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One of the little-known facts about the office of President of the United States is that the president doesn’t usually keep the gifts given to him during his time in office. Many previous presidents accepted these gifts and used certain gifts on a regular basis, but in the post-World War II era, the practice of keeping gifts has been discontinued. Beginning with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, each subsequent president has established a presidential library and museum in order to preserve letters and documents as well as items such as gifts of state and personal gifts received from admirers in America and abroad. Items from these massive collections rotate in and out of exhibits around the country as well as in the National Archives. Here are thirty of the most unusual gifts that a United States president has received while in office, to enrich your knowledge of presidential trivia. We can’t say for sure that they’re the absolute strangest, but they’re certainly not something you could pick up at the local Hallmark store! The Presidential Menagerie Many foreign officials have presented the president with animals. Here are a few memorable animal gifts:

1. George H.W. Bush: Komodo dragon The president of Indonesia presented a Komodo dragon to Bush “41″in 1990. In case you weren’t aware, the Komodo dragon is a vicious predator whose venom is extremely toxic. Nothing says friendship like a deadly reptile! Naga, the reptile in question, went to live at the Cincinnati Zoo and finally passed away in 2007 at the ripe old age of 24. 2. Theodore Roosevelt: Coyote This unfriendly beast apparently rampaged around the White House grounds, frightening President Roosevelt’s staff. 3. Theodore Roosevelt: Zebra and lion The ebullient President Roosevelt was known worldwide for his appreciation of wildlife. Perhaps it was for this reason that the King of Abyssinia sent him a live lion and zebra. One can only assume they were kept in separate crates during the overseas journey. In case you’re curious, Abyssinia is now called Ethiopia. 4. Richard Nixon: Two giant pandas These two pandas were for years the star attraction at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, the two adorable, fuzzy giant pandas, were given to the United States after Nixon’s friendship tour of China in 1972. Ling-Ling passed away suddenly in 1992 and Hsing-Hsing died in 1999, having outlasted the terms of five presidents.

Food Gifts Food is a tricky item to handle due to its perishability. While the president can’t always make use of a food gift, all efforts are made to ensure such gifts don’t go to waste.

5. George W. Bush: 300 pounds of raw lamb In 2003, the president of Argentina sent this unusual gift of meat to President Bush. It was sent to the General Services Administration for storage and distribution. 6. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Giant birthday cake The Bakery and Confectionary Workers Union presented an enormous 300-pound birthday cake to President Roosevelt for his 59th birthday. They also contributed to his anti-polio campaign. 7. Rutherford B. Hayes: Carved Lemon President Hayes was presented with a lemon, carved to look like a pig. Why? Nobody knows. Perhaps Hayes’ wife, Lucy, was the gift’s inspiration. People called her “Lemonade Lucy”because she would not allow alcohol to be served at official dinners and parties. 8. William McKinley: Giant watermelon President McKinley received a three-foot-long, eighty-pound prize watermelon from Congressman Livingstone of Georgia.

Dueling Cheeses! One of the more interesting presidential gift stories revolves around a couple of behemoth cheeses given to two presidents twenty years apart.

9. Thomas Jefferson: 1,235-Pound Cheese When Thomas Jefferson was elected, the Republican Baptists of Cheshire, Massachusetts presented him with a half-ton cheese. The cheese was made only with milk from good Republican cows. Jefferson refused to accept the cheese without paying $200 for it. 10. Andrew Jackson: 1,400-Pound Cheese Not to be outdone, a New York dairyman named Meacham presented President Jackson with a huge cheese of his own. It was four feet in diameter and two feet thick. Meacham wanted everyone to know that his cheese was bigger than President Jefferson’s cheese.

Presidential Portraits Some of the most unusual presidential gifts are portraits created by admirers. Some of these are professional, some decidedly not.

11. Bill Clinton: Azerbaijani carpet portrait Heydar Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan, commissioned a carpet portrait from one of his country’s leading artisans. The finished product was a double portrait of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

12. Ronald Reagan: Jelly Bean Portrait An admirer of Reagan, knowing about the president’s love of jelly beans, created a portrait of the president out of 10,000 jelly beans. The portrait, which measured 24 inches on each side, is just one of 75,000 gifts sent to Reagan. 13. Jimmy Carter: Octavio Ocampo portrait Commissioned by Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo, the portrait is a showcase of Ocampo’s “metamorphic”style, in which separate objects are combined to form a larger image. This picture of Don Quixote is an example. 14. Richard Nixon: Portraits on rice S. Nabi Ahmed Rizvi, a Pakistani man, created two different portraits of President Nixon on two grains of rice. Rice engraving is extremely difficult even when engraving simple characters, but portrait artistry requires an enormous amount of skill. 15. Gerald Ford: Painted-rock portrait. Ford’s unusual caricature sculpture portrait weighs almost 70 pounds and is made of river stone from Pennsylvania. Shipping costs must have been brutal. 16. John F. Kennedy: Carved peach pit R. J. McErlean carved a peach pit with the likeness of President Kennedy. This is impressive enough, but the pit also has his name inscribed, along with an eagle on a shield and St. Christopher.

Useful Stuff These are gifts that the presidents who received them actually used at some point.

