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August 21

B.S. On Your Resume

B.S. ON YOUR RESUME -- AND WE'RE NOT TALKING DEGREE

Your resume is the most effective marketing tool you have. It says who you are and what you can do. You want your resume to be the best possible representation of your work.

But there's a line between bending the truth and outright deception. According to the CareerBuilder.com survey, these were the most common falsehoods people admitted to using on a resume:

  • 38 percent of those surveyed indicated they had embellished their job responsibilities
  • 18 percent admitted to lying about their skill set
  • 12 percent indicated they had been dishonest about their start and end dates of employment
  • 10 percent confessed to lying about an academic degree
  • 7 percent said they had lied about the companies they had worked for
  • 5 percent disclosed that they had been untruthful about their job title

Do these lies work? In most cases -- no. Most companies disqualified candidates after discovering their dishonesty. So the best policy is to be truthful because it's just too easy for a company to learn about the lies during a regular background check.

That said, some of the lies have been most entertaining. A CareerBuilder.com survey of hiring managers and workers looked at the 10 most outrageous resume whoppers, as reported by hiring managers:

  1. Candidate claimed to be a member of the Kennedy family
  2. Applicant invented a school that did not exist
  3. Job seeker submitted a resume with someone else's photo inserted into the document
  4. Candidate claimed to be a member of Mensa
  5. Applicant claimed to have worked for the hiring manager before, but never had
  6. Job seeker claimed to be the CEO of a company when he was an hourly employee
  7. Candidate listed military experience dating back to before he was born
  8. Job seeker included samples of work, which were actually those of the interviewer
  9. Applicant claimed to be Hispanic when he was 100 percent Caucasian
  10. Candidate claimed to have been a professional baseball player
August 14

Career's that may be on the decline

Thanks to the advent of technology like computers, automated machines, voice recognition systems and cell phones, many jobs that used to be deemed essential to the work force are on the decline. 

 

If you're looking for job security during the next 10 years, here are 12 jobs to eye with caution and their more secure job alternatives. While they'll have job openings to replace workers who leave the industry, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects they'll have fewer and fewer of new jobs over time.

 

1. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers

 

Why it's endangered: Many companies now use self-monitoring production machines, which alert inspectors to flaws they would normally detect by hand.

 

2. Data entry and information processing workers

Why it's endangered: Personal computers are abundant. People either do their own word processing or contract out their work, rather than hiring full-time staff. Other technologies like barcode scanners and voice recognition systems reduce the need for data entry keyers.

 

3. File and order clerks

Why it's endangered: Organizations use automated systems to place orders and most files are now stored digitally and retrieved electronically, thus reducing the need for file and order clerks.

4. Photographic process workers

 

Why it's endangered: Since digital cameras have virtually taken over photography, digital camera owners have the ability to download, view, retouch and print pictures on their own computers, reducing the need for workers to do so manually.

 

5. Telephone operators

Why it's endangered: Cell phones and 411 call services have reduced the demand for telephone operators, because fewer people use directory assistance, collect calls and pay phones.

 

6. Pharmacy aides

Why it's endangered: Pharmacy technicians will perform many of the duties aides normally do, like answering phones, stocking shelves and operating cash registers. Pharmacy aides will also receive more training, moving up to the technician position.

 

 

7. Bindery workers

Why it's endangered: Computers allow binding to be automated and now, printing companies are binding products in-house, so the need for binding shops is decreasing.

 

 

8. Radio and television announcers

Why it's endangered: New technology and advancement of other media sources like syndicated programming means less need for radio and TV announcers. (Of course Danny and Mac will always be needed right?.......right?)

 

9. Floral designers

 

Why it's endangered: Many people leave the job because of its low starting pay and limited opportunities for advancement; also, Internet florists take away the demand for designers at independent floral shops.

 

 

10. Telemarketers

Why it's endangered: Thanks to the "do not call" registry, the need for these pesky sales people is not as prevalent.

August 13

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Women

TEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WOMEN

This month, Esquire.com asked one of its female interns to come up with 10 things we didn't know about women. Here's what she came up with:

1. Women have faster blood flow to the brain than men.

2. Women suffer less hearing loss than men.

3. The longer a woman's legs, the less likely she is to develop Alzheimer's.

4. A Pueblo Indian woman divorces her husband by putting his moccasins outside the front door.

5. Wearing high heels can make women better in bed by strengthening their pelvic muscles.

6. Women can tell by looking at a man's face whether or not he likes babies.

7. The scent of a breast-feeding woman can make other women horny.

8. Women are three times more likely than men to attempt suicide but four times less likely to succeed.

9. When they do try, at least if they're Japanese, often they wait until noon.

10. Women are more likely than men to hate the color orange.

Phone Topic: Do these items ring true for you? What other things do you think people should know about women? And we want to get both men and women involved with this!

