Have you ever taken a business trip to a new city you’ve never visited before? How many times have you gotten there, checked into your hotel and then wondered, “Now what?” You have no idea where to go and what to do, and no idea how to get there. Don’t worry, it’s happened to everyone at some time or another. But with a smartphone or a laptop and some basic planning, you have the tools at your fingertips to become an expert about such things, if you know how to use them.

The best way to plan ahead is through Google Maps. If you have a Google account, you can make use of the “My Map” feature, which is built in. If you already know where you’ll be staying, plug the address into Google Maps. Then, when you’re logged into your Google account, look at the upper-left corner of the map, right next to “Get Directions,” and you’ll see the “My Maps” link. There, you can create and name your own map, adding your favorite destinations as you discover them. Get recommendations from people you know who have been to your destination before. Grill co-workers and friends, of course, but you might also look for web forums that discuss specialized information you might be interested in.

Once that map is complete, with all of your favorite destinations plotted out, you can email it to yourself or print it, just in case, although you can also easily pull it up on your laptop or smartphone with a simple link.

Of course, you can only do so much planning; sometimes you get somewhere and a craving hits you, or something comes up that you didn’t anticipate. Maybe you developed a craving for Indian food, or you just heard about a museum exhibit you’d like to see. If you have a smartphone with GPS turned on, make Google.com your phone’s start page, and use the “Near Me Now” link. If you end up in an area without WiFi, you can also use SMS text to search and find things. Text a Google Search to 466453, for example, and you’ll get basic web results. Text your airline and flight number to 44636, and 4INFO will tell you about any flight status and delay information.

As you can see, with your smartphone or laptop, you have a great resource for making a trip to another city more enjoyable.

Offering constructive criticism of anyone, whether it’s an underling, a co-worker, or family member, tends to be treacherous. People hate criticism, constructive or not, because it necessarily highlights the bad, and usually puts them on the defensive.

So, drop the “constructive criticism” notion, and try giving feedback instead. Feedback is a much better alternative for making observations and commenting on someone’s work performance and behaviours, even if your intention is to highlight something negative. Actually, it’s a better way to go especially when you intend to highlight a negative.

All feedback you give should be intended to improve performance; you should never intend to score points. Any feedback should make the other person aware of ways they can improve job performance, and highlight what they’re currently doing well. If you take that approach, you’ll avoid the defensive posture most workers take in the face of “constructive criticism.” And don’t underestimate how great people feel when what they do right is acknowledged by either a superior or a co-worker.

After you give your feedback, the person you’re talking to should feel empowered to improve. If they feel like you’re picking on them, and trying to make their life miserable, they won’t feel good about things, and they’re likely to feel more discouraged than anything, and less likely to participate in the “team” atmosphere you’re hopefully attempting to create.

Start a feedback session by stressing something positive; tell them what they’re doing right first. But make sure it’s genuine and honest; no one likes a “suck-up.” And let’s face it; if you have to make something up, the worker probably shouldn’t be working there. No one does everything wrong. It doesn’t have to be anything earth-shattering; it can be as simple as an acknowledgement of the fact that they’re always on time or that they always wear the proper personal protective equipment. But always start with something positive; this puts them in a frame of mind to more readily accept everything else you have to tell them.

Then, it’s time for any “constructive criticism” you might want to discuss. This is the right time to tell the worker how they could improve in aspects of their job. Be specific, but don’t make it sound as if they’re doing everything wrong. Instead, tell them how they can do certain things better; suggest areas for improvement; don’t provide a laundry list of things they do wrong.

But when you’re finished with the “needs improvement” portion of the feedback session, give them another positive. The finale should be stronger than the one you started with. Find something the worker does extremely well, and end the feedback on a high note.

By couching the negative feedback with some positive input, you make the criticism a little easier to hear, and also make them more enthusiastic about wanting to improve. The best team is made up of people who want to work together to improve, not people who are always afraid of being fired.