17. Harry S Truman: Bowling alley In 1947, donors from Missouri bought President Truman a two-lane bowling alley. It was installed in the White House originally and moved to the Old Executive Office Building in 1955. Truman’s staff liked the little alley so much they formed a league. 18. Abraham Lincoln: Clothes President Lincoln gave away the alcoholic beverages that people gave him, but he accepted many other gifts, including clothes. In fact, the suit he wore to his inauguration was given to him by a Chicago clothing company. 19. George Washington: A day off Actually, Congress gave everybody a day off on President Washington’s behalf. The 1880 decision of Congress was the first time a federal holiday was created in honor of an American. “Washington’s Birthday”was observed yearly on February 22 until 1968, when it was decided that federal holidays should always be on a Monday.

Not Useful Stuff, And Definitely A Little Weird This category is self-explanatory.

20. Herbert Hoover: Model of San Francisco in wood and bronze. Gov. James Rolph sent Hoover the model in 1932 as an invitation to attend a Shriners’ convention. It is not known what Hoover would actually do with a model of San Francisco. 21. Gerald Ford: Purple Heart and Silver Star medals. When Ford granted amnesty to deserters and “draft dodgers”who had left the country, many Vietnam veterans were angered. Hundreds of veterans sent their medals to President Ford in protest. 22. George H. W. Bush: Desert Storm chess set The father of one of our servicemen used his concern for his son’s well-being as inspiration for a Desert Storm chess set, which featured vehicles such as the Stealth bomber sitting on tiny oil drums. 23. Richard Nixon: Colt .45 pistol from the World War II era In a now-famous meeting, Elvis Presley came to the White House one day, gave President Nixon a commemorative Colt .45 from the World War II era and shared his desire to help him fight the growing drug problem in America. 24. George W. Bush: Electric harp and speakerphone The president of Vietnam gave George W. Bush an electric harp and a speakerphone, for some reason. 25. Franklin D. Roosevelt: 25 pieces of pre-Columbian pottery Manuel Prado, president of Peru, gave FDR twenty-five pieces of valuable pre-Columbian Peruvian pottery. 26. Ulysses S. Grant: Coffee pot and leopard skins received a silver coffee pot and several magnificent leopard skins from the ruling dons of Mexico upon reaching office. 27. Richard Nixon: Dinosaur’s footprint Yes, someone gave President Nixon a dinosaur’s footprint. No word on what sort of dinosaur it was.

Super-Weird Stuff, Made Out Of Other Stuff We’ve saved the most unusual for last! Not much is known about these last few gifts, except that they were definitely given… because they’re too strange to make up.

Gerald Ford: Eagle made of beer-can tabs Theodore Roosevelt: Collage of world leaders made of cigar wrappers Harry S Truman: Rocking chair made of bottle caps

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Born in 1905, Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum is better known as Ayn Rand. Born in Stalinist Russia, she moved to the United States in 1926, where she developed a philosophy known as Objectivism. She first achieved fame in 1943 with her novel “The Fountainhead,” which in 1957 was followed by her best-known work, the philosophical novel “Atlas Shrugged.” The later still is thought of as one of the most influential books ever written, second only to The Bible. Although she died in 1982, her works are still a hot topic around the globe for its views on the evils of communism and the virtue of selfishness. With both being a hot topic of the airwaves and screen, the subjects are also discussed in detail via blog. To help keep the Google searches short, we have collected the 50 best blogs for Ayn Rand readers. Useful for students, professors, professionals, and those with a lingering curiosity of how one simple woman could do so much with just a few written works. Best Blogs for Ayn Rand Readers by a Group These groups have made Ayn Rand and her philosophy the focus of their blogs.

1. Voices for Reason : This blog is headed up by the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights. A multitude of authors write on the principles of Ayn Rand in the modern world. The latest posts include subjects such as profits, Elena Kagan, and the divine right of hacking. 2. Cato Unbound : This is a state-of-the-art virtual trading floor in the intellectual marketplace, specializing in the exchange of big ideas. Each month, they present an essay on big picture topics by the world’s most noted thinkers. They include Darwin, Slopes, and of course, Ayn Rand. A January essay looks at what is living and dead in her thoughts. 3. Atlas Shrugged : The site’s focus is the study of the novel. Topics include news, opinion, ideas, and more. You can read the latest update or even join in an Ayn Rand related discussion. 4. Times Topics : One doesn’t usually associate Ayn Rand with “The New York Times,” but they have many articles in relation to her. The Ayn Rand Navigator gives you loads of selections about her as selected by editors. They include reviews of her books written as early as 1943, as well as the most recent developments. 5. Big Government : With the over bloated, over regulating government that Ayn Rand warned us against in mind, Andrew Breitbart brings you this blog. Updated several times a day, topics include the latest findings in government waste. Others include financial reform, the Tea Party, and many other topics. 6. Citizens Against Government Waste : Stop here for another watchdog keeping tabs of where tax money is going. New stories include billions in earmark spending,endorsements, and the regular pork alert. They even offer a 2010 Congressional Pig Book Summary, detailing the latest in government waste. 7. Modern Paleo : The blog offers writings by Objectivists on the principles and practice of nutrition, fitness, and health most conducive to human flourishing. They seek the best that modern life has to offer, informed by a broadly paleo approach. In addition to the occasional recipe, you can also get juicy tidbits such as a “Playboy” interview with Ayn Rand. 8. The Forum for Ayn Rand Fans : Visit here to meet and read thoughts by others who are also Ayn Rand readers. Facts, values, and even experts are featured. Read the entry of your choice, or sign up to join in. 9. Politics Without God : This blog is sponsored by the Coalition for Secular Government. It advocates government solely based on secular principles of individual rights. Ayn Rand is often the topic of blogging, as is public policy in today’s world.

