2013 Volume 4 Issue 4 - gam® mag - Winter 2013

Winter 2013

Volume 4, Issue 4

gam|mag is our quarterly newsletter, combining functionality with fresh design.

gam|mag DirectorRonnie Price

DesignersBrooke FremeauLIsa Mears

Follow us on Facebook: gamFollow us on Twitter: gfxandmkt

Phone: 703.450.4121Fax: [email protected]

2013 Winter

Workpage 4 What Employees want More than Moneypage 4 Loud, Angry Words Affect Everyone Who Hears Thempage 5 5 Ways to Attract Young Talentpage 6 How to Have a Successful Careerpage 6 Happy Employees Seem to Impact the Bottom Linepage 7 Companies Find the Value in First-Day Experiencespage 7 There are Real Benefits to Taking a Lunch Breakpage 7 ‘Musical Chairs’ in the Office

Healthpage 10 Exercise at Midlife Pays Off for Decades Laterpage 11 For Health and Success, Be in the Presentpage 11 Eat More... Kale?page 12 CrossFit for the Superfitpage 13 Holiday Decoration Safety Tipspage 13 Get Your Fireplace Ready for Winterpage 14 Gun Violence is Declining page 14 These Supplies are Lifesaverspage 15 Is Faster Better?page 15 New Car Safety Systems Reduce Crashes

Newspage 18 Super Bowl Prices will be Big Apple Bigpage 19 TSA Expands Its Pre-Check Program to Any Passengerpage 19 Asking Why is Usually Counterproductivepage 20 Creepy Haunts Can Brew Up Buyerspage 21 These are the Most Popular Full-Sized Sedanspage 21 Consumers are Buying and Borrowing Again

Technologypage 22 Samsung Introduces Its New Smartwatchpage 22 Google Glass Will Move into the Workplacepage 23 It’s Game Time!

Book Reviewpage 24

CONTENTS

Winter 2013 3

well as a comprehensive annual review of your financial situation and goals. An unbiased review by an experienced financial professional can help identify opportunities that seek to tax-efficiently create, grow and preserve your wealth as you enter your retirement years.

how to Best MonitorYour FinancesFollowing are potential developments that could affect your cash flow and require adjustments to your plan.

• Interest rate trends and market moves may result in an increase or decrease in income from your savings and investments.

• You may also encounter changes in federal, state, and local tax rates and regulations. Watch for changes in Social Security or Medicare benefits or eligibility, as well as new rules affecting employer-sponsored retirement benefits and private insurance coverage.

• Inflation and health care costs are two other variables that can have an impact on living costs and, hence, your retirement planning assumptions.

• Life events such as marriage, the death of a spouse, and the addition or loss of a dependent may also affect your cash flow.

• In addition, cash flow is impacted by both small and significant choices you make over the course of your retirement, such as how much you spend on travel and entertainment and whether you live in a lower-cost or a higher-cost locale. These factors can have a significant effect on cash flow and how long your retirement assets are likely to last.

It is worth paying close attention to cash flow, making sure you budget carefully, monitor income and expenses frequently, and take action whenever you believe that significant changes may be necessary.

Keep in mind that creating a retirement or financial plan is not a one-time event. It requires periodic adjustments in order to help ensure your money is available when you need it and for as long as you need it, regardless the impact of the changing tax, economic and political environment.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a financial representative or Senior Wealth Advisor at Northwest Financial (NWF) to discuss your personal situation, please call 703-810-1072, ext. 110, or visit www.nwfllc.com/consultation.

Northwest Financial LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor and Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Northwest Financial LLC refers securities and insurance business to LPL Financial. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance products offered through LPL Financial or its licensed affiliates. Northwest Federal Credit Union is not affiliated with LPL Financial.

Not NCUA insured. No credit union guarantee. May lose value.

Working to Address a Total Financial PictureA member contacted Northwest Federal to learn how she may be able to get higher returns on her savings and investments. She had about 10 years to go before retirement, and was concerned she had not saved enough to be able to retire when she wanted. Our NWF Wealth Advisor was invited to participate and asked about her history, motives for the money, and potential constraints that may hinder achieving her goals.

Our NWF advisor was able to work closely with the member to build a sound financial strategy. This included consolidating retirement assets for a more comprehensive financial picture, reviewing title/ownership designations on accounts to help protect valuable assets, building a portfolio with more tax-efficiency, addressing estate planning needs, and reviewing retirement distribution strategies.

The BiggestChallenge

for Retirees:

MAKING YOUR MONEY LAST















5 Ways to Attract Young Talentp. 5

Making Your Money Lastp. 8-9

Local Happeningsp. 25

FEATURES

GAM Open Housep. 16-17

Find the 10p. 26

gam®|mag 4

What Employees want More than MoneyHere is what the top workplace consultants say employees want more than money: To respect the boss. Geoffrey James, author of Business Without the Bullsh*t (to be published in 2014), writes that employees want respect from the boss but they also need to believe their boss is a leader who deserves their own respect. Employees need some degree of security and to know they aren’t wasting their time while doing their best. Jeff Gunther, author of Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It, decided employees needed trust and autonomy and instituted the Results Only Work Environment. Employees can work their own shifts, in any location they choose but they have to produce results. Gunther found employees were more productive and loyal.

Tim Gould, writing for HRmorning.com, says that perks are still big with employees. Sport tickets, gift certificates, free lunches, car washes -- all of these little rewards give people a lift and bragging rights. Leonard Glick of Northeastern University says in Forbes that employees should “feel that they own the place.” They should feel responsible to the customer and a valued member of the team. And, one more thing: James says employees want to be on the winning team and they want to know what it takes to get there.

