Hammock Inc. http://www.hammock.com/ en Copyright 2008 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:52:50 -0600 Celebrating General Henry Knox -- Happy Independence Day! National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, is exhibiting a collection of newly acquired documents related to one of the Revolutionary War's unsung heroes, General Henry Knox. Recently, Rex Hammock visited DAR archivist Tracy Robinson to learn more about Knox and the collection on display. Happy Fourth of July!]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/07/celebrating_general_henry_knox.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/07/celebrating_general_henry_knox.php Rex Hammock visits the DAR and learns about one of the unsung heroes of the American Revolution. Holidays Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:52:50 -0600 U.S. Marines Own the Night SemperFi150.jpg When the night has come/And the land is dark/ And the moon is the only light we'll see ... The opening lines to Ben E. King's classic song "Stand By Me" describe the situation American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan face every night when their enemies are on the move. Fortunately, the U.S. leads the world in night-vision technology, which helps deny the bad guys their would-be invisibility cloak. ]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/us_marines_own_the_night.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/us_marines_own_the_night.php When the night has come/And the land is dark/ And the moon is the only light we'll see ... The opening lines to Ben E. King's classic song "Stand By Me" describe the situation American troops in Iraq and... Magazines Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:27:05 -0600 MyBusiness Helps Small Business Prepare for Disasters I didn’t count them, but I bet the June/July issue of MyBusiness, the member magazine we publish for the National Federation of Independent Business, has more than 100 tips on how to protect your business from, well, anything and everything. From a natural disaster to employee theft to bad-for-business regulations, the threats facing the small business owners we interviewed for this issue are real and could happen to any business any day. Just ask Nichole Yarbrough, owner of Shepherd, Texas-based Shepherd Auto Sales, whom we talked to for the Crisis Averted feature. In one day, everything she worked to create was taken from her when a thief stole her purse, which contained credit cards, checks, $5,000 in cash and more than 40 car titles. It was a rough two months putting the pieces back together, but she survived and has since learned the important lesson of protecting her business from theft by backing up data (and not keeping car titles in her purse, of course!). Turn a few pages past Yarbough’s story and you’ll meet Michael Nevins, who is fighting a much different kind of threat—a challenging small business climate in Michigan, where his business, Full Spectrum Solutions, is located. Nevins uses his involvement in NFIB as a shield to combat onerous regulations. In this article, he explains why his commitment to NFIB is so important. Also check out the MyBusiness Manual: the Essential Guide to Safeguarding Your Business, where you’ll find tips on assessing your insurance needs, how to prepare for an OSHA inspection and protecting your business against hackers and scammers. For this and more, check out the “Current Issue” section of www.mybusinessmag.com.]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/mybusiness_helps_small_busines.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/mybusiness_helps_small_busines.php MyBusiness for ways to protect your business against any threat.]]> Magazines MyBusiness Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:16:44 -0600 Greetings from the National Small Business Summit summitpost.jpgA team from Hammock attended the National Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., this week. The 2008 Summit, organized by NFIB and eBay, is a biannual event to explore important policy, business and economic issues facing small business. Our team assisted NFIB staff in keeping its members updated on what's taking place at this year's Summit, which is experiencing a record number of attendees. Hammock's "association community builder" approach to sharing the event can be viewed at the NFIB Summit website. We used numerous online social and conversational tools, including Flickr, YouTube and Twitter. ]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/greetings_from_the_national_sm.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/greetings_from_the_national_sm.php A team from Hammock is attending the National Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C., this week. The 2008 summit, organized by NFIB and eBay, is a biannual event to explore important policy, business and economic issues facing small business. Our team is assisting NFIB staff in keeping its members updated on what's taking place at this year's summit, which is experiencing a record number of attendees. News Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:26:32 -0600 The Hammorati Recall Their Favorite Summer Trips version of the map here.

]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/the_hammorati_recall_their_fav.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/the_hammorati_recall_their_fav.php Summer is here. Maybe you're ready for a vacation. We are. Click on the photo of a Hammock person below and learn about a trip they love remembering. Hint: It's easier to use at the full-size version of the map... People Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:46:49 -0600 Top 6 Ways Hammock People Stay Organized at Work franklin_covey_planners.jpgStaying organized in life, let alone at work is a constant struggle for most of us. With each day feeling increasingly busier than the one before it, how do you manage to stay organized and control the flow of email, deadlines and projects? As a custom media company, deadlines, whether for editorial, production, or marketing projects are an integral and necessary part of our daily routines at Hammock. So how do we keep everything organized and on track? When I asked other people at Hammock for the secret to their organizational approaches, here is what I heard: ]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/top_5_ways_hammockites_stay_or.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/06/top_5_ways_hammockites_stay_or.php Hammock people share their tips on the best ways to stay organized at the office. People Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:29:14 -0600 Memorial Day 2008 the true meaning of Memorial Day. Numbers obscure the human elements, transform uncountable personal sacrifices, sorrows and joys into an impersonal grand sweep of history.

