From John's Perspective

Zena Stefani is still waiting for you to join Twitter...

2014-01-09T03:39:00.001-06:00

Zena Stefani is still waiting for you to join Twitter...

Accept invitation

Twitter helps you stay connected with what's happening right now and with the people and organizations you care about.

Zena Stefani sent you an invitation

2014-01-03T20:34:00.001-06:00

Zena Stefani has invited you to join Twitter!

Accept invitation

Twitter helps you stay connected with what's happening right now and with the people and organizations you care about.

Gun Myths Gone in Five Minutes: ABC News 20/20

2013-03-10T10:47:00.001-05:00

Readers Picks: Top Three Posts for January 2013

2013-02-02T09:42:00.001-06:00

The winners are rated by you, my friends of this blog.

They are rated by how many page views each post received in January 2013

What I find unusual, are the two posts that made it to the top three that were not written 2012. Many of these page views for the older post were originated through internet searches.

And the top posts are:

The Third Place Bronze Winner:
Is making a sale a random event, like throwing a dart at a dartboard?

Dec 8, 2012

Then the Second Place Silver Winner:
What Are the Pros and Cons of Going Off the Grid?
Jan 3, 2013

The First Place Gold Award Winner

Twelve Days of Christmas Gifts Graph
Dec 13, 2010

In January 2013, there had been 1112 page views for this blog!

As a FYI, in the right hand column there is a listing of the top blog posts for the last seven days.

Thank you visiting and reading my blog.

It is you, that made these posts the Top Three Posts for January 2013!

Chuck Woolery on Assault Weapons

2013-02-02T09:24:00.000-06:00

Anyone still uncertain as to what a "Low Information Voter" is?

2013-01-19T12:06:00.004-06:00

Watch this clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live

What Are the Pros and Cons of Going Off the Grid?

2013-01-03T17:00:00.000-06:00

People see big power companies ever increasing their costs. As energy cost go up for the long term, more people look for ways to use less energy to save money. People keep paying and paying the utility company and the bill gets higher and higher. With the cost of energy ever increasing to new highs, there are more people then ever looking into using alternative energy in their homes as a cost savings.

The Mother Earth News article dated June 19, 2009 What Are the Pros and Cons of Going Off the Grid? by Linda Pinkham talks about the overall scope of going off the grid. Pinkham discusses some of the basic equipment advantages and drawbacks but didn't go into the true depth of the issues of costs versus benefits.

On May 21, 2009, Pinkham also wrote What’s the Average Cost to Install a Solar-Electric System to Power Your Home? The average home has an incoming electrical line of 240 Volts that delivers 100 Amps. Using Ohms law where Volts X Amps = Watts, the average home is capable of using up to 24,000 Watts (24 kW) of power. In Pinkham's article the installation and materials of a "10kW Gigantic" off grid system, less then half the average home's total capacity, would be over $100,000. He also lists a 5kW larger than average system costing $52,000.

When is it going to pay back?

Once a a good estimate of the cost for installation and materials is obtained, people want to know when it's going to pay off. Using the PVWatts Version 1 Calculator and, assuming a 7.9 ¢/kWh, from where I'm at in Minnesota a solar system installed would provide a cost savings of $406.22 worth of energy per year. Can that be right? With the $52,000 - 5kW larger than average system, it would take over 100 years to break even.

What isn't discussed in those articles is the lifespan of the extra electrical equipment that is needed to be off grid. Deep Cycle Batteries used in these systems have a limited lifespan. The most popular Deep Cycle AGM would have an average life of only four to eight years (http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Lifespan%20of%20Batteries).

I have heard people who are interested in going off the grid say that their energy costs were too high. Those who are interested in going off the grid should start slowly by decreasing their energy consumption while on the grid. I think that it's good there are people like Ed Begley, Jr. out there that have their sustainable homes just to help the environment. At the same time, to go off the grid thinking that one would actually save money just doesn't make sense.

