Articles Posted in General Announcements

In 5 Things You Have To Do Before You Start Any Negotiation, sales expert Dr. Jim Anderson writes:

To help get you properly prepared for your next sales negotiation, I’ve got some suggestions. Here are five steps that you need to take before you sit down at the negotiating table:

Create A “Want” List: How can you be successful during a negotiation if you don’t know what you want? Take the time to create a list of what you want to get out of the negotiation. Be careful here: not all wants are created the same. Make sure that you distinguish between the ones that you can’t live without and the ones that would just be nice to have.

On July 5, 2010, financial planning experts at Equestrian Professional will begin a three-part seminar series on financial planning for horse professionals. This series will focus on what horse professionals can do to create a secure financial outlook for their businesses and their own financial future.

The Problems

The recession has had a widespread effect on the equine industry. Sales barns and breeders are supporting unsold inventory or are selling horses below cost. Show barns have reduced the number of shows they attend, are competing closer to home, and/or are bringing fewer customers on the road. Trainers and professional riders are implementing new strategies to attract and retain clients: i.e. leases and syndicates have gained popularity. Additionally, some trainers are moving into new markets, like selling online training programs. Boarding stables are dealing with more past due accounts and abandoned horses than ever before. Rescues are over burdened with unwanted horses and their donors are tapped out.

In

The Healthy Choice

, wood products experts at the National Wood Flooring Association write on how wood floors improve indoor air quality:

A recent Life Cycle Analysis of wood flooring conducted by the University of Wisconsin supports this belief. The study compared five different floor coverings in regard to four substances considered to be harmful to the atmosphere: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. All these substances contribute to atmospheric warming and human respiratory ailments. The results of the study show that wood flooring had no emissions for methane, nitrogen oxide and other particulates, and minimal emissions for carbon dioxide. Wood floors also have the added benefit of not harboring allergens, microorganisms or harmful pesticides that can be tracked in from outdoors. In addition, dust, mold and animal dander contamination is minimal in homes with wood floors, which can significantly improve indoor air quality.

In

The Healthy Choice

, wood flooring experts at the National Wood Flooring Association write on allergens:

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. Even more alarming, allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States….

Environmental triggers can be controlled only to a degree, but one of the areas that has the most impact on allergens is the family home. Eliminating dust, mold and animal dander can have a huge impact on the home environment. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to replace your old, worn out flooring with hardwood floors.

Wood manufacturing experts at the Window and Door Manufacturers Association issued a briefing on the EPA Lead Rule Update:

EPA’s new “Lead Rule” went into effect on April 22, 2010 requiring contractors, property managers and others paid to renovate structures built before 1978 to be certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

WDMA staff and member company representatives have met with EPA and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) officials regarding the “Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting” (RRP) rule expressing concerns over the lack of certified firms, trained renovators, and approved test kits that will be necessary to effectively implement the rule without significant disruption of home renovations throughout the U.S.

The National Ground Water Association is offering the two-day course, “Guidelines for Groundwater Legal Consultation,” April 15-16 in Denver, Colorado. The course will introduce individuals to what is involved in being a groundwater expert witness – writing an opinion statement, grasping legal terminology, preparing for testimony, and setting up administrative benchmarks.

NGWA, a nonprofit organization comprised of more than 13,000 U.S. and international groundwater professionals – contractors, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, scientists, and engineers – is dedicated to advancing groundwater knowledge. NGWA’s vision is to be the leading groundwater association that advocates the responsible development, management, and use of water.

For more, see wateronline.com

At The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) website, Carolyn I. Polowy, JD and law clerk Joel Gilbertson, write on Social Workers as Expert Witnesses:

Courts of law rely upon information offered in evidence as the basis for decisions rendered. Evidence comes in many forms, including photographs, recordings, devices, forensic evidence, documents, and individual testimony. Oral testimony by witnesses is, however, often the major source of evidence at a trial.

Witnesses who testify as experts play an important role in interpreting data, explaining complex material, and drawing knowledgeable inferences based upon their training and experience. Social workers are called to testify as expert witnesses on a variety of subjects. This Law Note discusses the role of the expert witness and reviews case law confirming the role of social workers as expert witnesses in a variety of settings.

For the International Building Code expert witness:

The International Builders’ Show (IBS), January 19, 2010, Las Vegas, is the largest annual building industry trade show in the country. Billed as “THE place to see and discuss the hottest products on the market and network with your friends and allies,” IBS offers more than 175 education sessions taught by industry experts.

You can attend the show and not be a member of NAHB; however, NAHB members are eligible for discounted registration fees. The International Builders’ Show is the largest annual light construction show in the world with attendees coming from over 70 countries. Show organizers state “We are proud to be one of the US trade shows to be chosen by the US Department of Commerce to participate in the International Buyer Program.”

The Gotham City Networking Expert Witness Group offers networking opportunities and monthly speaker/topic or group discussions on topics of interest to fellow experts. Scheduled meetings are Nov.16, Dec.14, Jan.11, Feb.8, Mar.15, May 20, June 21, Sept.13, Oct.18, Nov.15 and Dec.13, all at 12:15pm at Fabio Piccolo Fiore’s Italian Restaurant (230 E.44th between 2nd and 3rd Ave.).

Please contact group leader Gerald M. Goldhaber directly to visit a monthly luncheon meeting.

Gerald M. Goldhaber, Ph.D.

The ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law and the ABA Criminal Justice Section announces a new publication Criminal Mental Health and Disability Law, Evidence and Testimony: A Comprehensive Reference Manual for Lawyers, Judges and Criminal Justice Professionals. The new criminal mental health/disability law book is the most comprehensive to date and the first book to examine in detail the legal relationships that link criminal justice, mental health, and disability discrimination law.

Chapters include:

A legal history of mental health and disability in the criminal justice system