I returned last week from speaking at the Professional Convention Management Association annual meeting in New Orleans.  My topic: "Avoid Lawsuits . . . and Other Legal Problems."  When speaking to business groups, whether HR professionals at SHRM, professional speakers at NSA, or business owners and CEOs at Vistage, I find there is much uncertainty about the rules of copyright protection in the Internet world.  My advice: when in doubt, ask for permission, talk to a lawyer, or create your own original work.

New Orleans was great.  I stayed in the French Quarter (Soniat House) and confined my wandering to the Quarter and the area around the convention center.  As always, the food was great: I enjoyed excellent meals or snacks at Acme Oyster House, Mothers, Nola, Galatoire's, Napoleon House, Bon Ton Cafe, and Stella!  The best sazerac was at Stella!

My thanks to PCMA for inviting me to speak, and to the fine staff, especially Mandi Kasper, for making the logistics easy and smooth.