Readers Picks: Top Three Posts for December 2012

2013-01-01T06:30:00.005-06:00

The winners are rated by you, my friends of this blog.

They are rated by how many page views each post received in December 2012

What I find unusual, are the two posts that made it to the top three that were not written 2012. Many of these page views for the older post were originated through internet searches.

And the top posts are:

The Third Place Bronze Winner:
Matthew Fox White Zinfandel

Aug 27, 2011

Then the Second Place Silver Winner:
Is making a sale a random event, like throwing a dart at a dartboard?
Dec 8, 2012

The First Place Gold Award Winner

Twelve Days of Christmas Gifts Graph
Dec 13, 2010

In December 2012, there had been 1903 page views for this blog!

As a FYI, in the right hand column there is a listing of the top blog posts for the last seven days.

Thank you visiting and reading my blog.

It is you, that made these posts the Top Three Posts for December 2012!

I wish 2013 to be the best for all of you!
Have a happy New Year!

St. Gabriel 2010 Riesling (Mosel)

2012-12-24T09:00:00.000-06:00

Inside Cossettas Italian Market

Z and I did some late Christmas shopping today and ended up at Cossetta Alimentari on West 7th Street in St. Paul, MN. This is a wonderful Italian Market and Pizzeria. I heard from one of the employees that they will be adding a Pasticceria bar which will offer Pastries and Gelatos. We shopped there for a few last-minute gifts and a treat for ourselves.

Being that Z is not totally crazy about Proscuitto, a well-aged salted ham that tastes best sliced so thin that light can be seen through it which flavors complement melons, I had to pass on getting that.

Sliced Prosciutto that
I love served just like this.

The small treat we purchased was some diced Parmesan cheese. After we arrived home and put the groceries and other purchases away, Z opened the Parmesan. After having a couple of bites, I suggested a wine. Z agreed. After I consulted a Wine and Cheese paring website, Gourmet Sleuth, I resolved that either a Chardonnay or a Riesling would be appropriate.

I chose a bottle of 2010 St Gabriel Riesling (link is to the Wine Expert rating) from Germany's Mosel region in Germany. The back label boasts that the Mosel region is known for it's steep slopes and mineral-rich soils, then add it to the area's climate, give this wine a deliciously light, aromatic tickle with flavors of green apple and hints of lime citrus notes. The label goes on to say that this wine should be served with light meals, salads, spicy Asian cuisine or on its own. The screw top cap didn't deter me from purchasing this, nor deter me from opening it for a taste. The percentage of alcohol by volume is listed at 9.5%. Though the retail on a bottle of this is around $9, I had noted when I purchased this that we paid $6.75 on sale...a bargain, indeed, for such a pleasant wine!

The reason that I had purchased a couple of Riesling wines from different vintners, and parts of the world was to compare them to the 5 gallons of Riesling wine that I made and is currently aging in my cellar.

I measured the Specific Gravity at 1.010. This would be a sweet Riesling. I hoped it wouldn't be too sweet for the cheese and occasion. The color is clear and pale pear in color. It has a light bouquet on the nose of lemons, pineapple, and a hint of earth. Though not unpleasant, my first observation on the tongue is that it felt of effervescence (small bubbles in the wine), as if not all of the gas was removed from this wine. There seems to be a good balance between the sweetness and the tannins. The taste brings out more of the pineapples than lemons, and leads one to taste a bit of pear, as well.

Overall this is a good wine that I would purchase again. I may even back-sweeten a gallon or two of the Riesling I made to imitate this style of Riesling.

If you have tasted this brand and year of wine please be a friend and comment below on your experience!!

Fact or Fiction: Cover up of the Benghazi cover up??

2012-12-23T14:33:00.001-06:00

Clinton accused of faking illness to avoid Benghazi testimony - latimes.com

and

Rep. Allen West accuses Hillary Clinton of faking concussion to avoid Benghazi testimony - NY Daily News

It looks suspiciously like a delay tactic. If she would resign her position as Secretary of State, it would make it difficult to call her in to testify. Then the next Secretary of State (John Kerry) could claim that he has no knowledge of what happened.

