Underwear-maker Masayuki Tsuchiya says he had toyed with the idea of making bras for men for about seven years, but there was always one sticking point: What function could they possibly perform?
Relieving on-the-job stress, for starters. Find out what else bras are doing for dudes at Japan Times.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Efficient Secretary: 1916 vs. 2009
Richard's Grammar and Composition Blog, by Richard Nordquist, is worthy of your Favorites list. But his latest post is particularly entertaining, as he cracks open a copy of "The Efficient Secretary: Practical Suggestions, Information, Helps to Stenographers and Others Wishing to Become Secretaries, Ideas, Economy, Loyalty, Typing, Filing, Getting a Position" by Ellen Lane Spencer, published in 1916.
The author asserts, among other things, that, "It is but natural and right for a business man to want a good-looking, healthy secretary."
Find out how you're doing by 1916 standards -- read it here.
The author asserts, among other things, that, "It is but natural and right for a business man to want a good-looking, healthy secretary."
Find out how you're doing by 1916 standards -- read it here.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Your Next Employer May Find You Online
According to a 2008 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), nearly 17% of employers surveyed reported plans to use online sources such as social networking sites and blogs as part of their recruiting efforts – up from 11% in fall of 2006.
Online resumes, social networks, and blogs have all become essential tools for employers in scoping out prospective hires, and online visibility is playing an increasingly important role in job search and career networking.
Whether you are happily employed or in the process of seeking employment, the value of your online presence should not be discounted.
Following are four tips from Abhay Parekh, founder and CEO of Flowgram, a new web-based communication tool, on how to use the Internet to build your visibility.
Four Ways to Build Your Online Visibility in 2009:
1. Create Your Online Brand.
The old adage applies here – you never have a second chance to make a good first impression. The information that appears about you online is the first chance you have to present yourself to a prospective employer. The internet is increasingly becoming a primary source for communication and information, especially with recruiters. You can create your own online brand by registering your domain name (firstnamelastname.com) and creating a website that highlights your work experience and your unique attributes. Make sure to include keywords relevant to your career, so that you can improve your ranking in search engine results, and become more visible to potential employers and recruiters within a matter of minutes. Register for a domain at sites such as Register.com.
2. Differentiate Your Work.
Whether you are an established professional or just starting out, effective career development means finding a way to differentiate yourself from the pack. There are a number of great tools available on the Internet that can help you present yourself in a captivating and innovative way. For example, Flowgram is a free web-based communication service that can be used to create an interactive multimedia portfolio of your work that incorporates web pages, slides, video clips, and more. Flowgrams are easy to distribute through e-mail, blog posts, intranets, and popular social media networks like Facebook, or through the Flowgram community online. They can also be viewed offline as downloadable videos. But rather than simply sending a static resume and hoping that someone will read it, Flowgram enables a dynamic experience that’s engaging and informative.
3. Establish yourself as an expert source.
Beyond showcasing your resume and your portfolio, the Internet can be used to create and communicate your own personal brand. A blog is a great vehicle for establishing your voice online, and can also be used to start a dialogue with a larger community of people by sharing opinions, asking for advice, or simply highlighting interesting ideas and information. By starting a blog, you position yourself as an expert source in your field, and also pave the way for making valuable new connections. MyBlogLog provides some tools for starting your own web log.
4. Explore your 6 degrees.
You’ve heard of the six degrees of separation theory -- now, put it to use by harnessing your own chain of connections. Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn provide a perfect platform for job seekers to utilize their professional network of friends and current and former co-workers. LinkedIn offers a fast and effective way to stay in touch with friends, co-workers, and recruiters, in order to keep the pulse of these relationships alive. By using business networking sites such as LinkedIn, you can increase the likelihood that people will see your name and profile first when businesses or professionals are searching for someone to hire or do business with.
Online resumes, social networks, and blogs have all become essential tools for employers in scoping out prospective hires, and online visibility is playing an increasingly important role in job search and career networking.
Whether you are happily employed or in the process of seeking employment, the value of your online presence should not be discounted.
Following are four tips from Abhay Parekh, founder and CEO of Flowgram, a new web-based communication tool, on how to use the Internet to build your visibility.
Four Ways to Build Your Online Visibility in 2009:
1. Create Your Online Brand.
The old adage applies here – you never have a second chance to make a good first impression. The information that appears about you online is the first chance you have to present yourself to a prospective employer. The internet is increasingly becoming a primary source for communication and information, especially with recruiters. You can create your own online brand by registering your domain name (firstnamelastname.com) and creating a website that highlights your work experience and your unique attributes. Make sure to include keywords relevant to your career, so that you can improve your ranking in search engine results, and become more visible to potential employers and recruiters within a matter of minutes. Register for a domain at sites such as Register.com.