Best Blogs for Ayn Rand Readers by an Individual These individuals have also devoted part or all of their blogs to Ayn Rand.

1. Atlas Shrugs : After engaging in various forms of activism in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Pamela Geller became convinced of the crying need for an alternative to the mainstream media, and began AtlasShrugs.com in February 2005. She brings the less examined side of the news, along with commentary. In addition to the blog, you can also view videos and articles authored by her. 2. Leonard Peikoff : At 17, Leonard Peikoff was invited to the home of Ayn Rand and began a friendship that lasted until her death. Dr. Peikoff applies Ayn Rand’s revolutionary philosophy to real-world questions in his lectures. Download them with just a click. 3. Scott Holleran : If you enjoyed the above blog, stop here to get the official blog of his former assistant on Peikoff’s talk radio show. Scott later moved on to reporting, reviews, interviews, and is now a freelance writer. The blog is intended as an informal forum for thoughts, subject to corrections and updates, on a variety of topics and with links to other points of interest. 4. Dr. Hurd : He is a psychologist who has been in practice since 1988. His reading list is comprised of the obvious choice, along with lesser known others. Visit his blog to get comments on mental health, therapy, and much more. 5. Powell History Recommends : Get history resources, pedagogy, commentary, and history for adults here. Scott Powell works on the development of an accessible history program for adults in homeschooling. He also completed the Undergraduate Philosophy of Ayn Rand Seminars of the Ayn Rand Institute and attended classes at the Objectivist Graduate Center. She is often the topic of blog posts. 6. The American Individual : Joseph Kellard is from New York where he is a journalist and freelance writer. The blog is devoted to “rational commentary and articles on American culture and politics.” A recent entry was on the nature of spending. 7. Leitmotif : Ergo Sum is many things including an objectivist, atheist, and editor. One of his most popular articles is “Why is Ayn Rand Respected More in India?” Other questions are asked and answered in an interesting manner. 8. Who is John Galt? : He is the hero from “Atlas Shrugged” who makes many passionate speeches and is more or less a paper version of the author. This blog is devoted to who he is, as well as who Ayn Rand wanted to be. Must reads include economics and the predictable future.

Best Blogs for Ayn Rand Readers by a Student These young people have devoted their educational lives and at least some of their blogs to Ayn Rand.

1. NoodleFood : Diana Hsieh is a philosopher specializing in practical ethics. Topics discussed in the blog range from abortion to welfare. There is also a podcast called NoodleCast. 2. Wit and Wisdom : Alexander Marriott is a graduate student and occasional op-ed columnist. He studies the Objectivist philosophy that Ayn Rand believed in. With entries dating back to 2003, make time for this blog. 3. Armchair Intellectual : He is also a student of Objectivism from California. In addition to Ayn Rand, he often comments on the current state of politics. One of the most recent entries was on Israel. 4. Inductive Quest : From Texas, Roderick Fitts often writes on the philosophers who have influenced his life. The blog is about what induction is, what others in the past have said about it, and what he thinks it is. One of the latest posts was on a speech given about Ayn Rand and his thoughts. 5. Making Progress : He is not a professional, academic historian, but a long-term student of history. Also a retired editor, writer, and publications manager, Burgess devotes his blog to perplexing questions and debatable answers at the intersection of history and philosophy — in an Objectivist context. Top posts include a purpose to life and the third greatest sacrifice. 6. Rational Jenn : As a homeschooling mother, she encounters students on a regular basis. She is also an Objectivist and often looks at the works of Ayn Rand. She recently received her state’s homeschooling packet and writes all about it. 7. Allen Kamrava’s Blog : He opens his blog with a quote by Ayn Rand on living for yourself. Must reads on the blog include medical caps and fast food nation. With a few months since the last entry, there are still eight years’ worth of blog entries to choose from.

Best Well Known Blogs for Ayn Rand Readers You may or may not have heard of some of these bloggers who keep Ayn Rand and her principles in mind.

