A Simple Workout

If any of you know me, you know that I am into weight lifting and exercise. The other day my little brother was hounding me to send him an email with a simple workout for him to start doing. I knew was going to be hard to try and explain everything to him, form, technique and the proper weight to use. In the email that I sent him. I included videos from YouTube to show him the proper methods of weight lifting form the pros. The following is that email with links to videos for any of the aspiring weight lifters:

OK man here is the email that i promised i would send you. I wanted to be able to show you all these workouts but i thought instead of linking some videos that show you the workouts. I will start with the chest:

Chest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuTPWeUxqwQ

the first workout on the video is the seated bench press. It allows for more strict form. Go with a wide grip on the handles. Second workout is the incline press. Go shoulder width apart or a little wider. Third is the incline dumbbell press and i showed you how to use this. Fourth is the cable extensions. Just follow the example on the video.

Triceps: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzlvlSYYccg

First workout is a straight bar or rope pull down. Watch his form and notice that he doesn't bring the bar up all the way only to about his chest line. Second workout is a behind the head triceps extension. Only use about 10 pounds on the one OK. Watch his form before you do it. i know on the video he does close grip bench press but i would tell you to do the rope instead, the normal rope exercise.

Bicep: same video as triceps. First is a cable curl. Watch his form and do not do a lot of weight. It is more about the form than the weight. Second is the preacher curl. On the bench using free weight or the gym has a machine for you to use. Third is the seated alternating curl. Use lighter weight here to promote a pump in your arm OK, just watch his form.

Shoulders: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXGH64vzDXc First is the seated barbell military press. Watch his form and do not use a lot of weight. Second is the dumbbell upright row. You can do this with a bar if you want. It works the middle and inner deltoids. The third is the reverse peck deck machine for your rear delt. It is upstairs by the drinking fountain at the gym. Watch their form OK use little amounts of weight casue this one is hard. the last one on the video don't do OK. but you could front raises with dumbbells for your front delts.

Back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVa0sucnHS8&feature=fvw The first is a simple pull up. You can use the machine to do this also. Second is a close grip pull up so grab the handle in the middle about shoulder width apart and do the exercise. Third is the barbell row. Watch his form and do not use a lot of weight at first. This hits your blades and middle back. Fourth is the one arm upright row. Try not to move or dip your shoulder at all while doing this. Use enough weight that it hurts by the end of three sets.Fifth is the dead lift

Texting, the Dangerous Realities

Texting, the Dangerous Realities

Cell phones are rapidly becoming just as dangerous as the traditional drunk driver in Utah and more specifically in Logan due to the distractions that text messaging has on drivers.
Text message related accidents are on the up-rise and according to an article written by Matt Richtel of the New York Times offenders could now face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of texting behind the wheel. Driven to Distraction Several months ago in Cache Valley, two scientists were killed and others were injured due to a driver that was texting while driving. It didn’t take the state of Utah long after that to pass the nation’s strongest law to prevent texting while behind the wheel.
Utah has set up a system of penalties that directly relates to the damage done and number of times a person has broken this law. According to an article written by KSL Studio5 in Utah,Zero Fatalities first time offenders can receive a Class C misdemeanor and could spend up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine. Second time offenders and drivers who hurt someone can receive a Class B misdemeanor and could spend up to six months in jail and a $1000 fine. If a driver kills someone while texting behind the wheel they could receive a fine of $10,000 and or 15 years in prison.
"Texting while driving is not only difficult but really distracting," said Kallie Zachman, a Utah State student. "It really bothers me to see people looking down at their phones and not at the traffic ahead of them." As any driver knows, the normal distractions of driving are enough to try and handle and trying to avoid them while texting only raises the chance of future accidents.
So what have research studies shown us about the dangers of texting while driving? According to KSL Studio5 in Utah, "Talking on a cell phone while driving is as risky as driving with a .08 blood alcohol level." (University of Utah) Also, "A study of truck drivers showed that texting while driving can increase their risk of crashing by 23 percent." (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute).
According to a 2003 Harvard Study, Distracted Driving posted on the Utah Public Radio’s website, "Cell phone distractions cause 2,600 traffic deaths every year according to a 2003 Harvard study, and a 2007 NHTSA study found that at any time during daylight hours, 11 percent (1.8 million) drivers were using a cell phone. A recent series of articles in the New York Times, under the title of Driven to Distraction has shown a spotlight on the problem of distracted driving, including texting and talking on a cell phone while driving."
"Why can’t people just drive while they are in their cars," said Mike Stewart, public relations major at USU. "I know I don’t like drunk drivers but when is society going dislike drivers who text as much as we dislike drunk drivers," said Stewart. "It is not worth the risk."
In most states for a prosecutor to charge a texting driver with what is known as recklessness, they have to be able to convince the judge and jury that the texting driver knew what risks were involved with texting behind the wheel. According to Richtel, "In Utah, the law now assumes people understand the risks." "Texting while driving has never and never will be a good idea," said Zachman. "It’s not worth it to me to have to pay a fine for sending a stupid text to a friend and life is to precious to waste on a text."

Photoshop Assignment #2

For this assignment I chose to edit a picture of my wife and I with a couple of our friends. It was taken on top of the point of the mountain down in Salt lake County. The first thing I wanted to do was to make the picture black and white. I went to the image selection icon and chose black and white. After that I wanted to make the roses stand out in their own color. I selected the magic wand tool and selected the roses. I then went to the color schemes and made them turn a red or pink color. After that I turned the sky the same color as the roses by using the same steps. That was how I edited this picture.

Photoshop Assignment #1

This picture is a picture of my four-year-old cousin. As you can see in the before picture there was a chair and some other things in the background. Using a background copy on photoshop was really beneficial for this picture. I used the pen tool to select Karter in order to cut the background. After that I went to select inverse to delete the background. After that I went to the color tool and selected the color red to fill in the background. I then used the paint bucket tool to fill in the background. I know it was a simple
thing to do but it made me use a lot of the things that we learned in class.

