August 2008
Important Safety Tip$
I was given a list of Do’s and Don’ts of interacting with people who have dementia. I’ve modified this list only slightly to guide you in safely interacting with corporate executives.
Do–Hold their hand. [Most executives want to shake your hand when you enter their office. I have found that it is best to allow them to hold your hand as long as they see fit. Extended handholding is non-verbal communication of endearment.]
Do–Keep your sense of humor. [Humor is critical with high-level corporate executives. Laugh at their cue, even if you aren’t quite sure what you are laughing at. Otherwise, they have a tendency of feeling alienated and can turn hostile. Likewise, if you find yourself laughing and they are not, curtail laughing or like the contrary, they have a tendency of feeling alienated and can turn hostile.]
Do–Keep things simple. [High-level executives are easily overwhelmed, which can generate a feeling of alienation, which can facilitate them turning hostile.]
Do–Give them simple easy tasks or have them focus on entertainment such as television. [It is best to keep high-level executives busy with unimportant activities. Lack of activities has a tendency to make them feel “out-of-the-loop.” This is dangerous. They will insert themselves into processes that were working fine without them. If possible, have a TV installed in their office and show them financial programs. They are easily distracted by dollar signs. Warning: dollar signs in red have been proven to generate hostility among high-level corporate executives.]
Do–Remain calm. [These executives have an uncanny ability to sense nervousness, which puts them ill-at-ease, which can facilitate them turning hostile.]
Don’t–Give them choices. [High-level executives are easily overwhelmed, which can generate a feeling of alienation, which can facilitate them turning hostile. Instead, present evidence of a “great opportunity” and allow them come up with a grand idea for you to facilitate. Warning: this is inviting prolonged conversations with them about their grand idea.]
Don’–Get irritated by them asking a question repeatedly. [Refer to keep your sense of humor above.]
Don’t–Tell them what they “should” do. [High-level executives are extremely sensitive to their autonomy and often automatically resist an underling or lesser “instructing” them, which can generate a feeling of alienation, which can facilitate them turning hostile to reinforce their sense of power.]
Don’t–Expect them to do what they say they are going to do. [Expectations are the root of disappointment. If you can curb your expectations, your frequency of disappointment will diminish.]
Don’t–Expect what they tell you to be accurate. [Treating what they say as accurate can only lead to actions based on fallacy and at the end of the day you will look foolish because they will “not recall” telling that “fact” to you.]
Don’t–Expect them to do what they say they will do. [See above. If this isn’t self-apparent by now, stop reading this email and get back to work.]
There were more on the list, which were equally appropriate. The only one that didn’t seem to fit was: Do–Hug them. My experience is that hugs can make them feel ill-at-ease.
By Howard Campbell
http://www.intellishit.com
Would Greater Competition in Gaming Laptops Be Beneficial for Us
Not so long a go it looked like gaming laptop computers were only available from particular system builders and they were usually custom made. Basically as I remember they were never the hottest selling laptop computers but as they were more significantly costly they were the greatest profit making ones. They were the style of notebook that everybody wanted, but the price didn’t fall in their budget. I reckon you could say they were the best laptop computers around, at least power wise. As much as I desired one I couldn’t afford to buy laptop computers like them. Well known brands have recently launched their own gaming laptops so its all changing as I say this.
Just imagine how much revenue these manufacturers would be generating particularly when applying mass production. Profit margins have been so thin recently that this is a great chance to make more money by selling computers. Manufacturers of that magnitude are aware they can get consumers to buy laptop computers at high prices providing they market it well. I’m pretty sure that boutique resellers will have to drop their prices for them to compete. I express this because now the technology which was once special and overpriced is now mass market. People just feel much more confident making a big purchase from a brand name.
I reckon its some what laughable that because it comes with the brand name they are carelessly though of as the best laptop computers. This is one opportunity the littler competitors must apply to their benefit. The customisation factor is an enormous plus to the consumer. Well versed in the technology, these sort of buyers are savvy to what details to compare. The details are of great significance for this kind of customer. For the customer, this holds a lot of positives. High end technology will be purchasable by everyone when prices are pushed lower. Things alter so quick in this industry that I can’t precisely make any confident predications. New products are continuously being released and that should hold prices constantly high. Seeing as the established brand manufacturers have already begun releasing gaming laptop computers, I guess we will have to wait to witness what happens.
Who Are They Trying To Fool?
I recently saw a bank commercial on television that was staged in a coffee shop. The idea behind the advertisement were two guys in the coffee shop, with one guy standing at the purchase counter, while the other one sat at a table manning his laptop computer. The guy at the purchase counter was showing his friend with the laptop how “cool” it was to track purchases in the coffee shop being instantly debited and recorded in Mr. Laptop’s online bank account.
