Water vs. Coke

Very interesting indeed! Water or Coke? We all know that water is important but I’ve never seen it written down like this before.

WATER

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 30%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

And now for the properties of COKE

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

For Your Info

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, would you like a glass of water or coke?

Stacy Neill | Marketing Director

The Three Most Common Mistakes in Fall Protection

Mistake #3: Lack of Quality Training Often times injuries and deaths from falls are in direct relation to the amount or lack thereof of quality instructor led and hands-on training performed by companies to their exposed personnel.  This lack of training and subsequent understanding of when and how to use a fall protection system has resulted in serious injuries and fatalities.  Companies need to take a serious look at their training modules and effectiveness of training by ensuring their exposed personnel not only have had instruction on the specific systems they are to use but that they understand when, how and why they are using them.  If signs of knowledge deficiencies or unsafe behaviors are found re-training should be conducted immediately.   Mistake #2: Anchorage & Free Fall Calculations Throughout my seven years working in and around trades that are exposed to falls, one of the most common scenes that repeats is improper anchorage.  I have seen roof personnel tied to buckets of material, tower climbers tied to a rotating or loose antenna booms and even workers tied to each other.  Appropriate anchorage is determined by OSHA as a point that can withstand 5,000 lbs. of force.  A competent person is responsible for determining these points of anchorage and ensuring personnel will be safe in the event of a fall.  Often times during training we tell trades to imagine that they bought a brand new S-10 pickup truck and have to hang this truck, without insurance protection, from their proposed tie-off point.  If they can confidently answer that they think their point of anchorage can hold the truck then it’s likely a suitable anchorage for an individual’s fall protection. With the emergence of self-retracting lifelines (SRL’s) the necessity for calculating free-fall has been reduced somewhat.  However, rope grab systems and even SRL systems need to be planned so that free fall of greater than 6 feet cannot occur.  Often times you will see an individual working at a level 20 feet above grade with 30 feet of slack in their rope system.  Or you will see an anchorage set at the leading edge with the contractor working 10 feet directly perpendicular to the anchor allowing for a 10 foot free fall.  Even more common you will see workers performing activities at height just above the 6ft. requirement in which fall arrest system could not prevent contact to a lower level or grade.  Free fall considerations can only be made for each individual working scenario at the time of the work to be performed.  Personnel must understand the importance of limiting free fall as well as ways to work with the limitations of the systems they are provided with. Mistake #1: Incompetent or Indifferent On-Site Supervision It’s a matter of fact… Most tradesmen will work the way they see their supervisors work.  Your on-site management is the most important cog in the fall protection system.  If your on-site supervision requires safe behaviors and safe actions you will likely see safe behaviors and actions from their subordinates.  If your supervisor has the mentality of get it done as fast as possible no matter the risk then you are likely to see unsafe actions and fall protection set-ups as a result.  Your on-site direct supervision has the most sway on worker safety and therefore should be of mindset that mirrors your fall protection program and goals.  Without this “buy-in” from you on-site competent person, all is for not.  Companies should take a long hard look at the people they have running their work in high hazard situations and make sure that these individuals have what it takes to educate, instruct, discipline and decide how the work should be completed in  a safe and compliant manner.

4 Ways to Train Your Brain for Positivity

Not a natural optimist? Use these simple exercises to train your brain to more easily pick out the positive.

You know how when you play Tetris for awhile, even after you stop, you can still see those little falling blocks in your mind's eye?

The persistence of Tetris isn't simply an annoying effect of a cleverly designed game, according to scientists. Instead it's a reflection of something deeply positive about our brains--their plasticity.

That's a according to a recent post by iDoneThis founder Walter Chen on productivity blog buffer. He cites studies on Tetris (yes, there is such a thing, and yes, this is going somewhere helpful to non-video game addicted entrepreneurs), which found that playing the game for a few hours a week over a period of months, actually changed the brains of players.

