Lease Financing | AgQuest Ag Financial Services and Ag Insurance

Just as you have carefully compared and selected your equipment and machinery options, AgQuest has carefully selected Northland Capital as a lease financing partner.

Leasing can put equipment and machinery to work for you with real cash flow advantages without using major capital investments.

For many farms, equipment purchases are one of the largest production expenses and lease financing can be a positive alternative

Lease financing includes a balanced approach to tax management options and deductions relative to a loan. For more information contact the Business Relationship Manager at your local Retailer.

?

AgQuest offers ?one-stop shopping? for all of your agricultural finance and insurance needs, including operating loans, real estate loans, machinery & equipment loans and leasing, a full line of ag insurance options such as crop insurance, precision farming and Livestock Gross Margin Insurance.

-->

Source: http://agquest.biz/news/1913/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=1913

how to hard boil eggs new nfl uniforms easter derbyshire the matrix oceans 11 ferris state hockey

Class of 2012: Diploma dilemma for Europe grads

(AP) ? Estelle Borrell knew she wanted to work in law since she was a teenager, when she interned at a court in Versailles, France. "The lawyers in their black robes, they were like gods to me," said the 24-year-old Parisian.

Borrell studied law at Vienna University, where she dreamed of putting her passion into practice at an international organization. She got a shock when she began working at a Vienna law firm.

"I knew how to resolve cases on paper, but when I got into the law firm it was really ridiculous," Borrell said. "My boss asked me to call a judge and I was absolutely not able to do it. I didn't even have the vocabulary I needed to do a really simple call."

Borrell, who is now back in France seeking work while continuing legal studies in Paris, had found out firsthand what educators, industry and governments across the continent are slowly coming to acknowledge as globalization intensifies competition and a devastating economic crisis swells youth unemployment: Europe's universities, many founded during the Middle Ages, are failing to prepare students for the demands of the 21st century world.

___

Editors: This is the latest installment in Class of 2012, an exploration of Europe's financial crisis through the eyes of young people emerging from the cocoon of student life into the worst downturn the continent has seen since the end of World War II. Follow the class on its new Google plus page: http://apne.ws/ClassOf2012

___

Outmoded teaching, overcrowded classrooms and even broken windows are common complaints by both teachers and students at French universities ? even the Sorbonne, one of Europe's oldest and most illustrious schools. Classes often begin with a hunt for spare chairs as classrooms built for 20 students regularly pack 40 or more. Sometimes students are forced to sit on tables or the floor. On Twitter, students post such complaints as: "Monday morning 9:00 in the constitutional law lecture at Paris 8, freezing my toes off, not very fun."

Recently, a group of overwhelmed instructors at Paris University published an open letter to France's education minister in daily newspaper Liberation to voice their frustration and call for the repeal of a reform that decentralized university control, which they blame for many of the universities' woes.

In Spain, where universities are in even more dire financial straits, the heads of around 50 state-run universities recently made a joint statement warning of "irreparable deterioration" in education as crisis cutbacks choke academic institutions and threaten to hold back economic recovery.

Officials recognize the problem.

The European Commission, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Federation of European Employers all have studies under way to examine why the continent's universities are failing. The research aims to identify ways to better match universities' output with the needs of employers, and hopefully help improve the job prospects of Europe's graduates.

The failure of Europe's universities is also reflected in their weak showing in the most closely-watched barometer of university performance ? Shanghai Jiaotong University's annual ranking of the world's universities, which places only two European universities, Oxford and Cambridge, in the top 20. The Shanghai Ranking focuses on research, looking at things such as the number of Nobel Prizes and citations in top academic journals, but experts see a correlation between a faculty's academic caliber and quality of education.

And it's precisely the failings of European university teaching that are now increasingly being put under the microscope.

A recent study in Britain showed that an increasingly large number of graduates are failing to find graduate-level jobs. The Futuretrack survey by Warwick University's Institute for Employment Research showed that the number of graduates still without graduate-level jobs two years after leaving university nearly doubled to 40 percent last year compared to 10 years ago.

