Studies show that positive employees outperform negative employees in terms of productivity, sales, energy levels, turnover rates and healthcare costs. According to Shawn Achor, Harvard researcher and author of “The Happiness Advantage,” optimistic sales people outperform their pessimistic counterparts by up to 37%. In fact, the benefits can be seen across industries and job functions. Doctors with a positive mindset are 50% more accurate when making diagnoses than those that are negative.

Today, a few forward-thinking companies are investing in the happiness of their employees to drive innovation and boost productivity.

“If you infuse fun into the work environment, you will have more engaged employees, greater job satisfaction, increased productivity and a brighter place to be,” says Stacy Sullivan, the chief culture officer of Google, who has a telling and rare title at a company often celebrated for its campus and perks.

The tech giant offers its 23,000 employees perks like onsite daycare, dry-cleaning, oil changes and free breakfast, lunch and dinner. Google also hosts “TGIF” weekly staff meetings in which staffers can ask questions of the CEO. Perhaps most creative, Google’s encouragement of the “20% project” — employees use 20% of their work time on a project outside the scope of their jobs — led to the creation of Gmail and Google Talk.

Other companies are also finding creative ways to increase workplace happiness. Financial firm UBS offers employees a nap room and a Friday beer cart. Beverage company PepsiCo encourages associates to get outside by offering them plots of land to start organic gardens.

Here’s a look at some of the happiest companies in the U.S.:

©Paul Sakuma/AP

Adobe

Offers employees positive psychology training; onsite cafeterias, fitness facilities and bocce courts; and 80 associations like knitting and book clubs bring employees together based on personal interests.

©Ross Franklin/AP

American Express

Encourages flexible schedules like telecommuting, job-sharing and compressed workweeks; employees are offered paid sabbaticals; gay partners receive health benefits.

©Courtesy Google

Google

Offers onsite childcare and encourages employees to visit children during the day; famously provides free meals and snacks; supplies ping pong tables and videogame stations where employees can break from work.

©Joern Pollex/Getty Images

IBM

According to happiness expert Shawn Achor, MIT researchers studied thousands of IBM employees for a year and found the more social they were the better they performed. Each additional e-mail contact added $948 in revenue. IBM since launched a program to facilitate employee introductions to increase overall happiness.

©Newscom

KPMG

Invests in happiness training; allows employees to take partially paid leaves for up to 12 weeks; encourages flexible scheduling and formal mentoring programs.

For a full list, please go to

http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-111144-7211-4-americas-happiest-companies?ywaad=ad0035

http://mylovelyoutlet.blogspot.com

Currently, i’m selling ladies items but I will update time to time.

Anyway, I will put up some coupons that I found in magazines, newspapers, etc. Let me know if you are interested.

These areas get the most snowfall and rain, and experience the coldest annual temperatures, of the 50 measured.

Washingtonians might not want to put away their snow shovels just yet. That’s because a second storm is expected to head their way later this week.

Though blizzards along the mid-Atlantic occur most every winter, strange weather patterns are happening in unlikely places across the U.S. Late last month Arizona got hit by record snowfall and rain, and Floridians suffered through an unusually cold and wet January.

For those bracing for a snowstorm, it can be useful to remember that other cities more often have it worse than your own. Those likely include Detroit, which each year gets an average of 41 inches of snow; Minneapolis, with an annual average temperature of 45 degrees; and rainy New York City. Its residents deal with just under 50 inches of rain a year.

Behind The Numbers

In compiling our list, we measured weather patterns in the country’s fifty largest cities, or Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. This data was provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and tracks average annual temperature, total precipitation in inches and total snowfall in inches. The temperature and precipitation data was calculated over a 30-year period from 1971 to 2000–NOAA’s most recent figures because of its decadal calculation schedule–and the snowfall levels included up to 2008.