1. The Objective Standard : This journal of culture and politics is centered on Ayn Rand’s philosophies. In fact, they even have a special section for blog entries pertaining to her. Others include education, history, individual rights, and much more. 2. Stossel Blogs : John Stossel joined Fox Business and news in October 2009 and has his very own show. With a principal of limited government, he often touts Ayn Rand like philosophies. Some of the latest include a powerless president and crony capitalism. 3. Stu Blog : Recognized as “the most poorly named blog on the internet,” it is authored by Glenn Beck. With his own television and radio show, he also argues the principles of limited government and individual rights. There are also many other topics and sections to explore on the site. 4. Ayn Rand – India : If you live in India, you may have heard of this group. They often meet in India to discuss Ayn Rand, her works, and more. Entries are often on what they discussed and they welcome entries from readers. 5. Commonweal : This publication is devoted to religion, politics, culture, and books. The blog highlights the best of the magazine and is free. A must read includes “Ayn Rand and Aristotle.” 6. Capitalism Magazine : Simply type in “Ayn Rand” in the search engine to get over 600 articles related to her. Others can choose from topics such as economics, environment, laws, science, and more. Current hot entries on the blog include “Francisco’s Money Speech” and “Don’t Let Pressure Sabotage Your Thinking.” 7. The Atlasphere : If the above Ayn Rand blogs aren’t enough, stop by here. Within seconds you can join the over 20,000 other members and fans of Ayn Rand. They even have over 10,000 profiles for those looking to date.

Best Blog Tools for Ayn Rand Readers If you need some help learning more, check out these learning tools.

1. Ayn Rand Institute : Devoted to the novelist and her ideas, this institute has been in operation since 1985. Students, educators, visitors, and the curious can learn much more with just a visit. There are also lectures available with a click. 2. The Randex : The blog collects English-language online media references to Ayn Rand and her philosophy of Objectivism. Its database of references begins in February 2005. You can read the newest blog entries, or read ones by topic, content, or date. 3. Reference Center : Objectivism is the philosophy of Ayn Rand, which emphasizes the objective existence of reality, rational thinking, individual self-interest, and individual rights. The Objectivism Reference Center provides resources about Ayn Rand and her ideas. They include online texts, critic’s views, and more. 4. Facets of Ayn Rand : Charles and Mary Ann Sures were longtime friends of Ayn Rand. In this book, they give true life memoirs of actual accounts with her. You can read the book, learn more about Ayn Rand, and see pictures of her. 5. Ayn Rand Lexicon : This mini-encyclopedia of Objectivism is compiled from Ayn Rand’s statements on some 400 topics in philosophy, economics, psychology, and history. In addition to the lexicon, there are also other topics to read online. 6. The Atlas Society : Visit for a group that promotes the philosophy of Objectivism and its core values. You can learn more about both it and Ayn Rand, along with get news events around the world. Visit the commentary section to read or leave your own comments. 7. Atlas Shrugged : Spark Notes is a site with loads of study help on any book. Stop here to get a quick view of the context, plot, characters, and more of the book. They also have a summary and analysis of all three parts. 8. Ayn Rand Novels : Visitors are greeted with the quote “achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life” from Ayn Rand herself. You can also learn more about her ideas and novels. There is even information on essay contests for students to enter. 9. Explore Atlas Shrugged : Diane Hsieh returns with an in-depth exploration of the novel. The podcasts are broken into 20 sessions, which each cover 65 pages of the novel. You can even join one of the reading groups that follow her. 10. Working Minds : Get a short profile and even a listing of her favorite things on this site. The site is also full of quotes from Ayn Rand, John Galt, and much more. You can also get similar pages for other philosophers. 11. The Ayn Rand Society : Founded in 1987, this is an affiliated group with the American Philosophical Association, Eastern Division. It aims to foster the scholarly study by philosophers of the philosophical thought and writings of Ayn Rand. Topics include current programs and an overview of Ayn Rand.

Best Videos for Ayn Rand Readers See how Ayn Rand is viewed by today’s prominent personalities, or even view a few interviews with the woman herself below.

1. ARCTV : In another entry from the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, videos are on her message. Experts line up to discuss topics such as selfishness and healthcare. There are currently over 200 videos on government and policy alone. 2. John Stossel : He is a libertarian who broke news on ABC’s news magazine “20/20″ and is now part of the Fox Business Channel. In this six-part series, he wonders what would happen if “Atlas shrugged today?” Airing in January of 2010, you can see the entire thing on YouTube. 3. Phil Donahue : Before daytime talk shows took a turn for the Springer, Phil Donahue had his own show. In 1979, Ayn Rand herself appeared on the show to discuss the many pressing issues of today. Five parts are featured on YouTube. 4. Mike Wallace : Even before the above, a younger Ayn Rand gave an interview to Mike Wallace, who would then go on to be part of “60 Minutes.” Taking place in 1959, Mike discusses “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged” with the author. 5. We Are The Living : This movie contains the philosophy and was actually restored under the personal supervision of Ayn Rand. The black and white movie tells the story of beautiful, strong-willed Kira Argounova, who is not unlike Ayn herself. The site allows you to get a glimpse of the movie, order it, and even go behind the scenes with a photo gallery. 6. Reason TV : With a tagline of “free minds, free markets,” Ayn Rand readers will enjoy the site. Also occasionally visited by Drew Carey, topics can range from the food police to public employees. A current editor’s pick is on how to create one million jobs. 7. Road to Socialism : Yaron Brook is one of the experts of the Ayn Rand Center. In an episode of the Glenn Beck Show, he discusses how she is relevant today. In particular, “Atlas Shrugged” is discussed. 8. Anthem : This short science fiction story was written by Ayn Rand herself. In it, a dystopic future the world “I” has been eliminated along with other freedoms. You can listen to the story at two hours, twelve minutes as a podcast.