Loud, Angry Words Affect Everyone Who Hears Them

Though angry yelling at work is rare, when it happens, the impact is office-wide. While it damages the participants’ own careers, it takes a toll on co-workers productivity, morale and short-term memory. Merely observing rudeness hurts bystanders’ performance on both routine and creative tasks, according to authorities at Georgetown University. Witnessing conflict robs them of cognitive resources and hijacks performance.

Winter 2013 5

WORK HEALTH NEWS TECH

5 Ways to Attract Young TalentAs the economy picks up, mid-size companies are scrambling to hire talented people. Once they are on board, they find that nurturing their talent is more important than ever. Fortune magazine tells these five steps companies are taking.

Put creativity into recruiting. One company, looking for 13 superb new hires, had staffers hand out “Lucky 13” temporary tattoos to candidates from elite schools. The idea stressed the exclusivity of the club of new hires. The Redwood, Calif., company got 1,500 applications from schools like Stanford and MIT.

Fit resume to culture. If you get a lot of applications for entry level positions, consider looking at extra-curricular activities first. Businesses that focus on collaboration and communication might look first for sports teams, leadership roles, and even community activities.

Effort counts. Young hires often can’t boast about their last full-time job. But many have probably spent some time looking for one. What did they do during that period? One company found that hiring freelancers paid off. The employees had experience in finding and finishing work, even before getting paid.

Money talks. Big bonuses lure talent. Always have.

Teach them the ropes. One company provides every new hire with 12 months of mentorship from an appropriate staffer who had been hired the previous year.

gam®|mag 6

How to Have a Successful CareerPo Bronson is the co-author of Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing. Recently interviewed for CNNMoney, he makes some interesting observations. If you’re just looking for stability in your career, you’ll lose your edge. You’re playing to lose rather than to win.

Competition at work is crucial. It makes you tap into hidden reserves of effort and motivation. Competition is energizing and gives you focus.

Someone who isn’t inclined to be competitive can still excel. A “worrier,” for example, is prone to anxiety but is a very good planner and does lots of preparation. Even if you are uncomfortable with competition, it’s important to put yourself in the spotlight, says Bronson.

The competitive drive isn’t reduced with age. After age 50, we compete just as intensely but are more selective in what we choose to compete over.

Short-term stress triggers energy for what you need to achieve. Long-term stress is bad for performance.

What makes a long and satisfying career is an adequate challenge. When your work is respected and honored by people around you, your life is meaningful.

Happy Employees Seem to Impact the Bottom LineWhen you enter a store or a restaurant, it’s easy to tell who is pleased to be working there. They greet you with a smile and serve you well. What about a business where people rarely see customers in person? Does it pay to make their lives more pleasant? According to some evidence, it does.

Companies that score highest in employee satisfaction have low turnover. Reduced turnover means lower training and recruiting expenses. Quoted in USA Today, Jerome Dodson, manager of the Parnassus fund says reduced employee turnover “makes a huge difference in earnings.” Some say that excellent employee experience translates into high stock prices for the benevolent corporation.

The oft-cited example is Google which saw its stock rise by about 700 percent since its public

debut in 2004. Wallowing as it is in cash, Google’s offices have many areas designed to promote interaction. They have a great health plan, a college reimbursement plan, legal aid and more.

Some types of businesses -- grocery stores, for example -- typically have lower profit margins and not as much money to work with for benefits. Some low-profit margin companies still manage great perks. Marriott offers employee discounts at its hotels worldwide. Costco manages to pay employees well and have good benefits in spite of being in a low-profit margin business. Dodson says the key factor in maintaining a solid, experienced staff is consistency and high performance. He says companies with high turnover tend to lurch from crisis to crisis.

Winter 2013 7

WORK HEALTH NEWS TECH

Companies Find the Value in First-Day ExperiencesIt seems that new workers who find their first day boring and filled with paperwork are less likely to stay with the company. Onboarding programs are out to change that. Companies such as Facebook provide the benefits paperwork to future workers before their first day. It’s finished before they arrive.

Instead of sitting through boring talks on the company history and mission, new staffers are paired with peer coaches who can answer all their questions before their first day. When they arrive at work for the first time, they are given ample time to get to know their co-workers. One Harvard study shows that when people make social connections on the job, they are happier, more productive and less likely to leave in the first few months.

One important onboarding feature is giving them a chance to show what they can do. A software engineer was given a desk, a computer, and the opportunity to update the company’s website.

‘Musical Chairs’ in the OfficeSome companies find that shifting employees to different desks every three months or so increases productivity and collaboration. At Sociometric Solutions, they find that a worker’s immediate neighbors account for 40 percent to 60 percent of every interaction during the day, from face-to-face chats to email messages. There is only a 5 percent to 10 percent chance employees will interact with someone two rows away.

Some seating plans have goals. One communicative woman was placed in a group where no one was saying anything. It took a few weeks, but she was able to get the group to open up and start chatting about their work. At the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Professor Sigal Barsade says, “People literally catch emotions from one another like a virus.”

There are Real Benefits to Taking a Lunch Break

More people are eating lunch at their desks or even skipping it completely. Is that a good idea? Chris Cunningham, a professor at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, says it is not. People get drained after a morning of concentration and effort and they need a break. Cunningham cites psychologist William James’s 19th century concept which suggests people can refill their energy and focus with ‘passive attention.’ That means focusing on something that grabs and holds their attention effortlessly. Cunningham recommends nature for easy refreshment. Change your environment for lunch and restore yourself.