You hear it a lot, but it’s always worth repeating; the best advice for driving in bad winter weather is to avoid it, if you can. At the very least, don’t even think of driving the roads until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to work their magic, and give yourself extra time to reach your destination.

If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared for the bad weather (see our post about winterizing) and that you feel confident in your ability to handle harsh road conditions. To that end, it might be a good idea to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot before you head out into heavy traffic, so that you become familiar with how your car handles. You might also want to check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for tips relevant to your vehicle.

In the meantime, here are some basic tips to follow when driving any vehicle:

Drive more slowly than usual, and leave yourself plenty of extra room to stop. One rule of thumb is to leave at least three times as much space as usual between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Always turn on your lights, so that others can see you. Also, clean any snow or ice off the lights.
Make sure your windshield is completely clear; you’ll need as much visibility as possible, so don’t just carve out a hole in the driver’s side of the windshield.
Use low gears to keep traction, especially when driving on a hill. If you have to brake, do so gently, especially if you feel your wheels begin to lock up. Never use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads; you want to have full control of your vehicle at all times.
If your rear wheels skid, take your foot off the accelerator and steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If the rear wheels start sliding the other way, ease toward that side. You may have to zigzag a few times to get the vehicle completely under control. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently; if you have anti-lock brakes, apply steady pressure. If you feel the brakes pulse slightly, don’t panic; that’s normal.
If the front wheels skid, take your foot off the gas and shift into neutral, but don’t immediately try to steer. As the wheels skid sideways, they’ll slow the vehicle and traction will return. When it does, put the transmission in “drive” or release the clutch, and accelerate very gently.
Be especially careful driving on bridges, overpasses and lightly traveled roads, because they tend to freeze first. Also keep in mind that even when air temperatures are above freezing, bridges and shady areas may still be somewhat icy.
And don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter problems on winter roads.
If you get stuck in snow, don’t spin your wheels; that will only dig you in deeper. Instead, turn the wheels from side to side a bit to push the snow out of the way. Accelerate lightly to ease your car out. You’ll know right away if you have traction without having to accelerate quickly. If that doesn’t work, use a shovel to dig the car out of the snow, or pour sand salt or kitty litter in the wheel path to create traction. You may also try rocking the vehicle a bit, by shifting from forward to reverse and gently accelerating, but be very careful. Check your owner’s manual; it’s hard on the transmission for some vehicles.

Remember that driving in icy conditions requires a lot more patience and awareness than driving at any other time. Using a combination of skill and common sense will help make sure everyone gets there in one piece.

Are you in the market for an eBook reader? Why not? According to most experts, this is the year they will finally take off. If you like to read, it’s a great idea; most are the size of a trade paperback book, they’re thin, and you can carry hundreds of books that tiny space.

But there are things to consider before you surrender your credit card number and take one home. For example, compare Amazon’s Kindle and the Sony eBook Reader.

The first thing to consider before buying an eBook reader is the available library. You don’t want to buy a reader, and then find out the books you like aren’t available. Choose 10-20 books you think you might enjoy reading and see if they’re available on each reader. For the Kindle, you’ll want to go to Amazon’s Kindle Store, and for the Sony, you’ll want to check out the Sony eBook Store. Just peruse the selection and see if what you’re interested in is there. Chances are, if they have the books you like to read now, they’ll be more likely to have them in the future, as well. Different reading tastes will have different results, so there is definitely no recommendation from this standpoint.

There are differences in features between the two gadgets. Both the Kindle and the Sony have an excellent interface, which allows you to search book titles if you only have a word or two. But while the Kindle is wireless, the Sony isn’t, and must be plugged into an Internet-connected PC in order to search for and download books. Basically, if you don’t travel everywhere with your laptop, the Kindle might be a better choice.

