INFO Newsletter

May 2012

A Good Example Goes A Long Way

Two sons work for their father on the family farm. The younger son has for years been given more responsibility and reward, and one day the older son asks his father to explain why.

The father says, "First, go to the Kelly's and see if they have any geese for sale." The son soon returns with the answer, "Yes they have five geese they can sell us."

The father then says, "Good, please ask them the price." The son returns with the answer, "The geese are $10 each." The father says, "Good, now ask if they can deliver the geese tomorrow." And duly the son returns with the answer, "Yes, they can deliver the geese them tomorrow."

The father now asks the older son to listen while he speaks to the younger son, who he calls over from another field. "Go to the Davidson's Farm and see if they have any geese for sale."

The younger brother soon returns with the answer, "Yes, they have six geese for $10 each, or ten geese for $8 each; and they can deliver them tomorrow. I asked them to deliver the six unless they heard from us in the next hour. And they agreed that if we want the extra four geese we could buy them at $5 each."

Understanding dawns on the older son’s face.

It amazes me how a crystal clear experience says more than a book full of advice.

Elisa McNinch

What Mothers Know

What we say when we’re…

·        4 Years Old - My mommy can do anything.

·        8 Years - Mom knows a lot.

·        12 Years - Mom doesn't know quite everything.

·        14 Years - Naturally, my mother doesn't know what’s going on.

·        16 Years – Mom is so old-fashioned.

·        18 Years - That old woman? She's way out of date.

·        25 Years - Mom knows something about it.

·        35 Years - Before we decide, let's get mom's opinion.

·        45 Years – I wonder what mom thinks about it.

·        65 Years – I wish I could talk it over with mom.

Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 13, 2012.

May’s Other Days

Mother’s Day is the day not to forget in May, but don’t forget these other occasions:

May Day, May 1. May Day ceremonies vary greatly from region to region around the world and many unite both the holiday's "Green Root" (pagan) and "Red Root" (labor) traditions. In many countries, May Day is the same as Labor Day. The significance of May Day is that it is exactly six months from November 1, and represents the start of the growing season in the northern hemisphere.

May Day is Lei Day. In Hawaii, May 1 is set aside as a day to celebrate native Hawaiian culture. Invented by a poet and a local newspaper columnist in the 1920s, it has since been adopted by state and local government.

Cinco de Mayo, May 5. Nationwide in the United States and in increasing locations across Canada, the date is observed as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, and is often a good excuse for a margarita party. In Mexico the holiday is called El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla and observed to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

International Bike to Work Month. In cities across the US, May 18 is National Bike to Work day. In Canada, Bike to Work Day varies by region, with several in May, June, and even July.  This international event originated in Europe and is typically a seven day event that advocates the importance of bicycling as a means of transportation.

There is only one pretty child in the world,
and every mother has it. ~ Chinese Proverb

Charisma Can Be Developed

Charisma means “divine gift,” and it’s used to describe people with powerful charm and personal magnetism. But it’s not always a gift—many people develop charisma by learning how to connect with people. You can too, using these techniques:

Physical presence—Whether or not you’re handsome or beautiful, you can boost your physical charisma: 

·        Take care of your overall health. Healthy people are more attractive.

·        Make direct eye contact with other people when speaking.

·        Dress well.

·        Stand and walk straight, with your head held high.

Emotional connection—This is a vitally important aspect of charisma. Connect emotionally with people in these ways: 

·        Practice being clear and positive when communicating.

·        Focus on the people you’re trying to connect with, not on your own needs.

·        Listen without interrupting. Comment on what they said instead of launching into your story.

·        Express an optimistic outlook—people like to follow upbeat people.

Intellectual connection—Charismatic people engage other people’s minds: 

·        Expand your reading to include literary interests, not just business books.

·        Take a class in a subject you don’t know enough about.

·        Develop and use a better vocabulary.

I want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford.
Then I want to move in with them. ~ Phyllis Diller

The Art Of The Cheap Road Trip

The key to making your holiday road trips inexpensive is planning ahead. Here are some thoughts to get your wheels turning:

Food: Most people save money by eating from their ice chest while road-tripping. Best are foods that stay somewhat dry, like bagels, cheese, nuts, and the like. Try to avoid foods that you have to eat soon or they go bad. Also, note that surveys show that if you try to just eat from the cooler, you’ll likely abandon the effort before too long—and there goes your plan for a budget trip. Try to be realistic and plan for your likely behavior. Think about mixing it up, like eating breakfast and lunch from the cooler and splurging on dinner.

Lodging: If you’re comfortable camping, great! You can also combine your camping with occasional hotel stays. Investigate campgrounds and plan your trip so that you connect up to nice facilities along the way. Some have a swimming pool, showers, and other conveniences. Be sure to compare. You might be able to stay at a budget hotel for as much as the nearby campground. Also be aware of the weather. For instance, campgrounds are very cheap at Lake Havasu in the summer—because at 110 degrees at night, who can sleep without air conditioning?

Vehicle expenses Long before you take your trip, get your car serviced. Check the spare. Top off the fluids. On the road, get gas at the larger truck stops where gas is usually cheaper. Don’t allow your tank to get empty—top it off at ¼ tank. Seriously consider getting CAA/AAA or a similar road service plan. You don’t need it until you do! And there are many places that offer CAA/AAA discounts. And remember to drive at lower speeds. You could save 10% to 20% on your gas!

There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson

Gas Waste

In case you’ve ever wondered…                

• Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower fuel efficiency by 33% at highway speeds and by 5 % around town.

• Improve gas efficiency by up to 3.3% (3 1/3 cents per dollar) by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.

• Idling consumes gas too. Depending on engine size and air conditioner (AC) use, it could cost you 2 to 3 cents per minute of idle. Turning the engine back on will use about half a minute’s worth of fuel, so if you plan to be idle for more than 30 seconds, turn it off.

Thermogenic Foods
Burn Fat

What is Thermogenic Food? It’s food that raises your metabolism slightly, helping to burn off calories. The best known of these foods are spicy peppers and green tea. But the actual thermogenic effects of those foods are fairly low—about 80 calories at most when consumed in high quantity.

The best way to get a thermogenic effect is to combine different foods. Since fat has the lowest thermogenic effect, and protein the highest, a diet low in fat and high in lean protein will give you the best burn. Also, reducing carbohydrates will help, since high carbs convert to fat.

When you combine the right thermogenic foods and essential fats, plenty of green veggies, and a limited amount of starchy carbs, plus 20-minutes a day of moderate exercise (like taking a brisk walk) your body will become a fat burning machine.

The Importance Of Advertising

An old blind man was sitting on a busy street corner at rush-hour begging for money. On a cardboard sign, next to an empty tin cup, he had written: 'Blind—Please help'. No-one was giving him any money.

A young advertising exec walked past and saw the blind man with his sign and empty cup. The ad exec took a marker from her pocket, re-wrote the sign, and went on her way.

Immediately, people began putting money into the cup. When it was full, the blind man asked a stranger to read the sign to him. "It says, ‘It's a beautiful day. You can see it. I cannot.' "