Did You Know on the New Years Eve of December 31, 1907 the very first ball was lowered in Times Square?  There are likely many people in the Times Square crowd with their resolutions in mind.   According to Joel Schwarz, people make more resolutions to start a new habit than to break an old one.  Are you planning on making resolutions for 2012?  Not all resolutions should be making money or losing weight.  Use the suggestions below to take full advantage of your time to achieve dreams in 2012.  

"Dream Board" is a more positive alternative to a bucket list.  There is a Dream Board process called "dreamlining" that applies timelines to what most would consider dreams."  The process requires a short timeline of 6-12 months.  Once you list dream things to do and dream items to purchase, then determine your Target Monthly Income (TMI).  Focus on only a few of the top dreams in your first timeline.  Finally, set three realistic steps and take action now, preferably one step should be requesting advice from someone who has already accomplished the dream.  Full credit for "dreamlining" should be given to Timothy Ferriss.  He provides a full explanation of it in his book entitled "The 4-Hour Workweek."  In this book Ferriss has included some popular methodologies for saving time, however.  Ferriss makes some good suggestions on how to take advantage of your new found free time.  His book is usually available to purchase at one of the online bookseller websites. 

Place your Dream Board where you will see it every day.  It does not have to be front and center in your home or at work, but it should be visible for your benefit.  It should be a constant reminder of your dreams.  Do not get discouraged if some dreams take longer, but do not quit.  Concentrate on your steps towards making your dreams into reality.  Even if you work on one dream at a time you will be in good company.  It is a methodology adopted by many successful people.   As Charles Emerson Winchester III of the 4077 MASH said, “I do one thing, I do it very well and then I move on.”

Make your dreams a reality in 2012.

Source:
Schwarz, Joel. "How to keep up with those New Year's resolutions, researchers find commitment is the secret of success." University of Washington. 23 December 1997. 27 Dec 2010.

Welcome back to all of the servicemembers that recently returned from overseas.  Thank you for your service and sacrifices.   According to www.cbsnews.com, "President Obama marked the end of the Iraq war earlier in the week, meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in advance of the last American troops leaving Iraq by Dec. 31.  The withdrawal caps a war in which nearly 4,500 Americans were killed, about 32,000 were wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars were spent."

We ask everyone to keep in your prayers those still deployed.  It's our holiday wish these brave men and women will be reunited with their families soon.  If you would like to send some comforts of home to our deployed servicemembers then check out http://www.operationgratitude.com. This organization has sent 731,704 care packages to date.

Many people make resolutions and fail to keep them, instead.  In the next two weeks try making a 2012 "dream board."  Stay tuned for suggestions of fun things to add to your 2012 dream board.

In the 2011 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Staub v. Proctor Hospital, "cat's paw" became an important term to learn.  A person is a "cat's paw" if used for the purposes of another.  The term originated from a tale of a monkey using a cat to get chestnuts in a fire in which the monkey eats all of the chestnuts rather than sharing with the cat.  In the legal context "cat's paw" is frequently used in employment discrimination cases.  

At the beginning of 2011, Staub was one of three U.S. Supreme Court decisions related to the military.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Army reservist Vincent Staub, who was fired in 2004 from his civilian position at Proctor Hospital in Peoria, Illinois.  He claimed the firing was related to his supervisor's negative comments about his military obligations, and therefore, he sued the hospital under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).  This Act prohibits denial of re-employment, retention in employment, promotion or any benefit of employment based on a reservist’s military obligations.  During the case, the Court found that Staub's supervisors influenced a human resources official to do the firing.  The Supreme Court held, if it is the proximate cause, an employer will be liable if its supervisor motivated by anti-military hostility performs an act intended to cause an adverse employment action.  

Employers should be aware of the repercussions of the Staub holding in all types of discrimination cases, not just cases involving servicemembers.  In light of this decision employers will need to ensure all their company officials participate in anti-discrimination law training.  Based upon comments by Justice Alito, a thorough independent investigation would be worth an employer's effort, but it might not fully immunize the employer.  

After remand to the Trial Court Staub was settled, however.  The discriminatory comments made by Staub's supervisors should never have occured in the United States.  It is the contribution of servicemembers that makes it possible for companies to thrive, and these heroes deserve great appreciation from their employers.

Disclaimer:  This article is intended only to provide general legal information.  Consult a licensed attorney in your area if you are a servicemember in need of employment law advice.   

There are many ways to help military heroes and families during this holiday season.  Reach out by donating time or money.  The following are a couple of ideas to which you can give no matter where you are located.  The Sesame Workshop and Boys & Girls Clubs are nonprofits whose work benefits military children in that they offer educational materials and assist these children with issues when their parent returns home.  If you are a returning servicemember that does not live near a base, the Boys & Girls club offers these services at many of the nearly 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs not located on base.  You can also assist the veterans still giving of their time at a Toy for Tots event.  Every holiday season Toys for Tots is made possible by the contribution of these veterans, and civilians are always needed to collect and distribute toys.  For other ideas go to http://www.charitynavigator.org to find a highly rated nonprofit serving military heroes.  Whatever you give will be greatly appreciated.