Manhattan Resident Managers Club Newsletter-January 2019

Vol. 40 No. 188

January 2019

Dedicated to the Performance & Advancement for the Real Estate Manager

Next meeting is on Thursday, January 3rd, 2019 at 6:00pm at Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant at 121 W 45th street between 6th and 7th Avenues.

– MANhAttAN REsiDENt MANAgER’s Club, iNC. –

Top 10 Reasons to Join the MRM Club!

10. Extra Curricular: applications/resumes!

Looks

great

on

employment

9. Networking: You will have the opportunity to meet and network with the BEST of the BEST in their field at our regular meetings on the 1st Thursday of each month.

8. Promote Awareness: The CLUB helps promote education and awareness about the NYC residential real estate market.

7. Life Insurance: Being a Regular Member of the CLUB affords you a personal life insurance policy in the amount of $150,000.00

6. Philanthropic: The CLUB participates and raises money for a number of local and national charities giving back to the community and those most in need.

5. Brotherhood: Being a member automatically gives you a feeling of closeness to other members. You share something that other people are not a part of and really can’t relate to.

4. Enrichment: Being part of a professionally ran Club or Organization is an en- riching experience. You owe it to yourself to at least try them out.

VISIT US ON THE WEB!

3. Exposure: The CLUB will expose you to real life every day experiences you and your peers regularly share and have in common .

2. Growth: Members in Clubs/Organizations are encouraging and supportive of your personal growth. We all have a vested interest in each other.

1. Social: They are a BEST way to meet great people and have a lot of fun! With numerous events happening throughout the year; separate from our monthly meetings, it is impossible to not have some FUN!

WWW.MRMCLUB.COM

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PRESIDENT: Joe Cervini 917-588-4922 jcervini@mac.com

MANhAttAN REsiDENt MANAgER’s Club, iNC. ORgANizED 1980 P.O. Box 1144 New York, NY 10021

VICE-PRESIDENT: ben floreS 917-860-5811 benjieflores3@gmail.com TREASURER: Steve KuKaJ (917) 339-7166 kukaj01@gmail.com

OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE: On Thursday, January 3rd, 2019

at Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant at

FIN.SECRETARY:

121 W 45th street

Steve Mala 212-861-2073 Steve.Mala@yahoo.com

between 6th and 7th Avenues.

Meeting starts at 6:00pm

$40.00 for all Members in good-standing; $60.00 for all others.

SECRETARY:

PROFESSIONAL DRESS ATTIRE REQUIRED (JACKET & TIE)

John Szabo 914-672-50887 izirajders@verizon.net TRUSTEES:

Dean Berishaj

CLUB NEWSLETTER

Louis Parrilla Publisher 917-750-4117 resmgr524@gmail.com

Frank Pomponi

Peter Guzman Business Manager 917-837-1390 pgu3911250@aol.com

Ben Flores Editor 917-860-5811 benjieflores3@gmail.com

Any Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Manhattan Resident Managers Club,Inc., or its members.

The Manhattan Resident Managers Club Inc. reserves the absolute right, at its sole discretion, to accept or decline requests or submissions for advertising or other copy in its Newsletter or in any Club publication.

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– MANhAttAN REsiDENt MANAgER’s Club, iNC. –

the resident’s essage

pm Joseph Cervini President

2018 Resident Manager of the Year

Welcome to the January Newsletter!

On behalf of the Dais & Trustees of the Manhattan Resident Manager’s Club, I would like to wish you and your family a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Thank you all for attending our Vendor Appreciation Night and Holiday Celebration this year at India House.

The food, music, and dancing were spectacular, and it was great to see all of our friends and colleagues at this most festive occasion. In the spirit of the Holiday Season, we once again held our Ugly sweater/suit Contest.

Congratulation to the winners! The president of MBMNY, Mr. Kole Polushaj, won the men’s prize and the women’s prize was split between Ms. Liza Fiorentinos, the owner of Luludi Living Art, and Jimmi Circosta’s (from Citihabitat) girlfriend, Ms. Jasmin Abrol. The most festive costume award was presented to our own past-president, Mr. Anton Markola! We also want to thank all those who bought gifts/toys for our ‘Toys for Tots’ Drive.

Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 3rd, 2019 at Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant located at 121 W 45th street between 6th and 7th Avenues. Meeting starts at 6:00pm. Cost to attend is $40.00 for all Members in good-standing; $60.00 for all others.