2. Differentiate Your Work.
Whether you are an established professional or just starting out, effective career development means finding a way to differentiate yourself from the pack. There are a number of great tools available on the Internet that can help you present yourself in a captivating and innovative way. For example, Flowgram is a free web-based communication service that can be used to create an interactive multimedia portfolio of your work that incorporates web pages, slides, video clips, and more. Flowgrams are easy to distribute through e-mail, blog posts, intranets, and popular social media networks like Facebook, or through the Flowgram community online. They can also be viewed offline as downloadable videos. But rather than simply sending a static resume and hoping that someone will read it, Flowgram enables a dynamic experience that’s engaging and informative.
3. Establish yourself as an expert source.
Beyond showcasing your resume and your portfolio, the Internet can be used to create and communicate your own personal brand. A blog is a great vehicle for establishing your voice online, and can also be used to start a dialogue with a larger community of people by sharing opinions, asking for advice, or simply highlighting interesting ideas and information. By starting a blog, you position yourself as an expert source in your field, and also pave the way for making valuable new connections. MyBlogLog provides some tools for starting your own web log.
4. Explore your 6 degrees.
You’ve heard of the six degrees of separation theory -- now, put it to use by harnessing your own chain of connections. Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn provide a perfect platform for job seekers to utilize their professional network of friends and current and former co-workers. LinkedIn offers a fast and effective way to stay in touch with friends, co-workers, and recruiters, in order to keep the pulse of these relationships alive. By using business networking sites such as LinkedIn, you can increase the likelihood that people will see your name and profile first when businesses or professionals are searching for someone to hire or do business with.
Friday, May 22, 2009
REAL Food for Dinner?: Easier Than You Think.
A Just A Sec Exclusive!
You work all day. You come home, you're hungry for dinner.
How many of us still have the energy to do anything more than pluck a cardboard box from the freezer and toss its contents into the microwave?
You made that new year's resolution to eat healthier. And sure, if you had a personal chef, you too could enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home every night. Maybe a nice filet of salmon and a compliment of fresh-from-the-farmstand veggies. But who has time to deal with "real" foods during the work week?
You do! Haven't you ever thought about steaming?
Kim hates to cook, especially after a busy day. And in an effort to eat "better", she found herself relying on low-fat frozen meals. The problem was, they left her dissatisfied. "They taste like the box they came in," she said. "And the portions leave me starving."
We challenged Kim to prepare a healthy dinner employing fresh, whole foods -- and with minimal effort. To help her out, we gave her a Nesco 5 Quart Steamer with Rice Bowl.
So what did Kim whip up for dinner?
"A swordfish steak, zuccini and rice," she told us. Sounds intimidating!
So what kind of work was involved? Here are Kim's steps to preparing her meal:
1. "I stuck the reservoir under the tap and filled it with water." (OK. So far, we can handle this. But surely it gets more complicated.)
2. "I unwrapped a filet of fish from the supermarket and put it inside the steamer tray with slices of zuccini." (Unwrapping and putting. Still with you, Kim.)
3. "I poured some water and rice into the rice bowl." (Poured...OK, still in the game...)
4. "I put the rice bowl into the second steamer tray, and then stacked the trays on top of each other and put on the lid."
5. "I plugged in the steamer, turned the timer dial. Later I took the food out of the steamer and ate it."
You're kidding. That's it?
Well, OK, but how was the food?
"Perfect!" Kim raved. "I wasn't sure how steamed swordfish was going to turn out. I don't know, I just had this prejudice in my head that if it was steamed, it was going to turn out soggy and gross. But it was delicious. It was flaky and tender. The rice was perfect. The vegetables were a little softer than I like them, but next time I'll know to set the timer for less time so they're a little crisp. Then if I'm cooking them with something else that needs more time, I can just re-set the timer to continue cooking the other thing. Or, add the zuccini in later."
We were impressed that the Nesco steamer was able to cook a complete meal all together.
So how was clean-up?
"Very easy. The product manual says the plastic trays are dishwasher-safe, but I don't have a dishwasher. So I tossed them in the sink with some warm soapy water while I ate, and half an hour later I was able to rinse them clean right under the tap. The food doesn't really stick to the plastic surface that much. The inside of the water reservoir wiped clean with a soapy sponge, then I just rinsed it out with a slosh of water."
Will Kim use the steamer on a regular basis?
"No doubt! I didn't know you could get something like this. I'm going to buy a lot more fresh food from now on. This is awesome!"
The Nesco steamer works with a wide variety of foods including grains, vegetables, fruits, eggs, seafood, meat and poultry. It comes with a 60 minute timer and is equipped with an automatic shut-off when it's out of water.
And this beautifully simple little appliance costs only $29.95.
For more information, visit www.nesco.com.
You work all day. You come home, you're hungry for dinner.
How many of us still have the energy to do anything more than pluck a cardboard box from the freezer and toss its contents into the microwave?
You made that new year's resolution to eat healthier. And sure, if you had a personal chef, you too could enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home every night. Maybe a nice filet of salmon and a compliment of fresh-from-the-farmstand veggies. But who has time to deal with "real" foods during the work week?
You do! Haven't you ever thought about steaming?