"Every time you reactivate a circuit, synaptic efficiency increases, and connections become more durable and easier to reactivate," Chen writes, before summarizing the importance of the findings: "Whenever you do specific tasks over and over again, they take up less of your brain power over time."
Learning Positivity

That's probably not a shock to anyone who has learned to play the piano, speak a foreign language or even hit a tennis ball roughly where you want it to go. So what's the big deal? This same brain plasticity allows you to master simple skills or sports, also allows you to train yourself to be more positive.

Chen quotes Shawn Achor, the author of The Happiness Advantage who has previously spoken about his work on the brain and happiness to Inc. Just like we can train our brains to more easily recognize the patterns of Tetris, “we can retrain the brain to scan for the good things in life—to help us see more possibility, to feel more energy, and to succeed at higher levels,” Achor says, dubbing this ability "the positive Tetris effect."

Happiness Homework

So how do you do this?  Chen offers four very simple interventions that can, over time, actually rewire your brain to see things more positively:

• Scan for the 3 daily positives. At the end of each day, make a list of three specific good things that happened that day and reflect on what caused them to happen. The good things could be anything — bumping into an old friend, a positive remark from someone at work, a pretty sunset. Celebrating small wins also has a proven effect of powering motivation and igniting joy. As you record your good things daily, the better you will get and feel.
• Give one shout-out to someone (daily). I love this technique. Take the positive things you’re getting better at recognizing and let people know you’ve noticed. Take a minute to say thanks or recognize someone for their efforts, from friends and family to people at work. A great way to go about this is by sending 1 daily email to someone. It can be your old school teacher, whose advice you are now appreciating every day. A co-worker or someone you’ve only met. Show courage and say thanks.
• Do something nice. Acts of kindness boost happiness levels. Something as small and simple as making someone smile works. Pausing to do something thoughtful has the power to get you out of that negativity loop. Do something nice that is small and concrete like buying someone a coffee.
• Mind your mind.  Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Opening our awareness beyond the narrowness of negativity can help bring back more balance and positivity into the picture.

Looking for more details? Chen's post has much more on the science and what actually happens physically in your brain. You can also check out Achor's interview about how happiness affects brain function (hint: it doesn't make it worse), or get tips on how to reframe situations more positively in the moment from my colleague Geoffrey James. Finally, if you're looking to add more mindfulness to your day, check out this post on how many entrepreneurs incorporate meditation into their lives.

Jessica Stillman is a freelance writer based in London with interests in unconventional career paths, generational differences, and the future of work. She has blogged for CBS MoneyWatch, GigaOM, and Brazen Careerist. @EntryLevelRebel

Conner Prairie to Open Nature Walk

From our Friends and Neighbors at Conner Prairie

“Unplug” your kids and bring them to Conner Prairie Interactive History Park as we celebrate nature during the 2013 season.

“In a society where many of our children – and adults – are suffering from ‘Nature Deficit Disorder,’ Conner Prairie has chosen to be a part of a national movement to reconnect children with the outdoors,” said Ellen M. Rosenthal, president and CEO of Conner Prairie. “At Conner Prairie families can pet a new-born lamb and explore nature while learning about Indiana’s past.”

All outdoor experiences will re-open on March 28 with new programming throughout the property that emphasizes the importance of bonding with nature and each other. Several new adventures will heighten senses and will help families discover how they are connected to earth, water, air and the planet’s plethora of living things.

Conner Prairie, Indiana’s only Smithsonian Affiliate, will host several new experiences as part of the “Year of Nature,” including: Conner Prairie Nature Walk.  Opens March 28, accessible during regular hours.

Explore Conner Prairie’s natural setting in our brand new Conner Prairie Nature Walk. Trek along a gravel path that begins in the heart of our outdoor historic areas and winds through a forest and along the top of a levee, which is flanked by woods, farmland, prairie and the White River. Along the way you will discover plant and animal life and discuss the importance of nature with your family. Learn how land was used in the past by Native Americans and William Conner, and how it is used today. At the end of the trail you will find an elevated observation deck that will provide a wonderful view of the prairie, which was created to attract migratory birds. Included with general admission. (.64 miles round trip)

United Way's Volunteer of the Year - Jeff Hagerman

A MESSAGE FROM THE UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL INDIANA:

 

His parents named him Jeff Hagerman, but we came up with a new name: United Way of Central Indiana's Volunteer of the Year!