Connecting with colleagues can be energizing. He’s a fan of going out to lunch frequently with co-workers, and not talking about work. Simply enjoying eating during working hours is beneficial and valuable, says Cunningham a professor of Industrial-Organizational and Occupational Health Psychology. “Give yourself a chance to be fascinated with the world around you,” he says.
















for Retirees:

MAKING YOUR MONEY LAST















The ultimate goal for most retirees is making sure their assets last as long as they live. And because of increased longevity, managing cash flow is more critical than ever. While many variables come into play, there are a number of planning moves that can help retirees live within their means and make appropriate adjustments in response to changes in income and expenses.

Tools for the TaskIf you are retired or about to retire, you will need to clarify your current financial situation, as well as any significant changes you expect. Two sources will provide this information:

• A net-worth statement, which provides a snapshot of your assets, debt, and cash reserves.

• Your monthly or annual budget, with itemized breakdowns of your income and expenses. If you haven’t retired yet, it’s a good idea to prepare a projected budget of your retirement income and expenses.

Analyzing this information will reveal any major problems that you need to overcome, such as insufficient cash reserves for an emergency or an income shortfall compared with current or projected expenses. It may also identify areas for improvement. For example, you may be able to free up cash by reducing debt or eliminating nonessential expenses.

Even with reasonable assumptions about investment returns, inflation, and retirement living costs, it is likely you will encounter numerous changes to your cash flow over time. Experts often recommend a monthly review of your budget, as well as a comprehensive annual review of your financial situation and goals. An unbiased review by an experienced financial professional can help identify opportunities that seek to tax-efficiently create, grow and preserve your wealth as you enter your retirement years.






Even with reasonable assumptions about investment returns, inflation, and retirement living costs, it is likely you will encounter numerous changes to your cash flow over time. Experts often recommend a monthly review of your budget, as


for Retirees:

MAking YouR MoneY LAsT

NORTHWEST FINANCIAL MESSAGE






Even with reasonable assumptions about investment returns, inflation, and retirement living costs, it is likely you will encounter numerous changes to your cash flow over time. Experts often recommend a monthly review of your budget, as


for Retirees:

MAking YouR MoneY LAsT

NORTHWEST FINANCIAL MESSAGE

How to Best Monitor Your FinancesFollowing are potential developments that could affect your cash flow and require adjustments to your plan.







Keep in mind that creating a retirement or financial plan is not a one-time event. It requires periodic adjustments in order to help ensure your money is available when you need it and for as long as you need it, regardless of the impact of the changing tax, economic and political environment.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a financialrepresentative or Wealth Advisor at Northwest Financial Advisors (NWFA)to discuss your personal situation,please call 703-810-1072, ext. 110 orvisit www.nwfllc.com.

Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance products offered through LPL Financial or its licensed affiliates.Investment advice offered through Northwest Financial Advisors, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.


Northwest Federal Credit Union and Northwest Financial Advisors are not registered broker/dealers. NWFCU is not affiliated with LPL Financial.

Working to Address a Total Financial Picture. A member contacted NWFCU to learn how she may be able to get higher returns on her savings and investments. She had about 10 years to go before retirement, and was concerned she had not saved enough to be able to retire when she wanted. Our NWFA Wealth Advisor was invited to participate and asked about her history, motives for the money, and potential constraints that may hinder achieving her goals.

Our NWFA advisor was able to work closely with the member to build a sound financial strategy. This included consolidating retirement assets for a more comprehensive financial picture, reviewing title/ownership designations on accounts to help protect valuable assets, building a portfolio with more tax-efficiency, addressing estate planning needs, and reviewing retirement distribution strategies.

gam®|mag 10

Staying WellExercise at Midlife Pays Off for Decades Later

In their 40s and 50s, people who made a point of staying fit before may get pretty busy. They start wondering if lifting weights, exercising at home or going to the gym is worth the time and effort. There has always been some evidence that people who are fit at midlife are more likely to be healthy in their 60s, 70s and 80s. The best evidence available now comes from the Cooper Institute in Dallas. It has a database of patients who have gone to their preventive medicine clinic since 1970.

Their study, published in the September Archives of Internal Medicine, focused on data from 18,000 healthy people whose cardiovascular fitness was measured by treadmill tests in their 40s or 50s. By examining Medicare claims on these subjects, researchers found that those who were most fit were much less likely to develop heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, kidney disease, colon or lung cancer during the next 20 to 30 years.

They also found that subjects who were fittest at midlife were one-third less likely to develop dementia in their 70s and 80s. Cardiovascular fitness helps prevent dementia by reducing the risk of diabetes and hypertension, both of which can contribute to dementia. But even after controlling these factors, the reduced risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease remained.

Doctors at the University of California, Berkeley, say one benefit of being fit in middle age is that it increases the likelihood that you’ll continue to exercise, eat well and stop smoking. If you’re past middle age and didn’t exercise much back then, you can still get many of the benefits of midlife fitness if you start to exercise now. It’s never too late to start improving your fitness level with exercise and other healthy habits.

Winter 2013 11

WORKWORK HEALTHHEALTH NEWSNEWS TECHTECH

For Health and Success, Be in the PresentHow many times have you found yourself driving or doing something routine and realized you had no idea what just happened? Autopilot can make some routine tasks easier but its not always a good thing. Sometimes automatic functioning can harm relationships and even make you anxious and depressed. Practicing being present in the moment can often help people with chronic conditions see themselves as whole people. The Mayo Clinic developed Stress Management and Resilience Training to enhance resilience and the ability to thrive in spite of adversity. You don’t have to go through formal training to begin your mindfulness practice. These steps can get you started:

Paying attention. Learn to place yourself fully in the present moment. Use your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? Practice it everywhere. Note what you see and feel: At bedtime, the cool, soft sheets, the blue light of night out of the window, the quiet.