I would like to give one final congratulations to the winner and recipient of the William Key Award & our 2018 Vendor of the Year, Mr. Wilfredo Montano of Montano Wood Care Corp. We thank him for his continued support and contributions to the CLUB throughout the years.

Please remember to support all our Associate Members as they are the driving force that keeps our CLUB in existence. Most of our Associate Members take an ad in the monthly Newsletter; so when you’re in need of a contractor, vendor or supplies, please refer to the Newsletter for their services and/or products.

If you have not mailed back your 2019 Club dues, please do so as soon as possible. The Club is not able to keep members ACTIVE who do not pay their dues. One of the great benefits of Membership to this CLUB is the $150,000.00 Term Life Insurance Policy. Unfortunately, Regular and Life Members who do not pay their dues

by January 31st will be deactivated and removed from the Group Policy; thus losing their Term Life Insurance.

Stay tuned for the new Club website getting ready to roll out! Remember the CLUB is also on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. These social media outlets are FREE to use, and you should all be utilizing them every day for business and pleasure. Always be NETWORKING! I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on January 3rd at our next monthly meeting at Connolly’s Pub and Restaurant.

Best Regards & Happy New Year,

Joe

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The start of every year takes you a step closer to the attainment of your dreams.

Hope this year is the breakthrough one and your dreams finally turn into reality.

Happy New Year to All..

Happy Birthday to our Regular Members Past Presidents Kevin Key & Anton Markola as well as Associate Member Sokol Hoxha.

January 1st New Year's Day

January 6th Feast of the Epiphany Three Kings

January 21st Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday

January 23rd National Pie Day

January 12th Feast of Fabulous Wild

January 24th Beer Can Appreciation

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January 18th Winnie the Pooh Day

January 28th National Fun at Work Day

Wait a minute! Gossip is normal?

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Throughout early childhood and beyond, we're told not to talk about anyone behind their back.

That's gossip and gossip is bad.

But, is all gossip bad?

According to some experts, including those at the Harvard Business Review, gossip is an integral part of life itself, not just the office culture.

"We learn who we are through what people say to us and about us," says Kathleen Reardon, Professor of Management at the University of Southern California. "We want to connect to people."

"Research shows that everyone participates in all kinds of gossip -positive, neutral, and negative," says Joe LaBianca, Associate Professor of Management at the University of Kentucky. Idle talk also provides information that can be useful to your

career and work.

Linda Hill agrees. "Gossip happens all the time, so you're going to hear it," says the Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Listening to office banter is a relevant way of hearing what is transpiring within the company. Informal exchanges of information can be just as useful as formal

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ones.

Because some gossip is negative, it is crucial to differentiate between the harmful and useful.

Negative judgements about someone's family or personal life cross the line. To say John is going on vacation is probably not a secret. But to imply that John is wasting money on another expensive vacation -that's the worst kind of gossip. That sort of gossip reflects badly, not just on John, but the gossiper as well.

Similarly, gossip about company personnel matters or other confidential information puts the company and the gossiper at risk.

Talking about shared interests and people is natural, but temper your comments with prudence and charity. Remember the person receiving that information is going to use it to evaluate your character.

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Ellis Island founded Jan. 1, 1892:

Isle of hope welcomed 20 million immigrants There was a time when no one asked to see your ID. Not many -- if any -- of the 20 million immigrants who came through Ellis Island after it opened Jan. 1, 1892, had a passport or a visa or anything much to identify them at all.

They just got off the boat, stood in a line, and walked out into the world.

But the part about standing in line was an important passage in the American immigration policy and screening.

Teams of immigration officers inspected and interviewed each person. Bags were inspected for contraband or taxable items. Officers used ship manifests to verify people's names, where they came from, and most importantly, whether they had anywhere to go once they got here. Immigrants had to at least be able to correctly state what was written on the ship's manifest, according to History.org.

Sometimes officers would be on alert to intercept known criminals or political radicals such as strike breakers. Those detained stayed in dormitories while they appealed their case.

Then came medical inspection. Each immigrant was inspected for general health and mental capacity. The idea was that the U.S. wanted to avoid taking those who would likely need public assistance. Also, medical officers wanted

CONCUSSION DANGER

Young athletes are at an increased risk of concussion, according to studies at the US National Library of Medicine.

