If you are, you know how hard it can be to reach other Project Managers. PM Hut has started a new offering called the Trainer’s Area. People who offer training to PMs can list their services here - for free.

That’s right - for free.

The other great thing about it is that it uses geo-targeting. That means that a visitor based in the US will see trainers who offer their services in the US. As the listing increase, this will be true for other countries as well.

Take a look at it here: http://www.pmhut.com/trainers/index.php

There’s a new hut in town, called the PM Hut at http://www.pmhut.com.

Recently created by a project manager who works for an IT company in Canada, the PM Hut is addressing the chaotic world of project management information. I think it’s an admirable goal.

Just to let you know, some of my articles and posts are showing up there. Yes, indeed, a little flattery will get you lots of words.

I added PM Hut to my blog roll - see the links at the left side of the window. Please take a look at it. There’s already great information there.

The news was all good when the US federal government announced that they had recovered the stolen computer - and all the data it contained.

Although many of us suspected that if a stolen computer would be found - it would be this one. The Bush administration did NOT need one more reason for people to talk about ineffective leadership. Or even - gasp - incompetence.

I wonder how the investigation to solve this crime was organized. Was one agency appointed as “lead” (project manager)? And another agency assigned as the command hub (project controls)? And perhaps an entirely different agency as the communications hub (communication plan)?

While the processes that law enforcement uses are well defined, this was a project. The project goal: find one laptop computer in the Washington, DC, area. There was a definite beginning: when the press leaked the information that the data was missing. And a definite end: accessing the hard drive to make sure the confidential data was still there.

Now the prosecution begins - or not.

How does everything translate into project management?!?!

Recently, the US national news services have reported that a laptop computer with the identifying information for 26.5 million US veterans was stolen from a government employee’s home. The US agency that the employee worked for is the Department of Veterans Affairs, under the Department of Defense.

Although the theft was reported immediately by the employee, the DVA did not report it to the general public. Three weeks after the theft, the story was “leaked” to the press. At this time, the government can not figure out what to do about the information that was stolen.

Hopefully the thieves have no idea what they have. With names, birth dates, and social security numbers, they could pull off credit fraud at a level never seen before.

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by this theft, it’s easy to put a fraud alert on your credit report. Here’s how:

1. Call one of the 3 credit companies in the US. That company is required by law to inform the other two companies of the fraud alert.

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

2. You will be asked for your social security number, address, phone number, and/or other information to identify you and pull up your credit file.

3. You will be sent confirmation of the INITIAL fraud alert that’s been placed on your credit report. (There are two types of fraud alerts, initial and extended. The initial alert stays on your credit report for at least 90 days - and entitles you to one free credit report. The extended alert stays on your credit report for 7 years. You have to have already been a victim of identity theft to use this one.)

4. Check your credit report when you receive it and report anything that’s incorrect on it.

For more complete information, the Federal Trade Commission has an easy-to-read website at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

Here’s hoping that the thieves don’t have a clue about what they got!

Cheers,
Diana