisfaction.
3)Â QUALE ESPERIENZA TI HA AIUTATO AD INIZIARE LA TUA ATTIVITA’? PER ESEMPIO: EDUCAZIONE,ESPERIENZA DELLA TUA VITA, ALTRI LAVORI,L’INSEGNAMENTO DEI TUOI GENITORI, ECC…
>Fondamentale è stato oltre ai miei studi, la mia autostima e la mia curiosità . E’ un modo per crescere in quanto si è consapevoli di non sapere. Socrate affermava che l’unica cosa che non sapeva era di non sapere, e interrogava di continuo sè e gli altri. D’altra parte i contributi offerti all’umanità da inventori e pensatori sono il risultato delle risposte alle continue domande che si pongono. Così in un certo senso ho fatto io.
A part of my studies, it was of prime importance my self esteem and my curiosity. It’s a way to grow up because we know we don’t know. Socrates said the he knew he didn’t know and he questioned himself and others. Inventors and philosophers gave their contributions to the humanity because they questioned themselves. So I did with me.
4) CHE CONSIGLIO DARESTI AD UNA DONNA CHE VUOLE INIZIARE LA PRORIA ATTIVITA’? PRATICAMENTE, CHE COSA HAI IMPARATO?
>Il mio suggerimento è che noi donne non dobbiamo mai abbandonare i nostri sogni. Abbiamo grandissime capacità , solo molte volte ci tarpiamo le ali da sole in quanto timorose del giudizio degli altri. Noi donne possiamo perchè abbiamo costanza e pazienza, siamo creative e flessibili, e quindi la capacità di concretizzare e vivere i nostri desideri.
I suggest that women mustn’t give up their projects, their dreams. We get several capabilities, but sometimes we clip us our wings because the people’s judgment. Women can because they get perseverance and patient, they are creative and flexible, and so we can realize and live our wishes.
Contatti: Mirella Grillo, Udine, Italia
Email: m_grillo3@yahoo.it
Intervista – Patrizia di Corpus
This 2nd installment of Women @ Work features Patrizia Cecchini the owner of Corpus. This is an energetic wellness and fitness center located in Perugia offering all different types of workouts including yoga. After a great workout, Corpus also offers lunch and a variety of healthy beverages.
DA QUANTI ANNI GESTISCI CORPUS?
>My husband and I started this business in January 1989.
PERCHE’ HAI COMINCIATO? PER ESEMPIO,AVEVI UNA PASSIONE PER BENESSERE OPPURE L’INDIPENDENZA CHE TI DA’ UN’ATTIVITA’ IN PROPRIO?
>Our passion for physical activity pushed us to open a fitness center.
QUALE ESPERIENZA TI HA AIUTATO AD INIZIARE LA TUA ATTIVITA’? PER ESEMPIO: EDUCAZIONE,ESPERIENZA DELLA TUA VITA, ALTRI LAVORI,L’INSEGNAMENTO DEI TUOI GENITORI, ECC…
>Everything started many years ago. We frequented a gym during our lunch break. From there came the initiative to start our own business.
CHE CONSIGLIO DARESTI AD UNA DONNA CHE VUOLE INIZIARE LA PRORIA ATTIVITA’? PRATICAMENTE, CHE COSA HAI IMPARATO?
>I’m not sure that I can give advice to a woman that wants to start her own business. Passion, believing in yourself and always giving 110% of yourself are the most important things for an entrepreneur. This business has taught
me to have a strong spirit, be willing to make many sacrifices and learn to relate with other people.
HAI UN CONSIGLIO PER TENERE IL PASSO CON LE TENDENZE PIU’ RECENTI?
>Tendencies? Many times tendencies become a style. But style does not always mean a healthy work.
COME STAI GESTENDO QUESTA CRISI ECONOMICA? ( PER ESEMPIO HAI CAMBIATO MARKETINGÂ OPPURE ALTRE COSE?)
>It is true, there has been crisis, but luckily with our staff, we are always able to reach the best solution to any problem to continue with our business. Luck? Maybe..but we like to think that it’s also due to our professionality.
Contatti: Corpus, Via Cortonese, 1/d, Perugia
Tel: 39.075.505.62.44
Web: CorpusClub.it
Link Farm – Multimedia
SAPETE PERCHE GLI OCCHIALI DOLCE & GABBANA COSTANO COSI TANTO?????
(In these tough times a little humor is needed…Divertitevi!)