According to the research, sports-related concussions are responsible for about nine percent of all high school athletic injuries. Of all emergency room concussion cases, sports injuries account for 25 percent.

These injuries are likely underreported. One 2006 study suggested that 85 percent of concussions in 16-to-34year-olds are linked to sports.

Concussions occur when a sudden blow slams the brain against the inside of the skull.

Even minor concussions can produce harmful effects, including nausea, loss of consciousness, headaches, irritability, loss of coordination, disorientation, and slurred speech. Severe cases can lead to bleeding in the brain, which can be fatal, and in all instances, symptoms can continue for days, weeks, or even months after the initial event. Anyone with a suspected concussion should see a doctor as early as possible.

to screen those immigrants who had infectious diseases.

The 10 percent who failed the medical tests waited in cages until they could be sorted out.

Overall, about 2 percent of immigrants were prevented from entering the U.S. Usually this was because of illness or suspected illegal activity.

But when you did leave, no one issued you a government ID. You just found a bus to your uncle's house or wherever you may have been headed.

Using Google's Family Link to set parental controls on a smartphone

Smartphones have the potential to open up a vast world of bad content for young children, but Google has provided a free and easy way to help reduce this risk on Android smartphones, according to Consumer Reports.

Using Google's Family Link app, parents will be able to limit the screen time of their children, set up limited access to apps and other content, and protect the privacy of the user.

Once the free app has been downloaded and installed, navigate to the screen time settings to set a total amount of time each day that the phone can be used.

Another good idea is to specify a period, such as bedtime till morning, that the phone can't be used at all to prevent kids from staying up too late and not getting enough rest. After that, use the app to take advantage of one of the Android operating system's most powerful features - multiple user accounts. A parent can set up a separate account, still linked to theirs, that the child can use on their own phone that has some parental controls set up by default.

Parents can then remotely monitor activity through a dashboard as well as get email alerts and require approval for new app installs. Privacy is essential for children, and the app will also allow parents to disable the sharing of photos and limit Google's ability to keep information about web searches and other activities.

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When negative thoughts constantly intrude, take action

People tend to be their own worst critics, but when negativity constantly dominate thoughts it is time to take some action.

Here are what psychologists quoted in Psychology Today recommend: "When you find yourself going down the path of self-criticism, gently note what is happening," advises mediation specialist Allan Lokos.

Be curious and warn yourself that these are thoughts, not facts. During such moments, psychologist Thomas Boyce recommends immediately jot down as many positive things you know about yourself.

You can also accept the presence of negative thoughts but reject thoughts that involve comparing yourself to others. Social media can be a 24-hour menace to a person's self-esteem.

Kimberly Hershenson, LMSW, warns that it can generate gloomy self-talk that only "leads to still more anxiety and stress." Serving others helps you focus on something other than your own issues, she says. Marriage and Family therapist David Simonsen agrees. "The more someone does something that can be proud of, the easier it is to recognize his or her worth," he says. "It is tangible. Helping at a homeless or animal shelter,

giving of time at a big brother or sister organization are things that provide value to oneself someone else as well."

Recognize your strengths--and the reassurance they bring you in times of insecurity. Perhaps ask a close friend.

Debbie Mandel, the author of "Addicted to Stress," suggests replacing one task per day from your to-do list to relax or do something fun. Also be sure to eat well and get enough sleep.

Both can heighten the happier aspects of your self-perception.

Another good exercise is to examine your own feelings for others. Bitterness, anger and resentment tend to keep people in a cycle of negativity, says author Glenn Schiraldi.

College without debt: It's possible

Today, the average cost for one year of college ranges from $22,000 at an in-state university to $47,000 at a private college. If youÕre taking out student loans to pay for it, you could be at least $90,000 in debt by graduation day.

You won't be alone, either: Total student debt in America is approaching $1.4 trillion.

If you really want to go to college, and stay out of debt, it is possible and, yes, it is difficult.

The biggest costs of university are tuition and roomand-board. The average tuition for an in-state student going to a state university is about $10,000. It costs a similar amount in most locales to live in a dormitory with food provided.

A student who can stay at home while in college automatically chops $10,000 to $15,000 off the college budget.

That leaves tuition. With a $10 an hour job, a student makes about $20,000 a year, enough to pay for tuition on a thrifty budget if he lives at home. Where you work can make a difference. Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Starbucks, UPS, FedEx, Best Buy and McDonald's are among

the dozens of companies that offer a college benefit package.

