Sunday, November 29, 2009

Check out Bargains, ease of online shopping boost 'Cyber Monday'

Click here: Bargains, ease of online shopping boost 'Cyber Monday' | The Columbus Dispatch

Bargains, ease of online shopping boost 'Cyber Monday'

Sunday, November 29, 2009 3:28 AM

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Tomorrow isn't the biggest online shopping day of the year, but there is no doubt that "Cyber Monday" is the day when online shopping steps into the spotlight.

The day's reputation has grown along with shoppers' appetite for using a computer to buy something. It's considered the bookend to Black Friday, the mad-dash shopping spree that occurs the day after Thanksgiving.

The thinking goes like this: After being stoked by doorbuster specials all weekend, holiday shoppers are ready to spend once they sit down at their work computers on Monday.

Online retailers offer discounts on this day just as their bricks-and-mortar counterparts roll out deals on Black Friday.

The biggest online shopping day of the year? That title belongs to the last day on which merchandise can be shipped in time for Christmas, sometime after Dec. 5.

"Retailers just keep getting better and better at e-commerce," said Chris Boring, who leads the local retail-consulting firm Boulevard Strategies. "They've made significant improvement over the last five years.

"Falling technology prices, wider broadband availability, greater consumer awareness, better search engines, better payment methods -- all those things have contributed to the growth of 'e-tail.' "

And online sales are growing. Just consider Cyber Monday: Last year, it had online sales of $846 million, up from $733 million the year before and $608 million in 2006.

This time around, online sales could top $1 billion for the first time.

About 85 million online shoppers took part in Cyber Monday last year, a 16 percent jump from the previous year.

Big retailers in central Ohio have been gearing up their online efforts in recent years.

All have online retail sites, and they use the Web, along with social media, as a marketing tool to keep customers informed about upcoming sales and new merchandise in stores.

Most are planning some kind of special event for Cyber Monday, although few would offer specifics in hopes of building anticipation. They all know that online sales have become an increasingly important part of their business.

In its most recent earnings report, Abercrombie & Fitch said online sales grew 11 percent to $63.9 million during a time when overall sales fell 15 percent. Still, online business accounts for just less than a dime of every dollar of company sales.

"Even with our recent disappointing trend in clothing (sales), we are still one of the leading online clothing retailers in the world," said Sharen Jester Turney, CEO of Victoria's Secret. The company plans to update its Web site on Dec. 4 with new products that will appear in stores a week and a half later.

Many of shoe retailer DSW's store customers also buy online, said Michael McDonald, CEO of the locally based company.

"We view this (online) business as being very intertwined with our store business," he said.

The reasons for Cyber Monday's spectacular growth?

There's the sheer ease of shopping online, as well as the not-so-small matter of being able to avoid crowds and cut down on driving around town in pursuit of gifts.

Shoppers have come to rely so much on the Internet, in fact, that J.C. Penney recently announced that its 1,000-page "Big Book" is being discontinued. The Internet has made the semiannual fall/winter 2009 telephone-book-size catalog obsolete.

More than one in five -- 22 percent -- of consumers say they will shop primarily online this year. Many are using the Internet to find special offers, with 44 percent of shoppers expecting to use a coupon they obtained online, according to a survey by consulting firm Deloitte.

Some of the big deals expected Monday include free shipping, deep discounts and free gifts with purchases.

Victoria's Secret, for example, is offering free slippers with select sleepwear purchases, and free shipping on orders of $100 or more. DSW is offering free shipping with orders of $35 or more, and $20 off online purchases of $99 or more.

To find deals in one place and updated daily, shoppers can go to a Web site sponsored by the National Retail Federation's division, Shop.org, that is appropriately named CyberMonday.com.

"The Internet is a bargain-shopper's paradise," said Mason Wiley, senior vice president of marketing for online ad network Hydra. "There are tons of user-opinion sites and shopping sites. You could spend the whole day comparing and shopping. My wife does all our Christmas shopping in one day online."

The trend also is picking up speed because major retailers' Web sites have become increasingly sophisticated.

"Go to one of their Web sites on one day and visit it again the next day and see how they 'remember' you," Wiley said.

In the not-too-distant past, that kind of instant access to information about consumers discouraged many shoppers from going online.

"I think around five years ago, a lot of people were still very uncomfortable with shopping online," Wiley said. "But we don't see that as an issue anymore."

Meanwhile, data released yesterday showed that shoppers spent only slightly more in stores this Black Friday than they did last year.

Preliminary sales figures from ShopperTrak RCT Corp., a national research firm, show shoppers spent $10.66 billion when they hit the malls on the day after Thanksgiving -- only 0.5 percent more than last year.

Information from the Associated Press was included in this story.

tferan@dispatch.com

All "LIFEAFTERVC2008" sites have been updated as of 11-29-09!!

There are many new / exciting things to see!