Possible cover up of the Benghazi cover up???

Liberals and the democrats shouldn't be too worried. I'm sure fact she had a concussion or might have been faking a concussion and missing her appointment with congress will be long forgotten by her, due the concussion, and forgotten by her supporters, due to them hitting their palms against their head too hard in disbelief, by the time she starts her campaign to become the Democratic Presidential candidate in a couple of years.

Can this be true?? Woman hoards "30" Government Life line phones

2012-12-17T17:30:00.000-06:00

This woman says it is so easy to get free phones from a government program that she has 30 of them.

Don't sign any petition before seeing this video

2012-12-12T18:00:00.000-06:00

People sign "I am a moron" petition without reading headline

Bob Hope making a joke about Democrats

2012-12-09T09:24:00.001-06:00

Is making a sale a random event, like throwing a dart at a dartboard?

2012-12-08T15:29:00.001-06:00

I work in a sales environment. Four of us do outbound phone sales as inside Account Managers with three outside Territory Managers who are out on the road over 20 weeks a year. The other day I was logging a call into CRM software and one of the outside sales guys came in to our inside sales area and began chatting with my colleague on how sometimes his job of finding quality clients is like the random chance of throwing a dart at the dart board. My colleague told him since I throw darts competitively, that he should talk to me about his dart analogy.

Periodically, I hear the analogy that getting something is luck, as random as throwing darts at a dartboard. I know they are completely incorrect! Seneca, a first-century Roman philosopher, allegedly said, "Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet."

A person that is great in dart-throwing just doesn’t throw a dart at the dartboard - and just hope to get a Bull’s-eye. A great dart-thrower knows exactly where the dart is going to be after a couple of seconds after it is thrown from about 7 feet. Being a great dart-thrower also takes many hours of preparation and practice, as well as, physical and mental discipline.

A great dart-thrower has to know the playing field. This playing field is not only knowing the competition but also the type of dartboard, either bristle board or electronic, and what game that is being played on the board, like 501 or Cricket. With any type of dart board or dart game, a great dart-thrower needs to adjust the objectives, tactics and tools that are available. There are much different objectives and tactics to assure a win in 501 than there is to win a game of Cricket. For example, a great dart-thrower would use a different, heavier dart on a bristle board dartboard than electronic dart board. As I said, a great dart-thrower would change the objective, tactics and tools based on the game environment.

Being a great sales person also takes hours of preparation and practice to address the answers to any questions and objections the client may have and be able to create value to their product or services that would outshine any objection. As in dart throwing, top salespeople need both a physical and disciplined mental approach to assure the sales presentation relates value and is flawless and the message is not misunderstood by the audience.

A great sales person, like a great dart-thrower, also has to know the playing field. A great salesperson must know what the competition is bringing to the game. Both the competition’s weaknesses and strengths have to be known. A great sales person must be able to have insight about the competition’s product or service to relate a higher value of their product or service to the customer - than the competition has. Know thy competition.

To a sales person there is an assortment of audiences. There are people in the sales audience who are drivers, analytical, amiable or expressive. The great sales person should know the audience and adjust the objectives, tactics and tools to communicate ideas effectively to each type of personality in the audience.

Sales and darts are quite similar in the process of getting the win. At the same time, both great dart throwers and great sales people do not believe in random chance or luck. Success is when both opportunity and preparation meet. Now, go get those bull’s-eyes!