Scholarships can help offset costs of books and fees, each of which tally up to more than $1,000 per year.

Also, work-study programs can offset costs of housing and tuition. You can get information on those programs from the college financial aid office.

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How to scale the company ladder

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It takes more to get ahead in a company than just doing the basics.

"Simply meeting expectations is not enough if you want to get ahead," writes business trainer and consultant Cy Wakeman in her book, The Reality-Based Rules of the Workplace.

If you want to climb the ladder, strive to be a low-drama, high-value employee, Wakeman says.

Victor Lipman agrees, and he's an author and management specialist with more than 20 years of Fortune 500 experience.

"Be relentlessly reliable," he says. "Reliability is a cornerstone of business and a fine core personal attribute. Businesses may not often need brilliant bursts of artistic creativity, but they always need the trains to run on time."

For example, try to become a go-to person by developing as many skills as possible. The more you can do within a company, and the more you can learn about its operations, the more relevant you are to its goals.

Your attitude and willingness to work do matter too. Try to be consistently collaborative. In projects involving multiple participants with conflicting views and opinions, the person who can react effectively with all kinds of people is appreciated.

Also, create strong, enduring relation-

ships. In the corporate world, networking has been and always will be an influential factor regardless of an individual's status in the company. As much as others may profess that professional advancement is based on merit, individual relationships do have their roles in any company, large or small.

Think about ways and means of resolving an issue that may have been gnawing at the company for years. Although some of these problems are unique to each organization, the more common challenges include containing costs, improving production processes, and discovering new markets for established products.

Be a self-starter. Try to identify obstacles before they get worse. Try to

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be valued as a team member who tries to make difficult decisions easier.

Keep in mind that any solution you propose is likely to be met with skepticism; if not, the issue most likely would have been solved long ago. Should you succeed--or even make noticeable progress--your efforts could advance your career in ways you had not imagined.

Finally, try to make your boss look good (and if possible, his boss too). This sense can set you apart, showcase potential, and promote an ability to think beyond current circumstances.

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Beware of the pitfalls of hiring gig workers Self-employed gig workers save businesses money, but they can also cause big headaches.

With a 4 percent unemployment rate, the market for quality workers is tight, which makes hiring a gig worker tempting. And, there are a lot of gig workers. According to a recent study by Intuit (owner of TurboTax), about 34 percent of the workforce in the United States is composed

of gig workers. By 2020, the number is expected to reach 43 percent.

With those numbers, small businesses can find a huge pool of talent, but unless managers choose carefully, projects can take a major hit in reliability, unanticipated costs, and quality of work.

As Satya Purna, founder of ZAG Studios, a brand strategy company, told Business News Daily (BND), "It's a mixed bag. It's difficult to find freelancers who can keep up a high quality of work. They also have their own preferences. They may change their focus midway (through a project), so you'll need to find a new person."

Gig work is often used to supplement income and that means a gig worker's allegiance is somewhere else.

According to Shiftgig, a survey of gig workers showed 51 percent of them had full-time jobs.

Gig work can also be an impulsive decision. According to Shiftgig, the momentum of gig work is driven by the smartphone. "ItÕs as easy to book a side hustle as it is to order pizza," one CEO told Talent 10X. One small business owner said she has had problems with gig workers dropping projects cold. Even contracts don't help small business because to enforce one means going to court.

If you are planning to hire a gig worker, focus on true freelancers who aren't working full-time for another company. Assign projects in small steps, with clear guidelines on what is to be done and when. Pay well and stress that a gig worker can also be hired for the next step in a project should the work be acceptable.

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RESIDENT MANAGER

OF THE YEAR 2019

MANHATTAN RESIDENT MANAGER’S CLUB, INC. IS PROUD TO HAVE SELECTED

Resident Manager of the Year 2019 Come to the January Meeting on the 3rd and find out who the WINNER is....

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– MANhAttAN REsiDENt MANAgER’s Club, iNC. –

RECIPIENT OF THE WILLIAM KEY AWARD 2019

MANHATTAN RESIDENT MANAGER’S CLUB, INC. IS PROUD TO HAVE SELECTED

Associate Member of the Year 2019 Come to the January Meeting on the 3rd and find out who the WINNER is....