Plus lots of Holiday stuff too :)

Check out Jobs & Birth Order - Careers Articles

Click here: Jobs & Birth Order - Careers Articles

Jobs & Birth Order

Filed under: Career Advice Print Article

Posted Aug 11th 2009 11:21AM

By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

All men may be created equal; but a look at their pay stubs will tell you that their incomes are not.

Blame it on social class, education -- even luck, but according to Dalton Conley, New York University professor of sociology and public policy, inequality begins at home. In his book 'The Pecking Order: Which Siblings Succeed and Why,' Conley says that 75 percent of the income inequality between individuals in the United States occurs between siblings in the same families. He points to the diverse fortunes of Bill and Roger Clinton, and Jimmy and Billy Carter as examples.

Research shows that first-borns (and onlys) lead the pack in terms of educational attainment, occupational prestige, income and net worth. Conversely middle children in large families tend to fare the worst. (Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!)

By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

All men may be created equal; but a look at their pay stubs will tell you that their incomes are not.

"A child's position in the family impacts his personality, his behavior, his learning and ultimately his earning power," states Michael Grose, author of 'Why First-Born Rule the World and Last-borns Want to Change It.' "Most people have an intuitive knowledge that birth order somehow has an impact on development, but they underestimate how far-reaching and just how significant that impact really is."

Conley concedes that birth order is significant in shaping individual success, but only for children of large families -- four or more siblings -- and in families where finances and parental time are constrained. (In wealthy families, like the Bushes and Kennedys, it has less effect.)

Here's a look at what impact your birth order may have on you:

First-Borns

More conscientious, ambitious and aggressive than their younger siblings, first-borns are over-represented at Harvard and Yale as well as disciplines requiring higher education such as medicine, engineering or law. Every astronaut to go into space has been either the oldest child in his or her family or the eldest boy. And throughout history -- even when large families were the norm -- more than half of all Nobel Prize winners and U.S. presidents have been first-born.

Famous eldest children include: Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, J.K. Rowling and Winston Churchill. And macho movie stars are First-Born, too, including Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and all the actors who have played James Bond.

Middles

Middle children are more easy going and peer-oriented. Since they can get lost in the shuffle of their own families, they learn to build bridges to other sources of support and therefore tend to have excellent people skills. Middle children often take on the role of mediator and peacemaker.

Famous middle children include: Bill Gates, J.F.K., Madonna and Princess Diana.

Youngest

The youngest child tends to be the most creative and can be very charming -- even manipulative. Because they often identify with the underdog, they tend to champion egalitarian causes. (Youngest siblings were the earliest backers of the Protestant Reformation and the Enlightenment.)

Successful in journalism, advertising, sales and the arts.

Famous youngest children include: Cameron Diaz, Jim Carrey, Drew Carey, Rosie O'Donnell, Eddie Murphy and Billy Crystal.

Only Children

Only children have similar characteristics to first-borns and are frequently burdened with high parental expectations. Research shows they are more confident, articulate and likely to use their imagination than other children. They also expect a lot from others, hate criticism, can be inflexible and are likely to be perfectionists.

Famous only children include: Rudy Guiliani, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alan Greenspan, Tiger Woods, tennis' teen queen Maria Sharapova and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Twins

Because they hold equal status and are treated so similarly, twins turn out similarly in most cases.

Famous twins include: advice columnists "Dear Abby" and "Ann Landers" (Abigail and Esther Friedman), and Harold and Bernard Shapiro, who became presidents of Princeton University and Canada's McGill University respectively.

Dr. Frank Sulloway, a behavioral scientist and visiting professor at the Institute of Personality and Social Research at University of California, Berkeley and author of the book, 'Born To Rebel: Birth Order, Family Dynamics and Creative Lives,' says first-borns are more similar in personality to first-borns in other families than they are to their own younger siblings. He adds that youngest children are often more similar to the youngest child in another family than his or her own elder siblings. He says this is because the family is not as much a "shared environment" as a set of niches that provide siblings with different outlooks.

Conley agrees, but stresses that these are just general trends -- and that the whole birth-order theory can be turned on its head depending on the child's personality, the age gap between siblings and the family circumstances each child experiences during his or her formative years.

Still on the job market? Get a job faster...

Click here: What's 'In' and 'Out' on the Job Hunt - Careers Articles

Filed under: Job Searching Tips, Employment Trends Print Article

Posted Apr 23rd 2009 4:08PM

by 'The Creative Group'

Ending the interview by asking for the job on a trial basis. It never hurts to be proactive. If you feel the employment interview has gone well, don't be afraid to ask if you can prove yourself on a temporary basis. You'll demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job and desire to hit the ground running.

The fundamentals of the job search -- reaching out to employers and making a positive impression -- haven't changed. But the tools for doing so are different today than even just a few years ago. Make sure you understand the current trends to maximize your success on the job hunt.