The guy with the laptop became somewhat confused when he could not find his drink transaction showing up in the account, so his friend rushed over to prove that indeed the purchase had been instantly pulled from his checking account after all. Once Mr. Laptop saw how fast his money was being sucked up by the coffee shop, he sent his friend back to the purchase counter to buy a donut so he could watch his account being tapped again by that purchase.
The commercial tried to leave the viewer with the impression that the idea of no float transactions through the bank was a fascinating, captivating, and must-have kind of experience. The bank wanted you to think everyone will be rushing out to get this disservice for the pure fun of watching your hard earned money disappear instantly from your account with every purchase. What’s wrong with this picture? Well, when it can take up to three days of bank float time to get your deposits credited to your account, while having all your automatic bill payments and purchases instantly subtracted, it doesn’t take much of a genius to look forward to a day when paycheck to paycheck living will catch up with you in terms of overdrafts, fees, and bad credit ratings due to this “cool” new perspective of service that is all for them, and none for you.
To the typical consumer, never fall for the idea that bankers are your biggest buddies. All their services are designed to lure you into allowing them to get their mits on your money, and offer you as little as possible in return for allowing them to use your funds to enrich themselves. When banks get their hands on enough money from depositors, the magical services start to disappear, or develop the sudden fee syndrome. Am I advocating that people do not use banks for their money? The answer to this question is no. Banks are a necessary part of good money management, but when a bank starts down the road of taking more from you than they give, start hollering loudly, or find a bank that is hungry enough to give you something back for using them, (which is rapidly becoming a more rare experience, thanks to interstate banking laws.) If they can figure out a way to instantly drain your funds from your account, they can sure as heck also find ways to do better at making sure you get faster credit for your deposits.
If you think these new “services” are recent ideas to make life easier, think again. Banks have had the idea of debit cards, no float transactions, interstate banking, automatic deposits, and automatic payments for decades. The reason they did not come into being before now was that the government and consumers would not let banks implement these ideas, because of the perceived threat these services represent. If you think that sticking with old fashioned checks is the way to go, the banks and merchants are a step ahead of you. Many stores have the capability of instantly debiting your account for the amount of a paper check, and handing you back your check instantly as your “receipt” for the transaction.
What’s the big deal here? Well, you will certainly find out what problems these procedures present when somebody makes a mistake, intentionally abuses the system, or your control over your money is less than perfectly timed. If someone in authority suddenly decides you no longer have the money you think you have, your burden to correct the trouble can be a real nightmare. If you find yourself in financial trouble, fast and automatic are not a good combination when it comes time for you to try to decide which creditors get paid, and which ones will just have to wait. Mr. Banker, I think I’ll just stay the hell out of that coffee shop.
Director of Software Concepts
BHO Technologists - LittleTek Center http://home.earthlink.net/~jdir
Stand Out as a Leader, Do 5 Things Better! Number One: Improve the Quality of Your Decision Making!
The manager administers, the leader improves;
the manager maintains, the leader develops;
the manager relies on systems, the leader relies on people;
the manager counts on controls, the leader counts on trust;
the manager does things right, the leader does the right thing.
-Fortune Magazine
The intentions of our decisions are our brand of fertilizer that enables our results to flourish and amplify with time or, fade and wither! You got the record crop (number/result) this year. Can you do it again next year? At what cost? Is that acceptable?
What legacy did you sow to enable it to happen again? Did you strip the resources and need to start from scratch and build up the soil again? Or did you harvest sustainably so you can let it rest for a season, come back and crop it hard again?
The intention of our decision-making is the quality of the fertilizer we prepare to apply to our next crop!
Decisions made in fair times can be duly considered, socialized and delivered. They can readily add great fertilizer to a great team with outstanding results!
However, few of us work in these environments. Most of us have too many decisions to make in too little time, with out due consideration or thought. Most of us need to select what we think are the ‘big ones’ and focus on delivering these well. The quality of our selection gives critical feedback on our assumptions and therefore leadership style.
What “big ones’ do you select? Why? What are you seeking to create in these attributes, something positive or avoid something negative?
Most leaders rate themselves poorly, they have little objectivity in their assessment of the impact of their performance. Their boss is generally more objective and their direct reports most objective!
What would your direct reports say about you? Do you know? Have you collected any information? Well corporate life is about to!
IBM have an impressive management development tool that gives direct reports an opportunity to rate managers biannually. Managers that have a poor report are counseled to address the issues. Those that have two bad reports are usually removed, certainly three strikes and they are out! This is a very powerful message about leadership: that it is best assessed by those that are led!
