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January 12th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
'Penny Dreadful' Receives Series Commitment from Showtime
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Shocker: CBS Hopes To Renew Its Second-Highest-Rated Show! ('Two and a Half Men')
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Still No Word on 'Alphas;' Don't Hold Your Breath for a 'Leverage' Movie - Scripted Cable Renew/Cancel Status Through January 11, 2012
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Thirteen episodes have been ordered for each season and new episodes of the hit series from Blake Anderson , Adam Devine ,
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'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Returns with a Vengeance in New Series 'DOG' (WT) on CMT; Premieres April, 2013
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In Preliminary Ratings 'Rose Bowl' Averaged 17 Million Viewers, Down 3% Vs. Last Year; 'Orange Bowl' Averaged 13.7 Million, Up 47%
Based on Nielsen's Fast National ratings, ESPN garnered significant audiences for its bowl games on January 1, led by an 11 percent

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—John Riehle
Harold Meyerson attacks Nader for running as a Green instead of a Democrat in the primaries! That misses the point. Right now the Greens are the electoral expression of a social movement that began in Seattle and is still in its infancy. A growing disaffection with "globalization" has brought together unions, environmentalists, feminists, students, socialists, anarchists and left liberals. They certainly aren't all Greens, but they are the progressive coalition Nader's candidacy addresses. No one knows how it will end, but it wouldn't even start if it were confined to the Democrats. To attempt to deliver the magnificent momentum of this movement to the Democrats and "shame" the hypothetical swing voter for her optimism — double shame!
The implicit, fundamental message embodied in most of the pro-Gore statements published in the L.A. Weeklywas that there is no hope for real democracy in this country, that the only reason for voting was to prevent a profoundly corrupt and unjust society from becoming even worse. I could only express my rejection of this message of despair by voting for Nader.
You picked the wrong title ("Unsafe at Any Speed") for Harold Meyerson's smug piece. American and worldwide activism is expanding literally with the speed of the Internet. Clean the cobwebs off your glasses, Meyerson. Nader 2000 is just the beginning of the political change that's coming — whether Bore or Gush is coronated.
—Andrew Kay Liberman
Los Angeles
Cringing, meliorating, intellectually dishonest apologists for a centrism that a decade ago was called what it truly is, fringe right-wing politics, are exactly the kind of thing that Nader and the Greens want to end. It took a right-wing nut, Ronald Reagan, to put this country into a position where we are actually arguing about things like whether the Ten Commandments belong on the walls of classrooms. It may take someone who is perceived as a left-wing nut to correct this hideous intellectual imbalance. In the meanwhile, Clinton-Gore have done nothing — nothing — to roll back Reagan's '80s excesses.
—Jeff Pike


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Print Acrobat PDF documents directly from Java programs or applets with or without user intervention. jPDFPrint is a Java library that can load and print PDF documents.
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There are two hierarchical systems in the Australian Public Service, the older traditional system, and newer, more streamlined Broadbands (with departmental-specific grades in between).
Broadband Traditional Salary (roughly)* --------------------------------------------- 1 | APS1 $30K - $34K 1 | APS2 $34K - $38K 2 | APS3 $39K - $42K 2 | APS4 $43K - $48K 3 | APS5 $48K - $52K 3 | APS6 $52K - $61K 4 | EL1 $67K - $73K 4 | EL2 $77K - $93K SES | SES negotiated * Australian Dollars, as per the Department of Defence
Entry-level clerks, passport stampers, Centrelink officers, fruit-fly inspectors etc start off in Broadband 1. Once they can do more sophisticated tasks without supervision they can move up to Broadband 2, which is also where graduates come in and spend their probationary period. At Broadband 3 graduates would be expected to work without supervision on routine policy analysis, liaison and execution tasks, while in larger organisations staff would be supervising junior staff, and possibly managing sections. At Broadband 4 ('Executive Level') most officers would be managing teams. Graduates can hope to get here within 3-5 years depending on how smart, lucky and obsequious they are. Incidentally, the rank of lieutenant-colonel equals that of an EL1 in the Department of Defence, something many seasoned brass gristle at when they are dealing with 25 year old members of the rectangular-spectacles brigage.
There are also separate bands for information technology officers, psychologists , public relations practioners etc, but they follow roughly the same structure as other graduates.
At the top of the pile are the Senior Executive Service (SES) officers of varying ranks, who run departments, serve as ambassadors and spend most of their time dealing with politicians.
Firstly, you need to be an Australian citizen. Secondly, you need to have an idea of what skills and experience you can offer. The APS is pretty good on entry-level positions for graduates and non-graduates alike, but some of these positions can be fiercely competitive. The best place to check for jobs is www.psgazetteonline.gov.au, where most positions are advertised, and searches can be conducted by location, salary, department, keywords etc.
Be wary when you see a job that it is not already being filled by somebody who is a strong internal applicant, otherwise you would be wasting your time. If the current occupant doesn't plan to contest the position, it could be because the job stinks.
Even though most graduates will want to come in as generalists (capable of obtaining a superficial level of understanding of anything quickly and appearing credible about it), it often comes in handy to have some experience or training in a skill useful in analysing and executing policy. Your thesis on the order of battle of the Indonesian Armed Forces, or the intersectionality of inequality in parenting benefits would probably not go down as well as an eight week course, or a brief stint in risk management, econometrics, business analysis or contract management.
There used to be a public service exam. You would be given a score out of 10 - 50% would be based on your performance in the exam, and 50% would be derived from your level of academic achievement. Your score would count for quite a bit in getting into a graduate programme. Nowadays there is less discrimination against non-graduates (probably because older clerical types who never bothered going to university want to stay in).
And also learn how to address selection criteria.
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January Transfer Window: 5 Possible Answers to Liverpool's Striker Problems
By (World Football Staff Writer) on December 24, 2012
7,053 reads
Liverpool put the attacking woes behind them at the weekend to blast four goals past Fulham at Anfield as they moved a step closer to the top six of the Premier League and the 4-0 scoreline made a welcome change from seeing the Reds miss countless chances to hit the back of the net.
With only six goals scored in the five previous league matches, it was a case of "same old story" for the attacking part of Liverpool's team too often, with points against Spurs and Aston Villa in particular being lost out on as a result of not being able to finish off chances.
It has been widely reported that to counter this problem over the second half of the season, Brendan Rodgers has lined up Daniel Sturridge to sign early on in January.
This is just one move on the manager's part to solve a problem which has plagued the club for more than two years.
Rodgers has plenty more decisions to make and perhaps players to sign before the Reds can consider themselves cured of their goalscoring ills.
Here are five possible treatments that Rodgers could administer to his team as they battle to end up on the right side of more scorelines such as the one they managed against Fulham.
Playing Daniel Sturridge as a Striker
Michael Regan/Getty Images
A £12 million fee looks to have been sufficient to secure the signature of the four-cap England forward who has been known to want to play a more prominent central striking role.
With Liverpool more often than not utilising a front three comprising one central player—usually Luis Suarez—and two supporting wide forwards, someone is going to miss out on their preferred role.
Bringing Sturridge in is quite obviously a sign that the manager believes he can score the goals the Reds need, so it would make sense to presume that the current Chelsea forward will be handed at least some game time centrally.
Whether that is immediately, in time or permanently remains to be seen, but Sturridge certainly has plenty of attributes to his game that make him a potentially very dangerous threat through the middle.
Playing that role for Bolton Wanderers on loan saw him score regularly where he team was set up to counter and feed him the ball quickly, utilising his pace and the fact he would be facing toward goal already.
Now that he's a couple of years older, his movement is far better and it is this which will help thrive at Liverpool where the build-up is—or should be—of a similar tempo, but more patient and prolonged before the chances arrive.
Good finishing, acceleration and some close control will also all benefit him playing through the middle.
Better Movement from the Wide Forwards to Support Luis Suarez in the Centre
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
On the other hand, should top scorer Suarez be the chosen central player, then what Liverpool desperately need is for the supporting wide players to improve their runs into the penalty area and provide a greater goal threat.
Suarez loves to drop deep, come into the channels, combine with the midfielders and run at the defence from deep, which leaves room in behind for one of the wide players—and Liverpool would be looking particularly at Sturridge here—to make the natural run into the gap.
A quality run from wider areas is much more difficult for defenders to track and mark than a stationary centre forward, so if Sturridge can be convinced that he will get plenty of chances to score goals from making these runs, he should excel in this role.