Check out 6 Signs Your Identity May Have Been Stolen - WalletPop

Click here: 6 Signs Your Identity May Have Been Stolen - WalletPop

6 Signs Your Identity May Have Been Stolen

By Mitch Lipka, Consumer Ally

AOL

posted: 30 DAYS 23 HOURS AGO

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No matter who you are or what measures you take to protect yourself, there's always a chance your identity could be stolen. Just ask Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke, who was a victim last summer. Thieves can get your information by grabbing your wallet, taking your mail or, more impersonally, by extracting millions of credit card numbers at a time from stores at which you might have shopped.

Jaimee Napp

Up to nine million people a year fall victim to identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission. More than two-thirds of all victims have no idea where the thieves got their information, according to a recent survey of victims by the Identity Theft Assistance Center. Jaimee Napp vividly remembers the day she learned her identity had been stolen. She received a message from a credit card company whose card she had canceled a couple of months earlier. Assuming they had botched the process of closing the account, she called back.

"They said that the records they had and the new application I submitted last week didn't match," Napp recalled. "I said I didn't file an application. As soon as I said that I knew something wasn't right."

Then the credit card company asked her whether she had opened several other accounts recently. She hadn't. Napp immediately got copies of her credit reports in order to find out how much damage had already been done.

"You just really start to panic because you don't know the full extent of what has happened," Napp said.

In some ways, Napp was lucky. Not everyone gets a phone call alerting them that someone is using their credit. Often victims find out that someone has infiltrated their personal information after thousands of dollars in charges have already been incurred.

To help you catch identity thieves early, here are six warning signs that someone has hijacked your name and credit:

· Unexplained charges appear on your credit card
· Bills that you regularly receive stop arriving in the mail
· Accounts are opened in your name that you didn't open
· Information on your credit report doesn't make sense
· Credit cards arrive that you did not sign up for
· You get denied credit -- or receive particularly poor terms -- for no apparent reason

Some of these red flags offer earlier warnings than others. It can take a while, for instance, to notice that a bill hasn't arrived in a while -- and that a crook may have changed the billing address on your credit card so you won't notice any mystery charges right away. Most credit cards allow consumers to view their accounts online throughout the billing period -- allowing a far faster detection of unexpected charges.

Getty Images|AOL

As a matter of course, you should also regularly check your credit report, which you can obtain for free from www.annualcreditreport.com -- a site sponsored by the three major credit reporting agencies: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. You can receive one free report from each of these agencies once a year. By checking your report once every four months, you can more readily detect any unusual activity or abuses of your credit. The reports will also alert you if any accounts have been opened in your name.

Napp aggressively used this type of information to advocate for herself and limit further damage. Unlike most identity theft cases, police managed to arrest the woman -- a manager at a former place of employment -- who stole detailed information from Napp's personnel file and assumed her identity.

As executive director of Nebraska's Identity Theft Action Council, Napp now works to help protect others from identity theft. Her first piece of advice: Don't make it easy for criminals to steal your information. Only mail letters at the post office or U.S. Postal Service mailboxes, rather than leaving them in your own box to be picked up, she says. Also, limit the contents in your wallet to only the necessities.

"A lot of people carry too much personal information in their wallets – like their Social Security card," Napp said.

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Here!

2009-10-16 14:26:12

Check out Tips detail safeguards to combat ID theft | The Columbus Dispatch

Click here: Tips detail safeguards to combat ID theft | The Columbus Dispatch

Tips detail safeguards to combat ID theft

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 3:13 AM

By Steve Wartenberg

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

More than 8,000 Ohioans last year became the victims of identity theft, a crime that's still sweeping the nation.

"It's the fastest-growing crime in the United States, and

10 million people in the United States were affected last year," said Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray.

To mark National Protect Your Identity Week, which runs through Friday, he and other experts held a news conference to warn Ohioans of the dangers of identity theft and offer tips on how to avoid it and what to do if it happens.

State residents filed 8,237 identity-theft complaints with the Federal Trade Commission in 2008, up from 7,178 in 2007 and 6,878 in 2006.

"It's on the rise," said Cpl. Zach Scott of the Franklin County sheriff's office. "And when they get someone's (credit-card) information, what they do is start hitting them as fast as possible."

Thieves most often steal credit-card information to make fraudulent purchases. In more extreme cases, they're able to steal enough information to open accounts or even take out loans and mortgages in another person's name.

"People don't realize how valuable their Social Security numbers and bank-account numbers are," Cordray said. "And recovery from identity theft can take months or years."

To make that process easier, the attorney general's office now offers an Identity Theft Repair Kit, a step-by-step guide on what to do after personal or financial information has been pilfered.

It includes information on filing a police report, closing accounts, placing a fraud alert on credit files and how to apply for PASSPORT, which provides proof to law-enforcement officials and creditors that an identity has been stolen.