Much of the blame can be placed on Europe's economic crisis, but experts say the problem also lies with the universities themselves, which are often accused of imparting theoretical abstraction with little practical application in the real world.

Some experts complain that students need to acquire a whole new way of thinking once they leave university.

"In social sciences, arts, I.T., there is an enormous transition in which you almost have to tell people to forget what they've been studying so that they can see again," said Robin Chater, secretary general of the Federation of European Employers.

Chater's organization represents multinational firms working in the EU, advising them on employment law and other matters, and also functions as a think tank focused on issues of concern to international businesses. Students' lack of practical experience in real-world situations is an emerging cause of concern for the organization's membership, Chater said.

That's an experience Lucy Nicholls, a member of AP's Class of 2012, knows well.

"I'm not saying universities should find you a job, but they should mentally prepare you for the big wide world and make you very much aware of what the climate is like..." said Nicholls, a 22-year-old fashion graduate in London. "It didn't happen for me."

Nicholls describes herself as "sorely disappointed" by her university education in Britain. "I expected to have some sort of lecture on maybe how to go freelance, how to go into the world of fashion because freelance is such a big part of that industry," Nicholls said.

The need to reform Europe's universities has been identified by both the EU Commission and independent experts.

Although graduate unemployment at 5.4 percent is significantly lower than overall youth unemployment, university curricula "are often slow to respond to changing needs in the wider economy," said Dennis Abbott, spokesman for the EU Education Commissioner. In an email response to questions, Abbott said courses should be better tailored to the needs of the labor market, better guidance should be given in selecting courses, and students should be given more opportunities to develop entrepreneurial and work-relevant skills as part of their studies.

That's precisely what Nicholls found lacking in her fashion studies. "I really just wasn't given any opportunities," she said. "I was very disappointed and I think the (university) could and should have done so much more."

Data from the EU Commission show the disparity that exists between the EU and the United States in terms of spending on university education, one factor that has been identified as a cause of European universities' underperformance.

Total public and private spending on higher education in the European Union accounts for 1.3 percent of GDP, compared to 3.3 percent in the United States, according to EU figures cited in a 2008 report by the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank. On a per student basis, that translates to annual spending of euros 8,700 in the EU versus euros 36,500 in the US, Bruegel says.

Borrell, the French law student, saw the effects of this underfunding while in Vienna.

Her law school library shut as early as 4 p.m. some days, and was closed completely on weekends. "You can imagine what this means when exams are approaching and all of a sudden libraries are just literally stuffed with people," Borrell said.

In its report, Breugel recommended that the EU spend an extra 1 percent of GDP annual on higher education, and give universities more autonomy in budgets, hiring and faculty pay as a way of giving the additional spending "more bite."

Moira Koffi, another member of the Class of 2012, last month finished her diploma in corporate communications from the Sorbonne journalism school. Her experience provides an optimistic tale of what Europe's universities may be doing right.

"I'm very satisfied" with how her school, CELSA, prepared her for finding post-graduation employment. "There were courses to prepare you for interviews, and networking was a very important" part of the curriculum, Koffi said.

In her case, it paid off: Koffi has just signed her first work contract with an important public relations firm, working on social media campaigns.

___

Cassandra Vinograd in London contributed to this report.

___

Follow The Class of 2012 on its new Google plus page:

http://apne.ws/ClassOf2012

___

Follow The Class of 2012 on the AP Big Story page:

http://bigstory.ap.org/topic/class-2012

___

Follow The Class of 2012 on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/AP/class-of-2012

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-07-EU-Class-of-2012-Failing-Universities/id-c79a5499f210491499566371f0390fed

hugo nfl combine 84th annual academy awards beginners 2012 oscars the shore meryl streep oscar wins

Hello, Dave, Can I Help You Find a Channel?

Last year, TV manufacturers introduced sets with built-in gesture and voice controls. The interfaces were clunky and felt stapled on?both journalists and customers responded with an enthusiastic "huh?" It's easy to see why TV makers would conclude that gesture and voice have a natural place in the television user interface, after all, TV menus are getting more and more complicated as "smart sets" try to do more and more. Plus, Microsoft's Xbox 360 accessory, Kinect, showed that people really can get excited about gestural interfaces. But the Kinect shines primarily because of its value as a gaming device. But do people really want to talk to their TVs and wave their hands around just to change the channel?