Please join us in remembering
and honoring those who have given their
lives in service to our country.
[View full-screen via YouTube.]
Memorial Day is not for numbers. It is for those who gave all in defense of their country. For those who fought and survived to mourn comrades who did not. For those who remained at home and dreaded the approach of the parson’s carriage, of the telegraph boy, of a solemn-faced officer or a stricken friend. For those whose hands move unaware over a uniform, a clutch of medals, or a tri-folded flag, seeking courage and solace.]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/memorial_day_2008.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/memorial_day_2008.php Remembering our fallen heroes on Memorial Day. Holidays Fri, 23 May 2008 15:00:35 -0600 Three-Star Mathiesons Barbara Mathieson and her husband, John, were honored by The Tennessean on Friday, May 16, as three-star letter writers.
state-flag-tennessee.jpg
The Mathiesons were among 160 readers who took pen or mouse in hand to express their opinions on a host of topics. Barbara also has a blog that diligently reports on litter, recycling, reusing and related issues, especially in the Nashville area. Her blog has prompted a number of cleanup efforts and led to her being appointed to the Metro Nashville Beautification and Environment Commission. This was the third time each of them had been chosen as three-star letter writers, but only the first time that had happened in the same year. Write on, Barbara and John!]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/threestar_mathiesons.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/threestar_mathiesons.php Hammock's Production Director Barbara Mathieson and her husband, John, were each honored by The Tennessean on Friday, May 16, as three-star letter writers. Mon, 19 May 2008 10:09:02 -0600 Marines' Armor Doesn't Shine, But ... Achilles' armor before the walls of Troy to the colorful garb of Louisiana Zouaves to the bulky battle uniforms seen on the cover of the new issue of Semper Fi, the Magazine of the Marine Corps League.
welldressed2.jpg
Though not as heavy as medieval armor, today's battlefield attire and accompanying gear can add up to 150 or more pounds to the average Marine's 163 pounds. Much of that is in the form of composite armor plates designed to stop a supersonic bullet or red-hot shard of shrapnel. Add to that eye protection, fire-resistant uniforms, weapons and ammo, communication gear, rations and water, and it's a wonder the Marine can move at all. ]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/marines_armor_doesnt_shine_but_1.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/marines_armor_doesnt_shine_but_1.php Warriors have always struggled to find uniforms that provide both protection from the elements as well as from enemy arms. Solutions have ranged from the bronze greaves of Achilles armor before the walls of Troy to the colorful garb of Louisiana Zouaves to the bulky battle uniforms seen on the cover of the new issue of Semper Fi, the Magazine of the Marine Corps League. Magazines Tue, 13 May 2008 08:26:04 -0600 American Spirit Gets Crafty Scrapbooking.jpg The May/June issue of American Spirit allowed us to get a little crafty ... with scrapbooks. Carrie Wakeford designed a beautiful layout to spotlight smart, simple ways to compile an archival-quality scrapbook. Carrie’s creative take on preserving family history meant that, for a few days, Hammock’s library was covered with buttons, bits of wallpaper, colored paper, stickers and other scraps. Savvy readers will be able to pick out her clever use of childhood photos of editor Bill Hudgins. And what would a family scrapbook be without those faded photos of Aunt Norma and Uncle David posing in their Sunday best? Our cover story, “Treasure Hunt,” outlines new resources to track down family photographs. Thanks to digital collections at libraries and historical societies and Web sites devoted to genealogy, it’s easier than ever to find photographs of long-lost relatives on your family tree--and we show you how.]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/american_spirit_gets_crafty_1.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/05/american_spirit_gets_crafty_1.php The May/June issue of American Spirit allowed us to get a little crafty ... with scrapbooks. Magazines Wed, 07 May 2008 12:42:53 -0600 Music We Work By cool cubes, all right, but you're still sitting just feet from the next person. Even the few offices we have put us all within little more than arm's reach of each other. Close quarters are great for collaboration -- many times I can ask a question in my normal speaking voice and get three or four answers immediately.
davidask.jpg
Lisa is listening
to her husband,
David's, soon to
be released album.