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Sears warranties still valid

Now that Sears has officially entered bankruptcy court, consumers that purchased the company's Kenmore brand of appliances in recent years are left wondering if their warranties will be lost, according to CNBC. Fortunately, in an official statement, representatives have said that all guarantees, warranties, and protection agreements will be honored as usual and their PartsDirect site is still open for business. In fact, when major companies go out of business, consumer warranties aren't usually impacted because most states mandate they be backed by outside insurance companies so that some amount of coverage can be guaranteed.

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Easy trick to limit shopping

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According to Consumer Reports, using credit cards will increase the amount of money you spend on a purchase because it makes the purchase less painful and speeds up the shopping process.

One way to slow things down is to create a buffer between the buying impulse and the checkout button.

You can do this by simply removing saved credit card information from web browsers and online stores such as Amazon, according to The Simple Dollar. Actually having to take the card out of a wallet and type the information creates a powerful disincentive to purchase.

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Empathy + Ego = Sales

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Among the wealth of extraordinary articles in the Harvard Business Review Classics series is one, published in 1964, entitled, "What Makes a Good Salesman."

Before writing it, David Mayer and Herbert M. Greenberg spent seven years pursuing the clues. During that time, a fellow HBR contributor, Robert N. McMurray, wrote, "We must look into the mysteries of personality and psychology if we want the real answers."

Mayer and Greenberg's conclusions: "Based on the insights we gained about the basic characteristics necessary for a salesperson to sell successfully, our basic theory is that a good salesperson must have at least two basic qualities: empathy and ego drive."

According to Webster's, empathy is "understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing" the feelings of others.

Moreover, according to Mayer and Greenberg, no salesperson can sell consistently without the skilled use of empathy.

Mayer and Greenberg declare that empathy is vital to the process of obtaining honest, accurate customer feedback. Once provided with a strong sense of the customer's feelings, the empathetic salesperson can react accordingly. With the use of his or her ego-driven techniques, the agent can alter the pace of discussion and weigh alternatives and options before making whatever creative adjustments are necessary to close the sale.

On the other hand, the authors assert that ego drive -- a subtle need to conquer--pushes a salesperson to make the deal or else. It becomes a mission, a mandate.

Mayer and Greenberg conclude, it is an active blend of empathy and ego drive -- each reinforcing the other -that will best serve the interests of a salesperson's career.

Simple way to build credit Using a credit card responsibly over time can improve credit. But if you have bad credit or no credit history, you can't get a card. Enter the secured credit card. With a secured card, you make a deposit to the credit card company and that deposit becomes your credit line. Then, you can use the card to buy an item every month and then pay off the item each month. This way, you build a history of paying for what you buy. That's good credit. In some cases, credit card companies will eventually upgrade a secured card to an unsecured card.

Avoiding mortgage refinancing scam

Scammers are targeting homeowners, trying to trick them out of cash and home equity, according to U.S. News.

'Loan flipping' scams seem to offer relief for those struggling with monthly mortgages. What actually happens is the scammer offers a fantastic deal on lower interest rates or mortgage payments. The homeowner goes through the lengthy loan application process only to find the terms and fees are much higher than advertised.

Scammers get away with this because victims are either too fearful or exhausted by the process to end the deal.

Some schemes strip equity from homeowners who are in danger of foreclosure. 'Mortgage rescuers' focus on homeowners who have a lot of equity in the property, but now can't make mortgage payments. They tell delinquent payers that they will pay off the mortgage if they sign over the deed and make rental payments. Unfortunately, the rental fees are likely to be just as high. The scammer waits until the person falls behind, evicts them, keeps the equity and sells the home

or skips town.

Here are things to look for: * Leaseback schemes. The scammer is going to own your home and you will rent from him. Always crooked. * Bad credit doesn't matter. Credit always matters. If someone tells you otherwise, be suspicious. * Upfront fees. These criminals review public records of people in default on their mortgages. For a big fee, they offer to help homeowners refinance, usually through a government program, but they actually do nothing. In the end, the house is foreclosed, the homeowner loses everything, and the helper pockets the fees.

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Horoscopes

Aries 3/21 - 4/19: Not every comment is criticism but when you are frustrated, it might seem like it. Beware of impulsive words this month.

Taurus 4/20 - 5/20: Some Taureans miss the comforts of home this month. It won't be forever. Stars advise gathering the herd.

Change is coming.