"When you go to purchase a car and get a loan, they will understand you were the victim of identity theft and the score that comes up isn't your true credit score," Cordray said.

Another key to preventing identity theft is keeping an eye on your credit reports, said Michael Kappas, chief executive of Consumer Credit Counseling Service. Reports should be monitored to make sure mistaken or fraudulent activity is addressed right away.

Sometimes ID theft occurs in the course of doing business. The best way to prevent problems is to interact with trustworthy companies. When dealing with an unfamiliar firm, check it out first on the Better Business Bureau's Web site, said Kip Morse, president of the central Ohio Better Business Bureau.

"If the Better Business Bureau doesn't know anything about them, that's a red flag," he said.

swartenberg@dispatch.com

Identity theft

Avoid being a victim

• Carry only the credit cards you need. Keep your Social Security card at home in a safe place.

• Don't give out personal information unless you initiate the contact.

• When doing business online, make sure the site is secure and your antivirus firewall and other personal-computer security applications are up to date.

• Shred all documents that include personal and financial information.

• Keep copies of your credit cards -- front and back -- in a safe place so you will be able to call the provider if they are stolen.

• Check your credit history at least once a year using www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.

• Review all your medical, bank and credit-card statements on a regular basis and notify the provider of any discrepancies.

Resources

• For more information on identity theft or if you think you may be a victim, call the Ohio attorney general's identity-theft hot line at 1-888-MY-ID-4-ME (1-888-694-3463).

• For the attorney general's new Identity Theft Repair Kit, go to www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/IDTheftRepairKit

• For more information on how to secure and repair your credit, go to: www.apprisen.com

• For additional tips on how to recover from identity theft, go to www.sheriff.franklin.oh.us

• To research a business rating, go to www.bbb.org

Source: Ohio attorney general

Bath & Body Works Coupon Link!

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Check out Online tool helps sort, decipher medical bills

Click here: Online tool helps sort, decipher medical bills The Columbus Dispatch

Online tool helps sort, decipher medical bills
Three area insurers take part in Quicken Health program
Saturday, November 28, 2009 3:14 AM
By Suzanne Hoholik
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

This scenario might sound familiar: You open your mailbox to find a letter from your health insurer, a doctor or the hospital.

Instead of opening it, you toss it on the pile of mail that can be dealt with later.
"A medical bill is not one of the things you want to open first," said Elaine Christen, an Ashtabula resident. "I may not open it for three to four days, maybe a week."
Unless you know your health insurance inside and out, she said, medical bills can be confusing and intimidating.

But an online program through Medical Mutual of Ohio helps Christen organize her bills, understand how much she owes and for what service, know what to do if there's a billing error and pay doctors and hospitals on time.

"I love that it breaks it down to the dollar on very specific things," said Christen, 56, who has used the program for a few months.

"It seems in the other paperwork, it would say 'lab' and have the amounts," with no explanation.
The free program is called Quicken Health and was created by Intuit, the same company that developed TurboTax. It's currently available to Medical Mutual, Cigna and UnitedHealthcare customers.

UnitedHealthcare has more than 281,000 members in central Ohio and insures one in three people in the state.

Intuit developed the program to help people deal with piles of medical bills.

"They are really befuddled by the amount of pieces of paper and what they're supposed to be paying attention to," said Stefanie Fenton, a director with the Quicken Health group.
Her company surveyed Ohio residents and found that 60 percent said they don't understand their medical bills.

It works like this: Your doctor bills your insurance company, which processes that claim in its computer system. Quicken Health takes that information, brings it into its system and notifies you by e-mail.

Medical codes and jargon are translated into plain English, and the software explains how much your physician charged, what the insurer paid and what you owe. You can pay your bill online with a credit card.

If your doctor has signed up for the program, he or she will be paid electronically. Otherwise, Quicken Health sends a check.

The company makes money through credit-card transaction fees, Fenton said.
The program lets you keep track of past bills, your deductible and co-insurances paid for you and your dependants. And if you are billed for something that doesn't look familiar or you think there's an error, you get advice on what to do.

"It will tell you who to call and what to say," said Bob Mau, vice president of eBusiness and security at Medical Mutual, which has 175,000 customers in central Ohio.
"For example, in most cases, the doctor is responsible for pre-certification and (Quicken Health) will say: Call your doctor and say this."

You'll still receive paper bills from your doctor, laboratories and hospitals, but this program lets you manage them all in one place.

"I have less of an aversion to going online, and you're not concerned about losing a piece of paper," Christen said.