Whether written by a household name or random student, the above 50 best blogs for Ayn Rand readers have kept her spirit alive. Read more, join in the discussion, or start your own blog to continue the tradition.

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When the economy’s in the gutter, job title stuffing is at an all-time high. Why is this? When there are the same number of jobs to do, only less funds to do them with, companies have to start thinking outside the box and making employees who stay on board perform more tasks for little or no raise. Tacking a fancy title onto a promotion can inflate the employee’s ego and allow the company to get more bang for their buck. Sure, we all want to sound good on paper, but what’s in a name?

1. Manager : This title may be given to anyone and everyone who ever heads up a project or department, no matter how large or small. It’s used to give slight leverage to the person in charge of the task at hand, but can mean little to the project manager’s supervisors. Because many companies push team creativity, the manager is primarily responsible for turning things in and will be the one to hear about if the boss isn’t satisfied 2. Strategist : A strategist of any type simply means you plan tasks and have some idea of how these tasks are most efficiently executed. For example, in the case of a content strategist, it means you create and organize the content of a newsletter, website, or blog. Is the job important? Sure. But for some reason content strategist sounds a lot more impressive than web editor. You take your pick, but if the former is going on your resume, you better deliver. 3. Deputy : In the age of the Internet, there’s a deputy for many jobs. What does this mean? Well, it means you aren’t quite a junior or an assistant, but the company doesn’t have the funds to pay you like they would someone with the actual title. An example is an editor-in-chief versus a deputy editor. One issuse you may run into being a deputy of any sort is more on your plate than you bargained for. But you’re the deputy, so you can handle it, right? 4. Senior : Companies love to tack this one onto a title. Senior web writer or senior designer are common for firms. What does this senior title translate to? Anyone with 5+ years of experience in a field and still utilizing those skills can serve as a senior, usually without the pay or responsibilities of management. Simply put – you do your job well, but the buck stops here. 5. Producer : This one has become popular for the web. Web producer pops up on many mainstream blogs and sites. A producer can wear many hats, and for a company that means more bang for their buck. Sure, you will be producing content, but expect handling anything the project throws your way even if it isn’t in the job description (and there’s a solid chance it won’t be).. 6. Supervisor : Like managers, this title can be hit or miss. For large corporations that have had to cut back and eliminate lower level management, pawning the title of supervisor off on an entry level employee who’s been in their cubicle for six months means having someone in the office to make sure things run well without having to douse them in a raise. There are some supervisors who are able to oversee a small department, but ultimately are not the first in command for their subordinates. 7. Ambassador : This job title buzzword is almost an insult to the actual word! In the age of promoting, you know, everything, the job title of brand ambassador is given to celebrities in a niche group that endorse the product sometimes without appearing in ads. This person is contracted by the company or simply receives perks and free services from the brand. They often do little more than show up at launch parties and events and plugs the company as needed. For Chanel, The MisShapes Leigh Lezark serves as a brand ambassador and for AT&T, there’s Internet has-been iJustine. The problem with brand ambassadors is often large corporations are the last to discover the new face of a niche audience. 8. Professional : A friend says that anytime you have to tack the word professional onto your job title, you must not have a real job. This is up for debate, but let’s take a look at a couple of titles that utilize the word. How about professional organizer? Or records distribution professional? By the way, the latter is the new uppity name for mail room clerk. Yes, even those fresh out of college need an inflated job title. Professional used to mean you had proper training for whatever you do, now it means you are paid some type of wage for what you do, no matter how little that is or the responsibility it entails. 9. Consultant : Who knows what you do with this title. It can mean you directly fix problems, as in the case of IT consultants or it can mean you merely offer your advice, in the case of interior design consultants. Many consultants bring in the big bucks and are contracted by major corporations, but many others work for themselves and struggle to get by. While this title isn’t necessarily inflated, it doesn’t really give the total picture of what you’re hired to do either (which you may prefer). 10. Vice President : Somewhere in the past decade, a lot more vice presidents have shown up to the company picnic. Instead of having a manager of ____, that job became VP of Public Relations or VP of Human Resources. It means second-in-command, in that department and not much more. There used to be only one VP per company, but we’re guessing the more, the merrier, even if it is job title inflation in its boldest form. 11. Global : Even a mom-and-pop shop can have a Global Director of Communications. It can be mom, working from the family’s dry cleaning business to update the company’s Twitter and Facebook pages. Many companies are employing social media personnel and since a lot of these companies indeed do business around the world, why not stick the word global onto the job title of someone who represents your business to the world? It makes the job sound more exciting and may get you onto someone’s Follow Friday! 12. Lead : The word lead in a job title can mean a lot or a little. In some cases, it means you are heading up an operation, but in most cases it means the company is utilizing you for your skills and maximum potential without proper pay. Some companies use this title as a stepping stone between entry level and a lower management position to see if someone is ready for the next tier of responsibilities.

Job title inflation is a dime a dozen these days. Focus on the task at hand, perform to your best abilities and you’ll outshine your job title, no matter how meager or important it sounds.