Both regular versions of Sony and the Kindle are small and easily portable, and both now offer a DX size, which could come in handy for those with failing eyesight, or those who suffer from eye strain, because they offer a larger screen and allow you to choose a larger font. Otherwise, the Sony and the Kindle have very clear, easy to read screens, although the Kindle comes with a 16-color grayscale versus the Sony’s 8-color, so in some cases, the Kindle reader will experience greater contrast, and pictures will look better. (Neither is color.)

The Kindle comes with 2 GB of memory built in, which translates to about 1500 books, while the Sony comes with 512 MB, or about 375 books. If you envision needing to carry more than 375 books, however, the Sony offers memory expansion capability via Memory Stick, which means you can expand the memory to well beyond Kindle’s 2 GB, if you anticipate needing more than 1500 books to read at one time.

Another thing to keep in mind, however, is that once you buy books for the Kindle, you are stuck with reading them on the Kindle, at least for now, because Kindle books feature a proprietary format. The Sony also uses a DRM-coded format that makes it difficult to read those books on any other device, as well. Both readers also feature the ability to read both pdf and Microsoft Word documents and will play MP3s, although only the Kindle plays Audible audiobooks.

The Kindle has a few other features not found on the Sony, including a text-to-speech feature which will read the book aloud to you or your kids (teaching the younger ones to read?), and a basic web browser that will allow for a quick Google or Wikipedia search.

All in all, the Kindle is a better buy, but only if they have the books you like. All of the extra fancy features will do no good if there’s nothing to read.

It’s that time of year again; time to prepare to drive in snow, sleet and ice. Are you prepared for the season? The time to prepare your car for the experience is before the heavy snow and temperatures fall. What follows are some basic tips on preparing your car for the long winter, and making sure you get where you’re going in one piece.

The first thing to do, of course, is to make sure the car itself is ready for the coming cold weather. Give it a winter check up that includes:
A thorough test of the ignition, brakes, wiring, hoses and fan belts, to make sure all are in all in great condition.
Change and adjust the spark plugs, and the check the air, fuel and emission filters, as well as the PCV valve.
Inspect the distributor and checking the battery.
Check the tires for air, sidewall wear and tread depth, and make sure they’re at optimum pressure, based on your owner’s manual.
Check antifreeze levels and the freeze line.

These measures will improve your gas mileage, result in quicker starts even in low temperatures and faster response on pick-up and passing power, in addition to making breakdowns less likely.

Because an emergency situation can happen at any time, you should always be prepared. So, make sure you have some extra equipment on hand in the trunk, as well, just in case of winter emergency. Among the most important items would including a properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and a jack; a shovel; a set of jumper cables; tow or tire chains; and a bag of salt, sand or kitty litter. Also, make sure you have a basic tool kit, with everything you might need to make a quick fix on the road; this is one situation in which no one will laugh at you for carrying duct tape.

Safety experts also recommend always keeping a “survival kit” in the car, with essential supplies such as:

Working flashlight and extra batteries
Reflective triangles and brightly-colored cloth
Compass
First aid kit
Exterior windshield cleaner
Ice scraper and snow brush
Wooden stick matches in a waterproof container
Scissors and string/cord
Non-perishable, high-energy foods like canned nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy.

If you’re driving long distances under cold, snowy, and icy conditions, you should also carry supplies to keep you warm, such as an extra set of heavy woolen gloves, extra socks, a cap and blankets.

Don’t take chances with your safety. Cold, icy weather is hard on both car and driver, and preparing for it is the smart and sensible thing. Be safe this winter.

So, you’re in the market for a smartphone and your decision comes down to BlackBerry Bold vs. the. iPhone3G. Which one is better? Let’s compare some basic features.

First off, both devices should last awhile, even if you subject them to some abuse. The Blackberry Bold’s look is very clean and sharp, with a black face, chrome sides and a black leather back. It’s very lightweight, but solidly built. The iPhone 3G is also built well, from its precision-laser-cut glass to its solidly built interior. Except for scratching, they should hold up well.