Sure, he'll need to hold his position wider some of the time in the build-up, but the eventual aim is to get him in the penalty area as often as possible. If he times his runs as he should, Sturridge could arguably find himself with more chances from the channels than if he positioned himself in the middle initially and then had to move wide or deep to collect the ball.
Switch in Formation to a Two-Man Attack
Scott Heavey/Getty Images
We've seen Rodgers switch to a two-pronged attack on a couple of occasions this season, notably in the second half against Everton and early in the game versus Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez were the duo in question at the time, but there will doubtless be opportunity in the coming months to pair two more natural forwards together in the attacking third.
By the time Sturridge arrives, if he does so, Fabio Borini will also be nearing full fitness after injury and Rodgers might well opt to give Suarez a rest from time to time to keep him fit and available for more important matches.
In those instances, a partnership of Sturridge and Borini on the face of it has plenty of interesting combinations of attributes—the pace of the Englishman and the movement off the ball from the Italian, one being left-footed and the other right and, importantly, both with perhaps something to prove to the Liverpool fans.
Pairing Suarez with either one is of course also an option in league games, which would allow the Reds to revert to a back three system or play with a diamond in midfield, providing greater central strength and allowing the attacking full-backs to provide plenty of thrust in wide areas.
Buy an out-and-out Striker
Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
Still an option open to Brendan Rodgers and one which plenty of fans still hope to see: Liverpool could sign a second forward, but an out-and-out striker this time who will play central or nowhere.
In short, a goal-getter. Rodgers may well want someone who can start infrequently and be a threat off the bench, someone to change the shape or the intention in attack of the team, somebody to hang on the shoulder of the central defence and purely look to score goals.
Of course, Daniel Sturridge will hope he is that player as and when it is needed, but still the option remains to bring in a pure striker.
Demba Ba of Newcastle is available for around £7 million and has certainly proved his worth in scoring goals in the Premier League, but would the transfer fee and wages of bringing in a player such as he be countered in quality gained on the pitch? Especially if he only started one in two or three games?
Some fans might argue all three forwards could play in the current system; Suarez left, Sturridge right and Ba centrally—but that will come with an inevitable drop in the middle third of the pitch performance.
A balancing act has to be struck, not to mention those who would be left out because of the new signings, including Raheem Sterling.
Play Steven Gerrard in a More Advanced Role
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
With two goals in his past two games and a pair of assists at the weekend to boot, perhaps Steven Gerrard is returning to form enough to suggest that deploying him in a more advanced role once more is the answer.
Gerrard to the right and Suarez to the left of Sturridge might strike the right balance between attacking quality, experience, creativity and work-rate. It should certainly also provide more goals than Liverpool have managed in recent months.
Moving Gerrard out of the centre of midfield should not affect the quality of supply coming from deeper areas with the likes of Lucas, Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin and Jordan Henderson still involved, while getting Gerrard closer to Luis Suarez has always seemed like a ready-made route to goal.
Ultimately, the nature of top flight football dictates that there cannot and will not be one single solution; what works superbly against Fulham at home may not necessarily yield three points away to Stoke City.
What Brendan Rodgers needs to do is decide which variations of the possible solutions will serve him best over the entire remainder of the season, and hope to cover his bases as often as possible.
It is likely that the Reds will bring in one additional attacker as well as Sturridge—those two, plus Suarez, Sterling and Borini will need to provide the goals to win Liverpool games more often than not.
And if Gerrard continues his recent improvement in front of goal, then things could very quickly look far more rosy for the Reds in the goals scored column indeed.
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FactFinder writes:
lester-phinney - work on your grammar first before you question other people's intelligence. Patio furniture and inanimate objects do not have an I.Q. (but then again neither do you!) Are you a talking patio chair? If so, I hope Lumpy sits on you! :-)
2btruthful - you should practice what you preach before you preach or keep your trap shut. Are you on coffee break or unemployed? Be truthful now!
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iConcerts - Alice in Chains - Your Decision (live)
iConcerts - Rock - Alice in Chains - Live at the Sonisphere Festival 2010 http://www.i-concerts.com/#/?q=en/concert/alice-chains-live-sonisphere-festival-2010-en In this program, you will enjoy an amazing live performance by Alice In Chains at the Sonisphere Festival. Songs performed include: 'Check My Brain', 'Them Bones', 'Your Decision', 'Acid Bubble',... Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. Although widely associated with grunge music, the band's sound incorporates heavy metal and acoustic elements. The band is known for its distinct vocal style which often included the harmonized vocals of Staley and Cantrell. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with other Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Plans for future festivals are to increase the number of concerts sessions, making the event global rather than local to Europe, expanding the UK event into a 3-day festival, and increasing the UK capacity from 40,000 to 60,000 attendees.
R.I.P. Layne Staley.... Dam That River We Die Young Them Bones Would? Love, Hate, Love Junkhead God Smack Bleed The Freak Put You Down It Ain't Like That Hat...
Alice In Chains - Live at the Moore, Seattle -1991 (Subtitled) Presentation Anthology.
Music video by Alice In Chains performing Check My Brain (Music Video).
Track listing Alice In Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here - 2013: 00:00. - Hollow 05:41. - Pretty Done 10:16. - Stone 14:40. - Voices 20:22. - The Devil P...
Music video by Alice In Chains performing No Excuses. (C) 1996 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.
Alice In Chains performing in Oakland on 10-8-92. This is my fave AIC concert. Enjoy. I also have the Blind Melon show on my channel from this night.
Know Me, Broken, By My Master Teach Thee On, Child, Love Hereafter Into The Flood Again Same Old Trip It Was Back Then So I Made A Big Mistake Try To See It ...


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You're already on a lucky streak when you check into this fantastic Las Vegas hotel that's convenient, affordable and luxurious. McCarran International Airport is only a few minutes away and so is the Las Vegas Strip. However, if you're in town to visit the Thomas and Mack Center, University of Las Vegas or Las Vegas Convention Center, you can sleep in a li...
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In the past two months, we've shared many situations where ductless is the perfect comfort solution, as part of our Ductless on Every Job campaign. We're back with another unique way ductless can solve a common challenge for homeowners, especially during this time of the year: maintaining a comfortable indoor environment for guests without having to spend an excess of money on utilities.
The holidays are the few times in the year where the whole family – grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews – is together in the same place at the same time. It's when family members are able to catch up on each other's lives, share stories and create new memories. But to the HVAC world, what does the holiday time mean?
Ductless technology prevents homeowners from having to add "Thermostat Watchdog" to their hosting responsibilities. Ductless systems use an intelligent INVERTER-driven compressor that ramps up to meet the homeowner's desired temperature and then delivers only the amount of heating or cooling necessary to maintain that set temperature, providing constant comfort to homeowners and their guests, regardless of the number of people or what's going on in the house.
Farewell to the family arguments over what the thermostat should be set to, too. The zoning feature of ductless technology provides the ability to have precise temperature control for each individual room. Depending on where they come from and the climate they're used to, each guest can control their room's temperature to meet their comfort needs, without having to play Rock-Papers-Scissors for control over the thermostat. Best of all, the energy-efficient design of a ductless system means homeowners can avoid the sticker shock of higher utility bills when the holiday is over and the company has left.
And for those who will be spending the holiday out of town, our meZO Controller app, compatible with iPhones and iPads, gives homeowners the ability to control their home's comfort system from anywhere in the world. This means homeowners can shut off their ductless system using the Internet and turn it back on to come back to a warm and comfortable home.
Visit www.mitsubishipro.com to learn more on how ductless can provide constant comfort for homeowners and their guests this holiday season. For more information on selling ductless, go to www.ductlessrewards.com.
The Green Building Initiative (GBI) has announced that Green Globes® is now recognized by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) alongside LEED® as the two recommended third-party certification systems for the federal government to use to gauge the performance of its buildings.
Ray Tonjes, chairman of GBI and president of Ray Tonjes Builder, Austin, Texas, says this new GSA recognition is "representative of our achievements in providing a comprehensive, transparent and consensus-driven rating system and product line to the market."
We've been strong supporters of the Green Globes program and, through our membership in the U.S. Green Building Council, of LEED as well. Mark Kuntz, Mitsubishi Electric's vice president of marketing and engineered solutions, was recently appointed to GBI's board of directors. Also, Mitsubishi Electric is currently in the process of receiving certification under the Green Globes standard for our new corporate offices that opened earlier this year in Suwanee, Ga.
