Touch is perhaps the most powerful sense of all. From the moment we are born, before our eyes are open, a gentle touch calms us and lets us know someone cares. In the beginning stages of life, a nurturing touch helps create a bond that shapes us for the rest of our lives. Even though research cannot prove exactly how touch positively affects us, it has shown that those who are physically touched on a regular basis experience higher levels of the hormone oxytocin. According to the National … [Read more...] about The Power of Touch
Columnists
Reaching Your Mobile Audience
Things have changed a lot since The Who recorded their song about being mobile in the sixties. Back then they were talking about being able to make toast and tea while on the road. Now, there’s a lot more people can do via their “mobile devices” – although toast and tea are not among them! Mobile phone usage online has skyrocketed in the last couple of years. Almost half – 48 percent – of consumers use their mobile devices to research or browse products and services, according to Oracle’s … [Read more...] about Reaching Your Mobile Audience
Of Course!
Whenever colleagues from abroad tell me they are planning a trip to the east coast, I urge them to add Arizona as a detour destination. “We have the Grand Canyon,” I tell them. “If this is your only trip, you can’t leave without taking one look.” Those who make the trek are eternally grateful. There’s just no describing the Grand Canyon and no photo or film can ever do it justice. A good strategy is sort of like the Grand Canyon. Expounding at length never really does the trick and that big … [Read more...] about Of Course!
New Thinking on Heart Disease Prevention
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. There is a growing body of research demonstrating that cholesterol levels are no longer the best indicator of a person's risk for a heart attack or stroke. In fact, half of the people who suffer a heart attack have completely normal cholesterol levels. Recent studies have shown that lowering cholesterol alone had no benefit on preventing a person's first heart attack or stroke. Medical research is showing that far better … [Read more...] about New Thinking on Heart Disease Prevention
Get to Know Your New Deputy City Manager, Jerene Watson
This month, Mayor Sara Presler has a few questions for Deputy City Manager Jerene Watson, who started working for Flagstaff last month. Mayor: Welcome to Flagstaff! Tell us a little bit about you. Watson: I’ve spent nearly four decades in the workforce – seven years in the private sector and one in the nonprofit environment, six years in Europe and U.S. higher education institutions and 24 years in public service. I’ve worked for Coca Cola USA, the United States Senate, and three state … [Read more...] about Get to Know Your New Deputy City Manager, Jerene Watson
Making Transactions Happen for Clients
Hospitality: Approximately $11.4 billion in lodging assets sold in the first half of 2011, compared to $4.9 billion in the first half of 2010 (CoStar). Multi-family: Apartment transaction volume surged 132 percent from this time last year until now (Real Capital Analytics). Office: The U.S. office market absorbed 12.0 million square feet in 2011, which is the highest amount of absorption since 3Q07 (Grub & Ellis). Retail: In 2010, there were … [Read more...] about Making Transactions Happen for Clients
Everything I Know About Business I Learned at West Point
Many years ago, I taught at the University of Redlands School of Business (back then it was called the Alfred North Whitehead School of Business). Among my courses was one that coached MBA students in preparing the documentation required for lifetime learning credits. The idea was to acknowledge the value of learning that took place outside of the formal university and its classrooms. To earn credit, you had to put it all down on paper in a particular format for objective evaluation. My students … [Read more...] about Everything I Know About Business I Learned at West Point
Completing Your Energy Efficient Home
#6 Wrapping It Up...Steps to Building an Energy Star Home In the current series of articles, we chronicled the steps to building an energy efficient home based on a current project here in Flagstaff. We just finished a house for a professor north of NAU who decided to prioritize energy efficiency. The previous articles covered the basics: getting out of the ground, waterproofing, insulation, radon, wall types, air sealing, and mechanical systems. This article will wrap it all up and have our … [Read more...] about Completing Your Energy Efficient Home
The Effects of Heat on Seniors
Sunny days uplift spirits, yet seniors need to take special precautions to make sure their enjoyment of summer is not eclipsed by dehydration and heat illness. Physical changes that come with aging make older adults more vulnerable to summer’s heat and humidity. The American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation for Health in Aging (FHIA) reports that most of the 200 Americans who die each summer of heat-related complications are over 50. FHIA warns that temperatures in the low 90s can be very … [Read more...] about The Effects of Heat on Seniors
Is It Really Is Safe to Go Back In the Water?
Ever thought about opening your own business? Well, think again. If statistics are reliable, most businesses go out of business within their first decade (as high as 60% according to some reports). The turnover of storefronts from Hunt Avenue to Aspen during the past several years is enough to convince. Nevertheless, owning your own business remains strong on the list of American dreams, and just as many new businesses start each day for every one that closes its doors. According to most … [Read more...] about Is It Really Is Safe to Go Back In the Water?