When comparing size, it really depends on what you like. The Bold is the biggest BlackBerry in years, and its built-in and very comfortable QWERTY keyboard makes use of the larger size. The iPhone 3G is slightly taller than the Bold, but it’s also narrower and thinner.

When it comes to displaying graphics and text, while the iPhone’s screen is pretty clear, the Bold’s screen is actually even clearer, because of its incredibly dense ppi ratio. But the Bold’s screen is also considerably smaller, which makes the iPhone much more comfortable to look at when checking out MP3 album covers, watching videos and browsing the web.

When it comes to applications, there is simply no comparison. iPhone beats everyone else when it comes to the sheer number of available useful applications. RIM, the maker of BlackBerry, does a great job of creating useful applications, but they are largely business applications, and far more practical. Overall, in this realm, Apple has created a world of its own.

There is also little comparison between the two operating systems. Millions have been using BlackBerry for a while, and they absolutely love the BlackBerry OS because they’re used to it. Unfortunately, that has actually created a problem for RIM, because it’s difficult to change the OS to something that appeals to regular consumers and businesses alike. Unfortunately, that makes the iPhone’s OS a winner, hands down, in the race for the most technologically advanced mobile operating system.

Call quality on both phones is roughly equal, and by most measures, the battery life on both is comparable. The iPhone is obviously better for web browsing and movies, but the real keyboard on the BlackBerry Bold is much easier to use than the virtual keyboard on the iPhone, if you have to send a lot of text messages and e-mails.

Basically, which of these two smartphones you choose will depend very much on how you plan to use it. As a business device for sending and receiving e-mail and text messages, the BlackBerry Bold is your best choice. But if you want a device with a wide variety of functions and abilities beyond just business uses, the iPhone is the obvious choice. Either way, if you choose wisely, you won’t be disappointed with either.

To those of you who think working accident-free is impossible, well, you’re probably right. But it is possible to reduce the number of lost time injuries to an extremely low level. Following is an example of what can happen when your company takes safety seriously.

Ontario-based Horizon Utilities Corporation was recently recognized for achieving a record-setting one million hours worked without a lost time incident.

Yes, that’s one MILLION hours.

And lest you think Hamilton Utilities workers just work in an office building, where the greatest danger is a paper cut, the fact is, their employees also work on construction sites and on the streets, in adverse weather conditions and working to correct problems brought on by power outages, which means close work with electricity.

The company credits its commitment to developing a safety culture for its incredible record. They cite a comprehensive health and safety management system designed to ensure operation in accordance with current rules and regulations and company policy, to effectively assess and control risk and to encourage the reporting of all safety incidents. They also pay special attention to near misses, which they feel provide an advantage when attempting to eliminate hazards.

In addition to its commitment to safety within the workplace, Horizon Utilities also attempted to build a foundation of safety in the future by providing electrical safety training to 11,500 elementary school students attending 50 schools in Hamilton and St. Catharines last year, teaching the children about the hazards posed by all electrical sources, inside and outside the home.

One million hours without a lost time incident. Can your company do that?

Of course it can.

Following their investigation of a deadly 2008 collision between a passenger train and a tractor-trailer stopped on an Ontario railway crossing, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has come forth with recommendations for a national standard to prevent collisions between trains and vehicles at Canada’s railway crossings.

In the last ten years, there have been four such collisions between trucks and trains on the same rail corridor. In its investigation of this particular accident, the TSB found that no signs had been installed at the crossing to warn the truck driver that the slope of the road over the crossing was too steep for his truck.

Although Transport Canada worked with road and railway authorities to develop low ground clearance warning signage following a similar accident in 2002, a national standard is still not in place. While there are such signs at many railway crossings, there is a lot of inconsistency with regard to design and placement. Without a national standard, many crossings in Canada remain at risk.