In an effort to give leaders realistic feedback about their performance many corporations have offering 360 degree feedback. Often clients take the management feedback as more important, and pragmatically this can be true in the short term, than subordinate feedback. Is management going to continue to find this acceptable?
Staffing is most companies biggest expense. Leadership development, given 2 to 3 are developed for every one retained and placed, is therefore its greatest investment in this expense. The literature suggests 30-50% of external appointments fail. Now we are stuck between a rock and a hard place!
Corporate life is keen to assess a leaders talents and develop these, however if it can identify self limiting behavior - such as career de railers, maybe it will decide to be more cautious in the development of these individuals.
Hogan and Hogan, the most sought after leadership analysts in the USA’s Fortune 100 companies, indicate they are the inability to form a team, and a lack of understanding of your leadership style! (1)
Leadership-style is one of the most searched topics in leadership on the Internet. Now we know why! Leaders are being told to appreciate their leadership style so that they can consistently develop and apply it, thus avoiding the traps of leadership de railers!
However, leadership is intimately tied to personality, with sincerity of style being one of the most critical factors in allegiance being given! If it is personality based, how can the results of generic tools give us appropriate clarity and sense of contribution compared to what we know inside ourselves?
The answer lies in crafting our action-based leadership values into a foundation of our behavior for the ‘tough’ times. That we become the beacon of integrity we intended to be in these circumstances by doing “the right thing.”
It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.
Roy Disney
(1) Hogan and Hogan, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, Vol 9, No 1/2, Mar/Jun 2001.)
This article may be reproduced in printed or web format, provided the resource box below is included.
Rosemary Johnston is a professional corporate and personal coach. Working with executives from some of Australia’s largest and most successful companies for over 15 years.
Rosemary’s new book, “How To Develop Your Leadership Style and Skills to Take Charge of Your Career and Life” is now available to download at her web site. Read about how you can share some of the success Rosemary has had coaching leaders in Australian blue chip companies. http://www.leadershipfirst.com.au
Cheap Accommodation in Rome
Close to the main Rome train station, in the 1880’s San Lorenzo was a working class area of the city. Now it is popular with students due to its proximity to La Sapienza University.
In this area of Rome you can find the Bed and Breakfast University: three fully equipped, comfortable and modern rooms, with free internet broadband access, satellite television, strongbox, air conditioning telephone (free to calls to italian landline numbers) hairdryer and bathroom inside the rooms. Using Fridge and kitchen is allowed.
Rooms are cleaned daily, Towels and sheets are changed every three days or as requested.
The copious breakfast is served in the comfortable breakfast room.
Some of our guests said:
- My friend and I were both well received and Dominic(o) who was managing during our stay was very helpful and polite in printing maps and labelling places to visit and ways of travel. This place suits couples lucking for a bargain and students, I feel! (Guests from Liverpool, GB)
- The room was very nice, the breakfast big and all was clean. The host is very helpful. (Guests from Berlin, DE)
- Computer with internet in room; extremely friendly staff; good breakfast. (Guests from Ivanhoe, AU)
You can check full description, rates and photos from this link for this cheap accommodation in Rome and proceed to the online secure reservation:
http://www.accommodationz.com/hotel_869.html
Protecting Your Yoga Teaching Business
When or if, you want to become a Yoga teacher - would you be thinking of litigation and Yoga? The old saying, “the truth hurts,” applies to legality, ethics, and teaching Yoga. You can always “bury your head in the sand” and hope that you are never involved in a legal battle. After all, what kind of a student would sue his or her Yoga teacher? Doctors must ask each other this question every day. Sorry, but denial will not help you in a court of law.
Instead of denying the obvious, you can take action, by learning how the law applies to your Yoga business. You can also start creating policies that protect your students, and insure that you are giving quality Yoga instruction for the rest of your life.
It has been said that “Knowledge is Power,” and this could never be more true than when it comes down to knowing the “Letter of the Law.” Just like when a Yoga student first learns to develop his or her awareness from Yoga and meditation practice - Yoga teachers must develop an awareness of legality, as it pertains to their Yoga businesses.
For the average Yoga teacher, the thought of litigation, as a result of a student entering his or her Yoga class, is depressing. Many Yoga teachers and interns pursue the rewarding career of teaching Yoga as “Good Samaritans.” Yoga teachers are very often generous with their time, effort, and services.
It is “heartbreaking” for me to tell “giving people,” with the best of intentions, that they can be sued at any time. In this climate of litigation, anyone, even a Yoga teacher, can have a lawsuit filed against them. Defending yourself, in a court of law, can and does, create physical, spiritual, mental, and financial exhaustion.