Chance for Advertising in Virtual World

This article brings to light some things that the previous article did not. It talks about the money that is being dumped into the virtual worlds such as Second Life. Let me just say something that just came to my mind. The fact that this virtual world is called "Second Life" really bothers me. Is life really to much to handle that we need to create a fake one where all goes as we want it to. What does that teach us? NOTHING!!! Now maybe I am wrong about these virtual worlds but it seems to me that if we are so dedicated to creating these worlds and starting fake companies or organizations in these worlds that we should be focusing more on our own realities. Anyway, the fact remains that this virtual world is opening the doors to new and creative ways for companies to advertise and market ideas. This has some of the big money or top dogs really starting to pay attention. It will be very interesting to see what happens to these virtual worlds and the amounts of money that will surely be invested into them. Check out this article at http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_18/b3982001.htm

Vitrual World Comments

This article was one that I found very entertaining to read and at the same time I found myself questioning the reasons behind the article. There were a lot of questions that i thought about as I read the article. First, is our society coming to the point that we really need a virtual escape such as this? Second, how do the creators of this virtual world account for every one's individual likes and dislikes? It seemed like this "game" was an out for this person. If that is the case, what is he missing in real life while he is living his virtual life. Is he or she neglecting responsibilities at home or work? These were just some of my thoughts as I read this article. Here is the link to this article if you would like to read it and examine it for yourself. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E3D8133FF930A35752C1A9609C8B63&sec=travel&spon=&pagewanted=2

Nobody Knows!!!!

This reading was not really a reading at all. But it was very interesting to look at the cartoon that was displayed. It really brought to light some new thinking about people on the Internet. Nobody really knows who is really who on the Internet. Anybody can have a secret identity, create a new personality or become somebody brand new. The Internet has become a super highway of people trying to be someone that they are not. Now, I am not saying that everybody does this. There are millions of people who use the Internet for business, personal growth, family affairs and much more. The Internet is at the fingertips of most people and if used in the right way it can be a great resource. The fact still remains that some people use it in a very bad and negative way. Identity theft and scandals run rapid over the Internet super highway. No one knows who people really are on the Internet and that can be a little scary at times. People really need to be careful what they do on the Internet. Think on the safe side!

JCOM 2160 Assignment

Own Personal Brand!!!

This day in age is very different than any other time in history. Resumes and job applications are, for the most part, done online. Managers and employers want to know if we have the skills that are required to handle the work of today. Technology is at the head of all we do now. As a senior in college and a journalism student it is very important to be able to show everyone that I have the skills necessary for today. Having your own brand, meaning your own website or professional blog, can really impress a future employer. The article written by Alfred Hermida is very informing to a person in my shoes. The reasons that are presented to have your own brand are very exciting and very convincing. Listen to this,
"This is no trivial matter. Having a website that reflects your professional identity is your digital calling card. Your online presence should show who you are, your interests and background, and showcase your best professional work. Or to put it another way, your personal brand as a journalist.
In the journalism of today, the personal brand is becoming increasingly central to the prospects of a young person starting out on a life of reporting. So it is important for students at journalism school, and those starting in the fall, to develop the professional brand that will set them apart come graduation."
"Be visible online
How you go about building up your personal brand online is up to each student. For some, the best way could be starting a blog on a specific topic to develop a reputation as an expert in this area. It might be by leaving informed comments on stories of interest. Or by simply following key people in your field on Twitter."
It is a great article and I encourage you to read it.
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2009/08/journalism-students-need-to-develop-their-personal-brand231.html

Internet Tug of War

Everyday we open our computers and have to make a choice as to where we are going to go. Do we open up google or yahoo, or do we open up MSN or Ebay? All of these questions could become a lot easy in the next little bit according to an article posted on the Washington Posts website. Here are some clips from that article that I found very interesting.
"But the nation's largest telephone companies have a new business plan, and if it comes to pass you may one day discover that Yahoo suddenly responds much faster to your inquiries, overriding your affinity for Google. Or that Amazon's Web site seems sluggish compared with eBay's.
The changes may sound subtle, but make no mistake: The telecommunications companies' proposals have the potential, within just a few years, to alter the flow of commerce and information -- and your personal experience -- on the Internet. For the first time, the companies that own the equipment that delivers the Internet to your office, cubicle, den and dorm room could, for a price, give one company priority on their networks over another.
"This represents a break with the commercial meritocracy that has ruled the Internet until now. We've come to expect that the people who own the phone and cable lines remain "neutral," doing nothing to influence the content on your computer screen. And may the best Web site win.
For more than a year, public interest groups, including the Consumer Federation and Consumers Union, have been lobbying Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to write the concept called "network neutrality" into law and regulation. Google and Yahoo have joined their lobbying efforts. And online retailers, Internet travel services, news media and hundreds of other companies that do business on the Web also have a lot at stake."
As you can see a lot of companies are doing all they can do gain the upper hand on the on-going tug of war over control of the Internet.

Google, Friend or Enemy?

In reading this article there were a lot of things that were brought to my attention that I have never really thought about. First is the fact that anybody, local or world wide can simply enter in my name on google and do a search about me. They can find out my history concerning my life, my schooling and just about anything. There were two ideas brought up about how to control this situation. According to the article it states, "Two solutions are simple to describe, but not likely to happen. First, search engines could voluntarily--or be required by law to--delete search histories after a few months unless the customer objects. Second, federal law could be amended to make it clear that search engines, which serve as a window to the Internet, are fully protected." Each of these solutions seem to be good and no matter which one they choose it is going to take time. Google is good for a lot of things. Examples are, doing research for school, online banking, businesses use them frequently and the most important one, it keeps the world connected. All of these things are good if done in the right way.

This article is very interesting and if you want to read it it is found at the following website:

http://news.cnet.com/FAQ-When-Google-is-not-your-friend/2100-1025_3-6034666.html?tag=nefd.top Check it out!!!!!

Email Etiquette

This article was really informative about the do's and don'ts about emailing. While it is true that emails can bee a source of fun and excitement, they are also a means of business and a way for communication to take place. There were allot of interesting rules that were brought up about the way emails should be handled and written, for professional use. This particular article mentioned 32 tips for emails. I am going to narrow down my top five tips and talk a little about each one. Number one is be concise and to the point. Do not make an e-mail longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading an e-mail is harder than reading printed communications and a long e-mail can be very discouraging to read. Number two is use proper structure and layout. Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the structure and lay out is very important for e-mail messages. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points, number them or mark each point as separate to keep the overview. Number three is read the email before you send it. A lot of people don't bother to read an email before they send it out, as can be seen from the many spelling and grammar mistakes contained in emails. Apart from this, reading your email through the eyes of the recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid misunderstandings and inappropriate comments. Number four is avoid long sentences. Try to keep your sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick medium and requires a different kind of writing than letters. Also take care not to send emails that are too long. If a person receives an email that looks like a dissertation, chances are that they will not even attempt to read it! And last but not least, Answer Swiftly. Customers send an e-mail because they wish to receive a quick response. If they did not want a quick response they would send a letter or a fax. Therefore, each e-mail should be replied to within at least 24 hours, and preferably within the same working day. If the email is complicated, just send an email back saying that you have received it and that you will get back to them. This will put the customer's mind at rest and usually customers will then be very patient! All of the tips for emailing in this article were all very helpful whether you are emailing about business related things or simply emailing a friend. If you have any questions about this article check it out at http://www.emailreplies.com/

BHAG's

It has been a long time since I last made a post on my blog, but I hope that this post will give you some insight to what I have been diving into for the last couple of weeks. If you looked at the title of this blog you might be wondering why it says what it says. A BHAG is a goal that one sets that they never thought were possible for them. BHAG stands for Big Harry Audacious Goal. I am currently taking a course at Utah State called Speech 3250, Organizational Communications, and so far the class has opened my eyes to theories and styles concerning organizational communication. Jim Collins has written several books about organizational communication, among them are Built to Last and Good to Great, and I am fortunate enough to have those books as text books for my class. In his book Built to Last, Collins goes into great detail about BHAG's and the purpose and outcomes of them.