The investigation report concluded that truck drivers do not receive adequate training about what to do when facing emergencies at railway crossings, if they receive any training at all. In this instance, an emergency contact sign and phone number was posted on a nearby signal box but was not visible to the driver, so the railway was not called and the oncoming train was not alerted to stop in time. To that end, the TSB recommends stronger driver training requirements, including instruction on handling emergencies at railway crossings.

Okay, so you have tons of photos on your hard drive (and hopefully you’ve backed them up somewhere). Now, what? Do you have a really foolproof filing method for storing them in a way that allows you to easily find them later? Or would you rather have a program that’s a little more automatic and keeps you organized, even if you’re not, yet gives you ultimate control?

Well, help is available and, like the photo editors, they’re free, which is the best price there is.

We talked about Picasa last time, and in addition to some excellent basic photo editing functions, that program is a great photo manager. But there are others, just in case you’d like to try something different.

FastStone Image Viewer

FastStone is a major step up from the photo tools that come with Windows, in that it’s extremely fast. It does, however, allow you to browse photos in a Windows Explorer-type window. You run the program and go to the folders you’d like to browse and it displays them immediately, with both a thumbnail and a preview of each one. To see a photo full screen, just double-click.

But there’s more. FastStone also has tools to resize, crop and rotate photos, create slideshows, send them via email, and even convert photos to almost any graphic or photo file format; it even previews videos, and works well as a full-fledged multimedia viewer as well.
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“http://www.faststone.org” Download FastStone Image Viewer

Pictomio

Once you install Pictomio, it immediately displays all of your photos as thumbnails in their folders, and that means immediately; no wait at all. What you have is a great tool for managing photos and creating unusual slideshows, including carousel-style shows similar to those Mac users like so much. In fact, the slideshow creation feature is so rich, it’s almost worth the download for that alone.

But this program has a lot more. You can zoom in and out of photos and add all sorts of tags. The amount of information Pictomio provides for each photo is remarkable. Of course it includes file size and date, but it also includes shutter speed and aperture used, which should make hard core photogs giddy.

Pictomio is missing editing functions, so while it’s a great organizational program, don’t expect to be able to make changes in the photos themselves. Also, before installing the program, make sure your computer can handle it; it requires more than a basic graphics card.

“http://www.pictomio.com/Default.aspx” Download Pictomio

PhotoScape

The more photos you take, the more useful you will find Photoscape. It’s an excellent program for viewing all of your photos; you know the drill by now; it allows you to browse them as usual.

But PhotoScape also has a photo editor, with tools for red-eye removal, brightness and color adjustment, backlighting correction, and more.It also has a tool that allows you to combine multiple photos, and you can even create animated .gif files from photos. Thankfully, this program also allows you to batch-rename files. Some folks will also like Photoscape’s ability to convert photos from the RAW format that some digital cameras use to a more standard .jpg format.

“http://www.photoscape.org/ps/main/download.php” Download PhotoScape

Following a probe into the accidental death of a worker in September 2008, Saskatchewan mining company Potash Corp. and a company supervisor are facing charges.

The provincial Ministry of Justice has handed the company five charges alleging failure to provide safety and supervision under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act. In addition to citing the company, they also charged mine supervisor Garth Gudnason under the OHS Act for “failure to take reasonable care to protect the health and safety of a worker who may be affected by his acts or omissions.”

The accident occurred when the worker’s jeep went over the edge of a ramp as he tried to negotiate a corner on his way to an assigned job, and his jeep fell about two metres to the ground, causing the 60-year-old worker to be pinned underneath. During the same shift, two other workers suffered a near-miss at the same location, when one wheel of their vehicle hung over the ledge, until they could reverse up the ramp to safety. According to the report, the workers didn’t report the ledge as a hazard, which should have been marked.

Overall, the government’s investigation report cited a lack of training, as well as a failure to mark hazards and the lack of a seatbelt in the vehicle the worker was riding as having all played significant roles in causing the worker’s death.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of $300,000 and the prospect of two years in jail. The court date has been set for March 7 in Humboldt.