We've been really busy! Last week, we held auditions for our upcoming Rip-Offs program. I didn't realize how many great actors there are in Chicago. They were VERY impressive.

In addition to starting production of Rip-Offs, we continue to work on the Dress For Success program. On Thursday, we'll be filming our narrator, Mindy Bell. You may recognize her from our Personal Banking Essentials series. Be sure to check out her hilarious outtakes in our Screening Room.

As business wardrobe issues continue to plague all kinds of companies, we're sure you'll find Dress For Success timely and helpful.  

Boost Your Brain Power at Work: Six Tricks is an article published by AOL and Careerbuilder about how to make sure you're operating at your mental peak. Their tips are:

• Don't be a slave to technology. Your IQ drops approximately 10 points when you're distracted by technology like e-mail, phone calls and text messages.


• Get 8 hours of sleep. Half of all US workers say sleepiness interferes with their productivity, and 20 percent say it causes them to make mistakes.


• Get high on brain food. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta-carotene and the B vitamins all contribute to memory and cognitive functions.


• Work out. Studies have shown increased creativity, memory and multitasking ability after aerobic exercise.


• Do mental gymnastics. Using your brain stimulates blood flow and strengthens the synapses in your brain. It may also reduce age-related memory loss. Do puzzles, like this Sudoku puzzle to give your brain a workout.


• Think positive, loving thoughts. An accomplished neuroscientist found that spending 10 minutes a day focusing on positive emotions, like love and kindness, can make you smarter and happier

 

Sudoku, a Japanese number puzzle whose name rougly translates to "The number that is alone" is a type of brain teaser that has recently caught on all over the globe.

Don't be scared off by the numbers! There's no math--just use logic and reasoning to solve the puzzle. It's like a crossword puzzle without words.

Here's what you do: Using the digits 1 through 8, fill in the grid so that each number appears one time in every row, in every column and in every 3x3 box.

That's it. Think it's easy? Give it a try.



Check back here for more Sudoku puzzles, or visit WebSudoku.com.  

This story is on the newswires today: Community Banks Ask for Post-Katrina Assistance.

Banks in the Gulf Coast region are asking congress to ease some of the "Know your customer" rules put in place to combat money laundering. The request comes as the banks are trying to cash relief checks and open new accounts for people affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The banks are also asking for legislation to protect them from liability for bad checks cashed during the crisis. In addition, the American Financial Services Associations has asked congress to increase the FDIC insurance coverage to $130,000 to increase confidence in the banks in the region and prevent them from failing.  

If you're starting a training program from scratch, you may want to look at "Complete Guidelines to Design Your Training Plan" from Managementhelp.org. If you start to get overwhelmed, remember that 1st Financial's Training Support Managers are waiting to help you in the planning process too.