For our loyal readers, we offer you a free book from our speaker library. No strings attached, we're clearing space for new arrivals:
1) Find the book you want below
2) Email: mtaubleb@promenadespeakers.com or reply with your first, second and third choices.
3) Note "Promenade Book" in subject line.
4) Include your full name, employer name and mailing address
4) If your first choice is no longer available, we'll send you backups, first come, first served
5) Open to subscribers to this newsletter

Available Books:
Whiff by Russell Brumfield (Scent Communications)
Million Dollar Production by Patti Branco (Financial Advisors)
Apples & Pears by Dr. Marie Savard (Body shapes and diet)
Find More Time by Lisa Stack (Time Management)
Carrot Principle by Chester Elton (Recognition)
Ready, Set Done by Jim Carroll (Innovation)
Why Healthcare Matters by Frank Home (Consumer Directed Healthcare)
Greater Than Yourself by Steve Farber (Leadership)
Hit the Ground Running by Angela Mondou (Leadership)
Loyal For Life by John Tschohl (Customer Service Strategy)
What's Your Story by Watts Wacker (Storytelling for Business Professionals)
Get Off the Beach by Eloise Owens (Motivation)
First Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham/Curt Coffman
EconAmerica by Jeff Thredgold (Economic Future of US)
The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine
Global Deals by Michael Hick (Global Negotiating)

Great Case for the Value of Business Meetings by Ben Stein - Economist

I'm sharing an article recently written by Ben Stein on the value of business meetings. He advocates that meetings didn't cause the recent financial meltdown , that they will contribute to our recovery and shouldn't be demonized by the government - a common sense approach with which I agree. This was published in American Spectator - a magazine with a strong political point of view (we don't necessarily agree with all the views in this magazine):

I was saddened to read in the Wall Street Journal a few days ago an article about how the federal government is clamping down on business meetings. The Department of Agriculture in particular is telling its employees not to have meetings if they can video conference, and especially, no matter what, not to go to resort towns like Las Vegas for meetings. This, so the government people say, shows respect for the taxpayers.

A few humble thoughts:

The idea of this, the most profligate administration in history by far, saying it is showing restraint by avoiding a few business meetings is like Genghis Khan saying he is a good guy for only pillaging 99 days out of 100. It would be funny if it were not so sad.

Second, it really tells volumes that this administration, with its vaunted smart advisers, thinks a business meeting is a bad, wasteful thing.

Are the meetings of Congress a waste? They are business meetings. Are the meetings of the Supreme Court wasteful? They are business meetings.

Business meetings involving travel are vital business and productivity tools for maximizing knowledge, the essence of human capital. They are the best possible way for new ways of adapting and adopting to be brought to bear. A business meeting is as valuable a business tool as a computer and maybe more so.

Perhaps more to the point, business meetings did not contribute to the credit bubble that caused this recession. Business meetings and travel did not cause the bursting of that bubble.

BUSINESS MEETINGS HAD ZERO TO DO WITH CAUSING THIS RECESSION.

Even more to the point, banning or condemning business meetings will not help us get out of the recession. Instead, this anti-meeting policy gets hotel and airline workers fired, kicks hotel maids and busboys in the teeth, wrecks communities used to working hard to be good hosts.

As to meetings in resorts, the reason to have them is that there are a lot of rooms close to each other with good ways to get together. Often, as in Las Vegas, rooms are inexpensive. Traffic jams and people getting lost do not happen because everyone is under the same roof.

Fighting business meetings is like fighting common sense and progress. The fact that the administration thinks keeping hard working people from getting together to share their experience, strength and hope is just plain sad.

I will say it again. Meetings and business travel did not cause this recession. Kicking the hospitality and travel industry in the face and not allowing smart people to share their intelligence will not do anyone any good at all. 

New Promenade Speakers
Since June's newsletter, we've added a number of speakers to our site:

College Speakers: www.promenadespeakers.com/page142.html

Howard Bloom
The Darwin, Einstein, Newton and Freud of the 21st Century - Futurist and Author of New Book on Global Capitalism
www.promenadespeakers.com/page172.html

Sanjay Anand
Mr. Sarbox Oxley and Expert on Corporate Governance -
www.promenadespeakers.com/page159.html

John Sileo
Leading Identity Theft Speaker (home and office)
www.promenadespeakers.com/page169.html

Robert Hirsch
Peak Oil, Renewable Energy
www.promenadespeakers.com/page162.html

Will Allen
Urban Farmer - Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People
www.promenadespeakers.com/page173.html

David Maister
The Trusted Advisor, Professional Services Strategy
www.promenadespeakers.com/page163.html

Joseph Coughlin
Aging, Retirement and Technology Speaker from MIT
www.promenadespeakers.com/page160.html

David Drucker
Boomer Retirement and Marketing Writing for Financial Advisors
www.promenadespeakers.com/page154.html

Kenneth Thorpe
The Financial Impact of Chronic Disease on Healthcare Systems/Coverage
www.promenadespeakers.com/page175.html

Jake Greene
Author of Whoa, My Boss is Naked - Gen Y Career Advice
www.promenadespeakers.com/page156.html