Check It Out: For the source of this list, click here.

August 12

Sexiest Olympians From Mac

THE TOP 10 SEXIEST FEMALE OLYMPIANS

Fastest? Toughest? Best? Who cares? Guys just want to know about the hottest babes competing in Beijing. And because of that, the guys at WebTV.hub have compiled a list so you can be ready to Tivo their events.

According to them, the top ten sexiest female Olympians are:

10. Tatiana Golovin -- France (tennis)
9. Stephanie Rice -- Australia (swimming)
8. Victoria Pendleton - Great Britain (cycling)
7. Lauren Jackson -- Australia (basketball)
6. Jelena Jankovic -- Serbia (tennis)
5. Amanda Beard - United States (swimming)
4. Alona Bondarenko -- Ukraine (tennis)
3. Rita Dravucz -- Hungary (water polo)
2. Maria Sharapova -- Russia (tennis)
1. Alexandra Orlando -- Canada (rhythmic gymnastics)

What Your Office Says About You

According to Sam Gosling, a researcher at the University of Texas and Meredith Wells, a psychologist at East Kentucky University, here is what your office might be saying to your supervisors, bosses, and co-workers:

  1. Plants -- healthy plants are a sign that you plan to stay.
  2. Post-it Notes -- Too many Post-It Notes show that you're overwhelmed.
  3. Clocks -- One or more clocks in your office are a sign that you get things done. "Clock lovers are often meticulous and hardworking," says Gosling.
  4. Family Photos -- This could go either way. Some psychologists say family photos are a status symbol. Others say they are a genuine reminder of loved ones. You have to look at how the photos are displayed. If the pictures are facing guests, they are status symbols. If they are facing you, they are genuine reminders.
  5. Candy Bowl -- An indication of an extrovert. Introverts don't put anything that brings others in their workspace.
  6. Motivational Posters -- Show that you are engaged in your job and want to stay engaged.
  7. Posters of Celebrities or Historical Figures -- Indicates you have values and big dreams.
  8. Tidiness -- Tidiness is a personality trait that is extremely difficult to change. A neat and organized desk and workspace indicates a neat and organized person.
  9. Empty Desk -- Empty workspaces indicate a worker who has little status in the organization and who probably isn't dedicated to his/her job. These people simply are not committed.

 

June 13

TV's Best and Worst Dads

To celebrate Father's Day, we've compiled a list of TV's best and worst dads. While these dads are completely fictitious, these men have had a heavy influence on the way Americans approach fatherhood.

 

TV's Top Ten Best Dads: 

  1. Andy Taylor- The Andy Griffith Show.  As a single dad, Sheriff Andy taught his son Opie and the rest of America one important lesson- do the right thing. Not only did Andy teach little Opie important life lessons, he also made sure to spend plenty of time with him on fishin' trips.
  2. Homer Simpson- The Simpsons. Sure, he is a poor example of physical health. Sure, he constantly abuses Bart through strangulation. But at the end of the day, the man would do anything for his kids.
  3. Hank Hill- King of the Hill. Hank Hill does a fantastic job of teaching his son Bobby the meaning of hard work, dedication, loyalty to friends and family, the importance of Dallas Cowboys football and Texas pride, and of course, the stupidity of political correctness. Yeah, Hank is overly concerned about Bobby being a sissy, but he's always there when Bobby needs him.
  4. Steve Douglas- My Three Sons. This was one of many dad sitcoms from the 1950s and 60s based around a widowed father raising their kids. The show ran for 12 years and during that time, America saw Steve's three sons move out, go to college, and get married. Raising well adjusted and successful family men definitely makes you a great dad.
  5. Ward Cleaver- Leave It To Beaver. Ward was a businessman that took his job as seriously as his family. Even when frustrated, the man hardly raised his voice. He read Mark Twain to his sons. When he did give bad advice, (like telling the Beaver to get in a fight with a girl) Ward would admit his mistake and teach his sons a lesson in the process.
  6. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable- The Cosby Show. Dr. Huxtable's advice to his children was always based on common sense mixed with a wisecrack. Dr. Huxtable taught his children that personal responsibility is the key to success in life.
  7. Jim Anderson- Father Knows Best. The show is a bit campy and isn't a reflection of what real family life is like, but Jim always ended each episode by teaching his children some important moral lesson.
  8. Mike Brady- The Brady Bunch. Mike was faced with the challenge of integrating his three sons with another woman's brood of three girls. He handled the situation by being both a strict disciplinarian and an empathetic guy.
  9. Eric Camden- 7th Heaven.  Of all the best TV dads on this list, Eric Camden is the only one who was introduced in the last ten years. Eric was a father to seven children and a minister at a local church where he spent time helping churchgoers and troubled teens. Each episode took on some moral lesson that Eric's family had to deal with directly or indirectly. Eric was a good example of a father trying to keep his kids on the right path in a world that's constantly telling them to go down the wrong one.
  10. Howard Cunningham- Happy Days. "Mr. C." as the Fonz lovingly called him, was not only the dad to Richie and Joanie Cunningham, but he also acted as a father figure for the Fonz, Ralph Malph, and Potsie. He always laid down the law in his house. He was never his kids' friend, but was always their loving authority figure.