Removing judgment. Observe the world, your tasks, other people and yourself without criticism. Try not to attach strong feelings to a task: I hate this.

Breathing. Forget everything else for a moment and feel each breath. You can observe your breath from your nostrils, chest or belly. Feel the sensations that accompany your breath and breathe with rhythm.

Meditating. Set aside a time and place for doing nothing. Once you have assumed your favorite posture, focus on your breathing. It’s like exercising your mind, honing its focus and concentration.

Eat More... Kale?Suddenly, kale has become the darling of cooking magazines and health websites. It could be because a cup of kale contains only 36 calories, but it’s a health powerhouse with double your daily value of vitamin C, almost double your daily value of vitamin A, and has a lot of magnesium.

What’s really important is its vitamin K, 10 times the daily value for this vitamin that promotes bone heath, heart health, reduces inflammation and diabetes risk. Like other cruciferous vegetables, it inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells.

New types of kale have a milder and sweeter favor. Some ways to use it:

In a salad with apples and walnuts

Roasted: toss it with olive oil and bake it for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees

Added to pizza toppings, soups, pasta and stews

As kale chips: chop, toss with oil, and bake 30 minutes at 250 degrees

gam®|mag 12

CrossFit for the SuperfitCrossFit is a trademarked regimen that is licensed to gyms and certified trainers. Developer Greg Glassman, quoted in The Wall Street Journal, says workouts are most effective when performed with equipment such as weights, medicine balls and pull-up bars. CrossFit exercises can be as simple as bouncing a weighted ball or jumping off a wooden box. Such exercises and power lifts or push-ups are typically mixed into a session.

For people who want a quick sample of a CrossFit workout, one CrossFit training facility in Maryland offers two routines. The measure of effectiveness is how quickly you can complete a set number of repetitions. Completing a program in 12 minutes, for example, is better than doing it in 15 or 20 minutes. For these starters, however, just do as many as you can without undue stress.

As you gain strength over time, you’ll be able to do more. Do three sets of these weight-free exercises: 30 pushups, 40 sit-ups and 50 squats. Another routine is to alternate running a quarter of a mile then doing 15 burpees for a total of 15 minutes. Burpees begin in a standing position. Then squat and lower your hands to the floor. Kick your feet back into a push-up position. Then return to the squat and then the standing position.

Winter 2013 13


Speaking of Safety

Holiday Decoration Safety Tips

You may think you know all about safe decorating, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission asks you to take this refresher course. First, before crawling up on the roof to string the Christmas lights, you should know that every year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 12,500 people for injuries, such as falls, cuts and shocks related to holiday decorating.

Trees: When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” It indicates that the tree will resist burning and any fire should extinguish quickly. When purchasing a live tree, check to see if it’s green, needles are hard to pull off and they don’t break when bent. Christmas trees cause 300 fires annually and $10 million in damage. Place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Place the tree away from foot traffic and don’t block doorways.

Lights: Use only lights that are approved by a testing laboratory and that have fused plugs. Discard any set that has broken or cracked sockets, frayed wires, or loose connections. Always replace any burned-out bulb with a bulb of the same wattage. Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord. Make sure the extension cord is rated for the intended use. Multiple cords should be plugged into a power strip that has a circuit breaker.

Outdoor Lights: Be sure they are certified for outdoor use. Fasten them to trees or other firm supports to protect them from wind damage. Use insulated staples. Or run strings of lights through hooks, which can be left up for next year’s decorating. Turn them off when you go to bed or leave the house. Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

Get Your Fireplace Ready for Winter

It’s time to give your fireplace a checkup. Getting it ready for cold weather is important for safety and for personal comfort. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently. Have the chimney cleaned by a professional. Chimney sweeps use a high-powered vacuum so no dust or soot enters the house. They clean the entire chimney, check the flue and check the attic for any areas that need repair.

Arrange a good source of fuel. Delivery of one or two cords of seasoned wood may take the fireplace through the heating season. Never use green wood, which will produce more smoke than heat and will cause deposits to build up inside the chimney. Synthetic logs can be pretty and easy to use, but be sure to follow the instructions on the package.

Open the fireplace flue before starting a fire. It will allow fresh air for the fire and allow smoke to go up the chimney instead of into the room.

Close the fireplace screen to keep sparks from flying out of the fire. Educate everyone in the home so they will not discard anything into the fire, which could cause toxic fumes. And paper could cause an instant hot fire with flying particles. Close the flue when the fire goes out to avoid heat loss and to keep debris, birds and animals out the house. Have a metal container for removing hot ashes. Embers and ashes can stay hot for a long time. Place the metal container of ashes some distance from the house so they don’t ignite and set something ablaze.

gam®|mag 14

Gun Violence is Declining The number of crimes committed with guns has dropped dramatically in the past two decades, but many Americans think gun violence is more of a problem than ever. According to Pew Research Center, a total of 84 percent think gun crime has either gone up in recent years or has stayed the same.

In the past 20 years, non-fatal gun crime is down 75 percent, and there were 49 percent fewer gun fatalities from 1990 through 2010 than before. At Carnegie Melon University, they say the public doesn’t get its feeling about crime from statistics but from press and TV commentators. David Demenway, a professor at Harvard’s School of Public Health, says all types of crime have gone down, but school shootings are huge news and make people believe things are worse. Every week or so, he says, TV and press coverage make big news about some individual being shot.