He's the one with the rose in his lapel. Since 2008, Hagerman and his company have partnered with United Way to improve the safety of more than 30 child care ministries in Central Indiana, donating thousands in construction fees and generating more in-kind donations so we could serve even more children!

Jeff also volunteered on the campaign cabinet to encourage other companies to contribute in ways that help our whole community! Thank you Jeff!



Nine Things Successful People Do Differently

Learn more about the science of success with Heidi Grant Halvorson's HBR Single, based on this blog post.

Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren't sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer — that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others — is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.

1. Get specific. When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. "Lose 5 pounds" is a better goal than "lose some weight," because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you'll "eat less" or "sleep more" is too vague — be clear and precise. "I'll be in bed by 10pm on weeknights" leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you've actually done it.

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it's not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.

To seize the moment, decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g., "If it's Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I'll work out for 30 minutes before work.") Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go. Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress — if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don't know how well you are doing, you can't adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently — weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.

4. Be a realistic optimist. When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation. But whatever you do, don't underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality, and our physical aptitudes are fixed — that no matter what we do, we won't improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills.

Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong — abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

6. Have grit. Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime, and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

The good news is, if you aren't particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don't have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking .... well, there's no way to put this nicely: you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence, and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.

7. Build your willpower muscle. Your self-control "muscle" is just like the other muscles in your body — when it doesn't get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.

To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you'd honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching, try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up, or just not bother — don't. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur ("If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.") It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that's the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout.

8. Don't tempt fate. No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it's important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam. Don't try to take on two challenging tasks at once, if you can help it (like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time). And don't put yourself in harm's way — many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.

9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do. Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking, or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g., "Don't think about white bears!") has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior — by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken.

If you want to change your ways, ask yourself, What will I do instead? For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like "If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down." By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.

It is my hope that, after reading about the nine things successful people do differently, you have gained some insight into all the things you have been doing right all along. Even more important, I hope are able to identify the mistakes that have derailed you, and use that knowledge to your advantage from now on. Remember, you don't need to become a different person to become a more successful one. It's never what you are, but what you do.

Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D. is a motivational psychologist, and author of the new book Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals (Hudson Street Press, 2011). She is also an expert blogger on motivation and leadership for Fast Company and Psychology Today. Her personal blog, The Science of Success, can be found at www.heidigranthalvorson.com. Follow her on Twitter @hghalvorson

The Hagerman Group Receives Two Awards at ISA GC of the Year Banquet

The Hagerman Group was excited to participate in the Indiana Subcontractors Association (ISA) "Construction Networking Event of the Year" yesterday afternoon.  This event provides unique opportunities for meaningful networking within the construction community, attracting people from every corner of the State. The trade show featured prominent and key leaders from Owner, GC/CM/Developer, and Architectural/Design Professional companies. 

The event was followed by the GC of the Year Awards Banquet. This important and prestigious event honors the GCs nominated by ISA members.  Those nominees are also eligible for other wards including Projects of the Year, Excellence In Ethics, and Subcontractors Choice.

The Hagerman Group was honored to receive two awards last night.  The Project of the Year Award was given for the Hamilton Southeastern Jr. High School job.  A special thanks to Mike Holtkamp, Greg Delagrange, Jim Burkett, Stacie Nordhoff, and Kitty Arvin for their hard work on this project. 

We were also honored to be given the Subcontractors Choice Award.  We were up against 15 of our competitors for these awards and were very honored to have received this prestigious recognition in the subcontractor community.

Our team enjoyed networking at this event and was proud to be a part of such a quality group of peers as well as a top notch event.  Many thanks to ISA for putting on The Networking Event of the Year and continually recognizing the importance of subcontractor relationships in this industry.  

Stacy Neill | Marketing Director