Archive for the ‘Personal Performance’ Category
Dear Kev, nothing personal, love Swanny
Posted: February 27, 2012 at 10:15 am
DEPUTY Prime Minister Wayne Swan says the public attacks by ministers on Kevin Rudd's record as prime minister are not personal but an attempt to set the record straight.
Mr Swan said that until now, the Australian public did not know the real reasons for the June 2010 coup that led to Julia Gillard ousting Mr Rudd as Prime Minister.
Since Mr Rudd announced his resignation as foreign minister last Wednesday, several ministers, including Mr Swan, have gone on the record about issues they had with Mr Rudd and his management style.
Mr Rudd, who will go up against Ms Gillard in a leadership ballot on Monday, says he accepts people had issues with his time as Prime Minister, but he has changed.
"Of course people have some legitimate criticisms of some aspects of my past performance and I accept responsibility for that," he told Nine Network.
"We all learn from past mistakes and I can improve."
He said the personal attacks from his former ministers were unprecedented and unwarranted.
"When you're in the midst of a campaign for the leadership of Parliamentary Labor party, people are going to say a whole lot of things out there in the heat of a campaign and I think there's a whole lot of things said about yours truly which perhaps should not have been said."
If he lost to Ms Gillard, he believed the anti-Rudd campaign would continue.
However, Mr Swan said he and his colleagues were not mounting a personal attack against Mr Rudd, but advising the public of why he had to go.
"It is very important that there is an accurate record here," Mr Swan told the Ten Network.
He was unrepentant about speaking out against Mr Rudd.
"I didn't take those statements lightly ... but the fact is there is just no easy way to say that Kevin Rudd found it very difficult - particularly through 2010 - to take the decisions that needed to be taken and found it very difficult to provide respectful leadership in the cabinet."
He said he had tried to communicate those concerns to Mr Rudd, although Mr Rudd said no one within cabinet warned him he was at risk of losing the party's confidence because he was running a paralysed and chaotic Government.
"I, along with a number of senior ministers, was constantly talking to Kevin Rudd about the inability to progress the business of Government particularly through 2010 and late 2009," Mr Swan said.
Mr Swan also said he did not believe Mr Rudd had learnt from his mistakes.
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon, who criticised the way Mr Rudd handled health policy while she was minister, had some words of praise for Mr Rudd, saying his passion, vision and drive contributed to the implementation of major reforms in her previous portfolio.
But she said there had been no process to address differences of opinion on policy issues under Mr Rudd, in stark contrast to the way Ms Gillard operates.
Ms Roxon, Tony Burke and Peter Garrett are on the record saying they won't work in a Rudd ministry again.
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Dear Kev, nothing personal, love Swanny
Dublin and Danville Personal Trainer Specialists, The Fit Potato, Now Offer Training and Bootcamp for Men
Posted: at 10:15 am
The Fit Potato, offering fitness and running coach services throughout the Dublin and Danville areas, features personal training and fitness bootcamps for men.
Dublin, CA (PRWEB) February 27, 2012
Dublin and Danville personal trainer specialists, The Fit Potato, the outstanding provider of fitness training in the Dublin, Pleasanton, Danville, San Ramon and Blackhawk areas, now conducts personal training and fitness bootcamp for men every Sunday starting at 8 a.m. The Fit Potato used to specialize in women’s fitness bootcamp but has now expanded to include male clients.
“We are now offering Dublin personal training and the Dublin Bootcamp for men because we have been getting a lot of interest about a men’s bootcamp and our personal training offered to men,” personal trainer and running coach Francisco Gomez of The Fit Potato said. “We have also noticed that there has been an increase in men wanting to work out in order to complete a marathon, a half marathon, a 10 km, a 5 km, and other such events like the Tough Mudder and the Muddy Buddy.”
The Fit Potato’s Dublin and Danville bootcamp for men is tough but satisfying. It features a variety of interactive and thrilling exercise routines to maximize strength and power in the trainees. During the bootcamp, trainees will be made to do hill repeats with a number of exercises that will improve agility, power, reaction, stamina and speed.
The Fit Potato provides one-on-one and team sessions for both men and women, and teaches trainees not only to conquer physical difficulties but also to prevail over mental obstructions. The Fit Potato helps trainees achieve their goals—from regular weight loss to sports performance training.
For more information about The Fit Potato’s services for men and women, call 925-241-5235 or view the Fit Potato on the web at http://www.thefitpotato.com.
About The Fit Potato
Established in 2001, The Fit Potato Fitness Training, serving Dublin and Danville, is owned by Francisco Gomez, a certified personal trainer. The Fit Potato offers services like private one-on-one personal training, women's and men’s fitness bootcamps, weight-loss programs, running coaches, sports performance training coaches and nutrition consultants.