According to the FBI’s Crime in the United States 2011 report, the estimated number of all violent crimes reported to law enforcement decreased for the fifth year in a row. The estimated number of property crimes reported decreased for the ninth year in a row. Figures for 2012 are not yet available. The Pew researchers began their study before the school shootings at Newtown. It plans a larger study of crime trends later this year.

These Supplies are LifesaversIn your car and home, you really should have a few standard items that will get you through dangerous weather and power outages. First thing’s first: Water. In your home, keep some plain bleach handy for purifying water. Use about 1/4 cup per gallon. In your car, travel with at least two bottles of water. Water can be handy to clean up messes and give dogs a drink even if there is no emergency.

A UV water purifier is useful for any no-power situation. Various types are available, including those that allow you to carry purified water in a bottle. Next, you’ll need information in an emergency. A portable radio is essential. Be sure to stock up on batteries to keep it running. A compact portable radio with an antenna can fit easily in a glove compartment. Light in the darkness -- you’ll soon want that. An LED flashlight can easily be stored in the car. An emergency strobe is useful. One example is the Streamlight PolyStinger DS LED Flashlight. It has three beacons for various brightness levels and a tall signal strobe that runs for up to 5 1/2 hours. The slim unit is water-resistant, shock proof and has one wall-mounted charger and one for the car’s cigarette lighter. A First Aid Kit is basic equipment for emergencies. Best that the kit is waterproof.

You may never think you want a generator until you are in an emergency situation. Today there are a number of small generators that will power a cellphone. Eton Corporation has a small crank generator that cranks to power a cellphone, and provides an LED light, NOAA radio and a solar panel for outdoor power.

Winter 2013 15


Is Faster Better? Speed limits are up in 37 states including the speediest state of all, Texas, which just approved a highway with an 85 mph speed limit. Texas Highway 130 from San Antonio to Austin is a 41-mile straight, flat stretch of nothing but power lines. It now boasts the highest speed limit in the country at 85 mph.

Is this limit reckless? It depends how you look at the answer. Studies show accidents don’t increase as speed increases but, when accidents occur, they are more often fatal.

Wisconsin Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory found a 15 percent increase in fatalities on rural roads when speed increased. On the Ohio Turnpike, however, fatalities are down since the speed limit was increased to 70 mph in 2011.

In Michigan, bills to allow higher speed limits are supported by state police. Lt. Gary Megge of the Michigan State Police Traffic Services Section, argues with other experts, that the uniform speed of traffic is most important. Variance in speed -- one slow vehicle followed by a fast one, for example -- makes for dangerous traffic situations. Illinois is the most recent state to allow speed limits of 70 mph or more. Bills in Wisconsin, New Jersey and Michigan could push speed limits to 70, 75 and 80 mph, respectively, on highways.

Meanwhile, do motorists step on the gas as speed limits increase? Surprisingly, no. Average speeds in Utah are up just 1 mph since the state designated its first 80-mph highways in 2008.

New Car Safety Systems Reduce CrashesWhen shopping for a car, it’s best to look for one that scores well on safety tests from both the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Both groups conduct crash tests, but they do them differently. There is currently no requirement for new cars to have backup cameras, but NHTSA says it recommends them. The rearview cameras are offered now on luxury cars, but they are standard equipment on Honda’s Accord, Civic and CR-V, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

Studies by IIHS show that among newer technologies, these systems help reduce crashes the most:

Forward-collision warning systems. They use sensors to alert you if you’re approaching the vehicle in front of you too quickly. More advanced versions include automatic braking. If you don’t heed the warning, the vehicle will slow down on its own. The feature is now available on Chevrolet Malibu ($395 with lane departure warning), Honda Accord (standard on EX-L and higher trims), and on Ford Fusion ($995 in a package with adaptive cruise control and automatic braking).

Adaptive front lighting systems. They adjust the headlight beams as you steer, giving you a better view in the dark. It’s standard on expensive cars, but is an option on others.

16

design • graphics • marketing • printing • mailing

On October 22, 2013 GAM held its 10th Annual Open House in the Nokes Boulevard location.

The event was held on National Print Day again this year. Celebrating print and helping others through your donations, this year’s open house was well attended and lots of food and coats were collected.

National Print Day (NPD) is the fourth Tuesday in October. The mission of NPD is:

1. Dispel the myths about print 2. Prove print is a viable, advantageous and powerful mode of communication 3. Advocate print as intrinsic to human nature, evoking emotions and providing a tactile experience 4. Promote the coupling of print with digital communications to provide a truly integrated approach that allows information to be accessed both with and without a device.

Kenny Fox, GAM’s Press Supervisor, showed an open house guest how the UV coater made the NPD poster look so incredible!

Everyone had a wonderful lunch of Carolina Brothers Barbeque, a tour (including a glimpse at our office turtles), a goodie bag and a GAM Game Book, made completely in-house. Many thanks to all who contributed to our charities.

OPEN HOUSE RAFFLE WINNERS:MARK WISECARVER, INTELLIGENT WAVES & BECKY NESTOR, JOHN MARSHALL BANK 17

gam®|mag 18

SportsSNIPPETS

Super Bowl Prices will be Big Apple Big

This year you can buy one ticket on the cushy club level seats at MetLife Stadium for the Super Bowl or you and the wife could fly to Paris and spend the weekend in a nice hotel. About the same price. Best not mention that to the wife. But it’s the super bowl and it’s in new york city, which is exactly why the National Football League officials say that tickets to this particular game are worth big Big Apple prices. Compare: Club level seats in NYC with access to restaurants, $2,600. Club level seats in New Orleans last year, $1,250.

