“Each of us is given five balls. One is rubber and four are glass. The rubber ball is work. If you drop it, it will always bounce back. The other four glass balls are family, friends, health and integrity. If you drop them, they are shattered. They won’t bounce back.”

“Did you hear the one about the programmer who outsourced his own job? I read about it on Slashdot.org, the ‘news for nerds’ Web site. A pseudonymous poster wrote, ‘About a year ago I hired a developer in India to do my job. I pay him $12,000 to do the job I get paid $67,000 for. He’s happy to have the work. I’m happy that I only have to work 90 minutes a day, talking code. My employer thinks I’m telecommuting. Now I’m considering getting a second job and doing the same thing.’”

“This two-part column comes from Tommy Cates, director of online studies at the University of Tennesse, Martin. It made me ponder a bit and smile a bit … what more can you ask for? Hope you enjoy also.”

“When looking back at the euphoria of the dot-com stock market of the late ’90s, everyone has taken on a new mantra: Never again. Never again will we fall into the trap of quick gains rooted in little substance.”

“PR gives a product or brand credibility or engrains the brand’s worth into the brains of consumers, while advertising further reinforces that credibility, Ries said. A company should put in the nail (PR), then take the hammer (advertising) to drive in the message.”