As a result of this reality, this requires protective action on the part of all Yoga teachers. Look at this as a prevention program and a compliment to your current liability insurance policy. “I didn’t know,” will not save any of us from the wrath of the law.
Review your liability insurance and your release forms. Most Yoga teachers should have their attorney review their release forms. The days of a simple one page waiver form are over. A documented health questionnaire may help you to prevent a sudden legal catastrophe. This is not required, but serves as a tangible document to know each Yoga student a little better.
Just remember that a potential Yoga student has the legal right to refuse to fill out a questionnaire, if they so desire. This does leave you “flying blind,” when teaching Yoga classes to students whose current health condition is a mystery.
Therefore, always mention contraindications for asanas. It would be prudent to have an information packet, with contraindications, and prenatal warnings included. You could also include a slip for Yoga students to sign, which indicates that they have read, and understand, that Yoga can be a risk for some health conditions.
Lastly, it is better to lose a potential Yoga student, than to teach one at the risk of his or her health.
© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Voice Activated Word Processing for the Online Writer
How good is voice-activated software these days? Some say it works rubber while, although it is not quite used as he could be. For instance I am using voice-activated software here in you can already see some mistakes. I suppose with a little bit of editing that it is usable. Having hand typed some 4100 articles, I can certainly see the need for a good quality voice-activated word processing system for online writer’s.
I have been searching for the perfect voice-activated word processing program. Originally I had purchased one of the very first IBM voice types and out software was over $500, yet today we see some of the software is low as $150 in fact the one which is writing this article is only one and $149. Next paragraph
Once you get the voice-activated software training done, it works substantially better. He eventually as you train it, it is said to become quite accurate. That is a good thing for me. One thing I like is a voice active in work processing program assists me in my spelling and punctuation to a limited degree. So far this article I have spent a good three minutes so far and as articles go it is not so bad. You can see in the second sentence there is a mistake in another in the third sentence. But generally you could say it is about 90 percent accurate and we are told that once you completely train it; but the accuracy will improve to almost 99 percent. Of course you’ll still have to go back and edit it. But, he would have to do that anyway wouldn’t you? Something to consider if you’re planning to switch to voice activated software. This way you do not have to buy a new computer what you wear off all the keys, which I have. Consider this in 2006.
“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Love, Marriage and Money
The f-word. Finances. Combining love and money may be the biggest stumbling block on the path of true love, creating more rifts in relationships than in-laws, drug and alcohol addiction, or infidelity.
Financial power struggles challenge even the most solid partnership. Unfortunately, money too often equates to control in a relationship. The delicate balance of power between you is dependent on the successful combination of love and money.
In the majority of relationships today, both members contribute financial resources. Despite the strides women have made toward financial equality on the job, though, men still have greater earning power. In general, with more disposable income, men invest more money and take greater risks than women. Women as a whole are more conservative in their investments because it takes them longer to earn the money. Money attitudes are also influenced by age, family upbringing, religion, and each person’s own unique financial trials and errors.
Everyone has opened a bank account, paid the rent or mortgage, kept the telephone and electricity turned on. When you make the decision to share your life with someone, though, such mundane issues suddenly become complicated.
Do you keep separate bank accounts or do you put all the money in one account? How do you split monthly expenses? Do you each pay a portion or do you pay bills out of a joint account? Should you be able to sign on your partner’s bank account? Did one of you bring assets to the relationship that the other uses, such as a car or a home, for which expenses should be shared?
Financial advice for couples over fifty varies significantly depending on age, economic status and dependents. Every situation is different, but the following is general advice for everyone.
Many modern couples keep their finances separate, while others opt to pool all their funds. Making the decision on the day-to-day handling of what was formerly “his” and “her” money can be a tough one.
There are benefits to keeping separate property funds separate and maintaining certain assets in one name only, which we’ll explain in more detail in the next chapter. Keeping other monies separate may create logistical problems, though, along with a diminished sense of common goals for the future. Combining your funds also gives a couple greater borrowing and investment power.
Determining a financial plan that works might take months; many couples struggle for years before reaching a balance. Defining and discussing your money styles is the first step, setting goals is the second.
Review your financial picture. Are you both satisfied with your knowledge and control of “your” money and “our” money? Are you both knowledgeable about banking, insurance, investments, credit cards?