Why the price hike? Because there are more people with more money around New York City and the NFL can sell the tickets. That’s the whole truth. Since about 50 million people live within 200 miles of MetLife Stadium (compared with 6 million in New Orleans) many people won’t mind paying more because they’re likely to save money on flights and hotels. Participating teams distribute 35 percent of the seats. The league itself controls 25 percent of the seats, which it often shares with corporate sponsors and partners. So a large proportion of those attending have their seats paid for by someone else.

In all, the executives say the average price of 39 percent of the 77,500 seats will cost $1,000 or less. The lowest price seats will cost $500, compared with $600 previously. Research shows that many $600 tickets last year resold for $2,000 on the secondary market. Seats near midfield went for up to $6,100 and club seats changed hands for $6,400, all of which are multiples of their face values. For the New York Super Bowl, indoor suites with 30 seats each are already selling for $500,000 and up depending on the location.

Winter 2013 19

WORKWORK HEALTH NEWS TECHTECH

TSA Expands Its Pre-Check Program to Any PassengerThe Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is dramatically expanding its program to get travelers through checkpoints faster. They want 25 percent of travelers to be enrolled in the Pre-Check Program by the end of 2013 and half of all travelers enrolled by the end of 2015.

Pre-Check is an option for travelers without passports. It’s important for ordinary travelers who aren’t frequent fliers. There are now enrollment centers, at Washington’s Dulles and Indianapolis’ airports, but soon there will be enrollment centers at most airports. TSA says the program is a shift from using the same security procedure for everyone to focusing the most security on the riskiest travelers at their usual checkpoints.

The cost is $85 for a five-year enrollment to cover the cost of background checks and fingerprinting. Pre-Check offers travelers separate lines at checkpoints, where they can leave on their shoes and light coats and keep laptops in their bags. Several airlines invite qualified frequent fliers to join at no cost and with little more than the information provided when buying a ticket.

Asking Why is Usually Counterproductive

As people try to work through difficult situations in their lives, they sometimes focus on “Why.” They ask: Why was there a tornado?; Why did I get laid off?; Why was there a car accident? Why me?

Modern psychologists say they are asking the wrong questions. “Whys” keep them in the victim state and focusing on placing blame.They should begin to focus on how to get on with their lives by asking “What” and “How.” These questions focus on solving problems, and the answers keep you moving forward: “What should I do now?”; “How can I make my situation better?; “What can I do to get through this and come out a stronger person?”

Doctors at Psychiatric Associates in Indianapolis say asking how and what questions helps you focus on the future instead of the past. You begin to realize that you have the power to make changes. They recommend honestly admitting to yourself what your thoughts and feeling are. Allow yourself to experience the crisis. Ask yourself the right questions and develop a plan of action.

gam®|mag 20

Creepy Haunts Can Brew Up BuyersIf you think Lizzie Borden taking an axe is scary, imagine you are the real estate agent trying to sell her house. Haunted houses can be a tough sell. According to a poll by the Associated Press, 34 percent of people they interviewed believe in ghosts and 14 percent say they have actually seen one. About 26 percent of city folk say they are a little superstitious. Only 13 percent of rural people do. Nonetheless, confronted with a nice home, with an icky history, would you buy? That is a a question asked by a visitor to apartmenttherapy.com. A couple about to buy a house discovered the previous occupant committed suicide. Would you buy or pass? Of the 234 responses, about 40 percent said no or offered advice on how to de-ghost the place.

To up the ante a bit, what if a great town home was on the California market in a fantastic neighborhood at a stunningly low price with a highly motivated seller. But there is a reason the price is so low. This is the town home of Nicole Brown Simpson, one of two people gruesomely murdered in the infamous trial of OJ Simpson.

Would you buy? This sort of property, called a stigmatized property, can be a tough sell, not only because of the history but because, at least early on, the location becomes a spooky tourist attraction. According to MSN.com, Simpson’s town home did sell. It took 2 1/2 years to sell. It sold for $200,000 off the asking price, according to AOL Real Estate. Experts say, in that neighborhood, such properties sell within three months. The new owner remodeled the home’s exterior.

But speaking of a bad address, homeowners around another property actually changed the name of the street. In 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult killed themselves to await an alien spacecraft. You won’t find their notorious address any more and you won’t find the $1.6 million home either. The landlord tried to sell, but could not. The lender finally sold it for less than $700,000 and it was bulldozed.

According to real estate consultant Bell Anderson & Saunders, a buyer of a stigmatized home can expect from 10 to 25 percent off market prices. But some buyers can make a killing on homes with a creepy past. The legend of Lizzie Borden lives on in her home at 92 Second Street, Fall River, MA., now a bed and breakfast. And you’ll feel very cozy when you read the motto: Where everyone is treated like family. Oh, wait...

Winter 2013 21

WORKWORK HEALTH NEWS TECHTECH

Consumers are Buying and Borrowing AgainAmericans have made progress putting their finances in order and are ready to borrow again, which would give our economy, the world’s largest, another engine of spending and growth.

Household net worth reached a record high in the first quarter of 2013, Federal Reserve data shows. The number of consumer loans is rising, and according to Bloomberg Businessweek, the percentage of bankcard holders who are delinquent is the smallest since 1990.

Economic researchers at AllianceBernstein, say we now have creditworthy borrowers. It’s a powerful ingredient for U.S. expansion. Credit is available for mortgages, auto loans and home remodeling projects and more.