Gemini 5/21 - 6/20: Your wit and vision inspire new ideas. Tread carefully with the most cautious around you. It takes time for them to see.

Cancer 6/21 - 7/22: Travel is on your mind. Bargains await the Cancers who look at all options. A patriotic choice is attractive.

Leo 7/23 - 8/22: Get away from the crowd to follow an idea the rest might not understand. By the 19th, your natural magnetism draws some to your side.

Virgo 8/23 - 9/22: For Virgo, the clear way is usually the best.

Cut through the cacophony of voices, to find the right route. Stars guide you on the 20th.

Libra 9/23 - 10/21: When everyone knows what is best for you, consult your own intuition. Ask yourself if you have the courage to face the best and worst outcome.

Scorpio 10/22 - 11/21: Spend some energy on yourself this month after a hectic giving season. Puzzles are on your mind.

Sagittarius 11/22 - 12/21: Balance honesty and discretion this month in an expected encounter with a person important to you.

Discern what is truth and what is your opinion.

Capricorn 12/22 - 1/19: You might be looking for more out of a relationship. Stars say by the 20th, it will be time to ask for what you want. All answers will move you forward.

Aquarius 1/20 - 2/18: The full moon on the 21st heralds the beginning of a new building effort. Could be wood and wire or heart and home. Give it your all.

Pisces 2/19 - 3/2: You have a hunch that could serve you well if you bet cautiously. Now isn't the time to bet the farm.

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Top 10 situations where a safety hazard is likely

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Snowit citi in the continental

If you want to identify top safety hazards in the workplace, OSHA's Terrible Ten violations might be a good place to start.

OSHA recently released its top cited safety violations. Here are the categories and the number of citations issues:

1. Mt Washington, NH 2. Hancock Houghton Co Ap, MI 3. Syracuse Hancock Intl Ap, NV 4. Sault Ste Marie Sanderson Fld, MI 5. Caribou Muni Ap, ME 6. Flagstaff Pulliam Ap, AZ 7. Traverse City Cherry Cptl Ap, MI 8. Erie Intl Ap, PA 9. Watertown Intl Ap, NY 10. Rochester Gtr Intl Ap, NY Source: NOAA

1 Fall protection 5,899 2 Scaffolding 3,059 3 Hazard Communication 2,949 4 Ladders 2,480 5 Lockout/Tagout 2,384 6 Respiratory Protection 2,044 7 Machine Guarding 1,710 8 Powered Industrial Trucks 1,548 9 Fall Protection, training requirements 1,539 10 Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment -- Eye and Face 1,353

281.2" 207.7"

123.8"

120.4" 108.7" 101.7"

101.4" 100.9" 100.2" 99.5"

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When snowmaggedon hits, just don't make it worse by shoveling The 4,000 souls who live in Hancock, Michigan probably know to get their snowblowers out before winter drops the usual 200 inches on them.

But those in less flaky climes, when a storm drops six inches of snow, are probably going to get out a snow shovel one morning.

Think first.

Just don't shovel snow if you are 45 or over. According to Popular Science, shoveling snow isn't mere exercise. It is uniquely challenging to the heart, causing blood pressure to rise and oxygen to drop. In addition, it is done in the cold, which means an increased chance of heart blood vessel constriction.

Don't imagine you are protected because you are a jogger or runner. The demands put on the heart while shoveling snow are much higher than with those activities.

Still, it is better to be in shape than out of shape when you shovel snow.

If you absolutely must shovel snow, then follow these guidelines: 1 Warm up with some light stretching and movement.

2 Don't smoke! You are going to need all the oxygen your body can get.

3 Eat lightly before shoveling. Large meals put a strain on your heart.

4 Dress in layers.

5 Plan to stop shoveling frequently. Go in and get warm.

6 Push the snow, don't lift it.

7 If you must lift snow, at least use a small shovel.

Those wide shovels are best for pushing. Use a small, steel shovel. Don't constantly try to throw snow. Instead, turn small amounts over in a pile.

8 Don't drink alcohol before or after shoveling.

9 Consider buying a snow blower instead.

Donate blood in January Just 10 percent of the eligible blood donors actually donate blood.

The most common reason? They just didn't think about doing it.

That's why January has been named National Blood Donor Month since 1970.

Every day, hospitals and clinics around the country need about 36,000 units of blood and 7,000 units of platelets to help save lives.

As an example, a single victim of a car accident could require as many

as 100 pints of blood throughout their treatment and recovery process.