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Francisco Gomez
The Fit Potato
(925) 241-5235
Email Information
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Dublin and Danville Personal Trainer Specialists, The Fit Potato, Now Offer Training and Bootcamp for Men
Option introduces XYFI, the world's smallest 3G & WIFI personal hotspot
Posted: at 10:15 am
LEUVEN, BELGIUM--(Marketwire -02/27/12)-
XYFI brings easy and instant 3G WiFi connectivity to everyone
Option (EURONEXT: OPTI; OTC: OPNVY), a global leader in wireless connectivity, security and experience, today launches XYFI - the world's smallest hotspot with integrated 3G, WiFi and hotspot connectivity.
Option's XYFI, the world's smallest 3G WiFi hotspot, enables up to eight simultaneous connections, so users can connect their WiFi devices and invite others to share their broadband connection easily and securely. In addition to connecting to cellular networks to share WiFi, XYFI also connects to WiFi presenting the user as a hub to connectivity and providing carriers with significant WiFi offload benefits.
XYFI is powered via USB connection, meaning users can take advantage of a wide variety of USB-enabled power sources; in fact the XYFI will offer a set of elegant power accessories, including a wall and car plug, and a unique extended battery pack for the longest autonomy of any battery-powered personal hotspot router.
Jerome Nadel, Chief Experience Officer at Option, commented: "XYFI's easy ' out-of-box' set-up brings instant connectivity to everyone, without the need to install any software or drivers. It can be powered in many different ways, making it ideal for use on the move anywhere that a user has 3G or WiFi coverage, a USB slot and power. The intuitive web pages are optimized for use on mobile devices and guarantee users the best possible connectivity experience."
XYFI comes with smart interfaces. It can be easily managed from an intuitive web-based GUI and dedicated mobile pages. In addition to secure, seamless connectivity, XYFI's integrated microSD memory card slot and streaming capabilities allow users to share media and files.
XYFI delivers easy and secure wireless information sharing anywhere, anytime. Option will be announcing leading customers in the coming weeks.
About Option
Option is a global leader in wireless connectivity, security and experience. Option enhances the performance, functionality and usability of wireless communications through a portfolio of 3G, 4G HSPA/LTE and WLAN connectivity solutions. The company works with mobile operators, OEMs, retailers and enterprise customers to create compelling products that enable new connected and secure services. Option is headquartered in Belgium, with further R&D facilities in Germany and an ISO 9001 production engineering and logistics facility in Ireland. Option maintains offices in Europe, the US, Greater China, Japan and Australia. More at http://www.option.com
Copyright ©2012 OPTION. All rights reserved. All product and company names herein may be (registered) trademarks or trade names.
Option introduces XYFI, the world?s smallest 3G & WIFI...: http://hugin.info/133962/R/1589077/498902.pdf
Option introduceert XYFI, ?s werelds kleinste 3G- & WIFI...: http://hugin.info/133962/R/1589077/498905.pdf
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Source: Option via Thomson Reuters ONE
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Option introduces XYFI, the world's smallest 3G & WIFI personal hotspot
Mike Song
Posted: February 26, 2012 at 12:34 am
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Mike Song
Fear of Losing Jobs, Affects Employee Performance
Posted: at 12:34 am
Though you probably didn't need scientific research to tell you this, a new study shows that fear of job loss causes workers to feel dissatisfied and less committed to their jobs. The study also shows that blue-collar and white-collar workers react differently to job insecurity.
The research , which polled more than 300 workers in Spain and was conducted by the psychology department at the University of Valencia, shows that insecurity at work is directly and negatively linked to satisfaction in work and life and also affects performance and commitment. Furthermore, the research reveals that the consequences of this insecurity differ in accordance with the occupational group they work in.
The feeling that one is going to lose their job worsens satisfaction levels in other areas of life, such as family, health, financial circumstances and the work-free time balance, the research found.
[5 Signs It's Time to Fire an Employee]
As the fear of unemployment increases, "the level of work insecurity rises, people are less satisfied with their personal, work and family lives and they are less committed to their work," Amparo Caballer, a co-author of the study, told the Spanish news agency SINC.
This study also revealed that the consequences of job insecurity are different in each occupational group, with some groups reacting more negatively to perceiving insecurity at work. When there is uncertainty about employment, blue-collar workers "are less satisfied with life and they work less productively than the other groups studied," Caballer said. White-collar workers display the most dissatisfaction at times of instability.
This story was provided by BusinessNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience.
