Ahead of the Curve, presented by the Napa Valley Grapegowers, has been praised for years by wine industry professionals. The seminar addresses the real issues and concerns that effect Napa Valley vineyard owners. The 2012 Session will focus on "strategies for success in a New Market".

Thursday, March 29th at the Silverado Resort - 8:00 to 1:00P - Contact www.napagrowers.org for more information.

The largest U.S. trucking group filed a legal challenge to Transportation Department driver- fatigue rules that the industry says focus on the wrong safety problems and don’t meet legal requirements.

The American Trucking Associations, based in Arlington, Virginia, filed a petition today challenging the regulation at the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington.

“We cannot allow this rulemaking, which was fueled by changed assumptions and analyses that do not meet the required legal standards, to remain unchallenged,” Bill Graves, president and chief executive officer of the American Trucking Associations, based in Arlington, Virginia, said in a statement today.

While the final rule maintained an 11-hour limit on truckers’ driving day, instead of shortening it to 10 hours as proposed, the industry objects to a requirement of a 34-hour rest period each week that would require drivers to be off two consecutive nights, said Sean McNally, a spokesman for the trucking group.

Many more fatalities and injuries are caused by speeding than fatigue, making the department’s focus on driving hours misplaced, the group said in its statement. The industry supports regulations that would require installation of speed- limiting devices on trucks, the group said.

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.

2. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a "Thank You Walk." It will create a fertile mind ready for success.

3. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

4. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning ask: "What are the three most important things I need to do today that will help me create the success I desire?" Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions.

5. Instead of being disappointed about where you are, think optimistically about where you are going.

6. Remember that adversity is not a dead-end but a detour to a better outcome.

7. Don't chase success. Instead decide to make a difference and success will find you.

8. Get more sleep. You can't replace sleep with a double latte.

9. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

10. Mentor someone and be mentored by someone.

11. Live with the 3 E's. Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.

12. Remember there's no substitute for hard work.

13. Believe that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.

14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. Remember that complaining is like vomiting. Afterwards you feel better but everyone around you feels sick. www.NoComplainingRule.com

15. Read more books than you did in 2011. I happen to know of a few good ones. :)

16. Don't seek happiness. Instead decide to live with passion and purpose and happiness will find you. www.Seed11.com

17. Focus on "Get to" vs "Have to." Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.

18. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished____________.

19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

January 31 is the Sales Closing Date for 2012 Crop Coverage.

Industrial injuries can seem impossible to manage but, they are not. We have a program that manages the employee, the Doc, the claim and the insurance company ..... it's that easy! It's easy if you are trained, knowlegable a subscriber to the CompZone!

Call me!  Mike Applegate 707 235 1059

Another inspirational and productive year goes into the books! We are all  inspired to press-on and be more productive. It's OK if you're not really into it yet because you will be, it comes naturally. It's called SURVIVAL!

Don't forget to buy your Crop Insurance before the end of January and call me if  Workers Comp is driving you CRAZY!

 This is the year-end Holiday Season and we would like to remind everyone to DRIVE SAFELY, it is the best gift you can give your loved ones!

Happy Hanukkah to all our Jewish friends, Merry Christmas to our Christian friends And to everyuone else enjoy a very prosperous New Year!

Did you have a reduction in your crop yield this year? Well, most grape growers did!

Are you rewriting your budget for next year to account for this year’s loss of income?

Perhaps you should consider Crop Insurance for your 2012 crop.

Mike Applegate with St Helena Insurance Associates and Greg Bronson with Great American Insurance’s Crop Division attended four events in November  to educate growers about the benfits of Crop Insurance. They were Exhibitors at the Sonoma Grape Expo, the Napa Grapegrowers Wine + Grape Expo and held Workshops at the Napa County Farm Bureau offices and VANTREO Insurance Brokerage in Santa Rosa!

Mike Applegate asks the question “Would you pay $300/acre for a spray that will guarantee you 75% of your average production …. EVERY YEAR!?”

And most growers answer  “yes”.

You must sign your Crop Insurance Application on or before January 31, 2012 if you intend to have coverage for next season’s wine grapes.

The process is simple: provide your Crop Insurance agent with the acres you have of each variety, the historical prodution of each variety (up to 10 years) and they can generate a Proposal that will graphically depict your actual cost per acre and Level of Coverage.

If you have further questions please contact Mike at St Helena Insurance or thru VANTREO Insurance. Email  mike@sthelenainsurance.com or call him at 707 963 3684 or 707 546 2300 in Santa Rosa.