LG, Panasonic, and Samsung think so. All three companies today unveiled improved voice controls for their 2013 TVs, and LG and Samsung are showing off fine-tuned gesture control (with LG sets, you can just point at menu items on screen). All manufacturers are also showing off linked-screen experiences with smartphones and tablets?evolutions of the smartphone remote control apps that have been percolating up for some time now. Panasonic and Samsung set also have built-in cameras that can recognize individual users and customize the experience to them. But none of these manufacturers seem to be suggesting that the remote is going away. In fact, all three manufacturers do voice recognition through the remote to improve microphone sensitivity. So the question becomes, if you've got to have the remote nearby to use voice control, why not just pick up the remote and use that?

The answer, as far as I can tell, is that "smart TVs" are evolving so fast that manufacturers simply have no idea how consumers are going to want to interact with these things, so they are pretty much putting every possible option on the table?remote, voice, phone, gestures, what have you. If modern TVs are going to offer up an Internet's-worth of content, then it's likely that a couple of buttons on a standard remote aren't going to cut it. And, in all honesty, the new systems do seem to work better and more intuitively than the voice and gesture controls on the first-gen sets.

Still, there's a big difference between the Kinect's primary function of jump-around gaming and the typical lean-back TV-watching experience. Unlike a gaming interface, a TV interface is supposed to find you what you want, then get out of the way and let you watch it. We haven't had the opportunity to test the new sets in a real living room environment, but if menus and options pop up every time a user raises his hand to scratch his nose, then the UI will be far more frustrating than useful. Plus, as voice and gesture controls proliferate, I can imagine different system's controls crashing into each other?when you're playing Kinect with one of these TVs, does the TV know enough to automatically stop responding to your gestural commands?

There's also a question of user comfort. How much do we want our TVs paying attention to us? Always-on facial recognition built-into your TV means that the device is literally constantly watching you. Samsung's new TVs also pay attention to your viewing habits and use predictive analysis to suggest other programs you might like. Panasonic's new TVs have a partnership with the HSN shopping network to allow you to purchase items right through your TV. Clever, for sure, but that sort of highly personalized data collection in your living room is potentially marketing gold. It's one thing to have my TV knowing who I am and what I want, it's another to have it selling that info on behalf of its maker. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but the more my TV gets to know me, the more likely I am to cover up its camera with masking tape.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/home-theater/hello-dave-can-i-help-you-find-a-channel-14952165?src=rss

megan fox Bb&t Lane Goodwin Romnesia eminem eminem yankees

Vizio refreshes its PC lineup: all new models have touchscreens, quad-core CPUs

Vizio refreshes its PC lineup all new models have touchscreens, quadcore CPUs

When Vizio entered the PC market last year, we weren't gushing about its computers, per se, but we found ourselves rooting for the company anyway: for all it got wrong (flaky trackpads, poor battery life), it did a lot of things right. We had to respect Vizio for giving most of its PCs 1080p screens and installing a clean, bloatware-free version of Windows. Not to mention, Vizio kept the price relatively low, the same way it did when it was trying to break into the TV space. Now, the company is completely refreshing its lineup for 2013, leaving only one model from 2012 (that would be its 15-inch mainstream notebook). Starting now, all of its all-ones and Thin + Light laptops will come standard with touchscreens and quad-core processors, including some from AMD (a first for Vizio).

What's curious is that although Vizio is taking the opportunity to replace most of its PCs, it hasn't actually made any changes to the industrial design. That means, for better or worse, that these new models will probably be quite similar to the PCs we tested just a few months ago. Same metal chassis but also, the same flat keyboard. What they do promise is faster performance, along with improved audio. Both the 14- and 15-inch Thin + Light Touch are available with either a Core i7 CPU or AMD's top-of-the-line A10 chip. Likewise, the 24-inch all-in-one is now the All-in-One Touch, and it too will be available with AMD and Intel processors. The 27-inch model, however, will be Intel-only.

