Your guide to resources that will help you put technology to work for your cause.

Prepare for the NTC

> First, register before January 15th to get the best price. Then you may want to book a room at the Sheraton New Orleans at our special rate.

> Now that we've gotten that out of the way, you should start thinking about what you're going to do at the NTC. Start with the agenda to figure out which sessions you can't miss. Learn about the Day of Service. Submit something to our video contest. Finally, brush up on your dance moves so you can impress on the floor during our After Party at New Orleans' legendary Tipatina's.

> And, of course, we will be in New Orleans. The NOMTC has a pretty nice web site, packed with tourist information, as does the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

> Some suggestions: Check out the Ellis Marsalis Quartet. Attend a basketball game (so the team doesn't have to move). Find culinary bliss at John Besh's August.

Map Your Data

> Google moves one step closer to making desktop applications obsolete with the release of the Google Chart API. The Wild Apricot blog offers a tutorial and a list of sites currently using the API.

> Last month, we mentioned that Many Eyes offered a visualization of the Mitchell report on steroid use in MLB. This month's cool mappings include "Average Time Spent Commuting by State" and "The 2007 International Privacy Ranking". Learn how to use Many Eyes yourself.

Use Twitter

> Nate Ritter recently blogged about "Using Twitter to Help Communities". More advice is sure to come from NTEN Member Britt Bravo's recent Net2ThinkTank query, "How Can Nonprofits Use Twitter? Should They Even Bother?"

> Lifehack.org offers "5 Ways to Use Twitter for Good". You may also be curious how reporters use Twitter. More practially, you should visit VideoJug for advice on the actual basics of using Twitter.