A quick story that involved a small company and a BHAG and the outcome of the BHAG. Have you ever heard of a Boeing jet? Did you know that way back when, America never thought that commercial airlines would be the mode of transportation in the United States? However, one company set out to make commercial Jets the mode of transportation. They set a BHAG to make the biggest jet that would carry passengers, all while keeping their standards of safety in check. Over a period of time Boeing accomplished their goal, even with large sums of money wasted in flight tests and a large number of lost jobs, they created what is now known as the 727 Boeing Jet and the 747 Boeing Jet. After seeing the success of the Boeing Jets, other companies tried to create a jet comparable to the Boeing but never really succeeded. All this was done by a gutsy BHAG. I am setting out to start my very first BHAG next week and I am very excited to see how this works out. I found an article that was posted talking about BHAG's and their purpose, so check it out if you have time. Here it is: http://theleanthinker.com/2009/06/22/the-purpose-of-a-bhag/

Staker Parsons

Staker Parsons has done it again, coming up with a brand new way to support the local communities and the universities. This is a great way to promote and advertise local universities. They have teamed up with these schools and designed a logo that can be seen on cement trucks as they go by. Check this out on their website at http://www.stakerparson.com/community/index.cfm?id=17 Here are some experts from the article:

Ready-mixed Concrete Mixers

With its combined commitment to education and its community, Staker Parson Companies, launched a new program to support universities in local areas. To show its support, the company teamed with Universities across Utah and Idaho to design concrete mixer wraps that would promote each of the Universities. The concrete trucks will be seen throughout Utah and Idaho. The concrete mixers will occasionally make appearances at football games, parades and other school activities.

Rising U.S. Soccer Star

The USA soccer team has never been a power house on the world level, sure they compete and compete well, but nonetheless they have never proven themselves to world. On April 1st, 2009 the world witnessed an amazing display of sure talent when the USA took on Trinidad in a World Cup qualifying match. Jozy Altidore, a young 19-year-old soccer player put his name in the history book of USA soccer by becoming the youngest player to score a hat trick in a World Cup qualifier. He showed to the world that the USA soccer team is going to be a team to beat next year at the World Cup in South Africa. USA dominated Trinidad on both sides of the ball, out shooting, out hustling and flat out out playing Trinidad. The USA soccer team looked very sharp and was relentless in all aspects of the game. An article that I found in the NY Daily News gives a great overview of the game. Check it out at: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2009/04/02/2009-04-02_jozy_altidores_three_scores_do_trick_for.html

Jozy Altidore has proven to be a play-maker and doesn't show any signs of letting up. With the experience of Landon Donavan and Frankie Hedujk, the USA soccer team should be a main player in the 2010 World Cup. Jozy Altidore did not seem like a young man in the interview that he gave to ESPN after the game. He was humble about his accomplishment and proud of his team. He gave all the credit to his team mates and not himself. That is what impressed me the most. Coming from a PR guy, Jozy is an absolute gold mine for the soccer industry in America. Now lets not go crazy just yet, but think of the potential that the marketing and PR could be on this young rising soccer star. The potential that I see could be endless. Jozy has proven to be a powerful striker on the field, but he has also overcome some pretty big obstacles. He went over seas to play in Spain and was benched for a year and then sent to a lower division club team. He has shown the world that patience is the key to success and grabbing hold of an opportunity that presents itself is a must. Altidore was not a planned starter against Trinidad but look at what he did with the opportunity that was given to him. The PR and marketing schemes that could go with overcoming the odds and taking advantage of opportunities is a great way to go, given the current state of our country. In my opinion, Altidore opened the doors, for not only himself but for a whole bunch of new PR avenues with his amazing hat trick. GO USA!!!!!!!!!

Dedicated to the Community

Staker Parsons has been around to see the ups and downs of the business and always seems to find themselves on the top of the every ones list within its realm of expertise. There are numerous reasons as to why Staker Parsons is one of the leaders of the business. Some of those reasons include; innovation, dedication and excellent customer satisfaction. Among those reasons is their dedication to the community. In a press release put out by Staker, one can see that educating the community through a program called, "Rocks Build Our World," Staker Parsons is going the extra mile for its community. The press release can be found at, http://www.stakerparson.com/community/index.cfm?id=9 you can read the release. Here are some experts from the release:

Rocks Build Our World
As a leader in the aggregates, asphalt, and ready mix concrete industry, Staker Parson Companies is committed to educating the community about the vital role aggregate resources provide in improving quality of life. For this reason, the company developed an educational program called "Rocks Build Our World." This program is designed to introduce people to the aggregates industry with the goal of helping people understand the importance of these natural resources and how they relate to each of us in our every day lives. The "Rocks Build Our World" program is custom-designed to the age of the participants and immerses them in a hands-on learning experience that has proven to be very effective.

The program can be offered at school facilities or can be hosted at one of the company's locations. The classroom visits start with some basic information on geology, mining methods and the uses of minerals in every day life. Students then enjoy a ?cookie mining? session where they remove the chocolate chips from cookies (while reclaiming their site by placing all crumbs back into a designated area). Winners of this game receive Rocks Build Our World tee shirts and other prizes. Students see a miniature aggregate operation, demonstrating the mining to material production to reclamation process. They also watch the ?Rockman? music video. The program ends with a question and answer session. Children are given activity books that highlight Rocky and Sandy, characters created for the program, as they explore the different uses of aggregates in a community.

Staker Parsons Cold Recycle Overlay

Staker Parsons always looks to incorporate new and innovative technologies into every project that they undertake. It is one of the reasons they are widely known as the "Preferred Source." This recent press release talk about one of the new and innovative technologies that Staker used down in Utah's Dixie a couple of years ago.

Cold Recycle Overlay in St. George, Utah

"Staker Parson Companies constantly strives to work innovation into each project it completes. In St. George, Utah, South Construction is working in partnership with Western Rock Products to complete an asphalt and paving job for the Utah Department of Transportation. The project, which started in January, extends from mile marker zero on the Utah/Arizona boarder to mile marker 6 at Bluff Street, in St. George Utah.