According to GBI, its growth in the market is due to its commitment to the practicality of its tools for use by building owners, designers and facility managers as well as its commitment to open, consensus-based review of its technical criteria. GBI remains steadfast in using the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved consensus procedures and in 2010, it was recognized for developing Green Globes for New Construction as the first ever American National Standard for a commercial building rating system.
Although home improvement spending is expected to reach its highest point since the housing boom, this growth will decline by the middle of 2014. According to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released last month by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, spending is increasing at a double-digit pace in the near term, but a slowdown of this growth can be expected.
"The soft patch that homebuilding has seen in recent months, coupled with rising financing costs is expected to be reflected as slower growth in home improvement spending beginning around the middle of next year," says Eric S. Belsky, managing director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. "However, even with this projected tapering, remodeling activity should remain at healthy levels."
The LIRA is released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University in the third week after each quarter's closing. The next LIRA release date is January 16, 2014.
Click here to read the full article from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.
According to the DOE, "only a select group of the top builders in the country meet the extraordinary levels of excellence and quality specified by Energy Department guidelines." We are thrilled to work with builders that are of the calibre as Weiss Building and wish them much continued success!
Last week, thousands of green building professionals descended on Philadelphia for Greenbuild 2013 – the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. The conference featured three days of speakers, networking opportunities, industry showcases, LEED® workshops and tours of Philadelphia's green buildings.
We experienced the action first-hand as an exhibitor, showcasing our sustainable cooling and heating solutions to industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building in their everyday work. Architects, engineers, contractors, builders, remodelers and members of the media all stopped by our booth to learn more about why ductless and VRF zoning technology are at the center of green building's emergence. We also showcased the Jet Towel, Hydronic Heat Exchanger and Lossnay Energy Recovery Ventilator – products with remarkable energy saving applications.
Stay tuned to www.greenbuildexpo.org for recaps of the show and the educational sessions and be on the lookout for Greenbuild 2014 in New Orleans!
As part of a robust new initiative to support the development of our contractors' businesses, we're partnering with New York Times best-selling author and HVAC sales expert Weldon Long to bring an exciting educational opportunity to our Diamond Contractors.
The In-Home Selling Seminar Program kicked off this week with its first two-day event in Boston. Long led the seminar, which aimed to accomplish the following:
Long is the perfect spokesperson for this seminar because he is unique familiarity with the HVAC sales process. In 2003, he walked out of prison and built a residential HVAC company worth $0 to $20,000,000 in just 60 months. In 2009, his company was selected by Inc. Magazine as one of "America's Fastest Growing Small Businesses." Weldon is here to share the secrets to his success.
The seminar will also take place in the coming months in Philadelphia, New York City and Buffalo. To learn more about the In-Home Selling Seminar Program, contact your Business Unit Administrator or Mitsubishi Electric sales representative.
The seminar is open to Diamond Contractors that have been handpicked by their distributors. If you have any questions, contact firstname.lastname@example.com.
We are pleased to announce the promotion of Chris Flynn to senior product development engineer.
As the senior product development engineer, Chris is responsible for leading the design and development of products specific to North America.
Chris has more than 25 years of experience, having worked previously in engineering departments at Hussmann Refrigeration, Suwanee, Ga., Hillphoenix, Conyers, Ga., and Heatcraft, Stone Mountain, Ga.
For more information on this promotion, click here. Congratulations, Chris!
Historic building renovations present unique challenges for HVAC contractors. Many historic structures lack the space for ductwork, and their electrical systems probably weren't designed to handle modern central cooling and heating requirements. Contractors are expected to modernize the building while preserving its architectural and aesthetic integrity, which is no easy feat.
We've published a new white paper detailing why VRF zoning systems are a particularly smart HVAC choice for meeting the unique challenges of a historic building renovation. This white paper can be a great resource for contractors, engineers and other building professionals who are hoping to learn more about VRF zoning technology for this potentially challenging application. The paper also outlines how VRF zoning systems can help historic buildings earn a substantial number of green building certification points, which is increasingly important in today's industry.
Here are some highlights of why VRF zoning systems work well for historic building renovations:
To learn more about how a VRF zoning system will benefit your next historic renovation job, click here. To view our full white paper library, click here.
Lead the way! RT @jetsongreen: Karuna House Becomes the World's Greenest House mehv.ac/rBvzc Picture:ow.ly/i/3Ynkl


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3 items from 2013
18 September 2013 5:01 PM, PDT | EmpireOnline | See recent EmpireOnline news »
Fans didn't get their wish to see him dominate 50 Shades Of Grey, so instead Matt Bomer has opted to take on a rather different icon. He'll be playing screen legend Montgomery Clift in an upcoming biopic.Clift started out on Broadway in 1935, and made his screen debut oposite John Wayne in Howard Hawkes' Red River in 1948. By the '50s he was a major Hollywood star, only rivalled by Marlon Brando although he was less prolific. He worked with Alfred Hitchcock on I Confess, and was nominated for an Oscar for From Here To Eternity.His career was cut short in 1956, however, when he was involved in an horrific car accident that left him with a broken jaw and nose, and permanent facial scarring. He continued to work in the likes of John Huston's The Misfits and Stanley Kramer's Judgement At Nuremberg, but never recovered from the crash. »
30 August 2013 4:01 PM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Director Paul Schrader says he is 'a free man' after production of thriller dogged by reports of behind-the-scenes tension
It came billed as an unwitting Hollywood disaster movie, a misconceived drama and a behind-the-scenes car crash. But when The Canyons touched down at the 70th Venice film festival, it appeared that most of the principal culprits had emerged unscathed. Only Lindsay Lohan – the film's volatile, troubled star – was conspicuous by her absence.
"Today I am a free man," said Paul Schrader, the film's director. "For the last 18 months I have been a hostage, of my own choosing, to a very talented but unpredictable actress." He conceded that the experience of working with the Mean Girls actor had been tough for all concerned.
Scripted by the novelist Bret Easton Ellis, The Canyons is an acid erotic thriller that spotlights a debauched and decadent Hollywood elite. But the movie's on-screen histrionics have »
- Xan Brooks
11 January 2013 2:08 AM, PST | Flickeringmyth | See recent Flickeringmyth news »
Throughout February, BFI Southbank is presenting a season of films starring American actor Montgomery Clift, including such classics as A Place in the Sun, From Here to Eternity, I Confess, The Misfits and Red River, and to celebrate we're offering three readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to a film of their choosing.
Charismatic and insightful, Montgomery Clift bought a potent sensitivity to his portrayals which make him the most modern of Hollywood legends. He shared the screen with Katherine Hepburn, Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor; was directed by John Huston, Alfred Hitchcock and Vittoria De Sica; and brought to life the writings of Tennessee Williams, Theodore Dreiser and Arthur Miller. A troubled psyche and tragic personal life shortened his career, yet there's still much to celebrate.
Along with the aforementioned films, the season also includes Freud, The Heiress, Raintree County, The Search, Suddenly, Last Summer, »
- flickeringmyth
3 items from 2013
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Bar Wars
When Denver's favorite bartenders face-off to create the tastiest cocktail everyone wins. This afternoon fund-raiser pits people's choice bartenders from Denver bars including Black Crown, Charlie's Denver, and the Denver Wrangler in competitions like favorite flair bartending routine (think: tossing, spinning, and juggling booze) to raise funds for the Denver Colorado AIDS Project. Wristband purchases include samples of more than 30 specialty cocktails and tastes from Diego's Mexican Food & Cantina. Sun 1-4 p.m.
Date: May 19, 2013 12:00 pm - May 19, 2013 3:00 pm
Cost: $10.
Venue: Charlie's Denver
More info:
Visit www.denvercap.org.