To see a demonstration of the program, go to www.quickenhealth.com

Check out Cyber-Criminals Want Your Information | NBC4i.com

Click here: Cyber-Criminals Want Your Information NBC4i.com

12 Schemes Of ChristmasAccording to Consumer Reports' 2009 State of the Net Survey, cyber criminals can take a lot more from you.
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NBC 4
NBC 4 has the fast facts on the information cyber-criminals want, how they get it and what to do if you’re victimized this holiday season.
By Ana Jackson Reporter Published: November 27, 2009 Updated: November 28, 2009
» 1 Comment Post a Comment
CENTRAL OHIO—As you’re trying to purchase gifts for your family and friends, cyber-criminals are trying to steal your personal information.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.
Cyber-criminals have stolen $8 billion from consumers in the past year, according to Consumer Reports’ 2009 State of the Net survey.
Cyber-crimes spike during the holidays but are difficult to solve because it’s hard to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, who the suspects are, CPD sergeant Dennis Kline said.
“You don’t have a witness that can identify a suspect. You don’t have fingerprints you can submit to identify the person,“ Kline said.
The best way to protect yourself is to be aware of the cyber-schemes.
There are 12 holiday schemes you should be watching for, according to McAfee, a company that specializes in online security.
NBC 4 has highlighted a few of the surprising scams here. Click here to read the rest.
1. Watch out for fake invoices that look like they’re from real delivery services such as FedEx or UPS. Cyber-criminals send them asking for credit-card details before you can receive a package that you’ll never get.
2. Beware of sites that offer discounted luxury gifts. McAfee said cyber-criminals post fake Better Business Bureau logos on the malware-ridden sites to get you to enter your personal information. Malware is short for malicious software. Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner’s informed consent.
3. Be careful when searching for holiday ringtones or wallpaper. Some sites will infect your computer with spyware. Spyware is a type of malware that is installed on computers and collects information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user.
If you think you’ve become a victim of a cyber-crime, Kline said you should file a police report, cancel your credit or debit cards and get new ones and keep an eye on you credit reports.
For additional information, stay with nbc4i.com and NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail us at

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Cat Helps Lead to Child Abuser's Conviction

Thanks to Milda for this information!

Care2 subscriber since Feb 9, 2009

Help Unmask the Link Between Domestic and Animal Abuse >>
Hi friend,

When 9-year-old Beth* was sexually abused by her stepfather, she told the prosecuting attorney that someone else knew about it -- but that he couldn't talk. She was referring to her beloved cat, Oreo.

In trying to protect her, the loyal cat also became another victim of violence; Beth's stepfather would always brutally kick Oreo away from the door.

Beth's revelation gave the prosecutor an idea. She decided to have Oreo examined by a veterinarian. Sure enough, poor Oreo had sustained injuries consistent with being physically abused.

Help empower victims like Beth and Oreo. Donate today >>

When the prosecutor submitted the veterinarian’s report to the jury as evidence showing a pattern of violence in the home, Beth's allegations gained credibility. In a way, Oreo was able to testify, convincing the jury that the traumatized girl had been telling the truth.

Do your part to bring cases of family violence and animal abuse to justice.
Please donate >>

American Humane regularly conducts trainings for attorneys, judges, veterinarians, social workers, domestic-violence counselors and other social services providers on what American Humane calls The Link®. By unmasking the connection between violence to people and violence to animals, we will increase awareness of the powerful role it can play in preventing abuse.

Thanks to The Link, Beth's stepfather was convicted and received a long prison sentence. Meanwhile, Beth and Oreo were finally able to experience what every child and animal deserves: a safe home.

Please help American Humane continue to educate others about The Link and stop the cycle of violence affecting innocent people and animals alike. Donate today >>

Thank you,Robyn E.Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team

* This is a true story. However, the child’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.

Check out Christmas Tree Safety: Pet Proof Your Tree

Click here: Christmas Tree Safety: Pet Proof Your Tree - Holidays News - Holidash

Christmas Tree Safety: Pet Proof Your Tree

As beautiful as a Christmas tree is to look at, it is also a magnet for pets. Whether they are climbing it, toppling it, or attempting to eat it, pets love Christmas trees. Live or artificial, you are going to need a plan for protecting your tree from the wild animals who inhabit your home. Here are some simple tips for pet-proofing your Christmas tree this year.

Avoid tinsel. Cats find it delicious and fun to chew, but it can cause serious damage to their digestive systems.

That pan of water that is keeping your tree from drying out can be very attractive to thirsty pets. But that sticky water can also make them very sick. Discourage drinking by cutting a piece of screen or other sturdy mesh fabric to fit and duct tape it over the pan. This will keep little tongues out while still allowing you to replenish the water supply.

Cats love to bat balls around -- especially bright, shiny ones that are attached to a Christmas tree. Prevent breakage and possible injury by decorating your tree with plastic or wooden ornaments.