By: John A. Stefani

Black Friday Shopping Then North Pole

2012-11-28T21:20:00.000-06:00

Z and I went Christmas shopping on Black Friday. We went to Herbergers on University Avenue in St Paul as our first stop. They have pretty decent Black Friday specials and they tend to keep their Door Busters items in stock. While we were at Herbergers we heard a young preteen say, "Mommy, Mommy"-- We immediately thought of Family Guy and this scene:

After we finished there, we ate an early lunch at Leeann Chins nearby. Since this is the second year we've done this, I guess going to Herbergers and eating at Leeann Chins is starting to become a Black Friday tradition. (Shhh, don't tell our friend Keith H. who manages the A.V. Leann Chins store that we bought gift cards with extra free money from there!)

By the time we got done eating we figured we had enough time to get to Kohls Department store before their Door Buster Specials ended at 1:00 pm. We drove up to the Kohls in Roseville. As usual there was a check out line that went through the store around the outer aisle. By the time we got in line it was about 12:15. We had heard while we were in line that they would allow most of the people in line to take advantage of the Door Buster Specials even if they were in line after 1:00 pm. We did the tag team shopping where Z stayed in line first while I wondered around the store and did a little shopping. Then I let Z have her turn to shop while I held the place in line. Once we checked out and left the store we attempted to drive over to the Guitar Center but we just couldn't get in there.

We then drove down Snelling Avenue and then headed east on Grand Avenue. We then made our way toward Robert Street and decided to shop for some toys at Kmart in West St Paul and then after that we would cross the river and pick up a gift certificate at a small cafe in New Port Minnesota, called appropriately "The North Pole". We finished our shopping at Kmart and proceeded to the check out. The cashier handled everything correctly and even gave us a bonus gift cart. which was very cool. Another stop gained our fancy, The Dollar General Store. Z had to get the Almond Windmill Cookies for a buck a pack. (Really, they are quite good with coffee!) and so we filled our dollar store basket! As I was loading the last plastic bag from the register back into our cart I said to Z, "Now off to the North Pole!" I heard the young cashier chuckle. Like I was making a Christmas joke. I then turned to the cashier and said, "No. Really. We are going to the North Pole. The North Pole Restaurant in Newport to pick up a gift card."

And how was your Black Friday shopping experience? Do share...

Finished Apple Wine

2011-10-15T20:50:00.000-05:00

Here is what I've finished this week:

A few of the labeled bottles. Each label is slightly different. Per my fathers suggestion the the brand is "G. Antonio". Guess why.

The labels are completely in Italian text. Each bottle label have different sayings in Italian. My father helped me get the Italian correct.

Matthew Fox White Zinfandel

2011-08-27T21:06:00.000-05:00

Price: $4.99
Producer: Matthew Fox Vineyards
Region: California
Varietal: White Zinfandel
Container Size: 750 ML

Wednesday night Z and I went to a liquor store to pick up some boxes that Z could use for work. While we were there, we picked up some wine. One of the bottles was Matthew Fox White Zinfandel.

We opened it up Friday night and enjoyed it. Here is what we observed. Its color was a dark peach and it was very clear. The bouquet was like peaches, matching the beautiful color.

Even better, it tasted like it's wonderful bouquet, though we did find it a little on the sweet side. It's not a bad wine if someone is looking for a sweet wine. I thought it would be a good idea to measure the S.G.(Specific Gravity) so I can adjust the wine I was making not to be as sweet. I measured the S.G. at 1.012.

Lucky Bottle Score

2011-08-26T21:10:00.000-05:00

Z called me this afternoon as I was driving home from work.

She told me how she went to Walgreen's and then onto a garage sale where she bought a case of empty green bottles.

She said that these bottles had imprinting on the glass on the lower back and a cool design molded in the front of a face. She got a case of 24 of these.

I told her that I have some bottle cleaning to do.

When I pulled in I took the case of bottles out of her car and brought them into the house.

Looking at them in the light, I knew right away that these weren't wine bottles.

If I make some beer, could I reuse these?

Apple Wine

2011-08-20T11:27:00.000-05:00

Last week I started a five gallon batch of apple wine.