The routine business of a new life together should include the following:
- Reevaluation of life, health, auto and other insurance coverage
- A change of beneficiary on insurance policies and company pension plans
- Notification to social security of your marriage to ensure eligibility for your spouse’s benefits and change of W-4 withholding
- An assessment of the impact of remarriage on alimony or pension/retirement benefits from a prior marriage
- A consultation with an accountant to learn the impact your marital status will have on your federal or state income tax obligations
- In a remarriage, be aware that the income of a new spouse may impact eligibility for financial aid of college-age children from a prior marriage.
You may need to consult your banker, your employer, your insurance agent, your accountant, your attorney or other professionals to accomplish these tasks.
Your goal in tying the fiscal knot is to protect your spousal rights and save money. Begin your research before the wedding and make sure you follow through. Loveandthelaw.com should be your first stop - it’s an easy and inexpensive way to stay informed.
About The Author
Johnette Duff is the author of The Spousal Equivalent Handbook: a legal and financial guide to living together, The Marriage Handbook: a legal and financial guide to your spousal rights, and Love After 50: the complete legal and financial guide. Nationally, she has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and in The Wall Street Journal, Self, Smart Money, New Woman and Modern Maturity promoting information on love and the law. Ms. Duff has recently opened a web site titled, love and the law.
rauspitz44@comcast.net
Sustainable Hopes for Dead Sea
One you glance over the numbers, you realise that it doesn’t take a mathematician to work out that the Dead Sea is under a severe amount stress at the moment. The River Jordan, the sea’s main tributary, has had 95% of its flow diverted for the sake of agriculture and other domestic uses. Mining, specifically for potash and magnesium chloride, is also removing water to the tune of about 150 million cubic meters every year. In addition, worldwide water withdrawals have increased six fold, which is approximately double the rate of worldwide population growth, and the struggle between population growth and the availability of water is expected to be most desperate in generally arid areas, like areas of Israel and Jordan, the countries that border the Dead Sea. The water in the Dead Sea is disappearing as combinations of all these pressures exert themselves upon the water mass. Year on year the overall water level drops by one meter, and in the last thirty years the sea has shrunk to about two-thirds its 1970’s size. This poses a serious threat to both human activity in the area, and also to the flora and fauna of the oases that comprise the Dead Sea’s matchless ecosystem. The rate of water depletion is pushing the shoreline away from established population centres and creating sink holes. Sink holes destroy land, as deep freshwater effectively undercuts the layers of subsurface salt above causing them to collapse and posing threats to infrastructure and agriculture in the areas. In an effort to halt the sea’s fading away there is a planned project to engineer a pipeline that stretches from the Red Sea in the south up to the Dead Sea in the north. The World Bank is expected to help financially on this project, which is expected to cost between $800 million and $15 billion, depending on your sources, and the organisation is currently conducting a $14 million study into the feasibility of the source.In a part of the world hardly characterised by multilateral accord the project is being proposed by Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The pipeline will stretch 320 kilometres from the Gulf of Aqaba in the south in order to help replenish the water levels of the Dead Sea, in addition to providing desalinated water for arid Jordan. There are also plans to utilise hydroelectric power into the scheme, which will take the form of either a canal or a pipeline. There has been intense criticism of the scheme so far, as environmentalists and water experts warn that the mixing of water from the Red Sea - which is rich in sulphate - with water from the calcium rich Dead Sea will cause new algae growth in the sea.
Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Effects of hurricane Katrina has been devastating.
Mayor of New Orleans is saying thousands may be dead already. Damages to property and economy has been enormous. Not to mention
the millions of dollars being spent on the rescue efforts now and
rebuilding efforts that will be undertaken later.
But the sad part is, most of the suffering was avoidable. It was
know well ahead of time, the hurricane was coming and would be a
strong one. It wreaked havoc even in south florida where it was
barely a category 1 hurricane.
In the face of these facts, some questions come to mind.
- When it is known that New Orleans is so vulnerable, should
not the leevees built stronger? When it is know that if they break the effect would be devastating, I would have made them 5 ft taller and 2 ft thicker. - Shouldn’t the shelters such as super dome buit so that it can withstand the strongest storm? One idea is to make them so that
it can be lowered underground. I am not a civil engineer, but
with todays technology it is not that impossible, I would think. - Same thing can be said about highway over passes. During the storm, one can make them slidable and pillars can be slided
into the ground as well. The parts that are over ground (bridges, over passes, etc) are slided to move on the ground, no storm can inflict much damage to them.
Guess how much suffering and rebuilding
would be saved, if we make these investments in the beginning. - One can even imagine to build a small city underground.
This may sound over kill now. But if they can do the above mentioned things, one can even think of this.
To donate to the cause, please go to http://www.redcross.org or
call 800-HELP-NOW.