That little metal stand that is holding your tree in the vertical position is no match for a rowdy pet with a running start. Get rid of it and invest in a large, sturdy tree stand. For extra protection, attach a string of fishing line from the top of the tree to a small hook in the ceiling.
Puppies like to chew on things and those lower limbs of your Christmas tree may prove irresistible even to the most well-behaved little dog. Surrounding your tree with a baby pen might not be the most attractive solution, but is surely the safest. Otherwise, don't allow your puppy to be alone in the same room as the Christmas tree.
To discourage chewing on your light cords, spray them with bitter apple. Unplug the lights when not in use.

Clean up fallen needles regularly. Some dogs will eat just about anything and these sharp pine needles can cause internal injuries if ingested.

Don't decorate with edible ornaments. If it smells like food, a determined pet will find a way to reach it.

Check out 10 Annoying Phrases That Serve No Purpose - Asylum.com

Click here: 10 Annoying Phrases That Serve No Purpose - Asylum.com

Nov 18th 2009 By Jeremy Taylor
10 Annoying Phrases That Serve No Purpose
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899 CommentsContrarian academic Stanley Fish recently had a post on his NY Times blog discussing what phrases he finds most annoying. We couldn't help but notice the majority of the phrases Fish called out -- such as "Can I put you on hold," "Sold out" and "To be continued" -- while annoying, do serve their purpose in society. We're more interested in a different class of horrible phrases. The ones which are as unnecessary as they are insufferable. Not only do statements like "no offense" and "whatever" grate on the ear, they don't transmit any kind of information, which last we checked was the basic purpose of language. We've listed 10 of these maddeningly superfluous additions to the English lexicon, and encourage you to use the comment section to get your revenge on any pointless phrase that makes you cringe.

10. It is what it isThis newcomer is the epitome of an ear-grating phrase that means nothing.

9. It's all goodThe inclusion of "all" only accentuates how much you don't mean what you are saying.

8. To be honestNot only is this phrase usually followed by something best left unsaid, but it also implies everything else you say is dishonest.

7. No offenseA phrase even more insincere than it is superfluous.

6. WhateverIn a recent survey, 47 percent of Americans chose this word compound as the most annoying phrase of all. Meaning you have permission to smack anyone who uses it and isn't a 12-year-old girl. (And it's a close call on smacking any 12-year-old girl who uses the "w" word.)

5. Don't get me wrongIsn't it implicit in most human communication that your intention is always to be correctly understood?

4. With all due respectReally?

3. Everything happens for a reasonA completely worthless utterance that probably doubles as a vicious taunt to those who have undergone terrible hardships.

2. At the end of the dayAt the end of the day, you will be preparing for bed. (With apologizes to John Maynard Keynes.)

1. Going forwardSaying this is like announcing your next footstep.

Check out Does Your Name Spell Success? - Careers Articles

Click here: Does Your Name Spell Success? - Careers Articles

Does Your Name Spell Success?
Filed under: Make an Impression Print Article
Posted Feb 2nd 2009 12:00PM
Last udpated 11/09
By M. Wolfe for AOL Find a Job

"What's in a name?" a man named Shakespeare asked long ago. Potential employers may ask this same question of you. After all, your name is the first thing on your resume. Along with your appearance, it's one of the things most people use to form a first impression.Much effort goes into understanding the power of names-ask anyone having their first baby. Some believe a name is the single most important influence on development of our personality and helps create our destiny. Can your name help you succeed? What can you do to increase your chances of success in the name game?

Teacher's Pet
The focus on names starts in grade school. One study of sixth graders by S. Gray Garwood found that students with names that were popular with teachers scored higher in skills tests, set more ambitious goals and were better adjusted. And, with many classrooms being seated alphabetically, already the "A's" are at the head of the class in front of the teacher.

Who Gets the Grade?
Researchers Lief Nelson and Joseph Simmons looked at several different studies on names. They found that while all students want As, students whose names begin with letters associated with poorer performance (C and D) achieve lower grade point averages (GPAs) than do students whose names begin with A and B. This was especially if true if the students liked their initials.
The researchers also looked at 15 years of grade point averages for MBA students at a large private U.S. university. Students whose names began with C or D earned lower averages than those whose names began with A or B, they found. This led them to believe that there is something subconscious about our attraction to our names and initials. It's not that students with C and D initials don't work as hard; it's just that they may find a grade of C or D not as bad if their name begins with that letter. But, what about the rest of us whose initials rank even further down the alphabet? This is an area for more research.

Don't StriiiKe Out
Researchers Nelson and Simmons also looked at Major League baseball records spanning 93 years to see who strikes out and the effect, if any, their name has on strikeouts. Strikeouts, are recorded using the letter "K." And, sure enough, it was discovered that batters whose names began K struck out slightly more often than others. It's not that the batters wouldn't be unhappy with a strikeout, but they may just find it a little less aversive than players with no K for an initial.

Call It Like You Hear It
Grouping is a natural tendency; it's the way our brains work. And, we humans do this when it comes to names. While the danger for stereotyping is real, an Ohio University study showed that employers weigh several factors when judging job candidates, and that the gender match between an applicant's name and the occupation could have a subconscious impact. In a study by James Bruning young adults were asked to predict the success of a group of people entering new careers, based on information provided about the applicants.