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Published: 7/11/2013 8:32 PM | Last update: 7/11/2013 8:32 PM
Terrie L. LasaterMCCRACKEN - Terrie L. Lasater, 49, died July 9, 2013. She was born March 29, 1964, to Lum C. and Dionne M. (Wilson) Lasater. Visitation 8:30 to 9:50 a.m. and funeral 10 a.m. Saturday at Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse. Memorials to the McCracken Swimming Pool, McCracken, or the Rush County EMTs.
blog comments powered by Disqus Previous Reader Comments (if any): Inappropriate comments include those which: are libelous or defamatory are obscene, pornographic or sexually explicit; substituting characters for letters is not acceptable degrade others on basis of race, gender, class, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability or other classification are predatory, hateful or intended to attack, intimidate or harass writers or other commenters. contain advertising or solicitation misrepresent your identity or affiliation Also: Please don't hijack comment threads to controversial topics; keep comments relevant to the topic. Click here to read the entire policy |


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1-4 of 4 bungalows for sale found
£300,000Guide Price
Guide Price £300,000
4 bedroom bungalow for sale Lattinford Bridge, London Road, Capel St Mary, Ipswich
A conveniently located detached chalet bungalow in a good sized plot with woodland More details ›
- Photos: 12
- Floorplans: 0
3 bedroom detached house for sale Old Rectory Walk
* 3 Bedroom Detached Bungalow * Replacement Double Glazed Windows * Gas Warm Air Heating * Garage * Good Decorative Order * Entrance Hall * Cloakroom * Modern Shower Room * Lounge/Diner 22'7 x 12'3 * Kitchen 9'10 x 9'9 * Bedroom 1 13'2 x 9'6 * Bedroom 2 10'5 x 9'10 * Bedroom 3/Study ... More details ›
Marketed by Jonathan Waters Estate Agents Limited, Ipswich.Telephone: 01473 721133 Local call rate
- Photos: 10
- Floorplans: 0
£229,000Offers in Excess of
Offers in Excess of £229,000
2 bedroom detached bungalow for sale Dodmans, Capel St. Mary, Ipswich
Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac, this detached bungalow, in the ever popular village of Capel St Mary, is available with NO ONWARD CHAIN and needs to be seen. With two double bedrooms, 19ft conservatory, brand new bathroom suite, garage and brand new double glazing, call us today... More details ›
2 bedroom detached bungalow for sale Capel St Mary
Conveniently situated within close proximity of the local shops, doctors and facilities we are pleased to offer this link-detached two bedroom bungalow, with one en suite, spacious sitting room, kitchen/dining room and conservatory. Garage and parking. No onward chain. More details ›


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"Servant HR truly lives up to their name – they are servants in every aspect of the word."
Health Care Reform and Small Business: Part 2 (Types of Plans)
July 26th, 2013 by Jeff Leffew
For small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, the biggest changes health care reform will bring about are related to the benefits landscape:
1. It will change how the rates of those plans will be determined. (Click here for Health Care Reform and Small Business: Part 1 (Rates), the first part of this discussion.)
2. It will change the types of plans employers will offer employees.
Types of Plans: Slim Pickings Ahead
I predict that the time is coming where brokers will start breaking the news to small groups that they have fewer choices in benefits plans. Health care reform is dictating to large groups how benefits plans have to function. In order to meet the definition of what a plan is, carriers are going to have to redesign their plans.
The carriers for a short time will continue to have a wide variety, although they eventually will narrow the choices to meet what is called a "qualified plan." The government is telling us all what is appropriate, and this increased pressure on carriers will lead to limited choices for consumers. Robust plans will be available, but they will be cost prohibitive for most employers.
A fascinating thought leader in this area is Dr. Ben Carson. Carson is a pediatric neurosurgeon who was raised by a single mother in inner city Detroit and eventually carried out work on the first separation of conjoined twins. To summarize his big idea, he argues that if the government is going to mandate anything, carriers should be set up as nonprofit organizations. It is an interesting idea to consider. If insurance companies were set up as nonprofits, it would take out the natural battle between a government mandating a product and a business's focus on making a profit.
What's a Small Business to Do?
So given the current and impending medical insurance landscape, what can a small group employer do? For companies that are around that 50-employee mark, I would recommend that you think twice about getting bigger or expanding right now. Before you begin growing, be sure you count the costs. We haven't had to consider these costs in the past, but this is part of our new reality under health care reform. If you need to hire and doing so is cost prohibitive considering the growing costs of health care, you may need to think about increasing the prices of your own services or products.
At the end of the day, you need to know what is in the bucket of money you have to give your staff (wages, taxes, benefits, etc.) and be sure that benefits are still valuable because you will have to evaluate what makes sense. I encourage you to look at your position in the marketplace and the skill set of your employees; see if a salary increase is a better choice in place of health insurance.
Fifty is the magic number when it comes to employee counts. But for small groups under that 50 mark, health care reform still has repercussions. Be ready to tackle those today.
What questions do you have about health care reform? Contact me to see how Servant HR can help.
Health Care Reform and Small Business: Part 1 (Rates)
July 25th, 2013 by Jeff Leffew
There has been some confusion regarding news that came out July 2 about the Obama administration's decision to postpone implementation of his health care program's employer mandate. This change only affects large group employers — not those with fewer than 50 full-time employees. Small group employers have other issues to consider.
For small groups, the biggest changes health care reform will bring about are related to the benefits landscape:
1. It will change how the rates of those plans will be determined.
2. It will change the types of plans employers will offer employees.
Rates: Let's Do the Numbers
Small groups aren't currently required to offer health care benefits to employees. If they do offer it, they are offering it at will. The common worry among employers and analysts is that health care plans will be very expensive in the future, and projections are showing that this is a legitimate concern. Even if an employer is offering health insurance benefits now, the price tag could be prohibitive in the future as plan prices increase across the board. The result could be that employees are forced to find coverage at the individual level in the exchange market.
Why are rates expected to go up? For one, health care reform requires carriers to determine rates by a community rating. A community rating system (opposed to a system based on risk) is currently being used in New York, Maine, Colorado and several other states. It's not a foreign concept, but it is not at a national level — yet. In a community rating system, a person's individual health history and occupation do not help determine their rate. Today, when someone is in a higher-risk industry such as construction or commercial fishing in Alaska, their occupational risk is used to figure their rate. Likewise, if someone works in a slow-moving office setting that's considered a preferred industry, that person may be able to earn credits to get lower rates.
Under health care reform, that kind of risk isn't weighed. Under health care reform, employers or insurance companies may no longer ask if you or anyone in your family has a history of cancer, heart disease or other health issue. This may seem good for the employee and bad for the employer, but it's not so cut and dry. Think about your driving history. Insurance carriers regularly reward safe drivers with less expensive rates, credits and better coverage because they can make an educated guess regarding what their risk is if they insure that driver. If someone has had multiple traffic violations and accidents over the past couple of years, that information is also used to determine rates. If all of us drivers are lumped together as just "drivers" without the benefit of a little driving history, there is much less incentive for us to drive safely. Similarly, it could be argued that under the community rating system, there is less incentive for your employees to be healthy.
The community rating does consider gender, whether the person is a smoker and where they live. If you live here in Indiana, where we are known as one of the unhealthiest states in the country, even running the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon every year, abstaining from alcohol and eating right at every meal won't help you when the community rating system goes into effect.
Consideration by insurance companies of individuals' preexisting conditions is going away as well. This has been the case for children since 2012. Last year, virtually all carriers in the state of Indiana pulled out of writing policies solely for kids. The result is that affected parents can either pay for children's expenses out of pocket or go through the state to get a medical coverage policy. Medical Mutual of Ohio just pulled out of Indiana completely — for children and adults. With one less carrier, we have fewer carriers competing for Hoosiers' business.
Helping everyone get coverage despite their health history seems like a good idea, but eliminating the ability to ask about preexisting conditions has negative repercussions for business. For example, employers would want to be aware if an employee coming onto a new insurance policy has had three back surgeries, because chances are good that person will need another one.
The bottom line is that when the insurance carriers can't predict the kind of risk they may be covering, they have to think worst case scenario. As a result, rates are poised to increase under health care reform.
Look for Part 2 (Types of Plans) on the Servant HR blog tomorrow, July 26.
5 Questions Employers Need to Ask About Cobra Insurance
December 12th, 2012 by Website Editor
Don't allow a COBRA misstep to show its fangs and trigger thousands of dollars in potential penalties. Loren Elms, Payroll Administrator at Servant HR, shares five questions every employer should ask about COBRA to help keep themselves out of harm's way. Get a primer on the following:
1. Is my company subject to COBRA?
2. Who qualifies for COBRA coverage?
3. How long does COBRA coverage last?
Get all five questions and Loren's expertise on each in the video. Watch more ways to strengthen your HR here. If you can't see the video above, visit http://youtu.be/_WwKJsrLdBs.