This project, however, is not like other asphalt and paving jobs. Because of UDOT requirements, crews are working with Cold Recycle Overlay with both Hot Mix Asphalt and Stone Matrix Asphalt. The process recycles 100 percent of the existing asphalt, saving existing resources. A portable crusher is pulled along the road by a roto-mill. The asphalt is milled and sent through the crusher with new oil being re-introduced, along with lime. Cold recycled asphalt is the result, and it is placed behind the equipment in a windrow on the roadway.

The lay down crew then picks the cold recycled asphalt and places the material like regular asphalt material. Crews have to wait for the moisture to dry out before they can place the final lifts of Hot Mix Asphalt. The final surface is placed and the cold recycle material becomes the base layer for the new roadway. The job also includes work on the bridges, the guardrails and the signs."

Staker Parsons

At Staker Parsons, laying asphalt and cement for public and private roads is not the only thing that they are known for. Among other things, Staker Parsons has a hand in helping the community and teaching the children through educational programs. On their website, they have a great story about their dedication to helping the community. Here are some experts from that article found at http://www.stakerparson.com/community/index.cfm?id=14:

Community and Education

"The family of employees at Staker Parson Companies recognizes their responsibility to help build the foundation of the communities where they live and work. Employees are encouraged to be involved in community and volunteer activities and the company supports many worthy causes including: the American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, the American Heart Association, Food Banks, the Boy Scouts of America, The Road Home, Sub 4 Santa, and assisted living centers.

The company hosts several blood drives each year at its various locations and encourages employees to participate. The company and its founders provided significant resources to help establish the Parson Construction Management Program at Weber State University where more than two hundred students receive professional training. Employees also actively support the Utah LTAP Construction Career Days where 7-12 graders spend a day learning about the construction and trades industry."

Check This Out

Check out the latest press release on future NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford. Most of all ESPN analysts have predicted Stafford to be picked number one overall. But in this recent press release, the San Fransisco 49ers are not interested in Stafford, not because of his arm, his accuracy or even his numbers. They don't want him because he declined to talk to them about his parents divorce. What is that all about? Read this article and post a comment if you want.

"There are a number of reasons an NFL team wouldn't draft a certain quarterback. Maybe they'd be concerned about his arm strength, or footwork, or accuracy, or football IQ. There are literally dozens of flaws a signal caller might have. The San Francisco 49ers have found a new one.
Reports say that Mike Singletary and the Niners won't draft Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford because he was reluctant to talk to a team psychologist about his parent's divorce. Said Singletary:
"If you're going to look at drafting a guy in the first round, and you're going to pay him millions of dollars, and asking him about a divorce about his parents, if that's going to be an issue, uhhh, then you know what, maybe he doesn't belong here."
Let me get this straight: A 21-year old doesn't want to talk to some stranger about his parent's divorce? Inconceivable! Such a reaction surely portends NFL mediocrity!
Honestly, that's an utterly bizarre quote from Singletary. The 49ers have to do their due diligence in researching the backgrounds of draft picks, but what does not wanting to talk about a traumatic childhood event have to do with leading a football team?
The concern about psychology is especially strange coming from Singletary, who attempted to motivate his team last year by dropping his pants before giving a half-time speech. I'm pretty sure he got that idea from Freud."

Can you believe that? I have a couple of ideas for Stafford. First, the 49ers are going no where fast and Stafford shouldn't even think about going there. Second, I don't know if Mike Singletary has been divorced or not, but I think that Stafford should ask Singletary to tell him about his divorce and see if Singletary would respond to some 21-year-old. I highly doubt that he would tell Stafford anything that wasn't his business. I cant believe that a sports team would not consider a player as good as Stafford because he wont tell them about his parents divorce. That is not right by any means.

Tebow's Promise

As I have mentioned on this blog before, I am a Florida Gator fan and have been for a long time now and this past year we witnessed something motivating, spectacular and amazing. After failing to convert on a fourth and one, the gators lost to Ole Miss 31-30. Immediately following the loss, Heisman winner and leader of the gator nation, Tim Tebow gave a speech that will now go down into the history, of not only sports, but in Florida University History. Tebow apologized for not converting the play and losing the opportunity to achieve a perfect season, something that has not been done in schools history. He promised the gator nation that no other player would work as hard as he would, not other player would push a team as hard as he would push the gators and that they would not lose another game. That promised motivated the gators and help them to another SEC championship and more importantly a second national title in two years. That speech has now been posted on the wall of one of the buildings on the UF campus. There is a very impressive article that you can read about the speech and the newly formed plaque. it is found at http://deadspin.com/5180855/tim-tebows-promise-will-outlast-us-all

If you don't want to check it out here is the article:

The Promise

We lost this in the March Madness shuffle, but it must not go unmentioned that Tim Tebow's immortal pledge has finally been consecrated in stone. So it is written, so it has been done.
A plaque has been affixed to the football building on the Florida campus, bearing an inscription titled, "The Promise." This simple piece of stainless steel holds the text of Tim Tebow's famous speech following the Gators' loss to Mississippi back in September of last season. You know, the speech that earned Tebow the Oscar for Best Guts. The monument will stand as an eternal testament to Earth's greatest human and 500,000 years from now, when alien archeologists dig up this everlasting tribute from the watery ruins of our failed civilization, even they will understand the true meaning of perseverance and fortitude. Then they will use the inscription to reanimate Tebow's corpse so it may lead them to win the GCS (Galatic Championship Series) title game. Yes, there is still no playoff.

Aggie Football Off and Running

Up in Logan Utah on the campus of Utah State University, the buzz of basketball season came to a close last weekend as the Aggie men's basketball team lost in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, but a new and exciting buzz is just beginning to brew. Ever since the news that Coach Gary Anderson would be taking over the reigns as head coach of the football team at USU, football is starting to come alive again. It has been a long time since USU has had a winning football team and coach Anderson is the perfect man to take the Aggie's back to the top of the WAC. Anderson took his former team, the Utah Utes, to the sugar bowl to battle SEC power house Alabama. Utah was riding a perfect season 12-0 going into the game and Alabama had been ranked number one for 5 weeks until losing to Florida in the SEC championship. Utah was a two touchdown underdog and no one in the country gave them a chance to win. Anderson was the defencive coordinator for the Utes and had a game plan for Alabama. That plan was to bring the house all night long, rush and sack the quarterback and hit everyone as hard as you possibly could. Long story short, Utah jumped out to a 21 point lead off of two interceptions, they sacked the quarterback over five times and allowed under 100 yards rushing for Alabama. Utah won the game due to its powerful defense and nonstop pressure on the quarterback. After winning that game, Anderson immediately began his work at USU. Recruiting, scouting, weight training and new schemes have been the focus for Anderson and the Aggies. This past week was the first practice for the Aggie's and Anderson was very pleased. A press release was issued last week talking about the positive progress of the Aggies. It can be found on the USU website under the football home page. http://www.utahstateaggies.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/032109aab.html

I am very excited to see how well Anderson and the Aggies do this upcoming year. GO AGGIES!!!!!!!!!!