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Fear of Losing Jobs, Affects Employee Performance
re: GLEE – Full Performance of "Stereo Hearts" airing TUE 2/14 – Video
Posted: February 25, 2012 at 2:05 pm
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re: GLEE - Full Performance of "Stereo Hearts" airing TUE 2/14 - Video
Nicki Minaj Live Performance Grammy’s Awards 2012 – Video
Posted: at 2:05 pm
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Nicki Minaj Live Performance Grammy's Awards 2012 - Video
Institutionalization Steps (Part III)
Posted: at 2:05 pm
MANILA, Philippines - The ''institutionalization phase'' gives us one last opportunity to strengthen the links between strategy execution and day-to-day operations. It does entail these additional steps that need to be taken to help sustain in practical terms a governance culture, which needs to be embedded in the heart and mind of every individual. By these steps, the link between ''learning and growth'' - a perspective used in the formulation of the strategy map and therefore of the performance scorecards also - and human resource management becomes strong and substantive.
The first of these additional steps is the link between the personal performance scorecard (a final component of strategy execution) and personnel performance evaluation (a normal operating function of human resource management). In the former, every individual makes a clear and formal commitment to deliver a certain level of performance, using pre-agreed measures and targets. In undertaking the latter function, there is really no further need to look for other measures of personal, individual performance: It is all there in the personal performance scorecard. Furthermore, in providing guidance and counselling to every individual, the other relevant points contained in the personal performance scorecard can provide handy references and a useful guide. These points may include items other than those directly connected with one's job; those other aspects of one's personal life that may have a direct impact upon one's performance at work are usually included in one's personal scorecard.
The second step relates to the imperative of continuing education and training for everyone. This relates directly to the ''learning and growth'' demands of every individual, as governance should open up more opportunities for self-improvement and for advancing one's over-all personal progress. More importantly, the demands of the strategy map would usually require new knowledge, new skills, and new attitudes as added ''equipment'' for personnel faced with higher and newer (perhaps also more sophisticated) demands in their jobs. Productivity improvement programs generally make stringent demands for the continuing education and training of people.
The third step is the provision of opportunities for people to take better care of their physical wellness as well as for them to join up with others in socially relevant causes such as strengthening the family, quality improvement of schools, and deepening the social responsibility of civil society (or at least specific groups within this broad sector). Governance does remind everyone that there is more to life than giving a good account of oneself at work; there is also a wider world for which we are all responsible: That world starts with one's physical well-being as well as with the care one invests in the other social drivers of change and transformation, i.e., the family, the school, socio-economic enterprises and civil society (often in partnership with public governance units).
The demands of the institutionalization phase may take a long time to meet; in fact, they are impossible to meet fully because we can do justice to them only if we try and meet them on a sustained and continuing basis. For as long as we send firm and strong signals that we have started taking all these steps associated with this phase, we can justifiably claim that we are completing our PGS journey. But we all have to understand that such a journey may ''formally end,'' but it never stops. There are always higher dreams and grander visions to realize as we seek to achieve more breakthrough results through the governance framework we have adopted.
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Institutionalization Steps (Part III)
Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner
Posted: at 2:05 pm
A close cousin to the Editors' Choice Canon imageFormula P-150 Scan-tini ($295 direct, 4 stars), and one small step up in Canon's line, the Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner ($325 direct) combines a not quite identical scanner with improved software. The result is an even more attractive package, both as a portable scanner and as a small-size personal desktop scanner. It's also the new Editors' Choice for its category.
The P-215 is so similar to the P-150 that it's hard to see a difference. At 1.6 by 11.2 by 3.7 inches (HWD) and 2.2 pounds, it's just a little bigger (by 0.2 inches in one dimension), a little heavier (by 0.1 pound), and costs just a little more. However it's otherwise nearly identical, with a 20-page automatic document feeder (ADF), duplexing (the ability to scan both sides of a page simultaneously), and even the same claimed speed.
Canon rates both scanners in both grayscale and black and white modes at 15 pages per minute (ppm) for both simplex (one-sided) and duplex (two-sided) scans, and at 30 images per minute (ipm) for duplex (with one image on each side of the page). Color mode is a still reasonable 10 ppm and 20 ipm. Beyond that, the scanners share most of their specifications point for point. However, Canon says that the P-215 adds the ability to scan hard plastic cards, like embossed ID cards and driver licenses.
Setup
One welcome improvement for the P-215 is easier setup for the scanner itself. With the P-150 you had to install a part in the scanner by following confusing instructions. The P-215 comes out of the box ready to work. Setup can be as simple as connecting the supplied USB cable. However, you also have other choices.