Pros and Cons of a 'Hidden Paycheck'
December 4th, 2012 by Mike Yoder
You pay your employees an hourly wage or salary. You know that number. They know that number. It's the one they use to pay bills, put food on the table, fill their gas tanks and clothe their families. You remind your employees of that number on a regular basis by way of a paystub or check. But that number is just part of the investment you make in your employees.
Showing your employees a more complete picture of how and how much you are spending on them can help you hire and retain top employees, and assist in compensation analyses to inform your salary and wage decisions.
This complete picture is often called a "hidden paycheck."
Employers invest so much more in their employees than just a base salary. One of things that human resources professionals can do is explain to a controller or accountant how much the business spends on the employee beyond base wage or hourly rate. Those things can include overtime pay, FICA tax, Social Security payments, unemployment compensation fund payments made to the state, workers' compensation, and benefits such as health, dental, vision, life, disability and retirement. All those tangible dollars or benefits that are paid on behalf of the employees are part of the hidden paycheck. A Human Resources Information System (HRIS) can tally up the numbers and uncover the hidden "pay" employees receive.
But a hidden paycheck isn't for every business. Here are some pros and cons for employers to consider before proactively divulging their numbers.
PRO: They can bring to light your best assets.
For companies with robust retirement plans or benefits plans — paying for substantially more than 50 percent of employee benefits — a hidden paycheck can accentuate the positive. Other programs like tuition reimbursement, bonuses and commissions can be quantified and should be part of a hidden paycheck.
CON: They can uncover your shortcomings.
If you don't have a strong benefits plan, you probably don't want to draw attention to that fact.
PRO: They help make you competitive.
When an employer can quantify just how much an employee costs, you can use that information to execute a compensation analysis to see how competitive your company is in the marketplace. As a result, you might want to make wage, salary or benefits adjustments to help keep you well staffed and on a growth track.
CON: Employee response is unpredictable.
One risk of providing a hidden paycheck is that you never know how employees will react. You don't want to come across as self-serving, as though you're saying, "Hey, you're lucky to have all these perks," which would certainly bring a negative response. Instead, the hidden paycheck should be provided as a demonstration of the employer's transparency and as a way of saying, "Yes, we value you. And here are the numbers that show how much we appreciate," so the response will be more like, "Wow. I didn't know you were covering all those costs on my behalf. Thanks."
PRO: They can help you keep good people.
If you have spent time developing your employees to be valuable assets to your company, you don't want them going anywhere. If they are only familiar with their annual salary total, they might be tempted to find a bigger number elsewhere. A hidden paycheck can help them understand that they are getting much more than what they see on a paystub, putting you in a better position to have loyal employees.
CON: They can encourage employees to look elsewhere.
If an employee sees his or her hidden paycheck and decides the numbers don't add up in his or her favor, a job vacancy might be in your future. If you are taking steps to retain employees with a solid benefits plan, this should not be a problem. But if other parts of your HR machine aren't in place such as employee engagement strategies, fair policies and a healthy company culture, an unimpressive hidden paycheck could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
PRO: They divulge administrative costs.
Besides the legal obligations and benefits you pay for each employee, there are administrative dollars spent. Equipment, office/building space, vacation time, holiday breaks — all of these things cost money, and it's useful for employers to know how much they are spending or saving with their current choices and HR policies.
Generally, a hidden paycheck is a well-received, effective way to communicate the value an employer places on its employees. If you are interested in more information on producing a hidden paycheck, contact me, Mike Yoder, at 317-585-1688.
Healthcare Reform: 3 Major Changes for Business Owners in 2013
November 20th, 2012 by Jeff Leffew
Through 2018, business owners will have new requirements to fulfill as part of the Obama administration's healthcare reform or Affordable Care Act (ACA). The law spans 2,409 pages. In my experience with business owners, they typically aren't interested in reading thousands of pages of legal details and spending an inordinate amount of time to learn the ins and outs of a reform. But it can be difficult for growing businesses to stay compliant because of the overwhelming bureaucracy, and triggers spurred by increasing employee numbers.
To keep things relatively simple, for 2013, here are three major HR-related requirements business owners need to fulfill to avoid getting into hot water.
1. Beginning March 1, 2013, employers must provide employees with written notice about their state's health insurance exchanges.
If you follow the news at all, you have heard about health insurance exchanges. Just last week, the federal government extended individual state's deadlines to make a decision about who would be setting up their exchanges: the individual state or the feds.
The tricky part about the ACA's deadline, as you may have guessed, is that these exchanges likely won't be in place by March 2013.
The exchange is a virtual marketplace that allows individuals or small businesses to purchase health insurance. It's mandated that each state have its own exchange. If a state sets it up on its own, it is responsible for vetting out prospective private carriers to become part of the exchange. This calls for a review of each carrier to make sure they meet and maintain the required standards. Individuals can then go on the online site and get quotes for insurance.
The debate around exchanges is especially because the ACA says states have to carry out the health insurance exchange projects out of their own pockets. Many states have said they weren't going to do it. Indiana, for one, is struggling with the choice.
2. On 2012 W2s filed in 2013, employers must report the value of employer-sponsored healthcare coverage for each employee.
For example, say I'm a dependent. My company pays $X and I pay $Y into my employer-sponsored benefits plan. The total value ($X+$Y) must now be included on a W2 starting next year.
No clear reason as to why we have to report this has been given. But a few things are sure. With this new requirement, insurance premiums will be more traceable, which relates to the tax value. The government currently knows our pre-tax contributions, but it doesn't know the amount an employer is paying.
This requirement comes into play more clearly in 2014 when the so-called "play or pay" penalty takes effect. Essentially, if an employer of 50 or more employees doesn't provide minimum health coverage and also a minimum employer contribution, the employer will pay a penalty. The W2 number in theory enables government regulators to make sure people are staying legal.
Employers of small businesses don't need to be concerned with this rule — for now. Employers filing fewer than 250 W2s the prior year are exempt from further notice.
3. Flexible Savings Account limits to no more than $2,500 is effective on Jan. 1, 2013.
An FSA is an IRS-created program that allows employees enrolled in a qualifying high-deductible health plan (HDHP) to save for and pay for health-related things such as unreimbursed medical expenses. With an FSA, employees set money aside for impending medical expenses that may incur through regular contributions from their paychecks. When they spend money from their FSA, it is tax free. For example, an employee can choose to save $1,500 at the beginning of the year for their FSA. When that employee goes to the doctor's office or pharmacy and uses the FSA card, they don't' pay taxes on the expense.
Currently, there is no limit on the amount an employer may contribute to an FSA, and generally the employee either uses the money or loses it.
The big advantage of FSAs for employers is they provide a tax shelter. With the cap on the amount that can be contributed, this tax shelter is diminished. In general, a disadvantage of FSAs for employers is that if an employee used the maximum amount of his FSA amount within the first few months of the calendar year and then quit his job, the employer is the big loser. On the flip side, if the employee elects $1,500 and just uses $500 for an entire year, the employer wins by enjoying the tax shelter FSAs provide.
Broader repercussions for employers
Because of healthcare reform and its Medical Loss Ratio provision, there's a push by insurance carriers to lessen or eliminate commissions for their brokers. With the MLR, health plans have to provide rebates to employees if employers' percentage of premiums spent on reimbursement does not meet the minimum standards for a given plan year. If an employer gets caught spending less than the standard, they have to reimburse by actually writing checks to the employees.
As a result, carriers are looking for ways to cut costs. In the near future, commissions for brokers are going to look a lot different and, in some cases, are going away. The danger for employers is if you don't have someone consulting or advising you and your employees, you are the one who is at risk. And with tougher, different rules, you need someone to hold your hand and guide you through the implementation of the healthcare reform.
Unique thing about Servant HR is we automatically have all the data we need to take the steps required to satisfy the ACA requirements. A traditional broker, for example, doesn't have access to payroll. He can't do the pay-or-play analysis. We have much more access and abilities.
In the future, we will also see a shift to moving full-timers to part-time work. There will be a huge part-time market develop as employers begin to feel the pains of ACA rules and discover ways to avoid them. Employers have to figure out how to migrate through this landmine.
Watch this video to see Servant HR's Leah Elms cover "Three Things Every Employee Should Know About Healthcare Reform."