Discover USU

Utah State University has a very well crafted campaign called "Discover." It covers a very wide range of audiences and demographics, everything from future students to alumni. It is not only a campaign for seniors in high school, but for anybody who wants to apply to USU. "Discover" informs the public of what they can become and shows them that anything is possible. I for one think that this marketing and PR tool is very effective and will produce great results in the number of applicants and the number of enrollment.

Huge Star, Local Restaurant!!!

As I walked into a local restaurant with my family last weekend we were all surprised to look over a couple of booths and see a major celebrity eating just a few feet from us. Jim Lampley of NBC was eating a meal with his son who lives in Utah and goes to the Oakley School. My father dared me to say hi to Mr. Lampley as he was leaving. I told my father that i was not a chicken or timid at all to say hi to a nationally recognized person as Jim Lampley. Needless to say, as he was leaving the restaurant, I leaned over and said hello to Mr. Lampley. He stopped and greeted me as well. He was really friendly and to my surprise asked my family and I a couple of questions on his way out. It was pretty cool to see and talk to him.

USU Basketball

Hey Aggie fans, are your ready for the NCAA tournament? If any of you out there are doubting the Aggie's or are afraid of our chances this Friday, I am writing this to remind you of just exactly we have on our team. We have Quayle Man, shooter Tyler Newbold, High Flyer Pooh Williams, the enforcer Tai Wesley and last but certainly not least,the WAC MVP Gary Wilkinson. This lineup has proven to be a great one winning over 25 games this season and making it to the NCAA tournament. I found an article about the team and more specifically Gary Wilkinson that you might want to read. It is found at http://www.utahstateaggies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031609aad.html. If you don't want to go there, here are some experts from the article:

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State men's basketball player Gary Wilkinson was tabbed the America First Credit Union Utah State Student-Athlete Of The Week for the period ending on Sunday, March 15. The USU award is voted on by a statewide media panel.
Wilkinson, a native of South Jordan, Utah, was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 Western Athletic Conference Tournament as he led Utah State to the tournament championship with wins against Fresno State (85-68), New Mexico State (71-70), and Nevada (72-62). He began the tournament by scoring 18 points against the Bulldogs, and then scored 19 points and added five rebounds against NMSU. In the championship game against the Wolf Pack, he scored a game-high 21 points to go along with six boards. Overall, Wilkinson averaged 19.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in the tournament, while shooting 54.1 percent from the field (20-37) and 78.3 percent from the free throw line (18-23).
This is Wilkinson's fourth USU weekly award this season, as he garnered the honor on Nov. 17, Dec. 15 and Jan. 12, and is the eighth time this season that a men's basketball player has collected the accolade.
Utah State will make its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years when the 11th-seeded Aggies take on sixth-seeded Marquette in the first round of the NCAA West Regional on Friday at 10:30 a.m. (MT) at Taco Bell Arena at Boise, Idaho. The winner of that game will face either third-seeded Missouri or 14th-seeded Cornell on Sunday, Mar. 22.
Utah State (30-4 overall, 14-2 WAC) is making it first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in three years, but its sixth in the last 10 years and seventh in the last 12 years. Overall, the Aggies are making their 18th NCAA Tournament appearance. USU's last NCAA Tournament was in 2006, when the Aggies dropped a 75-61 decision to fifth-seeded Washington in the first round.
This is the first time ever that USU has faced Marquette. The Aggies are 6-9 all-time vs. teams from the Big East, last facing a Big East team in 2000 when USU took on Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament, losing 75-67. Marquette is 9-1 all-time vs. teams from the WAC, with New Mexico State the only team to beat the Golden Eagles, 73-69, in 1972.

SAFETY FIRST!!!

Staker Parsons has been one of the leading companies in their line of work for many years and for many reasons and the reason at the top of that list is SAFETY. Staker prides itself on the work that they put into a job, no matter how large or how small. Going the extra mile is not just a saying or figure of speech at Staker, it is something that has come to be expected. Back in 2007, president Scott W. Parson issued a presidents message to his employees that I found very motivating and interesting. He tells a story about the power of hot water. At 211 degrees water is simply hot, but at 212 degrees water begins to boil creating steam, even enough steam to power a locomotive. That one extra degree makes all the difference. Mr. Parson issued a challenge to all Staker employees to go the extra mile in all aspects of their work. In safety, service and innovation. His message covers a variety of topics and issues that you can read at

http://www.stakerparson.com/about/index.cfm?id=31. As mentioned above, safety is number one at Staker Parsons. The company does not simply tell their employees to be safe, rather, they have developed a system called TRACK to help and remind everyone to be safe in all aspects of work. TRACK can be seen everywhere in Staker Parsons, from stickers on hardhats to t-shirts, logos on trucks to billboards on their buildings. TRACK is an acronym for:

T- think through the task

R- recognize the hazards

A-assess the risks

C-control the hazards

K-keep safety first in all tasks

As a former employee at Staker, I am very grateful for TRACK and the way that it is preached at work. I don't have a wife or kids at this point in my life that would miss me if I didn't come at the end of the day but I do have parents that I know would worry. With TRACK I feel safe at work because I know the risks and have a plan to avoid getting hurt. Injury, whether great or small, can hurt a family or an individual and in the current economic state of our country, no one can afford to be out of a job because they didn't follow safety measures at work. TRACK has helped employees at Staker, without question, be safe and stay worry free. TRACK is just one example of going the extra mile at Staker Parsons. Remember at 211 degrees water is simply hot, but at 212 degrees it begins to boil.

