WhatIsMyIP.com, is a very handy service for figuring out exactly one thing very fast: What is my “real” IP address right now?

This is something you’re going to need every now and then, when troubleshooting network applications, trying remote control applications (although it’s not needed as often these days), configuring certain games, et cetera.

WhatIsMyIP’s advantage does not lie with edgy Web2.0 looks, or snazzy JavaScript. It’s a pretty drab-looking site, and the copy writing is bordering on awful (“Whats My IP Address?”). But it has one big thing going for it: the domain name. It’s really, really easy to remember. And it shows you your IP address in huge font right on top, and does not have any pop-ups, pop-unders, or blink tags. Sometimes, that’s all I need!

via A Web classic: WhatIsMyIP.com shows you your IP address.

The following post is by guest author Rich Charbonneau (@richcharbonneau), a clinical project manager who works for a pharmaceutical company in the U.S.

I’ve been using Twitter for a few months now and have been truly amazed by the potential of the medium.  There are literally millions of bits of information to be had in the Twittersphere.  Of course, some of these bits of information are more valuable than others.  Therein lies the biggest problem I’ve seen so far with Twitter: how does one effectively sift the “wheat from the chaff?”

As I began to seek Twitter authors to follow that were relevant to my interests, I found myself subscribing and then unsubscribing from writers many times over.  After performing numerous iterations of this process, I began to distill where the “best” (in my opinion) information could be had.  Patterns began to emerge in terms of who the people were that were tweeting the best information and who, in turn, their connections were.

Twitter is not a community, but it’s an ecology in which communities can emerge. -Howard Rheingold

It seems to me that this knowledge about who the best tweeters are in particular areas of interest could be of great value. Certainly, if for no other reason, the time alone saved from not having to sift on one’s own could represent significant value. Yet, how does one access this type of knowledge?

There are Twitter directories out there such as WeFollow, but the problem with these is that they are based solely on the aggregate number of followers authors have.  The more followers you have, the higher your rank.  Unfortunately, the number of followers a twitterer has is not necessarily related to the quality of that twitterer’s posts (consider Ashton Kutcher!)

There are also directories created by individuals by topic.  However, in my experience such directories can often be populated with friends of the creator and can also be somewhat exclusive.

Are there better solutions out there?  What has your experience been?

Fortunately, heckling is not a common occurrence in the corporate world. However, interruptions and distractions do happen. Here are three ways to handle disruptions from Harvard Business Review for next time you’re in front of an audience:

1. Be prepared. Know your audience before you walk into the room. Will they be receptive or hostile to what you have to say? Are they likely to be outspoken or sit quietly? Knowing what to expect helps you design a presentation that prevents disruptions before they happen.
2. Be flexible. If someone interrupts or even heckles you, don’t ignore him. By acknowledging the interruption, you’re reminding the audience that you’re in control, not the disrupter.
3. Be resolute. If the disruptions continue, ask people to hold their comments until the end. If that doesn’t work, ask the audience to voice their opinion: do they want you to continue? Peer pressure can be a powerful way to silence disrupters.

Via: HarvardBusiness.org

Great advice for all budding journalists/ bloggers/ twitterers:

(1) #100things – Twitter Search

If you’ve been using Google Chrome as your internet browser, you know that one major blind spot for the browser is the lack of extensions or plugins.  Well, that’s (finally!) about to change:

Google Chrome Extensions

Provocative…

Someone who uses social media successfully doesn’t just create content; her or she creates conversations.

And those conversations create communities.

That’s the real beauty of social media, and while it may or may not be the goal- depending on the site- the result of social media can always be firm connections between the people who participate.

When those connections are formed around businesses, the results can be the sort of brand loyalty and commitment that sales professionals have been dreaming about since the first days of direct marketing.

Read more here.

Nubli, a new Outlook plugin, studies your past email handling behavior to prioritize your inbox for you.  The software looks at your past behavior to identify which subjects and contacts are most important to you.

Other features include “quick action” buttons which let you take some sort of action with the email in question. You can adjust the email or contact priority, archive the email if nothing needs to be done with it, flag it for follow up, or set a reminder to deal with the email later.

From the integrated Nubli dashboard, you can track all of the email processing you’ve done so far to see which items need follow up as well as a list of unread emails sorted by priority.

Nubli also uses an intelligent tagging system which automatically assigns tags or labels to new email conversations. Initially, you have to train the system by tagging items yourself but after some time, Nubli figures out what tags should be used and assigns them for you. This can save a lot of time for users who can then use the tags to search for both emails and attachments.

Get Nubli here.

Via: Channel 10

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• Xobni Launches Twitter Access Within Outlook [Giveaway] (mashable.com)

Actually, it’s free!  Feeling a bit frugal lately?  Have a PC or two that you need security software for, but wish you didn’t have to pay fot it?  Well, problem solved.  Microsoft has announced the relaease of it’s Security Essentials suite that can be had for free!

Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download from Microsoft that provides your PC with up to date tools so you can rest assured that you are protected by the latest technology.  The software can be downloaded here.

For all you consultants out there, here’s a great online service to help you track your time and manage your billing: FreshBooks.com

The service is easy to use and even provides an iPhone app for tracking on the go!

Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, publishes a email newsletter periodically that includes helpful business tips.  His most recent edition is particulary poignant to the current employment environment:

Did you know that in 1777, there was an effort to force George Washington to retire from the military service? I didn’t — until I took a look at Mark McNeilly’s George Washington and the Art of Business: The Leadership Principles of America’s First Commander-in-Chief.   

The anecdote got me to thinking about the number of people who feel like their jobs are at risk these days. It reminded me that what we do every day before and during a crisis powerfully affects what happens to us when it hits.

 

General Washington was able to survive the “Conway Cabal.” (The Cabal’s leader was an officer named Thomas Conway.) As McNeilly writes, “[Washington's] men supported him because they knew his strength of character and his own devotion to the Cause.  They also knew that Washington sought their counsel, strove to be fair with them, worked hard to help them build a stronger army, and stood by them despite their own mistakes.”

 

And while his opponents fired off surreptitious, self-important and derisive letters, Washington kept to the high road. He remained professional and controlled – despite obvious personal disdain for the men who sought to remove him and incredible frustration at having his merits called into question.

 

If you’re feeling under fire or nervous about your position, stay cool.  Worry about the things you can affect — particularly what you do and how you treat others.  Be proactive and stay positive.

 

In short, make your own history.

 

Warmest,

 

Keith

 

 

This week on the Greenlight Community:

 

New Video:
Keith Interviewed by Hollywood Clout’s Host Richard Green

New Discussions:

How to Make Meetings More Impactful
What Would you say to Keith?
Your Relationship With Your Boss?

 

If you’ve received this from a friend and want to sign up, click here

Ferrazzi Greenlight, 8581 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 482, Los Angeles, CA 90069, USA