Paul Linus, Author at News, Views and Reviews

Nov212021 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Why happy employees may not be motivated

Business

But what if it's wrong? After all, happiness is a mood state and that is not the same thing as motivation or commitment. There are plenty of immensely happy people who are quite average or even below average as performers on the job. There certainly is a relationship between job satisfaction and productivity but while everyone wants to work in an environment that makes them happy, the reality is that satisfied employees are not necessarily more productive. Productive employees tend to be happy however. They are productive when their leaders emphasize quality and customer service and they are well trained, empowered, and involved in making decisions. This allows them to be more engaged and to communicate and collaborate with each other. Consider the resources currently being wa...

Nov182021 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Guided tour to stunning gardens in the west of England

General

Anyone planning to visit some of the finest gardens in England who has a week to spare should focus on Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds. The west of England is home to several arts and crafts style gardens, the type that epitomise all things that people expect from an English garden; plants, borders and cream teas. Hampton Court, Herefordshire Hampton Court is a modern garden created in the grounds of a traditional country estate. It has a contemporary Arts and Crafts feel, lovingly detailed, with tunnels and hidden gardens, mazes and caves to explore. Discover the acres of stunning formal gardens and a kitchen/edible ornamental garden that is a feature worth a visit in its own right. The estate has a manor house that looks out upon a parkland setting in the curve...

Nov162021 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Shipping insurance rates for fragile goods

Business

Importers have to pay higher insurance rates for fragile shipments. So do people who hire movers to transport delicate household goods like antique China, chandeliers and expensive wine glasses to a new residence. Other fragile products like strawberries are sensitive to changes in temperature. Shipping technologies such as intelligent package labels and monitoring devices can remotely trigger an alarm when fragile cargo is subjected to unacceptable shocks or temperatures. One example of a device that sends signals directly to a personal computer or laptop is Innovatorium Technologies’ wireless Environment Monitor. Rather than replacing the need for shipment insurance, however, these technologies emphasize the need for adequate cargo coverage for fragile goods. This article pr...

Nov112021 by Paul LinusNo Comments

When is right time for voluntary early retirement

Career

Taking early retirement is easier said than done and needs careful planning. A typical semi-retirement or working retirement plan involves: determining of the length of semi-retirement, accumulating savings to fund mandatory and discretionary spending during semi-retirement, budgeting for expenses and spending during the time off; and, developing a back up plan if ventures do not succeed Once the savings target is reached and before the resignation letter is tendered, semi-retirement activities should be planned out carefully to ensure that the temporary time off from work is well spent, efforts are worthwhile and goals are achieved. Spending Time With Family The best time spent by most people is probably with their parents, spouses, children and pets. Although the time ...

Nov92021 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Temporary government loan modification for unemployed

Career

For homeowners, an unexpected job loss can be a unpleasant obstacle in the way of obtaining a home loan modification due to the fact that lenders require homeowners to possess an income sufficient enough to comfortably repay a modified mortgage loan. Through the Making Home Affordable program, the federal government offers temporary loan modification to unemployed individuals to help them avoid foreclosure while seeking new employment. Home Loan Modification for the Unemployed Unemployed homeowners can apply for a forbearance plan through Making Home Affordable. The goal of the forbearance plan is to give the homeowner manageable mortgage payments until he can find employment. Restructured mortgage payments can continue for a minimum of three months and maximum of six months. ...

Nov72021 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Proven tips for budget travel in Lisbon

Travel

Traveling in Europe can be expensive these days- especially for people going there from the Americas or Asia. Lisbon, however, is an ideal and often overlooked European city where one can still enjoy the sights and sounds without feeling like a grubby backpacker. Don't Waste Money on Transportation Portugal's own airlines- TAP Portugal and SAPA- both provide low-cost flights from North America that are cheaper than using U.S.-based airlines. Once one arrives in Lisbon, the airport is quite close to downtown and taxi fares are also cheap compared to fares in other countries. A ride from the airport to the heart of the city will only cost 5 to 10 euros with minimal traffic. The first thing to do is to buy a 24-hour transportation pass, which costs 4 euros and enables one to boar...