Three measures explain the rebound. In the first quarter, household wealth climbed by $20 trillion above its recession low point of wealth. In the second quarter, average household financial obligations, including property taxes, mortgage payments, and other obligations as a share of income, were 15.2 percent lower since at least 1980. Households have more funds available to cover what they owe.

These are the Most Popular Full-Sized Sedans

The 2014 Chevrolet Impala 2LT. It has high styling, blind spot warning, forward collision alert, large trunk, rear parking sensors and backup camera. Cost is $35,770.

2013 Chrysler 300S. With eight-speed transmission, high ride quality, “masculine looks,” rear cross traffic detection and Uconnect infotainment/navigation. Cost is $37,925.

Hyundai Azera. Features five-year warranty, backup camera, power steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, rear and side sunshades, heated rear seats, and thigh supports. Cost is $37,225.

2013 Dodge Charger SXT Plus. With performance a blast, rear drive, blind spot warning, cross traffic detection, backup camera, power-adjustable pedals, heated/ventilated seats, heated-cooled cup holders. Cost is $37,910.

2013 Toyota Avalon. A luxurious looking sedan with 10 air bags. Fun to drive with V6 engine. Titanic backseat has virtually no floor hump, according to USA Today reviewers. Cost is $32,000.

Ford Taurus Limited. Great handling and steering, incredibly comfortable, backup camera, rear parking sensors, can fit three child seats in rear, huge trunk space. Cost is $35,790.

Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV. The only one with continuously variable-ration automatic transmission, has extendable thigh support and heated steering wheel, great power and handling. Cost is $37,475.

gam®|mag 22

Technology TREND

Google Glass Will Move into the Workplace

Because the Google Glass device is so new, no one knows how useful it will be in various business applications. Surgeon Christopher Kaeding wore one when performing a knee reconstruction. Using Glass’s camera, he broadcast his view of the procedure to Ohio State University medical students seven miles away.“The students could see better. They can ask questions,” he said. He spoke to them in real time during the surgery. Kaeding had borrowed the Glass from a colleague who scored one of 10,000 preview units sold or given to schools in 2013. When Glass debuts in 2014, it will probably cost between $600 and $800.

Many new apps are in development for Glass, the next generation of connectivity. Software maker Evernote has developed a Google Glass note-taking app, which will be used mostly in the workplace. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, some government agencies will fast-track Glass pilot programs. New Jersey’s Department of Law and Public Safety will start experimenting with the device as soon as it comes out.

Samsung Introduces Its New Smartwatch

It’s been 40 years since comic book hero Dick Tracy used his watch as a two-way radio. All the kids wanted one. Now, you can have a watch that’s even better than Dick Tracy’s.

Samsung’s new Galaxy Gear smartwatch ($299) was introduced recently, and other makers are working on one. Samsung’s watch has to be paired with its Galaxy Note 3 smartphone. When you sync Galaxy Gear with Note 3 (via low-energy Bluetooth), it responds to voice commands. You can make or answer calls, and glance at texts, emails and other alerts at your wrist. The Gear also doubles as a pedometer, stopwatch, timer and music player. If you walk away from the Note 3, the phone screen will automatically lock, then unlock when you get closer.

Winter 2013 23

WORKWORK HEALTH NEWS TECH

Technologyand YOU

It’s Game Time!

Sony has set November 15 for the debut of its new PlayStation 4 videogame console. That’s about the same time that rival Microsoft is expected to start selling the new Xbox One.

The Play Station 4Sony hasn’t released a new game console since 2006 when it came out with PlayStation 3. Since then, it has sold 70 million units. The new console promises to have even more sales. It had pre-orders for millions of units. Sony is acquiring new technologies to help it stream games to handheld devices. At $399, the PlayStation 4 will cost $100 less than Microsoft’s new offering. Sony is reducing the price of its PlayStation Vita handheld console to $199 from $249. It is also creating a streaming game service which does all the intricate computational work than beams the images over the Web to the console.

The Microsoft Xbox OneMicrosoft plans to launch its competing Xbox sometime in November. It will be its first new model since 2005 when it released the Xbox 360, which has sold more than 78 million units. Without new hardware, sales of all game consoles have fallen world wide. Now Microsoft is emphasizing broader possibilities than game-playing for the Xbox One. It has such features as live television viewing and interactions with its Kinect motion controller. It can layer images from a server into images created by the videogame console.

Analysts expect both consoles will sell strongly at first, but whether those devices, as well as Nintendo Wii U, released last year, can experience the same success over time as their predecessors remains unclear. As more people play free or inexpensive games on PCs and mobile devices, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are feeling more pressure to attract gamers to their products.

gam®|mag 24

Book Review

Meet the GAM TeamGina started at GAM more than 6 years ago. Along with being GAM’s Senior Account Manager, Gina coaches the Color Guard at Broad Run High School, for both their indoor and outdoor programs. The BRHS Color Guard has been state champions for the past two years. Gina is married and lives in Leesburg with her husband and two beagles, Hannah and Jakey.

Gina is also a board member of the Charity Hockey Classic for INOVA Blood Donors Services, which assists in organizing the Hockey Classic to raise money for INOVA Blood Donor Services.Gina Corbin

Senior Account Manager

A hospital janitor has to be a good cleaning guy, but he doesn’t have to be someone who makes a difference to families of sick people. But when he is that, if he does that, his work goes from good to great.

And great work is what this new book is about. The true parable of the great janitor is just one of the many vignettes in the new book Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love.

Author David Sturt applies his 20 years of experience and research in marketing, employee interactions, and workplace achievements to sketch out the pivotal points that create great work and great success. One example: Sometimes the things that people think get in their way actually can create the most creative results. Constraints in materials, time, standards are not always bad; sometimes they are crucial to a great result.