There are two things to note about our data. First, we acknowledge that global warming may have caused temperatures to rise since 2000, but it is unlikely that individual cities have been affected by drastically different percentage changes, or that the trend is unaccounted for in the thirty year analysis. Second, Virginia Beach, the nation’s 42nd most populous city, has been excluded because NOAA does not track its weather.

Chilly Cities

Our measures show that those in Cleveland experience the worst winter months. Located on the south shore of Lake Erie, the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has relatively mild summers but its winters require endurance. Cleveland gets hit by lake-effect snow, averaging almost 60 inches every winter and its frigid winters help produce an average annual temperature of only 50 degrees, 10 degrees below the 50-city average.

Boston, ranked just below Cleveland. It has hot summers, but the cool northern air slaps the city with freezing wintertime temperatures, says Ken Reeves, director of forecasting operations for Accuweather.com. Boston also has heavy rainfall, averaging 42.5 inches over the 30-year period–over 35% higher than the composite average. Much of this rain, and a good portion of the city’s snowfall, is caused by nor’easter storms, which often hit Boston because of its high latitude.

“The farther north you are,” says Reeves, “the greater the frequency of those storms.”

What’s more, cleanup doesn’t come cheap. Boston-area cities and towns regularly budget upward of $1 million for snow and ice removal. Like many municipalities faced with unpredictable weather, if they overspend, that money comes out of the next fiscal year’s budget, a dicey proposition during an economic downturn.

New York City rounds out the top three. In addition to heavy rain the Big Apple’s 8 million residents gets hit with almost 30 inches of snow on average each winter, something many may not realize because it disappears so quickly on the city’s heavily salted streets and sidewalks.

An Unsurprising Group

A discussion of bad weather would be incomplete without mention of the Midwest. Our data demonstrates why: Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Columbus and Detroit all made the list.

Although Chicago and Milwaukee have drastically different populations–Chicago, home to nearly three million people, is almost five times bigger–their geographic proximity forces residents to endure the same winter weather. Both cities ranked in the top five for coldest average annual temperature, and they also finished in the top 10 for average snowfall levels.

Landlocked Minneapolis has weather nearly as bad. Its average temperature of 45.4 degrees is the coldest of all cities studied and its snowfall is the third highest at 49.7 inches. The city is saved, however, by its relatively dry warmer seasons. Detroit benefits from the same trend. Contrarily, Indianapolis and Columbus are much more measured with ample amounts of rain and snow, and a moderately cold average temperature.

Baltimore rounds out the top 10, which shouldn’t be too surprising considering that it is in the eye of this weekend’s predicted snowstorm. Although its residents may moan while shoveling their driveways, at least they now know they don’t have it as bad as Cleveland or Boston, on average.

America’s Top 5 Worst Weather Cities

1. Cleveland
Average Annual Temperature: 49.6°F
Average Precipitation: 38.7 inches
Average Snowfall: 58.9 inches

2. Boston
Average Annual Temperature: 51.6°F
Average Precipitation: 42.5 inches
Average Snowfall: 43.2 inches

3. New York City
Average Annual Temperature: 54.6°F
Average Precipitation: 49.7 inches
Average Snowfall: 28.9 inches

4. Milwaukee
Average Annual Temperature: 47.5°F
Average Precipitation: 34.8 inches
Average Snowfall: 47.5 inches

5. Chicago
Average Annual Temperature: 49.1°F
Average Precipitation: 36.2 inches
Average Snowfall: 38.2 inches

As Samuel Johnson observed, “It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery, and as much happiness as possible.”

Your work space:
1. Check for eyestrain: put your hand to your forehead in a salute. If your eyes feel relieved, your space is too bright. When I got my three monitors (an investment which makes me ecstatically happy, by the way), I had to turn down their brightness levels because the glare was terrible.

2. Get a good desk chair and take the time to adjust it properly.

3. Sit up straight — every time I do, I instantly feel more energetic and cheerier.

4. Indulge in a modest splurge, i.e., consider whether there are ways to spend money that would make a big difference. Could you invest in some desk accessories to help you stay organized? Could you replace an inconvenient lamp with something that works better?

