World Community Grid: Team ChickenFox
Help us change the world - without really trying.
World Community Grid's mission is to create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Join in order to donate the idle cycle time from your computer to accelerate the research projects running on World Community Grid and in that way, help to improve human conditions. ChickenFox encourages your participation, therecruiting ofnew members and challenges. Donate your cpu idle time to Team ChickenFox OR create your own team.
Your donated computer time can now help find drugs to combat a future outbreak of influenza!
World Community Grid has started a new research project that will use your donated computer time to find new drugs that can stop the spread of an influenza infection in an individual. The research will specifically address the influenza strains that have become drug resistant, as well as new strains that are appearing. Your computer will help identify the chemical compounds that are the best candidates. This will accelerate the efforts to develop treatments that would be useful in managing seasonal influenza outbreaks and future influenza epidemics. For more information about the Influenza Antiviral Drug Search project or other projects running on World Community Grid, please click here.
OR...Your donated computer cycle time can now help find a cure for neuromuscular diseases!
Phase 2 of the Help Cure Muscular Dystrophy project extends the research conducted in Phase 1 to include 2,280 proteins that are believed to play a role in neuromuscular diseases, a group of chronic diseases with no cure. The original results from Phase 1 formed a database for molecular and biological researchers to use, and created a more robust mathematical modeling system. The expanded project will continue to analyze and document the function and interactions of proteins involved in muscular dystrophy. With this vital knowledge, scientists will be able to develop innovative therapies that will lead to treatments for the vast majority of neuromuscular diseases.
For more information about the Help Cure Muscular Dystrophy - Phase 2 project or other projects running on World Community Grid, please click here.
Persuading with Pictures
About a year ago, I found this odd, square shaped book on sale titled “The Back of the Napkin” by Dan Roam. I devoured this book. I mean I devoured it. For those that know me, they know “devoured” in this case means that Mark read the book in one day, most likely in one sitting. That’s true – except I read it twice in the same day. If you’ve visited my LinkedIn profile, you also know that I recommend this book.
I’m going to say this once. Reading the book does not do Dan Roam’s work justice. You may say, “OK – it’s a visual design book. That’s what I read Edward R. Tufte for.” You are correct – that is what I read Tufte for as well. In order to maximize the message from Dan Roam’s book, you must see him speak. Here are two opportunities for you to do so (for FREE).
Dan’s first presentation “The Back of the Napkin” is available at The Commonwealth Club of California’s site. The recording of this presentation does not show the whiteboard as it is used during the talk. For that reason, I recommend you read the book prior to viewing this presentation.
Microsoft invited him to speak at Mix09 and they recorded his presentation with the whiteboard. Dan’s second and evolved presentation, “The Way of the Whiteboard: Persuading with Pictures” may be found here…
Side note: If you like this approach to communicating, then you may choose to invest in a LiveScribe pen (www.livescribe.com). While I wish the pen supported multiple inks (or my preferred gel ink), it’s great for capturing digital ink. I like it much better than a Tablet PC as it fits my normal workflow by allowing me to use tools that I have used for years – a journal and a pen.
Learning and Government Briefing and Roundtable
For those of you in the learning space that don’t know Elliott Masie, you should. Elliott is the chairman of the Learning CONSORTIUM, with an ear of the President. Below is the information to be highlighted during a special one-day session of the Learning and Government Briefing and Roundtable to be held in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2009.
“Learning & Government” is a special 1-day briefing and roundtable program focusing on changes in learning in the world of government (Federal, State and Local). Led by Elliott Masie, this interactive and detailed session will address:
- Learning Changes: Updates on evolving approaches to providing learning to employees, contractors and citizen/customers.
- Changing Learning Landscape: With a new administration in Washington, increased transparency efforts, talent shifts and a significant focus on creating new jobs, what is the role of Learning and Government?
- Learning and Talent in Government: What are the new leadership skills required in government and how do we develop our employees to that requirement? What shifts are needed with both an impending retirement bubble as well as economically delayed retirements?
- Government vs. Corporate Learning – Compare & Contrast: We will dive into several distinct models for enterprise learning in the government sector and compare/contrast them to practices in the corporate sector.
- Changes in the Learning Marketplace: How is the marketplace and procurement for learning services and products in the government sector changing? We’ll explore shifts in providers, procurement and the role of open source assets.
For more information and a 6-minute video, go to: http://www.masie.com/government.
I'll be in attendance. Feel free to pass along any questions or topics you would like me to listen for.
Question of the Month...
Does your company/enterprise use Wikis for training purposes?
Thought for the moment
Mark Twain