Michael Phelps

In light of his recent publicity, the question that has been asked the most, at least in my opinion, is whether or not Olympic national star Michael Phelps should be viewed as a role model for the current generation of children? In my very biased opinion the answer to that question is YES!!! Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete in the history of the games. He accomplished more in 2008 Beijing games than most athletes accomplish in their lifetime. He has set the standard for not only the Olympic games but for all sports in general. Most of his events are individual competitions and he succeeds in all of them. He holds numerous individual records and not to mention world records also. He has been quoted by saying he was disappointed after his gold medal winning swim because he did not break his own and world records during the swim. The list of his credentials could go on and on but suffice it to say he has all the credentials needed to be considered a role model for the rising generation. Now, what needs to be said about his choices out of the pool? Most of them are good and actually have been uplifting for most but the sad reality is that his wrong decisions out way his good in the eyes of the media. After his amazing achievements in Athens, he was picked up for drunk driving and now after the Beijing games he was caught smoking a bong at a party. Do those two decisions define who Michael Phelps is? The answer to this question is absolutely not. Yes he has made some wrong choices and yes he got caught, but two decisions should not define him as a bad person, in my own opinion. I, for one, respect Michael Phelps and all his accomplishments as an athlete, however, these two unfortunate choices will always linger in the minds of everyone who heard about them. In four years, the world will wait in anticipation for Micheal Phelps to dive off the blocks and into the pool for yet another spectacular Olympic games in which he will represent the USA. My question to America is, when he touches his hand to the wall in yet another victorious swim, will you be thinking of those two wrong decisions? I think the answer is no, America will be behind it's hero and cheering him on from in front of their televisions screaming at Michael to go faster and swim harder. Just something to think about.

History of Staker Parsons

So if you have been a follower of the Petersen Report or have simply scrolled through my posts, you must have noticed all my posts about a great company called Staker Parsons. I have worked for the company now for two summers now as a lab technician for asphalt paving and design. I have learned a lot about the company in those two summers and hope to continue to learn more about it this coming summer. In this post I would like to show you how Staker combined with Jack B. Parsons to form what is now known as Staker Parsons. On the Staker website under the link called "About Us" you can find the history of the company and it's plans for the future. Here is the link, http://www.stakerparson.com/about/. As mentioned above, working for Staker Parsons has been a learning and joyful experience. Progress is an every day goal throughout the company and at the end of each day that progress can be seen and measured. The rest of this post are experts from the already posted history and facts about the company.

About Us

"Staker Parson Companies was formed in 2001 when Staker Paving and Construction Company and Jack B. Parson Companies became partners. For 55 years, Staker Parson Companies has worked to be the Preferred Source of quality rock products, concrete, asphalt, paving, and construction serving a wide variety of contractors, businesses, government agencies, municipalities, and homeowners. The company has been recognized by numerous organizations for its commitment to safety, quality, and innovation. Staker Parson Companies is the Intermountain Region's largest producer of quality sand & rock product, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt, paving, and construction services, employing more than 2,200 people at more than thirty locations. For the past five years, Staker Parson Companies has been recognized as one of Utah's fastest growing companies. From the roads you drive on to the parks you play in, you can count on the team at Staker Parson Companies to deliver quality products and projects in a safe, timely, and efficient manner. The federation of Staker Parson Companies includes Jack B. Parson Companies, Idaho Sand & Gravel, Co., Idaho Concrete Company, and Western Rock Products. Staker Parson Companies is affiliated with the Oldcastle Materials Group/CRH plc (www.crh.com), one of the world's largest construction materials supply companies."

Missing NFL Players

This post is simply a current event that has happened over the past weekend. The Nation Football League has had a tremendous accident that has happened. Here is a recent article.

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- "The Coast Guard said Tuesday it is suspending at sundown the search for two NFL players and another man whose boat capsized off Florida's Gulf Coast.
The Coast Guard said it doesn't believe any of the three men -- Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, free agent lineman Corey Smith and former University of South Florida player William Bleakley -- is on the surface of the water.
Cooper
Smith
Crews had narrowed their search for the three after finding a survivor Monday. Former South Florida player Nick Schuyler was found clutching to the boat's hull.
The 24-year-old Schuyler told the Coast Guard that the boat was anchored when it capsized Saturday in high seas. He said the four men put on life vests after the boat capsized. They stayed together for some time, yet it remains unclear when and how they got separated.
Schuyler was dehydrated and suffering from hypothermia when he was found. But his condition improved to fair at a hospital Tuesday.
The four men left Clearwater Pass early Saturday in calm weather, but heavy winds picked up through the day and the seas got heavy, with waves of 7 feet and higher, peaking at 15 feet on Sunday. A relative alerted the Coast Guard early Sunday after the men did not return as expected. The Coast Guard said it did not receive a distress signal.
The men were aboard an Everglades-manufactured boat, which is built with compressed foam encased in Fiberglas, making it difficult to sink. The weather had improved Tuesday, with waves subsiding to 6 to 8 feet, National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Barron said.
Searchers had previously covered 16,000 square miles of ocean but the area being searched was much smaller since they found Schuyler, Capt. Timothy Close said.
However, Bob Zales, president of National Association of Charter Boat Operators, said waves that high can capsize a boat the size of Cooper's.
"A boat that size, personally, I wouldn't get out any farther than 20 or 30 miles offshore," Zales said. "But I see people all the time 40, 50 miles offshore."
Smith had 30 tackles, including three sacks, and an interception in 12 games last season for the Detroit Lions. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers and was a standout at North Carolina State.
Cooper, 26, played college ball at Washington, and has spent five seasons with five different teams, appearing in 26 games with the Buccaneers in 2004 and 2005. He's played sparingly since.
The Raiders and Lions said in separate statements that the teams hope the men will be rescued and that their thoughts and prayers go out to their families."

This is a sad story indeed and one can only hope that they find the missing persons involved. If you feel so inclined, keep up on the news in the next couple of days.

One Beautiful SUNSET!!!

One of the oldest practices in public relations is the passing out of fliers for certain plays, musicals, parties and much more. One of my good friends was on the Internet the other day when I walked into her apartment. As i sat there looking at the gorgeous pictures on her computer of sunsets, scenic wonders and weddings,I couldn't help but wonder how she knew about this certain photographer named Kristopher Orr. I proceeded to ask her that very question and low and behold the answer was not what I expected it to be. She said that she had received a flier up on our campus about the work of this photographer. It amazed me that a little 5x5 cutout could create such an interest and generate such attention. Fliers might be considered "Old School" but they still seem to get the job done if the fliers are done in a professional manner. Since then I have been looking at hundreds of fliers on campus and examining them down to the very smallest detail. Some are awesome while others look as if they were put together in three minutes. Once again it amazes me how productive a simple fliers can be.

Larry H. Miller

It was a sad day last Friday when a giant in the community passed away. Larry H. Miller died after fighting a ruff battle with type 2 diabetes. Larry did so much for the community, the Jazz and the state of Utah in general. On Saturday the Jazz won a very difficult game against the Boston Celtics. The game ball was given to Larry's wife Gail by Darron Williams after the victory. Larry H. Miller will be missed. Here are some experts form a press release that was written about Miller.

