Exercise physiologists at Missouri State University say climbing a few flights of stairs can provide needed cardiovascular exercise and relieve stress.
For those who have the opportunity to climb stairs three or four days a week, it’s a great fitness habit.
For exercise, climb the stairs
May 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
How ‘passing the buck’ first occurred
May 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Back in the days of the old and wild west, poker became a popular saloon game. It also became a problem because poker players thought little of trying to cheat their tablemates.
The dealer had the greatest opportunity because he could manipulate the cards, engage in the infamous “dealing off the bottom of the deck” move, or skillfully peek at the cards he dealt other players.
To avoid fights over whose turn it was to deal, they passed an object to the next dealer. Usually it was a knife. It became known as the buck, short for buck horn, which most knife handles were made of.
Over time, the meaning of the phrase “passing the buck” changed. Instead of legitimately moving a responsibility to the right person to handle, it became known as a way to pass off a job or responsibility to someone else. That person was stuck with it whether or not he had the time or skill required. President Harry Truman’s famous statement that “the buck stops here” was viewed (and still quoted) as a way to state that, as President, he took responsibility for whatever was happening in the country. He had courage.
In his recent book, Leadership Courage (a five-star book at Amazon), David Cottrell asks, “What are you responsible for at work? You are responsible for the success or failure of all activities you are associated with … for everything you can control or influence.”
His statement was aimed at people in leadership roles, but in one situation or another each one of us has to lead. Cottrell doesn’t mean we have to do everything our self. Delegating a task, project or routine to another person, one who is qualified to do it, is a good move.
It’s far different from “passing the buck.” But when we’re the dealer at any level, we should make sure the one we’re dealing
Home worth less than the mortgage?
May 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
If they had to be sold today, almost a quarter of American homes would bring less than the amount of their mortgages. Some of these mortgage holders decide to walk away from their homes even if they can afford to make the payments.
That is a mistake, especially if the homeowner plans to live in the home for several more years. Aside from legal problems and a credit rating that would keep them from buying a home or a new car, they lose money in the long run.
Consider a home bought for $500,000 in 2006 with a $50,000 down payment. Now the home is worth $375,000. If the owner walks away, the down payment and the principal payments are lost.
Historically, housing prices rise over time by 6 percent a year, according to the National Association of Realtors. Prices hit bottom in August of 2009.
To walk away now would be almost like selling at the bottom of the market. But if housing continues to recover at a modest 5 percent a year, after six years, the owner would break even, according to Smart Money magazine.
The $500,000 home would be worth $610,835 in 10 years and $1.3 million in 26 years when the mortgage is paid off.
Those who walk away now will also have to pay higher prices for a home by the time their credit rating allows them to buy again. In the meantime, renting a home will cost more with each succeeding year, while fixed-rate mortgage payments stay the same.
The case for staying with a mortgage is better than presently underwater property owners think it is.
The next 40 years and 100 million more Americans
May 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Census projections indicate that the U.S. population is growing at a record rate. By 2050, it predicts there will be 400 million Americans.
How will that affect the country?
It’s a strong indicator of long-term economic strength, according to Joel Kotkin in his book The Next Hundred Million. While other counties are beset by old age, immigration in the United States will keep work forces strong. That will translate into economic growth.
Backed up by prestigious research and analysis, Kotkin says most new Americans will live in the suburbs. They will find less-expensive living and more space than they would in big cities like New York and Chicago. These suburbs will not resemble those of the late 20th century. They will offer jobs, amenities and energy efficiency.
The author predicts the development of more intimate units of American society such as families, towns, neighborhoods and industries.
Kotkin, a fellow at the Center for an Urban Future, in New York City, says adding 100 million people will change the features of society, but overall, he believes the United States will be stronger because of it.
If you say nothing about it, you are actually part of the mob
May 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Here’s something to think about. Be sure you are not taken into this type of activity. If you see it occurring frequently, tell your supervisor or your supervisor’s supervisor.
It has happened that, in some companies, one person or a group of people, decides they don’t like a co-worker. Together, they can reign havoc on their victim, whether it’s a man or a woman,
It’s called mobbing, a situation that has only recently been identified by psychologists and human resources departments. They say that even if it’s being done by just one person, those who see it and do nothing about it play a part. Abusers take their silence as support for their actions.
In their book, Mobbing: Emotional Abuse in the American Workplace, authors Noa Davenport, Ruth Schwartz and Gail Pursell Elliott say mobbing is a “ganging up,” usually by several individuals, to force someone out of the workplace through rumor, innuendo, intimidation, discrediting, and particularly, humiliation.
Effects are devastating to the victim, resulting in loss of productivity, psychological and physical symptoms, depression, accidents, violence or suicide.