PEOs: Connecting HR Services to Grow Healthier Businesses
November 14th, 2012 by Scott Ingram
When you have an annual checkup, your doctor gathers a lot of information. Height and weight are measured. Your blood pressure and pulse are taken. Blood may be drawn. You answer questions about family history, current diet and medications. The doctor checks your ears, mouth, neck, heart, lungs, stomach, joints, spine, muscles and skin.
You and your doctor know that these clues work together to determine your overall health. Your doctor also uses these clues to recommend changes in your lifestyle to keep you on the healthy track. You can't separate your diet from your blood pressure from your weight. You have to have an understanding of how these parts work together to take the best care of yourself.
Human resources works the same way. You know that benefits, payroll and risk management are part of an employer's HR responsibilities, but if they aren't considered together to see how the parts affect one another, your business won't be as healthy as it could be. If your HR service providers aren't working together to diagnose HR problems and detect HR opportunities, your business suffers. A full-service PEO or Professional Employer Organization is like a doctor asking all those questions. Consider the many services and service providers who may be working on your HR from afar, never collaborating or sharing information to make your business healthier.
HR Management
In small or medium-sized businesses, in-house staff people who wear multiple administrative hats are often the ones managing human resources. In these cases, the question becomes, "What level of training or expertise does your staff person have in dealing with tough HR matters?" It's an important question to consider because human resources management isn't as obvious or popular as other HR areas. All business owners know they have certain obligations associated with payroll and tax liability. But they might not realize there are actually more compliance issues related to HR management than payroll and tax. The reality is that a trained HR professional can help employers avoid costly missteps related to EEOC, DOL, FMLA, USERRA, PPACA, ERISA, GINA and the rest of the alphabet soup of HR compliance and risk.
HR management becomes more complicated as your business grows. With more employees comes more obligations. If your business has reached a certain level, you may choose to hire a professional with a PHR or SPHR certification. While this may be a smart choice for larger businesses, many small and medium-sized companies can't afford to hire a full-time HR professional.
Most businesses work with a broker to handle the benefits part of their human resources. A broker offers the employer a choice of different insurance benefits. Typically, the broker passes along some numbers to an administrative person on a yearly basis, and that person is tasked with understanding the benefits and passing along that information to any new employees or current employees who have become eligible for benefits over the course of the year.
Ideally, a broker should have an understanding of the different benefits plans available and the level of quality of different carriers. A broker should also understand the culture of your business so he or she can match that with the available benefits. Your benefits should be attractive to employees and a good fit for your organization so that your business can use the options as recruitment and retention tools.
Unfortunately, things like benefits have become so commoditized that the opportunity to maximize what benefits can do for you and your business is being overlooked. Many brokers have tried to add services on the front end with increased communication and hand-holding at the employee level in order to compete in a marketplace that offers a more holistic approach, but they often fall short.
Most businesses use some sort of payroll service to make sure employees receive the correct amount of pay on time, and to make sure related tax issues are handled appropriately. When a company chooses to handle payroll in house, it's often a control issue by the ownership in which someone doesn't want any confidential information leaving the company. Another reason for handling payroll in house is in a situation where the accounting is atypically complex. For example, if a manufacturer does a lot of piecework, or an engineering or construction firm needs to track how an employee is spending his or her time on projects to determine their contribution to the bottom line, an in-house software program customized to a particular pay setup might be the smartest choice.
Risk Management
At Servant HR, we often hear the misunderstanding that risk management pertains to only worker's compensation and liability insurance. Employers are often getting this impression from commercial insurance brokers who — you guessed it — provide worker's compensation and liability insurance. Employers can mitigate risk on a much broader level, and a PEO can often help businesses recognize these opportunities.
Some risk management-related niches cater to certain industries such as construction and healthcare, which require property and casualty insurance coverage. There is often a discount available to employers when they bundle this coverage, so cost savings are a big motivator for employers who may view insurance coverage as a necessary evil.
But things can be done to manage risk without buying up more insurance or bundling policies. This is where a PEO can offer guidance. Safety training can help minimize accidents. General job training can help employers ensure their employees are doing their jobs correctly. Making sure individual employees are classified appropriately helps employers apply the correct insurance to that employee. (Employees such as landscapers go under a certain code. But clerical employees in the office of a landscaping company don't require the same coverage. A PEO can help you see these cost-saving opportunities.) Employers can follow up with claims to be sure employees who claim they are hurt are indeed hurt. Having policies in place that protect you as an employer is the best way to manage risk, which requires the expertise of an HR professional.
Retirement Services
When most employers think about retirement services, the first things that to mind are 401(k) plans and the less popular pension plan. Companies typically use financial advisors to manage 401(k)s. These relationships often start on an individual level, with the business owner using a financial advisor for personal reasons. As the business grows and the need for retirement services arises, the business owner may turn to this same person to recommend a plan for employees.
The challenge in this way of approaching a 401(k) plan for your employees is the owner's priorities might not line up with the business goals. The owner is looking for a way to get as much of his or her income sheltered from tax, but that shouldn't be the only motivation. You must also consider that employees across many earning levels should enjoy the rewards of the plan. It is imperative to have someone in place who understands not only how a 401(k) plan works but also how your company is organized. Who is the best person to assume responsibility for the performance of the plan, for example? Is a 401(k) the best choice or is a business better suited to use an SRP (simple retirement plan)?
HR Management + Benefits + Payroll + Risk Management + Retirement Services
Part of the beauty of a full-service PEO such as Servant HR is that a PEO looks at all of these parts of your human resources together so that your business can be as healthy as possible. We aren't individuals working on services in silos. PEOs connect the dots of businesses' HR issues. PEOs are set up to take care of employees from "birth to death," or from the job application to the retirement party. Through the coemployment model, full-service PEOs also assume some of the risk associated with having employees.
The HR services PEOs provide are getting done in any size business in some way, shape or form with or without a PEO. Payroll has to get done, worker's compensation matters have to be dealt with, and retirement benefits have to at least be considered. In many cases, businesses rely on some combination of different vendors and often in-house staff to carry out these tasks. While this may be an effective process in some situations, it's not always the best direction for managing a company's HR needs.
To find out if a PEO is right for your business, download our guide "Are You a Good Fit?"
3 Policy Tips to Make Vacations More Relaxing
April 11th, 2012 by Leah Elms
By Leah Elms, Customer Service Representative
Tis the season for vacations. Whether they're going on a spring break or a summer getaway, your employees will be planning and asking for time off. While there are many documented benefits to taking that break from work, it poses a few challenges for managers, as well. Here are some key areas that will assist you in navigating the curves on the road of PTO administration.
Know Your Policy
You need to be familiar with your company's current protocol for acquiring vacation time as well as the spending of that time. There are many puzzle pieces to your company's plan: mandated time off, accrual rates and caps, carry-over or use-it-or-lose-it, state mandates to pay out unused time and termination considerations — to name a few. Clear documentation and presentation of those policies to your staff help to prevent snags from the beginning. Companies may choose a traditional method such as specified amount of days as vacation days, sick days, and personal days. Others may use a combined PTO system; in essence, this is one large bucket which allows employees to use their time as they see fit. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages for both employer and employee. Both methods can be powerful recruiting and retention tools. If you have questions on which type is the best fit for your company, Servant HR is here to help you consider your options.
Manage Your Policy
Be sure you have clear, well-articulated guidelines for PTO use in place. Can you imagine if all your employees decided to take off the same week? What a nightmare! You need to think through how much notice will allow you to adequately fill the schedule in their absence. Requiring employees to request the time off in advance, with the exception of an emergency, alleviates this problem. An understanding of what constitutes an emergency must also be expressed. Does car trouble qualify? What about an attitude-adjustment day? How ill does a family member have to be? There will be instances when two employees request the same days off and there needs to be consideration for seniority, previous days off or the reason for the request. Consistent managing and administration of your guidelines will play a key role in the overall satisfaction of your staff and their perception of your company's plan.
Encourage Your Policy
Don't let all these details scare you from encouraging your employees to take their well-deserved time off. Many studies show overworked employees are less productive and more prone to stress, exhaustion and illness. Clearly, both you and your co-workers benefit from a little rest and relaxation. Ensuring that it's relaxing for all parties involved just takes some well-designed, managed policies.
So, take the time to evaluate your current plan. If it comes up lacking, the experts at Servant HR can assist you in implementing a policy that suits your company culture and then — go take a vacation!