Being that I pitched the yeast last Friday night, I though I started out too slow. By Saturday at 1:00 pm I saw no bubbling action and wasn't smelling any yeast odors like I had with my one gallon batches. I stirred it anyways. I thought it was because of the water that I used. I used 1 gallon of spring water and 4 gallons of purified water.

I didn't check it again until Sunday at 5:00 pm. There was a good amount of bubbles on the top of each bucket and had the tell tale or yeast. I should say that foam covered each bucket. I stirred it. Looks like the fermentation was well on it's way.

On Wednesday the S.G. reached 1.000 so I racked the wine into a carboy.

I'll definitely let you know about how it finishes.

Apple/Passion/Mango

2011-07-23T21:33:00.000-05:00

Today I picked up 6 frozen cans of Old Orchard 100% Apple Passion Mango concentrate. Each one mixed with water makes 48 oz of juice. With coupon I paid 50c each.

I was wondering how it would taste as a wine and would like to try.

I was figuring on a starting S.G. of somewhere in the range of 1.085 to 1.090.

Would anyone have any advice or guidance for the recipe?

Wine Enthusiast 18-Bottle Stackable Rack

2011-07-17T00:44:00.012-05:00

Yesterday we ordered the two of the Wine Enthusiast 18-Bottle Stack-able Rack. From Kohl's. With a 30% discount we couldn't resist.

These will be a nice addition for when I get to bottle more of my homemade wine. I have a perfect place for this in my cool basement.

Here is the link to the item at Kohl's:
Wine Enthusiast 18-Bottle Stackable Rack - Natural

My Sister-in-Laws parents used to make wine. They had offered at a my nephew's graduation party to give me three of glass carboys. All they wanted for them was a bottle or two of wine so, they can appreciate what I have made. I should be able to pick them up today!!

Employee Motivation Programs - Top Reasons Incentives Work

2011-06-26T13:04:00.003-05:00

Employee motivation programs - more than likely you have known of them, however if you are not implementing them inside your small business, you are making a dangerous mistake. You see, while you will observe that these reward programs will require a monetary investment on your part, they might bring you fantastic returns in the extended run. From incentives to unique prize giveaways, there are so many assorted ideas that you might get your own employee motivation program started and here are a few of the best reasons to do so.

Reason #1 - Increase Your Sales - One of the major reasons that incentives work for businesses is because they might assist you to boost your sales. There are days inside businesses that even your greatest salespeople may well be experiencing a moment of decreased sales. Now, if you are approaching into the 3rd or 4th quarter and sales have been down, associate motivation programs may perhaps be just the way to start improving your sales, bringing your associates out of a slump.

Reason #2 - Boost Employee Productivity - One more reason that employee motivation programs work is since they might assist you to increase employee productivity. Implementing programs, such as holiday incentives, can assist to push the run of the mill achievers inside your small business to boost their performance. As you observe common achievers start to drive towards these rewards, You will notice that your overall associate productivity will start to increase, that leads to extra cash for your small business.

Reason #3 - Enlighten Your Company's Customer Service - Customer service is essential to the achievement of every small business. First impressions are so essential, and customers base create their judgment of your small business based on your associates. Implementing employee motivation programs is a interesting way that you can enlighten your organizations customer service in a explicit manner, increasing sales and returning customers repeatedly.

Reason #4 - Employee Motivation - Finally, you will observe that implementing employee motivation programs additionally helps to multiply employee motivation as well, which is chief. Employees who are not driven do not perform well, however visualize how you may possibly intensify the drive of your employees by offering vacation incentives or some different type of reward to them. These programs assist to keep associates on top of their game and also serve as encouragement for intense performance.

As you can envision, there are numerous examples that incentives can work for your small business, and there are numerous advantages that you can enjoy as a small business. Employee motivation programs are an investment that you just will not lose. You will intensify sales, improve employee productivity, enlighten your customer service, and motivate your employees to perform. All of those advantages lead to profit and accomplishment, which are two things your small business just can not live without!