Some of TV's Worst & Not-So-Great Dads: 

  • Tony Soprano- The Sopranos
  • Al Bundy- Married With Children
  • Archie Bunker- All in the Family
  • Frank Costanza- Seinfeld
  • Peter Griffin- Family Guy
  • John Locke's Dad- Lost
  • Arthur Spooner-King of Queens
  • Gob (pronounced "jobe") Bluth- Arrested Development
  • Jack Bauer-24
  • Ray Barone- Everybody Loves Raymond 
May 30

Americans of Weight

HEAVY TOPIC: DISCRIMINATION BASED ON WEIGHT

Weight discrimination, especially against women, is increasing in U.S. society and is almost as common as racial discrimination, two studies suggest.

Reported discrimination based on weight has increased 66% in the past decade, up from about 7% to 12% of U.S. adults, says one study, in the journal Obesity.

The other study, in the International Journal of Obesity, says such discrimination is common in both institutional and interpersonal situations -- and in some cases is even more prevalent than rates of discrimination based on gender and race. About 17% of men and 9% of women reported race discrimination.

Among severely obese people, about 28% of men and 45% of women said they have experienced discrimination because of their weight.

Institutional discrimination involved health care, education, or workplace situations, such as cases in which people said they were fired, denied a job or a promotion because of their weight. Interpersonal discrimination focused on insults, abuse, and harassment from others.

Lynn McAfee, director of medical advocacy at the non-profit Council on Size and Weight Discrimination in Mt. Marion, N.Y., is not surprised by the findings. "Until we clean up language like 'war on obesity' and have authorities speak out about it, discrimination will continue to increase," she says.


No federal laws against weight discrimination exist, although some cities, including Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, have banned discrimination ...

The city-minus sex

The "city" part of Sex and the City is, of course, New York.  But since Sex and the City is such a girly movie, we offer guys this list of more manly New York flicks:

 

Taxi Driver (1976): Hey, nobody said it had to be likable. Martin Scorsese's classic gets right to the seamy underbelly, by way of Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), and stays there. Sometimes people complain that they cleaned up Times Square or whatever. This is your reminder of why.

 

The Godfather: Part II (1974): A lot of the non-flashback action takes place in Lake Tahoe, but the flashbacks, in which we learn about the rise of Vito Corleone (De Niro, again), offer an engrossing look at the immigrant experience in early- 20th-century New York. De Niro is fantastic and was rewarded with an Oscar.

 

Dog Day Afternoon (1975): Attica! Attica! OK, it takes place in a Brooklyn bank. But what's more New York than Al Pacino's portrayal of a frustrated would- be bank robber trying to come up with the money for his lover's sex-change operation? The ensuing media meltdown reminds us that New York is, after all, the media capital of the world - for good and bad. Pacino is great and was nominated for an Oscar.

 

Escape From New York (1981): In the future, crime is out of control and New York City is a maximum security prison. Grabbing a bargaining chip right out of the air, convicts bring down the President's plane in bad old Gotham. Kurt Russell as gruff Snake Plissken, a one-eyed lone warrior new to prison life, is coerced into bringing the President, and his cargo, out of this land of undesirables.

 

Gangs of New York (2002):  It's 1863 and lower Manhattan is run by gangs, the most powerful of which is the Natives, headed by Bill "The Butcher" Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis). He believes America should belong to native-born Americans and opposes the waves of immigrants, mostly Irish, entering the city. Amid the violence and corruption, young Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) tries to establish himself in the area and also seek revenge over his father's death.

 

The Warriors (1979): Speaking of gangs...Cyrus, the leader of the largest gang in New York, declares a truce and calls a summit with all the major gangs in attendance. During the meeting, Cyrus is assassinated and the murder is pinned on a member of a gang known as the Warriors. Now, all the other wonderfully wacky but deadly-dangerous gangs are hunting the Warriors down before they can prove their innocence. "CAN YOU DIG IT?"