Here's a preview.
But sometimes you need to tune out that background chatter and get down to business. A number of Hammock people use music to help them focus. A few of us -- me, Barbara L., Patrick R. -- don't work well to music. I can't drive without it, mind you. For others, music is the key to productivity. "As a bookkeeper, I work with lots of numbers and repetitive data entry, so shutting out the office noise and listening to music puts me in the zone for quick and efficient work," says Lisa. "Office chatter sometimes causes interruptions and music gives me that tunnel vision for long projects." [After the jump, learn more favorite tunes from around Hammock.]]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/music_to_work_by.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/music_to_work_by.php Here are some tunes that make the people around Hammock more productive. Traditions Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:16:01 -0600 The New Power Lunch, 2008 publishing world we see in movies and TV and what goes on in our office at Hammock Inc. on a daily basis. Some days, we come across an amusing reminder of how unglamorous real life can be. Today was one of those days. I've stopped saying, "Things are really busy right now," because now, things are always in high gear. We're not workaholics at Hammock, but sometimes, we find the need to -- ahem -- power through our lunch to get it all done. When I walked back in the office at lunchtime with my brown bag from Panera, the cafe down the street, I discovered I wasn't alone in my plans to eat and type. See us eating on the go today in this slideshow. Hammock Inc. version of the power lunch slideshow]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/the_new_power_lunch_2008.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/the_new_power_lunch_2008.php Hammock staff eating on the run. Traditions Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:59:42 -0600 Continuing Our Tradition of Books for Wounded Warriors When Hammock Inc.'s Bill Hudgins and Rex Hammock traveled to the Marine Military Expo-South for Semper Fi, they stopped to visit with some Marines at the Wounded Warrior Barracks-East, in Camp Lejeune, NC. They also delivered a number of books Hammock donated to the barracks. See photos from their visit with the Marines. We did the same when Bill was recently in California, and was able to stop by the Wounded Warrior Barracks-West. After the jump, read some of Rex's thoughts after the visit:]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/continuing_our_tradition_of_bo.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/continuing_our_tradition_of_bo.php Hammock donated a number of books to wounded Marines now stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC. Causes Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:46:04 -0600 Report from The Marine Expo - South Hammock's Bill Hudgins travels to the Marine Military Expo at Camp Lejeune.We often travel on behalf of our clients, to learn more about them, to assist them or participate in their events, and to report on those events. This week, I am on the coast of North Carolina at Camp Lejeune for our client, the Marine Corps League. The League and the Marine Corps Systems Command co-sponsor three Marine Military Expos each year, rotating among Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton in California, and Quantico in Virginia. Unlike many trade shows, these events are intended to allow battle-tested Marines tell the people who make their gear what works, what doesn't, what could be improved and what needs to be developed. [After the jump, read more of Bill's report from Marine Expo - South.] ]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/shopping_with_the_marines.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/shopping_with_the_marines.php We often travel on behalf of our clients, to learn more about them, to assist them or participate in their events, and to report on those events. This week, I am on the coast of North Carolina at Camp Lejeune for our client, the Marine Corps League. Friends Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:41:51 -0600 MyBusiness: Fixing Health Care for America MyBusiness Magazine April/May 2008 issue The April/May issue of MyBusiness which we publish for NFIB is hitting homes this week. The focus is on NFIB's ramped up efforts to reform small business health care. NFIB recently launched Solutions Start Here, an aggressive national campaign to ensure that legislators will keep small business in mind when discussing health care reform for the country. The feature article Solutions Start Here has more details on how small businesses can join the fight. Also check out this issue's MyBusiness Manual: The Essential Guide to Small Business Benefits for tips on how to attract top notch employees---and keep the ones you've got happy and loyal. As always, this issue of MyBusiness is packed with tons of great tips, tricks and other must-read stories for small business owners, so head over to MyBusinessMag.com to take a look. ]]> http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/mybusiness_fixing_health_care.php http://www.hammock.com/2008/04/mybusiness_fixing_health_care.php As always, this issue of MyBusiness is packed with tons of great tips, tricks and other must-read stories for small business owners, so head over to MyBusinessMag.com to take a look. Magazines Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:45:35 -0600