The P-215 gets power over the same USB cable it uses for data. It can also get additional power from an optional AC power supply (although it's not available at this writing) or from a second supplied cable that plugs into the scanner's power supply connector on one end and a second computer USB port on the other. Canon says that using the power supply or second cable will boost scan speed, but I didn't see any difference in my tests. Given that different USB ports can supply different levels of power, you may or may not see a difference on your computer.
Software choices
You also have the option whether or not to install software. If you don't want to install any, you can use the Canon CaptureOnTouch Lite utility stored in the scanner's memory. Connect by USB cable, and the computer will see the memory as a USB drive. Depending on how your computer is set up, it will then either launch the utility automatically or let you run it manually.
Alternatively, you can install the full version of CaptureOnTouch, which gives you much more control over the scan settings. You can also install a Twain driver, which will let you scan directly from most Windows programs; Nuance PaperPort 11 for document management and optical character recognition (OCR); NewSoft Presto! BizCard 6 SE for scanning and managing business cards; and connectors for Google Docs, Evernote, and Microsoft Sharepoint.
The software installation is mostly standard. However, it suffers from the same issue as the installation program for the Canon imageFormula DR-C125 ($495 direct, 4 stars) that I recently reviewed. During installation, you need to choose between a Typical or Custom install. With most scanners, the Typical option would install everything. With the P-215, however, it installs only the driver, scan utility, and user manual.
As I pointed out in the DR-C125 review, these choices really should be labeled Minimal and With Programs. At the very least, there should be some additional information explaining what each choice installs. Without it you may well go ahead with the Typical choice and never know that there are other programs available or how to install them.
Choosing Software
I tested the P-215 on a system running Windows Vista and with all four setup options—using one cable and two in combination both with CaptureOnTouch Lite and with the full set of installed software. Adding the second connection made no difference in speed with either software choice. However, the software makes a noticeable difference in usability.
CaptureOnTouch Lite will let you scan to searchable PDF files as well as image PDF, JPG, BMP, and other image file formats. The full version of the utility adds much more control over scan settings, while PaperPort and BizCard 6 add document management, the ability to recognize text and save it in editable format, and the ability to scan and manage business cards. What this adds up to is that unless you have a very good reason not to, you should install the software on your hard disk.
Performance
The P-215 offers a 600 pixel per inch (ppi) optical resolution, which is much more than you need for document scanning. Its default setting is 200 ppi, which is generally sufficient. In my tests, using the default settings of 200 ppi and automatic color detection, scanning to a PDF file, and giving the scan command from PaperPort, a 10 page document in both simplex and duplex modes matched the claimed 10 ppm and 20 ipm for color scans, but took an extra 35 seconds to save the file, so the effective speed was 6.3 ppm and 12.6 ipm. That's an acceptable speed even for a personal desktop scanner. For a portable scanner it's blazingly fast.
Much more important is that the P-215 doesn't slow down when you scan directly to a searchable PDF file. Only a few other scanners, mostly from Canon, can manage this trick. The DR-C125, for example, doesn't slow down at all for text recognition, and the P-150 adds just a few seconds. In contrast, the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300 ($295, 3.5 stars), like most scanners, takes a significant amount of extra time for text recognition, at 1 minute 43 seconds to scan 10 pages and save to an image file, compared with 2:37 to scan and recognize the text.
In addition to its fast scan speed, the P-215 scored well on our other tests also. Scanning to Word format, the combination of the scanner and PaperPort read our Times New Roman test page at sizes as small as 5 points and our Arial test page at sizes as small as 6 points without a mistake. Few scanners we've tested have done anywhere near as well for OCR accuracy.
Results for business cards were mixed. The scanner had trouble feeding stacks of cards, so I needed to manually feed some of them one at a time. The speed was also slow enough—at about 25 seconds per card—that a fast typist could do the job in less time than it takes to scan and then check the results. However, the accuracy was good enough to be useful, with errors on fewer than half of the cards, and most of those having only one or two errors.
Despite the lackluster results on our business card tests, the Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner is more than a little impressive. It's fast, particularly for scanning to searchable PDF format; it offers an ADF and duplexing; and its text recognition is unusually accurate. The combination makes it a standout winner, both as a capable personal desktop scanner and even more so as a portable scanner that doesn't force you to make compromises. By any measure, it's an easy pick for Editors' Choice.
More Scanner Reviews:
• Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner
• Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300
• Brother DS-700D
• Canon imageFormula DR-C125
• Kodak P570 Personal Photo Scanner
• more
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Canon imageFormula P-215 Scan-tini Personal Document Scanner
Advanced SystemCare 5.1 Pro Serial Key – Video
Posted: February 24, 2012 at 7:08 am