5. Get a phone headset. I resisted for a long time, but it’s really much more comfortable. The phone headset is like the rolling suitcase: yes, you look a little silly, but it makes life a lot easier.

6. Don’t keep treats around. A handful of M&Ms each day might mean a weight gain of five pounds by year’s end.

7. Periodically, take time to deep-clean the loose papers that have piled up. I never do this until I specifically schedule a time, but am always amazed at the wonderful calm it brings.

Your day:
8. Never say “yes” on the phone; instead, say, “I’ll get back to you.” When you’re actually speaking to someone, the desire to be accommodating is very strong, and can lead you to say “yes” without enough consideration.

9. Take care of difficult calls or emails as quickly as possible. Procrastinating just makes it harder; getting them done gives a big boost of relieved energy.

10. When accepting a responsibility, imagine that it’s something that you’ll have to do next week. That way you don’t agree to a task just because it seems so far off that it doesn’t seem onerous.

11. Be honest about how you’re spending your time. You feel overwhelmed, but are you really working hard? How much time do you spend surfing the internet, chatting on the phone, looking for things you’ve misplaced, or doing tasks that are really someone else’s job?

12. Go outside at least once a day, and if possible, take a walk. The sunlight and activity is good for your focus, mood, and retention of information.

13. Even if you can’t go outside, take a ten-minute break each hour. Studies show that the break boosts your retention level.

14. Don’t let yourself get too hungry.

15. Try to make a lunch date with someone outside the office at least once a week.

16. Let yourself stay ignorant of things you don’t need to know.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/sixteen-tips-for-feeling-happier-at-work-552559/

Gosh..I’m feeling bored today..

Tinley Park, Illinois
Nearest city: Chicago
Population: 54,491
Median family income: $90,377
Runners-up: Arlington Heights, Schaumburg

Tinley Park, a fast-developing southwestern suburb of Chicago, is this year’s Best Place to Raise Your Kids–not just for Illinois, but for the nation as a whole. It has great schools, a vibrant downtown, and housing options that range from modest to luxurious. Oak Park Avenue, which serves as a Main Street shopping area, includes a beautiful town square where residents gather and children ride bicycles. Tinley Park also has a 28,000-seat outdoor concert amphitheater, one of the largest in the Chicago area.

Arcadia, California
Nearest city: Los Angeles
Population: 55,817
Median family income: $83,480
Runners-up: Monterey Park, Diamond Bar

Arcadia, located about 20 miles from Los Angeles, is the state’s best place to raise kids for the second consecutive year because of its low crime and excellent schools. The population of Arcadia includes a number of peacocks that hang out in the neighborhood near the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden.

Warner Robins, Georgia
Nearest city: Macon
Population: 49,515
Median family income: $62,715
Runners-up: Valdosta, Roswell

Warner Robins, about 120 miles south of Atlanta, is home to the 6,400-acre Robins Air Force Base, the state’s largest single employer. Many of the residents of this proud town outside Macon, Ga., are former military personnel. Warner Robins won the Little League World Series in 2007.

Honolulu, Hawaii
Nearest city: Honolulu
Population: 377,399
Median family income: $74,504
Runners-up: Hilo

Honolulu, the state capital, is surrounded by gorgeous beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, and mountain ranges. But there is more to Honolulu than surfing, sunny weather, and sandy beaches. It also has a thriving arts scene, great ethnic restaurants, and each year it hosts the NFL Pro Bowl and college football’s Hawaii Bowl. The island of Oahu also has a strong military presence, including Schofield Barracks, the state’s largest Army post.