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In an age of corporate downsizing, some employers make the mistake of assuming that their top employees are “safe,” that nobody would consider leaving their current job at a time like this. However, employers who make this assumption often find themselves holding the bag when those top employees choose to leave for greener pastures. In fact, the employees who have the most to offer a company are the ones who have a chance at any company. They’re more likely to leave in an economic downturn than the average employees. Therefore, the challenge for any company that wishes to maintain quality and plan for future growth is to discover ways to motivate these top employees, to understand what “makes them tick.” Everyone wants to feel appreciated, to feel as if they are contributing, and to experience professional growth. These are 40 excellent articles we have found from around the Web about strategies for motivating this crucial portion of your workforce. Motivating Salespeople Sales is the lifeblood of your organization, and you can’t afford to lose your best salespeople to other companies or to have them chronically underperforming.

1. Motivate Your Sales force To Achieve Selling Success : This article on motivation from AllBusiness.com gives managers some quick, simple ideas for making sure the most important people in the organization stay happy and productive. 2. 151 Quick Ideas to Motivate Your Sales Force : You should check this e-book out for the sheer number of ideas that are represented. 3. 10 Ways To Motivate, Retain Your Top Sales Talent : Colleen Stanley of the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal discusses ten proven methods for showing salespeople that they are appreciated. 4. How to Motivate Your Sales Force To Great Performance : This free document from Accenture highlights ways that managers can get the very best from their employees.

Articles About Motivating and Retaining Top Employees This is a primary concern, and many people have something to say about this.

5. Point of View: Keeping your top talent : PriceWaterhouseCoopers provides an excellent, insightful article on ways that companies can keep top talent from leaving and keep them motivated to succeed. The article includes analysis with statistics and a download link. 6. Keep Your Top Talent From Defecting : This HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review is focused on the idea that employers are making several mistakes when it comes to working with their top employees. One of the biggest mistakes is assuming that the top employees are working their hardest. 7. Ten Ways To Motivate your Team : Jo Owen discusses ten ways to keep top employees motivated to succeed. 8. How To Keep Your Top Talent : Joel Garfinkle provides executives with coaching and guidance on motivating and retaining top employees. 9. Retaining Top Talent Still A Requirement For Firms : Heidi Brundage and Mark Koziel report for the Journal of Accountancy on finding, recruiting, and motivating top talent at CPA firms. 10. Retaining Top Talent With Non-Monetary Rewards : IMPACT Hiring Solutions has a list of seven things that businesses can do to keep their top talent happy without raising salaries or spending excessively. 11. How To Keep Your Top Talent : The Corporate Leadership Council offers tools for helping you unlock the hidden potential in your employees and helping you keep them on board. 12. How To Keep Star Talent Motivated : Some people focus on managing the lower performers within the company, when more time could be spent on motivating their top talent. Joni Rose offers ideas on how to do this. 13. How Senior Leaders Motivate Others : Level4 Consultants offers this interesting article on three major ways that senior leadership can and should motivate employees. 14. Motivate Your Employees Like Jack Welch : Carmine Gallo, communications coach, suggests that executives can take some lessons from a statement by former GE CEO Jack Welch. 15. Building A Better Carrot : Karen Rutzick highlights ways that managers within the United Sates government can motivate their top employees using a few simple ideas. 16. Motivating Your People : Linda Yaffe, executive coach, writes about ways that companies can keep their best employees from leaving. 17. Pay-for-Performance in a Downturn: Best Practices for Employee Engagement – Workscape HR Institute : Ed Hurley-Wales, the Senior VP of Human Resources at Workscape, discusses how pay for performance can enhance employee morale and retention when done properly. 18. How To Keep Your Star Performers In Trying Times : In this blog post, ways to keep star performers challenged, engaged, and appreciated in a down economy are explored. 19. How To Keep Top IT Talent : Rita Pyrillis has some wonderful insights about what motivates IT workers–any workers, in fact–to keep certain jobs and leave other ones. 20. In The Trenches: Motivating Talent in a Contracting Economy : Sylvia Ann Hewlett, author of Top Talent: Keeping Performance Up When Business I Down, is interviewed for this article. 21. The Quality of Employee Talent Is A Key To Success : Mike Myatt of N2growth shares what he considers to be five “best practices” in motivating and retaining top employees. 22. Help Wanted: Motivation Coordinator : Gail Finger explains why every manager within a business should view “motivation coordinator” as part of the job description. 23. Employee Engagement: The Key To Retaining Top Talent : Gail Finger of Finger Consulting discusses two factors that make the biggest impact on retaining top employees. 24. The Top 5 Myths About Motivating Employees : Suzanne Bates of Bates Communications exposes five myths about motivating employees that she says are damaging to companies. 25. How To Attract, Keep and Motivate Today’s Workforce : Greg Smith posits that one of the greatest challenge companies face–keeping good talent motivated–always comes back to the basic human need to be appreciated and to experience career growth. He offers innovative solutions. 26. Motivating and Retaining Top Talent through Employee Engagement : The consultants at Insala discuss the difference between employee “satisfaction” and employee engagement. Engagement, they say, means that employees are more involved with the company’s goals, more willing to work hard, and more passionate about their wor 27. How to Attract, Motivate and Retain Startup Talent : Jarie Bolander’s article for The Daily MBA applies the usual strategies for motivating top employees and applies it to the unique needs of startup companies. 28. 15 Ways To Motivate Your Employees : Howard Shore, a business coach from Miami, describes some of the internal motivators that drive employees on a daily basis. 29. Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs : Chris Evers’s website about motivating people and retaining top talent has several good resources. One in particular is the page on Maslow’s Hierarchy. 30. Employee Retention Headquarters : Sheryl and Don Grimme are human resources consultants who specialize in helping companies solve “people problems.” 31. Talent Management Strategy : Sonya Sullins writes about ways that companies can improve their level of employee engagement and retention. 32. Talent Management: How to Retain Top Talent Without Derailing the Organization When Fast Tracking : Tony Kubica, of Kubica LaForest Consulting, has written this thoughtful article about the potential harm that the practice of “fast tracking” people into management can do to a company.