Our Fishers Home: Strong Businesses Create Strong Communities
April 4th, 2012 by Mike Yoder
By Mike Yoder, CEO
Since 2008, Fishers and Hamilton County, Indiana, have accepted dozens of accolades for being exceptional. Among the list are the following:
- #1 Top 10 Cities for Families in U.S. – The Learning Channel (TLC)
- Healthiest County in Indiana – Community Health Network
- Top 100 Best Places to Live in America (#8 Ranking) – Money Magazine
- #11 Best Place to Move in the Country – Forbes
- Best Place to Raise a Family – Hamilton County (#1 Ranking) – Forbes
Jeff Leffew, our founder and president, chose to plant Servant HR's roots in Fishers because this is where he lives and is raising his family. He wanted his business to be a part of this booming community on the edge of Indianapolis. We see this kind of attitude a lot in Hamilton County. Employers and employees want their work lives and their personal lives to complement one another. A strong work life in which you are happy, well compensated and appreciated, for example, will have an effect on the quality of your life outside of the office.
Many of the elements that go into making a business an exceptional place to work fall under the area of human resources. It is our job at Servant HR to help employers set themselves up to be a positive part of their employees' lives. This kind of positivity can benefit families and even entire communities. Empowering employers to be a positive force in their communities is an exciting part of our work.
Becoming an exceptional place to work
Many of our 60 clients ask how can they can be "best in class." They want to know how they can become an "employer of choice." First, employers must care more for the positive impact of such efforts on employees than they do about receiving a fancy accolade. Business leaders must have a desire to create a culture of not only financial success but also a place of stability based on more consistent employment, longer tenures and low turnover. An exceptional business is one that builds a culture of relationships and loyalty.
When Servant HR is evaluating a company's culture, we evaluate a lot of areas, including policies and procedures, benefits, management and employee training and talent development. These are the types of things that would indicate if a company is stable and growing. If we find that an area is weak, we help the employer develop that area through our HR Coaching and Counseling.
Health care and benefits' role
A reasonably robust benefits package can help a company attract and retain the right kind of people for its culture, taking one giant leap forward to becoming a great place to work. As we can see from our federal government's move into universal health care, the issue of benefits is a huge one, both locally and nationally. As a full-service benefits broker, Servant HR helps employers attract and retain employees, while being cognizant of how much more expensive health care has become. An approach to benefits should be holistic, using creativity to establish diverse benefits packages as well as more traditional health plans and 401k plans to support both short-term and long-term benefits.
One of the best ways to deal with the rising cost of health care is to help educate our clients on different options including consumer-driven health care offerings. Employees should understand the types of benefits they have, how to get preventive care when it is needed and how to participate in wellness programs if they are interested in them. For an increasing number of employers, health saving accounts are becoming an important part of their packages. This type of account helps employees make smart choices for their health and budgets.
Partnering with strong businesses
Fishers and the Indianapolis area is a great place to do business. One of the biggest advantages for Servant HR is that our focus is on small and medium-sized businesses that want to have the freedom to focus on revenue-generating activities and their core strengths. We can serve these businesses as their HR partners, helping them move toward becoming exceptional places to work. These types of businesses have found great success in Hamilton County. We like being where we live and where smaller businesses thrive. It's a great fit for who we are at Servant HR.
If you have questions about the path to becoming an exceptional employer, please contact Servant HR at 317-585-1688 or email [email protected].
(Photo above by Jennifer Driscoll, courtesy of Town of Fishers.)
Free Money!
March 14th, 2012 by Loren Elms
The phrase catches your attention doesn't it? After all, who doesn't want free money? Well many employers actually do offer free money—through a retirement plan that matches employee contributions dollar for dollar up to a certain percentage. Simply enroll in your company 401(k) plan and contribute 3% to 5% of your pay, and you could get what amounts to an instant 3% to 5% raise!
Yet many employees are leaving this free money on the table. According to a survey by Hewitt Associates, 22% of 401(k) participants do not contribute enough to get the maximum company match.
Haven't started yet? Servant HR administers many different retirement plans for our clients. Look through your employee handbook or talk to your benefits administrator to see what plan your company offers. Find out when you can participate in your employer's plan, and follow these two simple steps.
1) Join as soon as you are eligible.
Ask for a copy of the plan booklet (called the Summary Plan Description, or SPD) to learn your plan's rules and requirements. Retirement plan rules vary. Some plans require that employees be at least 21 years of age and have a year of service with the company before they can participate. Even part time employees can sometimes be eligible if they work a certain number of hours per year.
2) Contribute as much as you are able.
If you think you can't afford to have much taken out of your paycheck, consider starting with a small percentage and increasing it by just 1% or 2% each year. Or, you could plan to increase your salary deferral any time your salary increases. Your contributions will be deducted from your salary pre-tax, and your investment will continue to grow, tax-deferred, until you take it out. To make changes to your contributions, request the proper form from your plan administrator. You might also have online access which allows you to make deferral changes through your plan's website (though some plans only allow deferral percentages to be changed at certain points throughout the year).
Don't worry. Any money that is deducted from your paycheck for your 401(k) plan, and any earnings on that money, is 100% "vested"—meaning that it will always be 100% yours. (There are some restrictions as to when/how you can take that money back out of the plan.) You do not necessarily have an immediate right to contributions made by your employer, however. Ownership of those funds is earned by providing years of service to your employer, according to a "vesting schedule." These schedules can vary, so you should review your SPD for the specifics of your plan.
Your employer's retirement savings plan is a key component of your future financial security. It is important for you to understand how your plan works and what benefits you will receive. Servant HR has helped many employees to understand and receive these benefits. And although you may not be able to contribute the maximum allowed by the IRS each year ($17,000 in 2012—$22,500 if you are over 50), you should try to contribute at least enough to gain the benefit of any matching funds your employer offers. Remember, it is FREE MONEY!
Learn more about the benefits of retirement savings at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/savingsfitness.pdf
Why you need workers' compensation
March 8th, 2012 by Mike Yoder
By Mike Yoder, CEO of Servant HR
Many employers may overlook the necessity of workers' compensation believing it does not pertain to them or their company. But consider these two rather bizarre claims:
• An employee was proving that he could carry an air compressor and strained his back.
• An employee tripped over a dog and injured herself while meeting with a customer in the customer's home.
Yes, you may have guessed it, these claims were found in court to be compensable. At Servant HR, we receive frequent questions regarding workers' comp, such as:
• Why am I required to have coverage?
• Why do I have to pay when no one ever gets hurt on the job?
• Why do particular employees cost so much, despite having reasonably "safe" jobs?
• Shouldn't health insurance cover any injuries?
• Does workers' comp really have to pay if it is clearly the fault of a negligible employee?
By definition, workers' compensation is an alternate way for employees to recover costs for work-related injuries, rather than suing their employers. Workers' compensation includes an "exclusive remedy" component, meaning if an employee gets hurt at work, his bills and typically his lost wages, are paid. However, exclusive remedy also ensures that the employee can't file a lawsuit against the employer, in most situations. It's an exchange of rights and benefits for both the employee and employer. The workers' comp system provides employees with the security of knowing they can recover for work-related injuries without the complexity and uncertainty of a lawsuit.
Workers' comp can be thought of as an insurance policy for your company. Just like home owners and life insurance, you are required to regularly pay, even if you never have to use it. The rates are determined from the statistics and probability of an accident or hazardous situation for a particular occupation.
If a claim is made by an employee, a workers' compensation insurer generally reviews the case and verifies any issues. As the exclusive remedy, any injury happening in the workplace is generally covered, even if an employee is negligent. However, an employer may choose to dispute a claim, for example, if he believes an injury is not related to work or is being put-on. Regardless, it is generally in the best interest of the employer to get the employee back to work even on limited duty, rather than being paid lost wages from the policy.
For answers to your workers' compensation questions or to find out more about how Servant HR can help with all of your HR needs, please contact us today.


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For two months, Melissa Pingley's fifth-grade students at Joseph Martin Elementary School and Principal Sue Tolley planned a surprise baby shower for Pingley.
City of Hinesville Firefighters Alex Mason, Marta Cuevas, Eric Little and Justin Zieman arrived on the scene at First Baptist Church on May 2, not with fire hoses but with plenty of antacid. The first responders kept things cool at the church's Kentucky Chucky's Great Chili Cookoff, where they judged the contest.
The local community appeared Saturday as a virtual tossed salad of ethnic groups, each one adding a distinct flavor to Liberty County during the third annual Small World Festival in downtown Hinesville.
