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

Prepare for the NTC

> First, register before January 15th [1] to get the best price. Then you may want to book a room at the Sheraton New Orleans [2] 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 [3] to figure out which sessions you can't miss. Learn about the Day of Service [4]. Submit something to our video contest [5]. Finally, brush up on your dance moves [6] so you can impress on the floor during our After Party [7] at New Orleans' legendary Tipatina's [8].

> And, of course, we will be in New Orleans. The NOMTC has a pretty nice web site [9], packed with tourist information, as does the Convention and Visitors Bureau [10].

> Some suggestions: Check out the Ellis Marsalis Quartet [11]. Attend a basketball game [12] (so the team doesn't have to move [13]). Find culinary bliss at John Besh's August [14].

Map Your Data

> Google moves one step closer to making desktop applications obsolete with the release of the Google Chart API [15]. The Wild Apricot blog offers a tutorial and a list of sites [16] currently using the API.

> Last month, we mentioned that Many Eyes [17] offered a visualization of the Mitchell report [18] on steroid use in MLB. This month's cool mappings include "Average Time Spent Commuting by State [19]" and "The 2007 International Privacy Ranking [20]". Learn how to use Many Eyes [21] yourself.

Use Twitter

> Nate Ritter recently blogged about "Using Twitter to Help Communities [22]". More advice is sure to come from NTEN Member Britt Bravo's recent Net2ThinkTank query, "How Can Nonprofits Use Twitter? Should They Even Bother? [23]"

> Lifehack.org offers "5 Ways to Use Twitter for Good [24]". You may also be curious how reporters use Twitter [25]. More practially, you should visit VideoJug for advice [26] on the actual basics of using Twitter.