White Papers about Talent Management and Motivation These white papers and documents present some keen insights into the problem of motivation and retention.

33. Motivating and Retaining Top Talent : Karen Lawson, PhD, CSP, provides this free ten-page document about concrete, actionable ways that companies can keep top employees motivated. 34. Who’s Next? Recognizing and Developing High-Potential Employees : This PDF presentation from Caliper shows how three different companies have begun to develop their “rising stars” so they will be ready to take on leadership in the future. 35. Once Again, Just How Do You Motivate People? : Dr. Maynard Brusman presents this thoughtful four-page article about the root causes behind employee apathy and asks high-level executives to consider ways they can meet their employees’ need for meaningful work. 36. Guide to Retaining Your Top Talent: Linking Goals, Measurement, and Rewards to Drive Business Performance : Softscape’s free white paper on improving employee performance by changing the way employees are rewarded says that often, top performers are under -rewarded for their efforts, making them dissatisfied. 37. The PCPS Top Talent Study: Gaining a Strategic Advantage in Recruiting and Retention : The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants has published this excellent 46-page study on the best practices in hiring and retaining top performers.

Communication and Feedback For Top Talent Successful managers will tell you that it’s important to deal with your top performers differently than the “average” employee.

38. Engaging Employees Through Effective Communication Tools : Business Leader Magazine discusses the ways that executives should communicate with top performers in order to keep them engaged and excited about working at their companies. 39. How To Give Feedback To Top Performers : Marshall Goldsmith of Harvard Business Review tells how to discuss overall performance and give specific feedback when talking with your top workers. 40. Giving A High Performer Productive Feedback : Amy Gallo stresses the importance of using good procedure when reviewing the performance of a top performer. Identify achievements, identify ways to improve, and help identify larger goals.