It is crucial to increase awareness around these donations, especially among those with Type O blood which can be transfused into any other blood type and is only represented in seven percent of the total population. AB positive individuals, meanwhile, are universal donors of plasma and make up only three percent of the population.

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The blood drawing process is entirely safe and the donation itself usually takes less than 15 minutes.

Even first-timers can likely register, go through their medical history and a mini-physical, and complete the gift in under an hour and a half. Because donated blood typically has to be used within 42 days, regular contributions are crucial throughout the year.

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The potential dangers of being underweight

While obesity in America demands much of the focus in the medical community, around 4.5 million people were dangerously underweight as recently as 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to Healthline, a person is defined as being underweight if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is below 18.5. An example of this would be a 5'4" woman who weighs less than 108 pounds.

Being underweight is closely

linked to malnourishment because the person is likely not consuming enough vitamins, nutrients, and calories to support a healthy body in the long term and many problems will stem from this condition. In general, these people are prone to have less energy, and the immune system will suffer, leading to more frequent illness. Similarly, a person's ability to heal wounds is compromised, and studies have found that underweight patients have a harder time recovering from from surgeries.

10 Things that should be thrown away now

Some things are wasteful to keep. They waste space and your energy.

Here are 10: 1 Old medications. A year after the expiration date, just pitch it.

2 Scratched non-stick cookware. You hate it anyway. No one else wants it.

3 Old sneakers. When they get old, they break down. No one else can use them.

4 Old plastic containers. Discolored. No lids. You hate them. Pitch them.

5 Liquor. It's junk after it has been opened and sitting in your cabinet for a year.

6 Old cosmetics. Not even you use that broken up stuff. Pitch it.

7 Creams and lotions. If they are more than a year old, they are trash.

8 Old cleaning tools. When the tool looks worse than the thing it is supposed to clean, get rid of it.

9 Random socks. If you want to, then do a massive sock match. But otherwise, in the trash.

10 Paperbacks. This can be hard for book lovers, but remember even the library throws away books. Old, dusty paperbacks do little besides take up space. Recycle them if you want. Or try to give them away. But get rid of them.

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In women, there is extra cause for concern for those underweight because of its connection to osteoporosis and infertility. Studies of 1,767 pre-menopausal women found that 24 percent of those underweight had low bone mineral density compared to only 9.4 percent of those with an average BMI. Meanwhile, more low BMI women suffer from amenorrhea, the absence of menses, or other menstrual irregularities which can indicate ovulation. If there is a lack of ovulation for too long, it can lead to infertility.

Alexa, Amazon team up to pop your corn

For connected college students and singles, Amazon has introduced a microwave that connects to the Alexa speaker.

According to Cnet, the small, low-voltage microwave takes voice commands and remembers how many bags of popcorn you popped. Naturally, when you run low on popcorn, Amazon delivers some more.

The microwave can bake a couple of potatoes (but won't do four and undercooks three) and defrost all by voice command.

There are challenges, though. How many ounces of peas do you have to defrost? You have to know.

Of course, it doesn't magically put the food in the microwave. So you are actually just saving time in figuring out defrost versus cook settings. But this genuinely does solve some problems.

The reasonably-priced $60 device is not for defrosting or cooking food for a family.

But it's good for one person in a hurry.

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Electric motorcycles catch up

One of the most popular brands of electric motorcycles, Zero, is offering models that can go as far and fast as a gaspowered cycle, but at a somewhat premium price. Zero's FX line starts at $8,495 with a small battery. The $10,495 model's larger battery can do 92 miles on one charge, with smooth acceleration and handling. The top speed is 85 mph. It fills up for only 81 cents, giving it 486 MPGe.

Samsung's new chips

Samsung has mastered a new chip-making technique to make phones work faster and stay juiced longer.

The new technique uses extremely thin waves of ultra violet light to print on a smaller chip surface. The resulting chip can be 20 percent more powerful and reduce power consumption by 50 percent.

Is AppleCare+ worth it?

Since Apple's newest devices cost up to $1,100, AppleCare insurance, at $200, is worth the extra expense, according to Consumer Reports.

Without the coverage on the XS Max, for instance, a cracked screen will cost $330 to fix at an Apple store. Any other part will be $600.

With the coverage, these costs drop to $30 and $100, respectively. Consumers also get an extended warranty and free technical support for 90 days.