As ever, these machines will have that clean, Microsoft Signature install, and almost all will have 1080p screens, save for the 14-inch Thin + Light, which has 1,600 x 900 resolution. No word on pricing, though Vizio says they'll go on sale in mid-February. We'll be back soon enough with hands-on shots but for now, check out some press photos after the break.

Continue reading Vizio refreshes its PC lineup: all new models have touchscreens, quad-core CPUs

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/06/vizio-thin-and-light-touch-all-in-one-touch/

edgar rice burroughs dallas clark litter marinol flight attendant pau gasol trade michael madsen

The Platinum Girl Celebrity Blog | Relationship Love Gossip Rumors ...

It's the little choices that make our lives easier or harder.

While on vacation in Hawaii with her family, Ashlee Simpson rocked a skimpy bikini on the beach. On the other hand, her pregnant sister Jessica was almost completely covered up in muumuus.

So, if you're Jessica's fiance, Eric Johnson, on which woman would you let your gaze linger?

Exactly.

The result is that it made Jessica tense. She let Eric know she wasn't happy he ogled her sister. His response was something along the lines of "I can't avoid looking at her."

Maybe Jessica should be more secure. Maybe Eric shouldn't be such a jerk. But, maybe Ashlee could've covered up a bit more.

It isn't Ashlee's fault she's thin and likes wearing bikinis. She also has no control over whether Jessica feels attractive.?

In front of her sister's fiance, though, it would've been nice of Ashlee to act more sensitively to the situation. She might have been better off dressing in a manner that wouldn't be disruptive to the harmony on a family vacation.

Giving Ashlee the benefit of the doubt, she might not have realized this would happen. In her mind, Eric isn't even an option so there's no risk of anything happening between them. Next time, she should know that it ruffles Jessica's feathers and causes tension with her fiance.

Ashlee's under no obligation to do any of this. If she likes having family vacations with Jessica's family, though, it might not be the worst idea to turn down the sexy.

Until next time...

Shine like Platinum!
Vanessa
Text. Love. Power.: The Ultimate Girls Relationship Guide to Texting and Dating in the New Millennium

"Text. Love. Power." is a bold manifesto for the modern woman who wants to capture and keep the man of her dreams. It teaches you to use the power of texting--and not texting--to win his love and make him pursue you in earnest. It will convince you that playing hard-to-get is your best bet if you crave an exciting dating life and a committed relationship.

iBooks chart-topper in US, UK, France, and Canada!

Buy through iTunes for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. You can even read it on your Android, Kindle, Nook, and computer!

Available internationally in Canada, United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Japan.

For any country not listed, visit eBooks.com.

Visit www.TextLovePower.com for more information.

My Zimbio

Top Stories

Source: http://www.platinumgirlcelebrityblog.com/2013/01/was-jessica-simpson-tense-with-sister.html

taco bell taco bell nj transit PSEG hocus pocus hocus pocus mta schedule

Homes for Sale Danville CA Real Estate Weekly Review January 6 ...

--> ?2013 Bay East. ?2013 CCAR. ?2013 EBRD. All rights reserved. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. This information is provided from three separate sources: Bay East, CCAR and EBRD. The listings presented here may or may not be listed by the Broker/Agent operating this website. Information last updated on 1/6/13 5:09 PM PST.

This IDX solution is (c) Diverse Solutions 2013.

Source: http://vickiesellshomes.com/homes-for-sale-danville-ca-real-estate-weekly-review-january-6-2013/

Ebates lotto Illinois Lottery texas lottery Dell Levis Fireman Ed

Funding research into Breast Cancer treatments | Australian Cancer ...

funding research into breast cancerThe ACRF is proud to have funded a cutting-edge research discovery at Sydney?s Garvan Institute which revealed a known ?transcription factor? could be at the heart of many ineffective breast cancer treatments.

?Transcription factors? are molecules which act like a switch ? turning genes on and off to change the behaviour and characteristics of our cells.