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What is an online masters degree? A masters degree is typically a two-year post-baccalaureate degree which extends a students knowledge in a particular subject.  When you set out to earn a master’s degree in your chosen career field, you can expect to learn the skills needed for your career in a more in-depth manner, often setting up a student for a leadership or management role in their field. An online masters degree is simply a masters degree in which the student takes classes online rather than in a traditional classroom setting. While but a few years ago there were limited options for students who wanted to obtain their masters degree online, today for many students there are actually more choices for online degrees than masters degrees available to them locally at traditional colleges. Why would a student obtain a masters degree? A master’s degree tells the world that you have truly become an expert in your subject area. For some students, a master’s degree is just one step on the way to the ultimate goal of earning a doctoral degree. This is necessary if you want a job in higher education, or if you wish to attend medical school. There are innumerable examples as to why a student would want to pursue a masters degree. For example, perhaps you got a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, but you want to specialize further and get a master’s degree in aerospace engineering because you want to design aircraft someday. Or maybe you received a Bachelor of Arts in political science or history and you want to improve your marketability in the workplace by getting an MBA. These are but two examples of hundreds of different masters degrees available. Depending on which bachelor’s degree you received, you would be eligible to receive a Master of Arts degree (M.A.), a Master of Science degree (M.S.), a Master of Education (M.Ed.), a Master of Information Management (M.I.S.), a Master of Public Information (M.P.I.) or a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree among others. Why consider an online school for your masters degree? There are a number of reasons students choose to attend an online school as opposed to a traditional campus school for their masters degree program. These include a lack of availability of their desired program in their area, convenience of making their own class hours, the ability to graduate faster, among others. But perhaps the two most common reasons are affordability and flexibility of schedule. Some students find that the salary range for students who have a master’s degree is much more attractive than if they merely had a bachelor’s degree, so they decide to go straight through school and finish both degrees in a row. Other students realize after some time away from higher education that they would like to complete their master’s degree, but they aren’t sure if they can leave the workplace to go back and attend college. This is where an online master’s degree can be very helpful. By offering a high quality master’s degree at a more affordable price, and by allowing you to take courses from your home, web-based colleges and universities are helping thousands of people like you reach their career goals. What are the pre-requisites for obtaining your online masters degree? There are many possibilities available to a student wishing to pursue a master’s degree online. The main prerequisite for getting a master’s degree is having successfully earned a bachelor’s degree. You will need to prove this by providing copies of your official transcript. In addition, many master’s degree programs ask that you take the Graduate Record Exam, or GRE, and achieve a certain score before you can be accepted. This may require some study for those people who have not recently completed college. How long does it take to get your online masters degree? You can expect that an online master’s degree will take some time to complete. Just as a regular master’s degree can take between 2 to 3 years to finish, depending on the course load, you can expect that an online master’s degree will take a commitment of time from you as well. Expect to set aside quality time every day for completing your assignments, and expect to be asked to do a lot of reading, writing, and thinking about your subject area. If a college tries to tell you that their online master’s degree can be finished in one semester, you should be wary. Most master’s degrees are designed to be completed in 20 to 30 semester hours, which typically takes at least a year. Remember, you want to choose a college that is accredited by a reputable organization and maintains high standards in the quality of their education. What types of online masters degree’s exist? There are hundreds of different online masters degree programs available. However, to give you an idea of the breadth of the offerings, we have listed a good number of the major masters degrees available today: - Online Masters in Accountancy Degree - Online Masters in Aeronautical Science Degree - Online Masters in Applied Linguistics Degree - Online Masters in Applied Politics Degree - Online Masters in Applied Science Degree - Online Masters in Architecture Degree - Online Masters in Archival Studies Degree - Online Masters in Arts Degree - Online Masters in Arts in Management Degree - Online Masters in Arts in Management and Leadership Degree - Online Masters in Arts in Teaching Degree - Online Masters in Arts in Liberal Studies Degree - Online Masters in Astronomy Degree - Online Masters in Aviation Medicine Degree - Online Masters in Biological Sciences Degree - Online Masters in Business Administration Degree - Online Masters in Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Degree - Online Masters in Business Studies Degree - Online Masters in Business and Engineering Degree - Online Masters in Business Informatics Degree - Online Masters in Chemistry Degree - Online Masters in City Planning Degree - Online Masters in Commerce Degree - Online Masters in Communication Degree - Online Masters in Computational Finance Degree - Online Masters in Computer Applications Degree - Online Masters in Computer Science Degree - Online Masters in Computing Degree - Online Masters in Construction Management Degree - Online Masters in Criminal Justice Degree - Online Masters in Design Degree - Online Masters in Divinity Degree - Online Masters in Education Degree - Online Masters in Engineering Degree - Online Masters in Engineering Management Degree - Online Masters in Enterprise Degree - Online Masters in Environmental Studies Degree - Online Masters in European Law Degree - Online Masters in Finance Degree - Online Masters in Financial Economics Degree - Online Masters in Financial Engineering Degree - Online Masters in Financial Mathematics Degree - Online Masters in Fine Arts Degree - Online Masters in Geography Degree - Online Masters in Geographic Information Science and Systems Degree - Online Masters in Geology Degree - Online Masters in Health Administration Degree - Online Masters in Health Care Informatics Degree - Online Masters in Health Science Degree - Online Masters in History Degree - Online Masters in Homeland Security Degree - Online Masters in Human Relations Degree - Online Masters in Human Psychology Degree - Online Masters in Humanities Degree - Online Masters in Industrial and Labor Relations Degree - Online Masters in Information Degree - Online Masters in International Affairs Degree - Online Masters in International Business Degree - Online Masters in International Relations Degree - Online Masters in Information Technology Degree - Online Masters in Information System Management Degree - Online Masters in Journalism Degree - Online Masters in Laws Degree - Online Masters in Studies in Law Degree - Online Masters in Letters Degree - Online Masters in Library and Information Science Degree - Online Masters in Management Degree - Online Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy Degree - Online Masters in Mathematical Finance Degree - Online Masters in Mathematics Degree - Online Masters in Music Degree - Online Masters in Nutrition Degree - Online Masters in Occupational Therapy Degree - Online Masters in Pharmacy Degree - Online Masters in Philosophy Degree - Online Masters in Physics Degree - Online Masters in Political Science Degree - Online Masters in Professional Counseling Degree - Online Masters in Professional Studies Degree - Online Masters in Psychology Degree - Online Masters in Public Administration Degree - Online Masters in Public Affairs Degree - Online Masters in Public Health Degree - Online Masters in Public Policy Degree - Online Masters in Quantitative Finance Degree - Online Masters in Real Estate Development Degree - Online Masters in Religious Studies Degree - Online Masters in Research Degree - Online Masters in Sacred Music Degree - Online Masters in Science Degree - Online Masters in Science in Behavioral Science Degree - Online Masters in Science in Engineering Degree - Online Masters in Science in Global Medicine Degree - Online Masters in Science in Information Systems Degree - Online Masters in Science in Information Technology Degree - Online Masters in Science in Leadership Degree - Online Masters in Science in Management Degree - Online Masters in Science in Nursing Degree - Online Masters in Science in Project Management Degree - Online Masters in Science in Tourism Development Degree - Online Masters in Science in Tourism Management Degree - Online Masters in Science in Tourism Marketing Degree - Online Masters in Science in Taxation Degree - Online Masters in Social Science Degree - Online Masters in Social Work Degree - Online Masters in Songwriting Degree - Online Masters in Studies Degree - Online Masters in Teaching Degree - Online Masters in Technology Degree - Online Masters in Theological Studies Degree - Online Masters in Theology Degree - Online Masters in Tourism Administration Degree - Online Masters in Urban Planning Degree - Online Masters in Veterinary Science Degree

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