Participants predicted that women with more feminine names – Emma and Irma, for example – would have more success pursuing traditional female careers – such as nurse, hair stylist or interior decorator.

Men with more masculine names – Hank and Bruno – were expected to be successful with traditional male careers – such as plumber, truck driver and electrician.

Those whose names least matched the occupation stereotypes might have a harder time landing certain jobs, the study suggests. A woman named Garrett pursuing a job in day care or a man named Bud who wanted to become a hair stylist, for example, might be searching for that dream position for a long time.

Names for Success
One of the biggest studies on names was conducted by the Sinrod Marketing Group's International Opinion panel. After surveying 75,000 adults, the panel found that names people associated with intelligence, for example, include:
Women:
Abigail
Alexis
Grace
Leah
Meryl
Vanessa
Men:
Alexanderl
Davidl
Johnl
Kennethl
Samuell
Tim
Names most associated with leadership include:
Women:
Ruth
Men:
Alexanderl
Dwightl
Lance
When it comes to being hardworking, the edge goes to:
Women:
Adal
Ingridl
Mariel
Margaret
Men:
Jakel
Manuell
Ronl
Todd

The Internet Changes Everything
As the online world becomes a bigger part of your job quest, consider that potential employers may turn to the Internet to find out more about you beyond your resume. Having an unusual name almost certainly guarantees higher search engine placement. An unusual name like "Celine" might be easier to find than "Mary" or "Linda." And, finding information on the right "Isaac Smith" will be easier than finding the right "James" or "Michael" with the same last name. In business, a unique name may mean you'll get a lot more "hits"-and a lot more exposure.

Easy Fixes for a Name to Keep
Dreaming of a name that's still you, but a bit more unique? Consider changing the spelling of your name. Amy may become Aimee. Turn Lisa into Lesa. Make Kevin Kevynn. Change Ryan into Rhyon. The search for alternatives also prompts some people to be creative with punctuation. Take Mari'elle or D'ante, for example. Some people unhappy with their first name just use their middle one. Did you know Farrah Fawcett's full name is Mary Farrah Fawcett? Or they've adopted a first/middle-name combination. Meryl Streep's social security card reads Mary Louise Streep.

More Telling Features:
Body Language
Desk
Handwriting
Walk

Go All the Way: Changing Your Name
Different states have different rules for name changes. And the Internet is making it increasingly easy, fast and affordable. Once you've made the change through the proper legal channels, there is still much work to do, such as notifying the Social Security Administration, your state motor vehicle department, and the human resources office at your job, among others. Then, start ordering new checks and credit cards. It may take time for your friends to start calling you by your new name. Be prepared for some who never will. To them, you'll always be the person you were when they first met you-even if that was in third grade. Still, you'll have the pleasure of knowing that the new people you'll meet will accept your new name-and the identity that comes with it-easily.

Taking the Stage
Entertainers are masters of creating a name to suit their image. Morgan Fairchild's name was Patsy Ann McClenny. And who would think that Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch Demsky. Whoopi Goldberg -- whose name makes you smile when you say it -- came into this world as Caryn Johnson. Research shows that most people like their name and initials.
Whether you're Maria-Elena the executive assistant; Sean the cop; a television host, media mogul and philanthropist named Oprah; or Bill the Microsoft guy, your name played some role in making you who you are.

: Check out Charity pitch doesn't quite ring a bell

Click here: Charity pitch doesn't quite ring a bell The Columbus Dispatch

Charity pitch doesn't quite ring a bell
Volunteer drums up donations while playing his harmonica
Thursday, November 26, 2009 3:26 AM
By Dean Narciso
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