?ELF5? is one such transcription factor, best understood for its role in triggering oestrogen-receptor negative (ER-negative) cells for the development of breast milk during pregnancy.

But cancer researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have also shown that ELF5 can prevent breast cancer treatments from working.

In a preclinical study, Associate Professor Chris Ormandy and his team found that ELF5 can make an oestrogen-receptor positive (ER+) tumour cell behave like an ER- negative cell.?

Many breast cancers are treated with an anti-oestrogen therapy such as Tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, so when ELF5 changes the tumour cell?s characteristics, these treatments are ineffective.

Associate Professor Chris Ormandy referred to this discovery as opening ?a huge therapeutic door? for cancer researchers.

?If we can make drugs that knock ELF5 down,? he said, ?we have a chance at stopping this resistance to anti-oestrogen therapies.?

?As ELF5 is intracellular, this could possibly be done with small molecule therapies that target protein-to-protein interactions, or with small inhibitory RNAs.?

?There is also the possibility of testing ELF5 levels in tumours to predict a patient?s response to treatment.?

The findings of this exciting discovery have been published in PLoS Biology. You can also access the Garvan Institute?s press release, by clicking here.

No related posts.

Source: http://www.acrf.com.au/2013/manipulating-molecules-to-enhance-breast-cancer-treatment/

phillies Ryan Dempster Phelps NBC Olympics Live Olympic medal count Medal Count 2012 London 2012 Fencing

Zoo count begins: No creature too small to count

Kepper Amy Callaghan takes a close look at Jill the Red Kneed Spider during the annual stocktake at London Zoo, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. More than 17,500 animals including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are counted in the annual stocktake at the zoo. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Kepper Amy Callaghan takes a close look at Jill the Red Kneed Spider during the annual stocktake at London Zoo, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. More than 17,500 animals including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are counted in the annual stocktake at the zoo. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Keeper Jeff Lambert smiles as two leaf insects get close during a photo call for the annual stock take at London Zoo, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. More than 17,500 animals including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are counted in the annual stock take at the zoo. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

A muddy Bullfrog is inspected during a photo call for the annual stock take at London Zoo, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. More than 17,500 animals including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are counted in the annual stock take at the zoo. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

A meerkat stands on keeper Tegan McPhail's clipboard during a photo call for the annual stock take at London Zoo, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. More than 17,500 animals including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are counted in the annual stock take at the zoo. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

A meerkat sits on a keepers clipboard during a photo call for the annual stock take at London Zoo, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. More than 17,500 animals including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles and amphibians are counted in the annual stock take at the zoo. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

(AP) ? In a sea of flapping black and white flippers, Ricky is hard to miss: He's got spiky yellow feathers, a flamboyant character, and he's the only rockhopper among the dozens of penguins living in the London Zoo.

That's a big help for keepers who embarked Thursday on their annual stock-taking of all the zoo's residents. It's no easy task, when there are more than 17,500 creatures to count. All animals have to be accounted for, including the tarantulas, locusts and snails.

The same scene was being repeated at zoos throughout Britain Thursday ? the census is nationwide. No stone is left unturned, lest there be a beetle below.

At the London Zoo, keepers hope the new year will bring some company to Ricky, who has been the zoo's lone rockhopper since 2011.

"Ricky's quite a unique character ? he was rejected by his parents and was hand-reared. He's more interested in zoo keepers than in other penguins," said zoological director David Field. "It's time to get him some rockhopper partners."

In the meerkat enclosure, 11 of the small mammals were only too happy to be counted, climbing onto a keeper's clipboard seeking attention and food.

An all-female family of nine otters likewise rushed forward at the sight of their favored delicacies: Mice and crayfish. In the invertebrates section, a palm-sized red-kneed tarantula called Jill caused a stir among visitors when she was lifted out of her box for inspection.

"This is quite a docile one," said keeper Amy Callaghan, who held the spider out in her hand for photographers. "I was a little bit wary of them at first, but now I think they're brilliant."

The census is required as part of the license terms of British zoos, and the data is used for zoo management and international breeding programs for endangered animals. The final tally could take weeks.