Author: Samantha Jacobsen

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/employee-motivation-programs-top-reasons-incentives-work-1701357.html

Cover Letters

2011-04-09T20:01:00.000-05:00

Your cover letter is the first thing a hiring manager will see when you apply for a job. It's the deciding factor that determines whether your resume will earn a glance or end up in the trash, so make sure you leave a positive and lasting impression by avoiding these top cover letter don'ts.

1. Don't begin with a weak opening
The first part of your cover letter may be the only part that a hiring manager takes the time to read, so don't risk an opener that will make their eyes glaze over. Grab the reader's attention with a short introduction and an attention-grabbing statement. For example, "Your need for a top-performing administrative assistant is an excellent match to my 4-year track record in successful office management and executive support for a Fortune 500 company."

2. Don't repeat your resume
Nobody wants to read the same thing twice. Instead of regurgitating your resume, highlight the top three key points or skills that you offer.

3. Don't send the same one to every job
Just like your resume, customizing your cover letter is the key to success. Read the job description and use it as a "cheat sheet" to create a cover letter centered on this specific position.

4. Don't only focus on your needs
Avoid using "I" or "my" too often. Although you are writing about yourself, the cover letter should mainly focus on the employer and the position. What makes you the right person for this specific job? How can the company benefit from hiring you?

5. Don't use "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To whom this may concern"
Avoid addressing your cover letter to a generic reader by finding out who the actual hiring manager is. Do your research and it will definitely pay off, maybe enough to get your cover letter to the "yes" pile. If you can't find the name, use the reference "Hiring Manager" instead.

6. Don't forget to indicate the position you are applying for
Hiring managers usually hear from hundreds of applicants—sometimes for different jobs within the company. Make a reference to the job that you are applying for incase they are hiring candidates for more than one position.

7. Don't hide that you're great for the job
Take advantage of formatting tools such as bullet points or bold fonts to emphasize your achievements. If the hiring manager is going to scan your cover letter, you want to make sure these important details jump off the page.

8. Don't go over one page
Make sure that your cover letter is clear and concise. No matter how extensive your work history, keep it down to one page only. You don't want to waste the reader's time …or put them to sleep!

9. Don't email as an attachment
Sending a blank email with an attachment risks your application looking like spam. When applying to a job online, include your cover letter in the body of the email and attach your resume to the message.

10. Don't forget a strong closer
If you have followed #1 above, it is time to end your cover letter with a bang. Include a strong closer that will leave a lasting impression and create anticipation for your resume. Promise to follow up by phone or email—and pull through when the actual time comes.

By Joanna Boydak, LiveCareer

How does someone end up in a portable toilet

2011-03-31T20:27:00.001-05:00

Donate to the Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities

From John's Perspective

Zena Stefani is still waiting for you to join Twitter...

Zena Stefani sent you an invitation

Gun Myths Gone in Five Minutes: ABC News 20/20

Readers Picks: Top Three Posts for January 2013

Chuck Woolery on Assault Weapons

Anyone still﻿ uncertain as to what a "Low Information Voter" is?

What Are the Pros and Cons of Going Off the Grid?

Readers Picks: Top Three Posts for December 2012

St. Gabriel 2010 Riesling (Mosel)

Fact or Fiction: Cover up of the Benghazi cover up??

Can this be true?? Woman hoards "30" Government Life line phones

Don't sign any petition before seeing this video

Bob Hope making a joke about Democrats

Is making a sale a random event, like throwing a dart at a dartboard?

Black Friday Shopping Then North Pole

Finished Apple Wine

Matthew Fox White Zinfandel

Lucky Bottle Score

Apple Wine

Apple/Passion/Mango

Wine Enthusiast 18-Bottle Stackable Rack

Employee Motivation Programs - Top Reasons Incentives Work

Author: Samantha Jacobsen

Cover Letters

Top Three Posts for March 2011

How does someone end up in a portable toilet

Anyone still uncertain as to what a "Low Information Voter" is?