BROOKE LaVALLEY DISPATCH
Roy Hedrick greets customers at the Kroger at 5965 Hoover Rd. in Grove City with a wave but not a smile because his mouth is engaged in playing his harmonica while collecting donations for the Salvation Army. Hedrick tried the traditional hand bells but found them ho-hum.
The incessant jingle of Salvation Army bells in the entrance of a Grove City Kroger has been replaced by the soft warble of Roy Hedrick's harmonica.
The 72-year-old retired salesman's repertoire is limited to a few upbeat standards. His ability is limited by never having had a music lesson.
But his enthusiasm appears unbounded.
Hedrick first volunteered last year, receiving a list of instructions, a kettle and two small hand bells.
"I thought, well, I'm going to be down there for a couple of hours and I like to play. I just started doing it, and nobody said to stop."
The Salvation Army doesn't mind, and even encourages novelty.
"We do allow people to show off their talents and make it a fun experience for people out in the cold and passing by," said Alice Hohl, Salvation Army spokeswoman.
A horn player, carolers, and even members of the Ohio State University marching band have participated in central Ohio.
At Grove City's other Kroger, at Hoover and Stringtown roads, Sally Morris works a hand puppet, Lamb Chop, with her bells.
"The kids get a kick out of it. It's entertainment," said Morris, a bell ringer since 1993. "And it keeps my hand warm."
Hedrick tried the bells but found them ho-hum.
Between songs at the Hoover Road grocery, he shares compliments and humor. "Someone asked me, 'Do you take requests?' I said no. He said, 'Why not?' Because most of them are for me to stop."
The charity is looking for celebrity bell ringers, Hohl said: "If it were Eric Clapton, we would take him. The red kettle campaign is part of the Christmas ambience. We hear the bells, and we know it's the season for that holiday feeling -- of giving. It carries all the way back to Dickens."
Sharon Buechner of Obetz encountered Hedrick this week as she was shopping.
"Aw, he's playing the harmonica," she said.
"It caught my eye," she said after dropping a few dollars in his kettle. "I just like harmonica. It made me want to put some money in. I used to walk by the bell ringers."
Her husband, Jerry, agreed. "That's a lot better than bells. That gets on your nerves."
To become a bell ringer, call 614-304-1090 or go to salvationarmycolumbus.org.
dnarciso@dispatch.com

Check out Five Secrets to Getting Hired - Careers Articles

Click here: Five Secrets to Getting Hired - Careers Articles

Five Secrets to Getting Hired
Filed under: Interview Tips, Job Searching Tips Print Article
Posted Jul 15th 2009 2:41PM
Reviewed 11/09
By CareerBuilder.com
To ace the interview you need to know how the interviewer thinks. In his book 'Knock 'em Dead: The Ultimate Job Seeker's Guide,' author and job-hunting guru Martin Yate examines the interview from the employer's perspective and shares the five secrets to getting hired.
Secret 1: Ability and SuitabilityThe first secret is to show the interviewer you have both ability and suitability. Every working professional has a combination of skills that broadly define his or her ability and suitability. For example, a good computer programmer working in a bank has both technical and professional skills; that is, the ability to program a computer as well as knowledge of how to get things done in the banking industry and the capacity to work well with bankers.
Yate suggests you itemize your technical/professional skills as they parallel the requirements of the job. Then recall an incident to illustrate each of those skills. If applying for a job in an industry with which you're familiar, consider highlighting your industry sensibilities by describing how you've successfully collaborated and accomplished goals with other industry professionals.
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Secret 2: Willingness
The second secret is not to flip out if your interviewer asks if you're willing to make coffee or take out the trash -- especially if you're looking for a job in a small office. More and more potential employers are using these questions to gauge whether you are the kind of person who is prepared to do whatever it takes to help the team.
Think of a time when you went the extra mile and how your doing so helped the company. Then rehearse the story until you can tell it in 90 seconds.
Secret 3: Manageability and Teamwork
Avoiding a nightmare employee is a major concern for managers who develop, over time, a remarkable sixth sense when it comes to spotting and weeding out mavericks and prima donnas.
Being 'manageable' and a team player means that you can work independently as well as with others and can take direction and criticism. Also crucial is the ability to work and get along with a diverse workforce in terms of sex, age, religion, race, politics, abilities/disabilities or national origin.
Make sure you demonstrate with words and actions that you are someone who gets along well with people and has no problem tolerating differing opinions or beliefs. Don't bring up religious, political or racial matters during the job interview.
Secret 4: Professional Behavior
Yate says there are a number of universally admired behavioral traits common to successful people in all fields. They are:
Drive;
Motivation;
Communication skills;
Team chemistry;
Energy;
Determination;
Confidence;
Reliability;
Honesty/integrity;
Pride;
Dedication;
Analytical skills;
Listening skills;
Goal-orientation;
Efficiency;
Economy; and
Ability to follow procedures.
Yate suggests you pick several of the traits that apply to you and that you can back up with stories from your work history. The idea is to create a mental movie of an event, which is much more powerful than simply stating your strong points.
Secret 5: Everyone Hires for the Same Job
All companies are looking for problem solvers. So think of your profession in terms of its problem-solving responsibilities. Then, identify a list of related problems you have solved for your past employers. Come up with specific examples for as many different success stories as you can think of. Then, ask what the first projects you as an employee would be involved in if hired. From there, you can select the most relevant problem-solving examples to share. When reciting these examples use the following formula:
State the problem.
Isolate relevant background information.
List your key qualities.
Recall the solution.
Determine what the solution was worth.
Remember, stories help interviewers visualize you solving their problems as a paid member of the team.
Keep these secrets in mind when preparing for your next interview. Approaching the interview from the employer's perspective and demonstrating your strengths through stories will cast you in a great light and make it hard for the interviewer to forget you. For more of Martin Yates' keen insight, visit www.knockemdead.com.

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