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You think politics are tough now...

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Imagine a political climate that is so hostile and divisive that legislators find themselves picking fights on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

No, that didn't happen last week.

It was 221 years ago on Jan 30, 1798 when the first fight broke out on the floor of the US House of Representatives, only to be followed by a second fight the next month.

And before you ask, it wasn't Democrats versus Republicans. In fact it was a Democratic-Republican (a single political party) versus a Federalist.

Democratic-Republican Matthew Lyon of Vermont spit in the face of Federalist Roger Griswold of Connecticut. And that happened because Griswold had called Lyon a coward.

The event caused a stir, but troubles really ignited Feb. 15, 1798, when Griswold, the one who was spit on, took a hickory stick and beat the daylights out of Lyon.

Lyon, the spitter in the previous battle, was not going to take that so he got a pair of tongs from the fireplace and went after Griswold. Congressmen broke up the fight but Lyon evidently kept his tongs because minutes later he went after Griswold again and the fight was on.

The second famous fight was in 1856 when Democrat Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina, caned to unconsciousness his Republican opponent from Massachusetts, Charles Sumner.

Sumner, the Republican, whose party was founded to fight slavery, had ignited Preston's ire by bad-mouthing Preston's uncle

over his support of slavery. Seems Sumner said the uncle took to himself an ugly mistress and harlot called Slavery.

The issue of slavery caused two more brawls in succeeding years among Republican anti-slavery crusaders and Democrat pro-slavery factions.

The Brawl between Matthew Lyon and Roger Griswold

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Visit our Web Site at: www.mrmclub.com

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HIV vaccine and prevention research showing promise

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I have a rental property which I have maintained for a few years. Now I have an opportunity to sell it and buy another rental property closer to my house. How much do I have to worry about capital gains when I sell?

You might not have to worry about capital gains at all if your transactions qualify for a 1031 exchange.

Seasoned real estate investors have likely heard of the 1031 exchange, though many have never used it.

Also known as a like-kind exchange, this is a tactic that allows you to defer paying capital gains on the sale of a property.

Sound too good to be true? Don't worry, there are plenty of rules and hoops to jump through -- but if you can master them, the 1031 exchange can help you build substantial wealth.

In the exchange, you reinvest proceeds of a sale into a similar property. According to the IRS, the exchange can include like-kind property exclusively or it can include like-kind property along with cash, liabilities, and property that are not like-kind.

Primary residences and vacation homes do not qualify.

The exchange is sometimes a simultaneous swap of properties, but not always. There are two time limits to meet before the gain is taxable.

First, you have 45 days from the sale of the first property to identify your next purchase. There are a number of guidelines for how to do so and who to notify.

The second time limit, according to the IRS, is that "the replacement property must be received and the exchange completed no later than 180 days after the sale of the exchanged property or the due date (with extensions) of the income tax return for the tax year in which the relinquished property was sold, whichever is earlier."

Make sure to work with a professional who can walk you through the process and properly handle all paperwork. If done right, however, an investor can continue rolling profits over indefinitely and even pass the wealth along to his heirs.

In the 1980s, people died of HIV/AIDS and they died quickly.

But during the course of its 35-year long epidemic, treatments have made stunning strides in life expectancy and many of the 70 million people worldwide infected with HIV/AIDS can expect to live a relatively normal lifespan.

Still, there's no definitive cure.

Creating a vaccine for HIV is difficult because there are many different strains of it throughout the world, even more than the flu, and it has a protein covering that makes it resistant to many types of antibodies that could be used to attack it.

One candidate, a new 'mosaic' vaccine, with research published by The Lancet, targets many different HIV strains and created a robust immune response. This encouraging result has led to the second phase of the APPROACH clinical trial which will administer the vaccine to 2,600 at-risk women in southern African countries where one out of every 25 adults is currently living with HIV, the highest in the world.

A second candidate, powered by separate research from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, ignores the broad approach to hitting multiple strains and instead targets a specific vulnerability in HIV itself. In testing, the vaccine was able to neutralize a large portion of the most common HIV strains, and human clinical trials are planned for 2019.

In any case, incremental progress is being made in learning how HIV/AIDS attacks the human body and all of the research and experiments used to find ways to prevent it are also providing critical knowledge in the fight against other infectious diseases and viruses, such as influenza, that brings benefits to healthcare at large.

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