Larry H. Miller, Husband, Father, Grandfather Entrepreneur and Philanthropist, Dies at 64Miller's career legacy includes more than 80 companies — the Utah Jazz, Salt Lake Bees, EnergySolutions Arena, and 39 automobile dealerships; he is survived by wife Gail, five children, 21 grandchildren and one great grandchild
Salt Lake City, Utah (February 20, 2009) - Larry H. Miller, husband, father, grandfather, a well-known entrepreneur, community advocate and humanitarian, died from complications due to type 2 diabetes today, at home, surrounded by his family. He was 64.
Larry H. Miller April 26, 1944 - February 20, 2009
Miller, a man who truly loved Utah, its people and its land, was born in Salt Lake City in 1944. From modest beginnings, he grew up in the Capitol Hill area and went on to become one of Utah’s most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Leaving behind a profound professional and personal legacy, the entities Miller created have had a significant and lasting impact on the communities in which he did business, and the more than 7,000 individuals he employed.
The Larry H. Miller Group of Companies began with the Larry H. Miller Toyota store in Murray, Utah on May 1, 1979. Through the years, Miller amassed more than 80 businesses and properties in the western United States. Most notable are the Utah Jazz, EnergySolutions Arena, the Salt Lake Bees, Miller Motorsports Park, Megaplex Theatres, and 39 automobile dealerships spanning the Rocky Mountain West. Miller also developed a vast real estate holdings including commercial and agricultural properties.
A dynamic entrepreneur and business leader, Miller also became known for his charitable efforts. Miller coined the phrase “Go about doing good until there is too much good in the world.”
Miller and his wife Gail provide close to 300 college scholarships each year. Larry H. Miller Charities, a foundation funded by monthly contributions from his businesses, fundraising events in the community, and personal donations from employees, has donated millions of dollars to communities in which Miller does business.
“Larry and Gail have always stressed the importance of giving back to the communities in which we do business. Our customers have supported us and it is important that we show our appreciation by helping those in need,” said Greg Miller, eldest son and CEO of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. “Larry felt that his legacy isn’t in business as much as it was in creating opportunities for good jobs and higher education.”
Larry and Gail have also donated millions of dollars to Utah-based colleges and universities for campus improvements such as the state-of-the-art softball and baseball complexes at BYU. The Larry H. Miller Campus of the Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), was completed in fall 2001 and includes the Larry H. Miller Entrepreneurship Training Center and The Larry and Gail Miller Public Safety Education & Training Center.
Despite all of his success, Miller always maintained that his greatest accomplishment is the family that survives him: his wife, Karen Gail Saxton Miller, their four sons and one daughter, 21 grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Staker Parson HR Dept

Studying press releases has been a good learning tool and sometimes a hard thing to figure out. In reading different styles and types of press releases, I have come to notice that there really isn't one exact way to write a press release. Everyone has a different style and different take on the way they write and present a release. I was on the Staker Parsons website under the Archive section and I came across a style of press release that I haven't seen yet. It is very well written and gives the audience the information that the writer is trying to convey. As I mentioned above, the article is found on http://www.stakerparson.com/news/news.cfm?id=116

Just in case you don't want to go the website, even though I'd advise you to visit their website, I have put the article here.

Staker Parson Companies Announces HR Changes
by Brandy A. LeeStaker Parson Companies, recognized by numerous organizations for its commitment to quality, is pleased to announce the following changes within the Human Resources department:Jami Perrett: Staker & Parson Companies Corporate HR Director. Perrett worked for six years at Intermountain Health Care before coming to Staker Parson. She received her Bachelor's degree and MBA from Utah State University. Ryan Vaughn: Staker & Parson Recruiter/Hr specialist. Ryan has worked at Staker Parson as a Ready-mixed driver and an HR intern. He recently completed his Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management at Utah State University. Ogden, Utah, based Staker Parson Companies builds the Mountain West with quality rock products, concrete, asphalt, paving, and construction services. The company employs more than 2,200 people at more than thirty locations in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. Staker Parson Companies is part of the Oldcastle Materials Group, the leading vertically integrated supplier of aggregates, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete, and paving services in the United States. For more information, please visit www.stakerparson.com and http://www.oldcastlematerials.com/.

The Wait is Over!!!

Finally the time has arrived for Salt Lake City to have the opportunity to taste the goodness of an In-N-Out burger whenever it pleases. According to a press release on the KSL official website found at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=5579444 the In-N-Out Burger Co. will be opening its doors in Draper Utah. The excitement among local residents has been building for the past couple of months in the anticipation of the restaurant chain's opening. The press release found on the website mentioned above is very well written and really gives the reader the opportunity to feel of the excitement that the restaurant has been creating among the community. Here are some experts form the press release on the KSL website:

By Alex Cabrero and Randall Jeppesen

A popular restaurant chain is set to open in Draper and will bring close to 60 part- and full-time jobs. Utah's first In-N-Out burger is in Washington County, but by late this summer, the second one will open in Salt Lake County near 12100 South and Factory Outlet Drive in Draper.
Draper Assistant City Manager David Dobbins said, "We're happy to announce, finally, that it's official, and they are coming to Draper."
Draper resident Susan Walker heard the rumors and couldn't believe it when the rumors were confirmed. She said, "I grew up in California, It's absolutely the best hamburger in the whole world."
"I'll be there, first day opening and eating," said Draper resident Blade Greenwood.

Draper resident Ilene Hancock said, "I think it would be pretty awesome ‘cause I like their hamburgers, especially Animal Style." She said her daughter even made a trip to southern Utah a month ago just to eat at the In-N-Out burger there.
Right now, the spot where it will be located is just snow, dirt and rocks. It's in the Draper Peaks Shopping Center and is only coming here because Draper listened to its residents.
A couple of years ago, Draper polled its residents, asking what restaurants and businesses they'd like to have here.

In-N-Out was always at the top of the list. So, Draper city leaders went after them. Dobbins said, "We want to be successful. We want residents to stay in Draper, shop in Draper, eat in Draper, so we figure we may as well cater to what they're looking for."
Dobbins added, "We knew there was an interest, that they were looking in the intermountain area, and so we approached them and said, ‘We'd like to have you in Draper. What can we do to make that happen?'"
Greenwood couldn't be happier. "That's great," he said. "That's nice. It's a good place to have here in Draper. That'll bring a lot of good business here and everything."

News/Press Releases on Athletes

Everybody has seen, heard and read news or press releases on businesses and companies, but what about on certain individuals, or more specific, athletes? Do they exist, and if so, where can someone find them? Well, if you have read this blog before you would know that I am a Florida Gator Football fan and have been a huge supporter of Tim Tebow throughout his career. In looking for press releases about Tim Tebow, I was surprisingly shocked at the low number that I was able to find. News articles and stories were very easy to find, but when it comes to actual news or press releases, the task was more difficult than I expected. But don't fear, I found a great release about Tim and his recent shoulder surgery. If you are interested at all, look it up at http://www.abcactionnews.com/sports/story/Floridas-Tebow-undergoes-shoulder-surgery/mCWaeF_zAUy1k5sGuzQBBw.cspx

The differences in this press release and a normal news articles are very noticeable. The release is very well written and gives the audience the exact information that it was intended for.