On May 2, the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia awarded the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award to seven teens during an awards ceremony at the Elks Lodge 183 in Savannah. Ash Lee Brown of Midway was among the award recipients.
Members of the American Legion and Ladies' Auxiliary of Post 168 said they were thankful to the community for making the organization's recent, bi-yearly yard sale a success.
The Liberty County school nutrition program will have free meals for children on June 1-4, 7-10 and 14-15.
The older one gets and the more one tries to do, the more the years seem to fly by. From time to time we need to reflect on what is going on in our lives. Most will do this about school, jobs, finances, etc., and it is good to do those things. But let us not forget to look at our spiritual well being.
Residents of the Pines at Willowbrook participated in a self-defense class taught by Hinesville District 4 Councilman Keith Jenkins and attended by District 3 Councilman David Anderson during a recent neighborhood watch meeting.
Liberty Regional Medical Center CEO Scott Kroell made good on a promise Friday to dye his hair pink when hospital staffers donated a combined $10,000 to support the American Diabetes' Association's Kiss-A-Pig Campaign.
"If I can help just one spouse that's all that matters," said Family Readiness Support Advisor Jonna Reed Wednesday.
Fort Stewart highlighted contributions made by Asian Pacific Americans on Wednesday during the in stallation's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Observance at Club Stewart.
Liberty Elementary School students explored several kinds of big trucks Wednesday as part of Career Week. Firefighters, utility and public works employees shared the nuts and bolts of their vehicles, letting kids get up close and personal with the trucks.
Cancer survivors, family members, volunteers, community members and soldiers gathered Friday night to celebrate the victories thus far in overcoming cancer, remember those taken by the disease and raise money to further research a cure.
The Junior Relay for Life team at Lewis Frasier Middle School recently honored club member Alexandria Long with a surprise party to celebrate Long being cancer-free for one year.
The Liberty County Extension Service recently released this summer's schedule for 4-H camps and classes. Camps and classes are scheduled at several locations and costs and participant requirements vary for each session.
The Wiregrass Festival Committee is accepting applications for vendors for its arts-and-crafts show and for food.
A group of Long County citizens on Tuesday held a meeting at Calvary Baptist Church in Ludowici to begin the process of planning a communitywide day of prayer.
The adrenaline-fueled crime caper "2 Guns," is now in theaters and starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. Did the movie shoot to kill? Let's find out.
The Hinesville Military Affairs Committee is sponsoring a family day with entertainment on Saturday, Nov. 16, following the Veterans Day Parade. Proceeds will go to the Veterans Memorial Walk at Bryant Commons.
Dubois Square in downtown Pembroke was a popular place to be Saturday evening as the city hosted its annual National Night Out.
Scores of soldiers assigned to Fort Stewart' Wounded Warriors Battalion are being treated to a free fishing event at Stewart's Pond No. 1, also called Pineview Lake. According to retired Command Sgt. Maj. Adna Chaffee of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 789, local veterans' organizations will sponsor a catch-and-release fishing outing from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Aug. 23.
Hinesville Downtown Partners, a loose coalition of downtown businesses and city and county leaders, met Friday morning to discuss plans for upcoming public events.
July 23 to Aug. 22: A shift in workplace management could be helpful for talented leos and leonas who have been waiting to have their accomplishments rewarded by receptive leadership.
The thought of eating macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, tuna salad and chicken pot pies was comforting long before they were called comfort foods. Comfort foods don't have to be fancy. They're simple, delicious and usually inexpensive to make.
Couples and families looking for a quiet beach without large, noisy crowds and commercial development don't have far to go.
A local disabled veteran's correspondence with President John F. Kennedy's speechwriter, Theodore Sorensen, could be heading for the Kennedy Library in Boston.


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The ASB Firenze 34 in. x 60 in. Single Threshold Right Drain Shower Base in White is made of a polycomposite material specially designed to resist staining and mold and mildew growth. This shower base features a single threshold design, and is finished in a high gloss white color. Cleaning is simple just wipe it clean with soap and warm water.


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Gadgets: |
I think this is actually too close to the truth:
Henry M. Hertz: waiting for the PRO model in the eos-m line.
CES maybe?
I wouldn't hold my breath. However, I hope they bring more lenses.
I think that the m43 system is starting to be one of the most versatile systems. Want compact take everywhere system? Get the GM1 and 2-3 lenses, or just the kit zoom. Want something a bit more? Get a E-PL or GF. Want a full features system camera with HD video? Then you have the GH. Want a tough camera? E-M5/1 is there...
tramptime: You guys are amazing! Going from a white sheet to that final image is pure genius. It felt a bit like I was watching a csi show. :-)
DPReview staff at work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxq9yj2pVWk
dannyboy5400: Let me fix the Nikon Press Release
Today Nikon is proud to present a tool for fools who have more money than sense and a vain ego to match.
Well, we can't have Leica cornering that market alone!
"First Impressions Review"? Really dpreview? That sentence doesn't even make sense. dpreview is slowly going to the dogs after Phil left.
The review could be summed up: "It's a nice camera, it takes nice pictures... "
Now, please bring us 200mm f4 weather sealed telephoto to match this, and we have a pretty good system...
thx1138: "True, you can switch out a heavy zoom for a lightweight prime on a DSLR and get something of the same feeling, but the DSLR doesn't transition into the role of a take-me-anywhere camera quite like a Micro Four Thirds body does"
And yet somehow we do manage to take our DSLRs everywhere with us and certainly to the same places we'd take the almost-as-large as Canon SL1 E-M1. SL1 and 40mm pancake is actually lighter by 70g than E-M1 + 17 f1.8/20f1.7.
What you said might be true for the smaller PEN style bodies but E-M1 is getting seriously large and straying away from the small and compact concept. It's larger and heavier than Sony A7(R) twins!
Certainly wouldn't upgrade from my E-M5 for this one.
Yes, if only you could find smaller/lighter m43 cameras to choose from if weight was your concern...
Abaregi: Semms to be a great camera for the sensor size.
The pricing is a bit steep though, just a bit more and you get FF.
The difference between the 'quarter-sized' m43 sensor and 'full-frame' sensor is less than people think. Same goes for camera size. (Human hand actually dictates the lower limit). I would love a Sony A7R with some sharp lenses, but then I remember, I don't print much landscape wallpapers...
technotic: Any good for D800 in terms of IQ I wonder.
I don't know. Those ultra MP full frame cameras really demand a very sharp glass, to make full use of all those pixels. Even 5Diii with its humble 22MP sensor does benefit from sharp primes. I would never have believed it until I saw it my self.
Owen: What is the point of making a smaller body when the lenses still have to be large, especially when using the adapter.
...and who wants to pay a thousand bucks for a 55mm lens?
Yes, those pesky physics getting in the way of a good design..
Give me some sharp wide-angle lenses, and you have me sold. This is the perfect camera for landscape, to reach those places.
D200_4me: World's smallest....until you put something you need on it....a lens ;-) Innovation is good and I welcome it, but I wish companies would quit screaming about how small their camera bodies are.
Give me 21/2 and perhaps 100/2.8 and I would be a happy camper. After using m43 cameras for a while, I've gotten a bit of a taste for compact primes, again. Those huge f2.8 zooms are big because the cameras are already big.
That is nice and all... but camera reviews?
Meanwhile, we all wait for bunch of 'preview' cameras to be tested... what is this site turning into? :|
domina: No manual controls, no mode dial with M/S/A/P modes, I won't buy it.
Did you even bother to read the specs?
I think Barbara Cole really aimed for that Degas 'look'. Even the subject are very Degas-style.
Henry M. Hertz: you don´t need a long preview for this camera two words sum it up...
i would never pay more then 500 euro for a m43 camera.
for me m43 will always be only a "second" camera.
and as most m43 user i only have a kit lens for my E-PL3.
yes most m43 buyer, as statistcis show, have only a kit lens.
we speak about the majority here not some enthusiasts.
the real money goes to my much more versatile (yes it IS bigger and heavyer... i don´t care) DSLR system.
that´s why i doubt this will be a big financial success for oly.
it´s a good camera.. sure.
Well, I think 1D is too expensive, and too big. Why bother with all that bulk when I can buy 6D?
Anfy: Why are the E-M5 images in jpg, low light, especially at high ISO noticeably darker than those of other cameras, making a comparison difficult?
Looks similar to me.