May 14

Things a man must master

SKILLS EVERY MAN MUST MASTER: Part 1 (Esquire)

  • Tell if someone is lying. Everyone has his theory. Pick one, test it. Choose the tells that work for you. Examples: Liars change the subject quickly. Liars look up and to their right when they speak. Liars use fewer contractions. Liars will sometimes stare straight at you and employ a dead face. Liars never touch their chest or heart except self-consciously. Liars place objects between themselves and you during a conversation.
  • Take a photo. Fill the frame.
  • Name a book that matters. The Catcher in the Rye does not matter. Not really. You gotta read.
  • Cook meat somewhere other than the grill: Buy The Way to Cook, by Julia Child. Try roasting. Braising. Broiling. Slow-cooking. Pan searing. Think ragouts, fricassees, stews. All of this will force you to understand the functionality of different cuts. In the end, grilling will be a choice rather than a chore, and your Weber will become a tool rather than a piece of weekend entertainment.
  • Not monopolize the conversation.
  • Write a letter: So easy. So easily forgotten. A five-paragraph structure works pretty well: Tell why you're writing. Offer details. Ask questions. Give news. Add a specific memory or two. If your handwriting is terrible, type. Always close formally.
  • Buy a suit: Avoid bargains. Know your likes, your dislikes, and what you need it for (work, funerals, court). Always get fitted.
  • Swim three different strokes. Doggie paddle doesn't count.
  • Show respect without being a suck-up. Respect the following, in this order: age, experience, record, reputation. Don't mention any of it.
  • Throw a punch. Close enough, but not too close. Swing with your shoulders, not your arm. Long punches rarely land squarely.
  • Chop down a tree. Know your escape path. When the tree starts to fall, use it.
  • Calculate square footage. Width times length.
  • Speak a foreign language. Pas beaucoup. Mais faites un effort.
  • Sew a button.
  • Know his poison, without standing there, pondering like a dope. Brand, amount, style, fast, like so: Booker's, double, neat.
  • Drive an eightpenny nail into a treated two-by-four without thinking about it. Use a contractor's hammer. Swing hard and loose, like a tennis serve.
  • Cast a fishing rod without shrieking or sighing or otherwise admitting defeat.
  • Play gin with an old guy. Old men will try to crush you. You take a beating as a means of absorbing the lessons they've learned without taking a lesson. But don't be afraid to take them down. They can handle it.

 

SKILLS EVERY MAN MUST MASTER: Part 2 (Esquire)

  • Shuffle a deck of cards: Guys who can't shuffle lose. Always.
  • Know when to split his cards in blackjack: Aces. Eights. Always.
  • Speak to an eight-year-old so he will hear. Use his first name. Don't use baby talk. Don't crank up your energy to match his. Ask questions and wait for answers. Follow up.
  • Speak to a waiter so he will hear: You don't own the restaurant, so don't act like it. You own the transaction. So don't speak into the menu. Lift your chin. Make eye contact. All restaurants have secrets -- let it be known that you expect to see some of them.
  • Talk to a dog so it will hear: Go ahead, use baby talk.
  • Install: a disposal, an electronic thermostat, or a lighting fixture without asking for help.
  • Ask for help: Guys who refuse to ask for help are the most cursed men of all. The stubborn, the self-possessed, and the distant. The hell with them.
  • Tell a woman's dress size.
  • Remove a stain. Blot. Always blot.
  • Fry an egg sunny-side up. Cook until the white appears solid... and no longer.
  • Break up a fight. Work in pairs if possible. Don't get between people initially. Use the back of the collar, pull and urge the person downward. If you can't get him down, work for distance.
  • Point to the north at any time: If you have a watch, you can point the hour hand at the sun. Then find the point directly between the hour hand and the 12. That's south. The opposite direction is, of course, north.
  • Avoid boredom. You have enough to eat. You can move. This must be acknowledged as a kind of freedom. You don't always have to buy things, put things in your mouth, or be delighted.
  • Be brand loyal to at least one product. It tells a lot about who you are and where you came from.
  • Throw a baseball over-hand with some snap. Throw a football with a tight spiral. Shoot a 12-foot jump shot reliably: If you can't, play more ball.
  • Shake hands. Steady, firm, pump, let go. Use the time to make eye contact, since that's where the social contract begins.
  • Stock an emergency bag for the car: Blanket. Heavy flashlight. Hand warmers. Six bottles of water. Six packs of beef jerky. Atlas. Reflectors. Gloves. Socks. Bandages. Neosporin. Inhaler. Benadryl. Motrin. Hard candy. Telescoping magnet. Screwdriver. Channel-locks. Crescent wrench. Ski hat. Bandanna.
  • Caress a woman's neck. Back of your fingers, in a slow fan.