GO GATORS!!!!!

Hyundai Assurance Policy

The other day I was watching the T.V. and I saw a commercial for Hyundai Cars. Due to the state of our economy, Hyundai is offering an assurance policy for car buyers that has boosted their sales while other car companies are struggling.

"Hyundai is the first automaker in the U.S. to offer a vehicle return program that allows you to walk away from your loan or lease without having to worry about negative equity. It lets you return your vehicle in case of certain life-altering circumstances. That's the Hyundai assurance."

(http://www.hyundaiusa.com/financing/HyundaiAssurance/HyundaiAssurance.aspx)

At a time like this in our economy, this PR and Marketing strategy has to be one of the best that I have ever seen for multiple reasons. First, it gives the buyer the assurance that even if the worst should happen and they lose their jobs, their credit won't get hurt and second, they don't have to worry about making payments that they can't afford. This idea is not only smart, it is one that will always be successful.

Staker Parson is Saving Energy!!!

With all the talk now days of cleaning up the air and saving energy, Staker Parson has been very active in developing new ways to clean up the air and save energy at the same time. In a news article posted on the official website of Staker Parson, Adam Madison has written a great summary of the efforts of Staker to help save money and energy. I really enjoyed this news release because it points out all the things that this company has been doing in the past couple of years to help the environment and contribute to saving energy. These are just some experts from the release:

"AN AWARDING EXPERIENCE

Staker & Parson has a philosophy when it comes to environmentalism. It's efficiency with a green paint job, which translates into bigger profits."If you improve the efficiency of a process, you are going to save, A: money and B: automatically gain environmental improvements," says Staker & Parson Environmental Advisor Patrick Clark. "Environmental improvements make goodbusiness sense."Even minor adjustments can go a long way with large-scale operations such as Staker & Parson. The Oldcastle Materials company says it is the largest construction materials supplier in the Intermountain West. It encompasses sand and gravel, quarry, ready-mixed concrete and asphalt operations in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Oregon and Nevada.In 2007, the company was recognized by the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association with three gold-level and two silverlevel Environmental Excellence Awards. Most were for operation adjustments that translated into big energy reductions.

SAVE ENERGY, MONEY

The prime example is the Beck Street Quarry in Salt Lake City. This operation, which produces about 2 million tpy, now operates without diesel-chugging haul trucks. Two were replaced with 3,100 feet of electric conveyor, saving $300,000 in fuel costs (at $4.00 per gallon) and reducing road and combustion emissions by nearly 25 tpy. The conveyor was manufactured by Continental Conveyor and was installed by Staker and Parson.The Brigham North Operation in Brigham City, Utah, earned gold-level status with a state-of-the-art loadout system built from three bins and hoppers recycled from an asphalt operation. The truck drivers, guided by traffic signals, position their trucks onto the scale and under the bins. A swipe card is used to communicate with the scale system, and the ticket is delivered to the driver through a pneumatic system similar to a bank's drive-thru.There are many benefits to this system. First, there are fuel and man-hour savings earned by replacing a pit loader. And less time is spent idling as drivers no longer have to wait at stockpiles. More importantly, particulate matter has been reduced by 26% and overall emissions have been reduced by 68%.Staker & Parson also cut emissions miles away by consuming less energy from the power plants. Clark says, wherever possible, the company installs variable-speed motors for crushing and screening. Going electric reduces pollution, but the high-efficiencymotors also save money. At just one site, the company saved 129,000 kilowatts in one year, which added up to $13,000, Clark says."

As you can see, Staker has taken an active role in saving energy. Once again, this news release couldn't have come at a better time. With the economy the way it is now, and businesses looking for any way possible to save money and still create a positive work environment that produces revenue, Staker Parson is already doing this.

Leadership and Human Resources Press Release

March 25-26, 2009Leadership & Human Resources Seminar: Leading Through Tough Times

Once again this is a mock Press Release that I have been working on. Utah State University will be hosting the 25th Annual Leadership and Human Resources Seminar this upcoming March. Speakers have been chosen to focus on leadership training and build a solid foundation of communication within industries. So here is the Press Release. (All quotes are not real)

Human Resources Seminar
With the ruff economic times that have hit recently, companies are looking for any competitive edge that they can find to gain any type of advantage over their competitors. Leadership qualities and essential supervising skills are at the top of the list for most companies in the business world today.
The Leadership & Human Resources department at Utah State University will be hosting the 26th Annual Leadership & Human Resources Seminar on March 25-26th, 2009 at the Eccles Conference center on the campus of USU. Topics this year will include the use of workplace metrics, motivating employees, creating a continuous improvement culture, and other current issues. The seminar will also play host to some of the Nation’s top experts on the subject of leadership skills and human resources.
The Leadership & Human Resources seminar will address how to create value for companies and provide strategies for winning in tough times. Current trends will be presented by experts and leading professionals. . “The speakers were all chosen because of the expertise and experience in this field of work,” Dannon Loveland said, leadership and human resources seminar coordinator. There is no substitute for experience Dannon said.
Robert J. Wrona, Executive Director of the Training Within Industry (TWI), Institute will be discussing the essential skills for supervisors and managers. Wrona began his career in manufacturing working 6 years at General Motors in Buffalo, NY and 4 years at Kodak in Rochester, NY before joining a retail drug store chain in Syracuse, NY where, as VP of Organizational Development, he helped lead the company to profitably expand from 12 to 130 stores in 10 years.
Wrona will illustrate how companies can gain the competitive edge in these tough economic times by providing the foundation of a positive, collaborative work environment in which people can be quickly trained on how to do a job correctly and carefully. “There is absolutely no substitute for experience in the days we live in now,” Wrona said.
Among the information that will be given concerning leadership skills and a positive work environment, Greg Inozemcev, a Leadership Facilitator with JetBlue Airways’ Organizational Effectiveness team will discuss how to effectively communicate within an industry or organization. Greg is responsible for diagnosing elements of organizational dynamics, then designs and facilitates interventions aimed at improving performance at the individual, group and enterprise-wide level. He works closely with leaders at all levels to manage projects focused on leadership development, organizational culture, change management and team effectiveness. Facilitating is just one of the many tools we use to communicate with one another in our industry,” Inozemcev said.
The 25th Annual Leadership and Human Resources Seminar promises to deliver powerful and motivating information for the local and world-wide audience. “The speakers at this seminar all share the same message,” Loveland said, “And that is the message of progression within each individual industry and corporation.”