Sturt gives the example of a certain unknown author whose publisher assigned him to write a children’s book that contained 255 unique words and only those words. The author struggled for nearly two years trying to create something interesting that could come out of a list of simple words. It seemed impossible. Until Ted Geisel (Dr Seuss) rhymed cat and hat.

In the following pages, Sturt walks the reader through the questions that have to be answered before good work becomes great. What made the hospital janitor a wonderful help in healing and not a nosey person? One important factor in this book is that it uses O.C. Tanner’s study of award-winning work. Billed as the largest of its kind, the study examines the people and the work that made a dramatic difference to their companies.

Great Work: How to Make a Difference People Love by David Sturt, McGraw-Hill, 256 pages.

Winter 2013 25

Local Happenings

National Christmas Tree Lighting CeremonyDecember 6, 5:00PMWashington, DCDuring the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, nationally known entertainers and a military band perform and the President brings a message of peace to the nation and the world.Visit www.thenationaltree.org

Military Bowl 2013December 27, 2:30PMNavy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium - Annapolis, MDThe game benefits the United Service Organizations (USO). Organized by the DC Bowl Committee, Inc. and Events DC, the Military Bowl serves as a premier regional with first-rate participants and seeks to generate broad support for the USO, positively impact the regional economy, honor the U.S. military and solidify the nation’s Capital as a leading college football destination.Visit www.militarybowl.org

Big Night DCDecember 31, 9:00PM - 3:00AMGaylord National Resort - National Harbor, MDThe most extravagant New Year’s Eve gala in the nation has set its sights on this magical wonderland and is prepared to wow DC’s social elite in the most spectacular way yet. You will roam freely from ballroom to ballroom to ballroom, with more than a dozen enormous party areas - all overflowing with amazing entertainment. Experience top-notch bars and first-class food at every turn. Visit www.bignightdc.com

ICE! 2013November 15 - January 5Gaylord National Resort - National Harbor, MDThe 2013 edition of Gaylord National’s ICE! will feature ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which will bring the classic holiday poem to life in TWO-MILLION POUNDS of hand-carved ice. ICE! will be larger than ever before featuring an all-new bonus scene: “Christmas in New York City.” The attraction moves to a new location this year with access from inside the hotel’s 19-story atrium.Visit www.marriott.com

Bull Run Festival of Lights & Holiday VillageNovember 20 - January 5 Monday - Thursday: 5:30 to 9:30PMFridays - Sunday & Holidays: 5:30 to 10PMBull Run Regional Park - Centreville, VASanta’s Enchanted Lights, with more than 40,000 animated lights set to music! This great feature is merely a fraction of what you’ll find at this season’s Festival of Lights! Visit www.nvrpa.org/park/bull_run_festival_of_lights

60 Films/60 DaysNovember 29 - January 31Virginia Museum of Fine Arts - Richmond, VAA movie-a-day extravaganza, 60 Films/60 Days gives you the opportunity to see your favorite costumes from the exhibition in-action, on the big screen.Visit www.vmfa.museum

gam®|mag 26

Find the 10...and Win 50Christmas Cookies Galore

Find the 10 things that are different between two photos below, fax or email your answers to us and your submission will go into a drawing

for a $50 gift certificate to Carolina Brothers, Blue Ridge Grill or Ford’s Fish Shack. Answers will appear in our next gam|mag along with the

name of the certificate winner.

Fax or email your submission to

703.450.5311 or [email protected] include your name, phone

number and/or email address. All

entries must be submitted by

February 1, 2014.

Your Ten Finds

1. _______________________________

2. _______________________________

3. _______________________________

4. _______________________________

5. _______________________________

6. _______________________________

7. _______________________________

8. _______________________________

9. _______________________________

10. ______________________________

Which certificate would you like?

Carolina Brothers Blue Ridge Grill Ford’s Fish Shack

easyPuzzle Meter difficult

Name: ______________________________ Company: ____________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ Email: ________________________________

Winter 2013 27

Thanks to all last issue’s entries ... and the winner is: Dana Pastro of LCPS, the “Paradise” answers are:

1. Sailboat is Missing 6. Shadow from Bucket is Missing

2. Boy’s Mask is Missing 7. Woman’s Bathing Suit Straps are Missing

3. More Clouds 8. Mountain Behind Man is Missing

4. Little Girl’s Bathing Suit is Pink 9. Sand Pile is Bigger

5. Mountain is Bigger 10. Different Color Bucket

Ashburn44260 Ice Rink Plaza #101

Ashburn, VA 20147

P: 571.918.4092F: 571.918.4096

South Riding25031 Riding Plaza #150

Chantilly, VA 20152

P: 703.542.7520F: 703.542.6931

Enjoy Delicious New England Style Seafood!

21593 Jesse Court, Dulles, VA 20166Ph. 703.404.8800 • Fax 703.404.2232www.DullesGolf.comConveniently located 4 miles North of Dulles Airport behind Sam’s Club and Walmart. 1 block from Atlantic Blvd. & Severn Way.

www.gamweregood.com

Paper used on this issue:COVER: Aspire Petallics, Digital Cover by CTI, through Lindenmeyr Munroe UV Coated, Gloss

INSIDES: 80lb Gloss Text, Lindenmeyr Munroe, UV Coated, Satin

PRINTER: RICOH 901 Color Printer

BINDERY: BLM550 Square Back

2013 Volume 4 Issue 4 - gam® mag - Winter 2013

Documents

Transcript of 2013 Volume 4 Issue 4 - gam® mag - Winter 2013