The victim is usually in a position of lower status than the adversary. Mobbing is more probable when a person is different, such as a woman in an office full of men or vice versa, a person who is more qualified, younger, more competent, or a new person who is both younger and more qualified.
Mobbing has been identified in Europe for some time. It is aggression against an individual, rather than discrimination based on age, gender, race, creed, nationality, disability or pregnancy. It may include harassing, abusive and terrorizing behaviors.
The aggression can be active or passive. Passive aggressors are a problem. They hide their evil ways in occasional acts of kindness and politeness.
The grand Queen Elizabeth
May 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Cunard LIne’s new cruise ship was recently christened by U.K.’s Queen Elizabeth II. It is an elegant and beautiful ship with grandeur similar to the original Queen Elizabeth of the 1960s.
The Game Deck has a tennis court, an English bowls court and croquet court.
The Garden Lounge has a soaring, vaulted glass ceiling inspired by the glass houses of Kew Gardens.
The stylish Yacht Club Lounge has 270-degree views. Live bands perform in the evenings, and the club overlooks the huge pool deck. The dining areas include three multi-deck-high restaurants.
How to find a treasure at a flea market or yard sale
May 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
It’s unlikely that you will find a million-dollar painting at the flea market. But at Sotheby’s, the famous auction house, appraisers say about 5 percent of letters they get contain photos of paintings or furniture worth $10,000 or more.
What to look for in furniture
* The item should impress you and stand out from other items at the sale. Look for great workmanship on the legs, arms, handles and doors.
* Imperfections: Don’t worry about chairs that are missing upholstery. Much of the value of great furniture is in the frame. The legs should be in good condition.
What to look for in paintings
* Small tears are OK unless they run through the face on a portrait.
* Check the back for labels and stamps from a museum or gallery.
* Don’t believe the signature. All forgeries have a famous signature.
* Content. Paintings of women and still lifes of fruit or flowers, that have an intrinsic decorative value, recoup the purchase price better than hobbyist paintings of hunters, for example.
Collectables
* Ask why the item is being sold, and where it came from. Any information about its history could help to establish authenticity.
* Smaller pieces are more valuable. Whether they are models of trains or antique furniture, collectors have a limited space to display them.
Always arrive early, because the best pieces at a yard or garage sale are sold first. The best pieces may not be offered at all. Never have antique furniture refinished without checking with an appraiser.
Saying ‘I’m sorry’ to friends, but not to family
May 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Canadian psychologists say the average person apologizes four times a week. But 46 percent of the apologies are to friends, 22 percent are to strangers, 11 percent are to romantic partners, and only 7 percent are to family members.
These are the basic types of apologies we make.
* The heartfelt apology: A completely earnest mea culpa that expresses regret for the pain you inflicted.
* The strategic apology: Ends a fight or stops the other person from hurting, even if you feel it wasn’t your fault.
* The defensive apology: A rarely effective maneuver that defends your actions as well as offering contrition.
* The contingent apology: Offered if you don’t know or care what you’ve done. “I’m sorry ‘if’ I’ve done … .”
* The too-late apology: An expression of regret given days, months or years too late.
* The bully apology: Given only to manipulate someone or as a token apology for bad behavior.
How to change the way you do things
May 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Authors Chip and Dan Heath wanted to find out why people gladly make big changes in their lives, like getting married or having kids, but fiercely resist changes that are far less encompassing.
Two psychologists helped them find the answers. People have two separate “systems” in their brains: a rational, logical system and an emotional, impulsive, instinctual system. If they are not aligned, change can be difficult.
In their research, they studied people in the workplace, people trying to lose weight, and those trying to make big changes in organizations. They discovered that there were striking similarities in the steps they took toward success. In their new book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, they give a game plan available to everyone in order to show how changes in life can be a little easier.
One quote: “What do you do, in the first hour of the first day, to teach a monkey how to ride a skateboard? The answer doesn’t involve punishment.”
* Tell people what you want them to do in a way that they will understand. The government’s Food Guide Pyramid says we should eat 5 to 7 teaspoons of oil a day, suggesting people should eat less oil. The Heaths found a a public-health campaign in West Virginia that urged people to drink 1 percent milk. A glass of whole milk has as much fat as five strips of bacon. If you switch to 1 percent, you’ll eat less oil.
* Appeal to the emotional side. A picky accountant obsessed with details and forms visited a group home where he could see the kids and the problems. He was moved to simplify the way the home could request funds.
The authors’ lessons are backed up by anecdotes that deal with many facets of home life, business life and organizations. It is an entertaining and educational must-read for executives and ordinary people who want to make changes.