Most animals in the zoo have microchips in their bodies, making counting a little less daunting. Fish and animals with camouflage properties ? such as leaf insects ? are trickier, and the tiniest ones such as ants are counted in colonies, not as individuals.

New additions to the zoo being counted for the first time included baby Ziggy, an endangered white-naped mangabey monkey, and Maxilla, a black-and-white colobus monkey.

The zoo also welcomed a pair of new Sumatran tigers ? male Jae Jae from a zoo in Ohio and female Melati, from Perth, Australia. The endangered tigers were matched by an international breeding program to ensure a genetically diverse population of animals.

"We breed them in the zoo because they are running out of time in the wild," said Field, who's hopeful the tigers will soon produce cubs.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-01-03-EU-Britain-Zoo-Count/id-421ad59985f64845b9a53e68b141cef5

Aliya Mustafina Kirk Urso London 2012 Javelin roger federer Olga Korbut Usain Bolt 2012 Olympics Katie Ledecky

SOME RESOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS IN 2013 : Smithson Law

In the weeks before the end of 2012, I had been mulling over the phrase ?do better? as a way of capturing a different approach to doing business for human resources staff.? The purpose of the phrase was clear to me but I felt I would have a difficult time getting my meaning across.

Then, the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, occurred and that led to President Barack Obama?s comments when spoke at a vigil.? He said, ?Are we prepared to say that such violence visited upon our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?? We will be told that the causes of such violence will be complex and that is true. No single law, no set of laws can eliminate evil from the world or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society.? But that can?t be an excuse for inaction. Surely we can do better than this.?

Upon reading those words, what I wanted to say became apparent.? Just because you?ve always done things a certain way, and just because there will be obstacles in the path of doing them differently, is no reason not to make changes for the better.

The first thing that I think human resources staff could do better in 2013 is to gain a greater understanding of how the law impacts the employment relationship and, particularly, its termination.? In my experience, the vast majority of legal actions arising out of employment occur at or after termination of the relationship.

In most, if not all, cases the employer was in a position to have taken steps which would have avoided the need for any form of litigation.? I would be hard pressed to name any employer I?ve ever dealt with which believes the costs of litigation (and lawyers) contribute in any positive way to their business, so why not avoid these problems altogether?

That is perhaps easier said than done.? But, without a doubt, the first step in that direction is having an understanding of the legal framework within which the employment relationship fits.

Second, I wonder if businesses would consider whether to stop wasting time and resources trying to turn poor employees into good ones.? It may, after all, be true that you cannot turn a sow?s ear into a silk purse.

Is it possible that, in your particular industry, it makes better sense to invest your time and effort into weeding out and replacing poor performers?? The costs of replacing an employee are well known but it may be that it?s even more expensive to retain underachievers.

?Fit? is an elusive quality in an employee and, ultimately, my own sense is that it isn?t something that can be taught.? Skills and knowledge can be taught but ?fit? is, in my experience, something that either is there or isn?t there from the outset.

Third, work on changing the perception that your department is just another typical bureaucracy.? This label, obviously, isn?t applicable to all human resources departments but there is a persistent view out there that human resources people are slaves to administrative processes.

So, learn (and take to heart) that your role is to advance your employer?s primary business objective.? In everything you do, ask yourselves, ?How are we assisting this business to achieve its primary objective??

Donald Keough is a former President of the Coca-Cola Company.? In his book, The Ten Commandments for Business Failure, he commented, ?There must be rules and routines in every business to maintain the proper rhythm in everything.? Over time, however, it seems that inevitably the rules and routines become more important than the ends they were designed to serve.?? Don?t let this become the way your h.r. department is perceived ? following rules and routines is, surely, not your company?s primary business objective.

Fourth, and this is closely related to the previous point, apply some ?what if?? thinking.? One frequent criticism of human resources departments is that they demonstrate a closed mind to fresh ideas and that things are done a certain way solely because that?s the way they?ve always been done in the past.

A ?what if?? approach means contemplating the possible, approaching familiar problems from an unfamiliar direction.? It?s sort of a first step, or a halfway point, between ?can?t? and ?can? and requires a mind that is open to new concepts.