Quincy, Massachusetts
Nearest city: Boston
Population: 92,181
Median family income: $74,160
Runners-up: Weymouth, Barnstable Town

Quincy, located about 10 miles south of Boston, is the birthplace of U.S. Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams and is known as the “City of Presidents” and “Birthplace of the American Dream.” The community has plenty of historic sites, miles of coastline, and great schools. The district, which prides itself on a low student-teacher ratio, has 12 elementary schools, 5 middle schools and 2 high schools that teach a diverse student body, including speakers of 32 dialects.

Woodbury, Minnesota
Nearest city: St. Paul, Minn.
Population: 58,566
Median family income: $114,156
Runners-up: Rochester, Eagan

Woodbury, a growing suburb just 10 miles southeast of St. Paul, is close to major employers, including the state government and 3M, which makes everything from post-it notes to safety equipment. It has 100 miles of multi-use trails and is surrounded by thousands of acres of park land. The city is served by three independent public school districts and is home to the Math & Science Academy charter school.

Tonawanda, New York
Nearest city: Buffalo
Population: 57,922
Median family income: $63,827
Runners-up: Irondequoit, Cheektowaga

Tonawanda, a northern suburb of Buffalo, has one of the state’s largest school districts, which includes the Village of Kenmore and most of the Town of Tonawanda. It contains 13 schools.

Beaverton, Oregon
Nearest city: Portland
Population: 87,676
Median family income: $78,946
Runners-up: Corvallis, Eugene

Beaverton, seven miles west of Portland, has a park located within a half-mile of every resident, a 25-mile network of bike paths, nearby ski slopes, beaches, and shopping areas. The highly-regarded public and private schools send students to top-ranked universities.

Clarksville, Tennessee
Nearest city: Nashville
Population: 118,209
Median family income: $53,795
Runners-up: Hendersonville, Johnson City

Clarksville, in Middle Tennessee, 40 miles northwest of Nashville, is among the nation’s fastest growing communities. It has lot of new buildings-schools, hospital, and subdivisions. Its low cost of living and good schools make it a choice setting for families.

San Marcos, Texas
Nearest city: Austin, Tex.
Population: 45,366
Median family income: $53,690
Runners-up: San Antonio, Houston

San Marcos, located in Central Texas between San Antonio and Austin, is home to Texas State University-San Marcos. For residents, the university provides plenty of cultural opportunities and the San Marcos River and parkland allow for a variety of outdoor recreation.

1. Vermont
2. Utah
3. Massachusetts
4. Hawaii
5. New Hampshire

http://health.yahoo.com/featured/67/the-healthiest-and-unhealthiest-states/

http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/16/unhealthy-healthy-states-lifestyle-health-states-top_chart.html?partner=yahoohealth

2. Charm cafe (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

3. Ipoh KopiTiam (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

4. Baskin Robbins (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

5. Kenny Rogers Roasters (telah disahkan Halal oleh JAKIM/HDC)

6. Penang Village (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

7. A&W (telah disahkan Halal oleh JAKIM/HDC)

8. Ikea (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

9. Restoran Cozy Corner (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

10. The Manhattan Fish Market (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

11. Paddington house of pancake (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

12. Hardrock cafe(bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

13. Sushi King (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

14. San Francisco Steak House (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

15. Marche (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

16. Big Apple Donut (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

17. Groupbase (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

18. Good Evening Bangkok (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

19. Dave’s Deli (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

20. Eden (bukan pemegang sijil halal JAKIM/HDC)

21. Johny’s Restaurant (bukan pemegang sijil halal HDC)

22. Eckywoobee – TTDI- Muslim owner tapi menjual alkohol? (bukan pemegang sijil halal HDC)

23. Bubba Gump Shrimp (bukan pemegang sijil halal HDC)

24. Jake’s Charbroil Steak (bukan pemegang sijil halal HDC)

25. Carl’s Jr (bukan pemegang sijil halal HDC)

26. Ikea restaurant (bukan pemegang sijil halal HDC)

27. Chilies (bukan pemegang sijil halal HDC)

http://nismoclub.6.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?p=735792&sid=d3d50366c333e6a60abc7cc3e9acea92