Finally, do the easy things that advance your employer?s business interests, like implementing employment contracts.? Properly implemented employment contracts are a critical mechanism for controlling and eliminating employee-related liabilities.

It is inconceivable to me that there is a trained, experienced human resources person out there who doesn?t recognize the value of properly documenting the employer-employee relationship.? Yet, many employers forego this simple, valuable tool.

If the only things the employment contract contains are a properly structured probation clause and an enforceable severance clause, you will have greatly contributed to your employer?s business.

These are five steps any human resources person would be well-advised to consider as he or she embarks on 2013.? Doing better is the objective and it may be more easily achieved than you think.

Robert Smithson is a labour and employment lawyer, and operates Smithson Employment Law in Kelowna. For more information about his practice, or to subscribe to You Work Here, visit www.smithsonlaw.ca.? This subject matter is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

Source: http://www.smithsonlaw.ca/?p=1035

bachelor finale courtney robertson ben flajnik randy moss randy moss hunger games premiere the bachelor

Responsibility for Treatment Compliance | World of Psychology

Responsibility for Treatment ComplianceOne of the most difficult challenges to overcome when dealing with a mental illness is the temptation of the excuse.

With a psychiatric diagnosis comes an excuse for everything. Any bad behavior, lack of motivation, or failure can be passed off as a symptom or the result of an episode. The excuse is always available. Don?t take it.

No one?s asking you to take responsibility for having a mental illness. That?s not your fault.

But you have to take responsibility for your actions and for your recovery. Sure, unexpected things happen as a result of serious mental illness, but most of our behavior is within our control, or at least our influence. And the behavior that most influences our wellness is treatment compliance.

If you have a treatment regimen that works, stick with it. If you had one and left it, get back on it.

While many of us bemoan the fact that we?ll never be well, treatment success rates for mental illness are very high. The National Institute of Mental Health has shown success rate of treatment for schizophrenia of 60 percent, depression, 70 to 80 percent, and panic disorder, 70 to 90 percent.

Compare this to treatment success rates for heart disease of only 45 to 50 percent. But treatment only works if the patient complies with the doctor?s orders. So take your medicine as directed, stay away from non-prescribed drugs and alcohol, exercise, sleep, and eat well. Manage stress. Chances are you will get better. But you?ll lose your excuse. Then you?ll have to start taking responsibility for your actions.

Responsibility brings a sense of control. This is important because one who feels he has control over key aspects of his life is most destined for success and well-being. If all things that happen to me, or if my very own behavior, is beyond my control, why should I bother?

But if prescribed treatment brings me a measure of control over events and my behavior, then I can positively influence what happens to me and those I love. I?ll have to get out of bed, get off the disability insurance, go to work, and suffer the challenges that everyone faces. Life may even be a bit more boring. But I can contribute, connect with others, and work toward dreams I may have long ago abandoned. Yes, this can be very hard. I may have to deal with side effects and limitations. I may have to say no when I want to say yes. And compliance can be costly. But wellness is possible.

Unfortunately, access to treatment is not available to everyone. Finding a correct diagnosis and a successful treatment regimen can take years.

But if you have access to treatment, you have a responsibility to work with doctors, counselors, social workers, and any family and friends available to help you to find a successful treatment regimen. And then you have a responsibility to stick with it. Health can be more challenging than illness, but the life that results is always more satisfying.

?

Running shoe photo available from Shutterstock

George Hofmann is a mindfulness meditation instructor teaching people with mental illness how to manage stress. He also has bipolar disorder 1. He writes about these topics at http://practicingmentalllness.blogspot.com.

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by George Hofmann (or subscribe to their feed).



????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 6 Jan 2013
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Hofmann, G. (2013). Responsibility for Treatment Compliance. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 7, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/01/06/responsibility-for-treatment-compliance/

?

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/01/06/responsibility-for-treatment-compliance/

Honey Boo Boo Child marilyn monroe Nathan Adrian London 2012 Synchronized Swimming London 2012 hurdles Taylor Kinney Beach Volleyball Olympics 2012