Kim hates to cook, especially after a busy day. And in an effort to eat "better", she found herself relying on low-fat frozen meals. The problem was, they left her dissatisfied. "They taste like the box they came in," she said. "And the portions leave me starving."
We challenged Kim to prepare a healthy dinner employing fresh, whole foods -- and with minimal effort. To help her out, we gave her a Nesco 5 Quart Steamer with Rice Bowl.
So what did Kim whip up for dinner?
"A swordfish steak, zuccini and rice," she told us. Sounds intimidating!
So what kind of work was involved? Here are Kim's steps to preparing her meal:
1. "I stuck the reservoir under the tap and filled it with water." (OK. So far, we can handle this. But surely it gets more complicated.)
2. "I unwrapped a filet of fish from the supermarket and put it inside the steamer tray with slices of zuccini." (Unwrapping and putting. Still with you, Kim.)
3. "I poured some water and rice into the rice bowl." (Poured...OK, still in the game...)
4. "I put the rice bowl into the second steamer tray, and then stacked the trays on top of each other and put on the lid."
5. "I plugged in the steamer, turned the timer dial. Later I took the food out of the steamer and ate it."
You're kidding. That's it?
Well, OK, but how was the food?
"Perfect!" Kim raved. "I wasn't sure how steamed swordfish was going to turn out. I don't know, I just had this prejudice in my head that if it was steamed, it was going to turn out soggy and gross. But it was delicious. It was flaky and tender. The rice was perfect. The vegetables were a little softer than I like them, but next time I'll know to set the timer for less time so they're a little crisp. Then if I'm cooking them with something else that needs more time, I can just re-set the timer to continue cooking the other thing. Or, add the zuccini in later."
We were impressed that the Nesco steamer was able to cook a complete meal all together.
So how was clean-up?
"Very easy. The product manual says the plastic trays are dishwasher-safe, but I don't have a dishwasher. So I tossed them in the sink with some warm soapy water while I ate, and half an hour later I was able to rinse them clean right under the tap. The food doesn't really stick to the plastic surface that much. The inside of the water reservoir wiped clean with a soapy sponge, then I just rinsed it out with a slosh of water."
Will Kim use the steamer on a regular basis?
"No doubt! I didn't know you could get something like this. I'm going to buy a lot more fresh food from now on. This is awesome!"
The Nesco steamer works with a wide variety of foods including grains, vegetables, fruits, eggs, seafood, meat and poultry. It comes with a 60 minute timer and is equipped with an automatic shut-off when it's out of water.
And this beautifully simple little appliance costs only $29.95.
For more information, visit www.nesco.com.
10 Most Blocked Web Sites at Work
Companies who block employee access to certain web sites may think they're forcing workers to be more productive, but in reality they're only creating resentment, which results in the employee having no particular loyalty to the employer.
Besides, these days most people have devices that allow them to check personal e-mail and web sites without using their desk computer, so how much "time-wasting" do employers really think they're preventing?
Employers aren't stopping to think that their most talented people might like or need the occasional access to these sites, and that their work product wouldn't necessarily suffer as a result. Do companies really want to risk losing their best people over the occasional Facebook update? Top talent is usually smart enough to realize when they're being treated like children, and smart enough to go where they'll be best rewarded, not just monetarily, but in overall treatment.
Curious about which web sites are most blocked by employers? Check out the top ten here.
Besides, these days most people have devices that allow them to check personal e-mail and web sites without using their desk computer, so how much "time-wasting" do employers really think they're preventing?
Employers aren't stopping to think that their most talented people might like or need the occasional access to these sites, and that their work product wouldn't necessarily suffer as a result. Do companies really want to risk losing their best people over the occasional Facebook update? Top talent is usually smart enough to realize when they're being treated like children, and smart enough to go where they'll be best rewarded, not just monetarily, but in overall treatment.
Curious about which web sites are most blocked by employers? Check out the top ten here.
Monday, May 18, 2009
When Firms Unravel, Secretaries Get Left Behind
106-year-old Philadelphia law firm Wolf Block is dissolving. Most of its lawyers have found new jobs, but secretaries and others are still looking.
Take a peek into the disappearing firm, but let the lesson be to remain prepared, flexible, and skilled.
Take a peek into the disappearing firm, but let the lesson be to remain prepared, flexible, and skilled.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Winners and Losers in the MTA Bailout
There are few winners and potentially many losers from last week's bailout of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, experts said.
After months of haggling, state leaders produced a $2.9-billion rescue plan they admit is deeply flawed.
Read more a Newsday.com.
After months of haggling, state leaders produced a $2.9-billion rescue plan they admit is deeply flawed.
Read more a Newsday.com.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Why are Women Bullying Women?
40% of workplace bullies are women, according to a survey published by the Workplace Bullying Institute. Moreover, these women bullies target other women more than 70% of the time.
In the name of Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, what is going on here?
Read more at The New Agenda.
In the name of Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem, what is going on here?
Read more at The New Agenda.
U.S. Postage Rate Increase -- Effective May 11, 2009
On May 11, 2009, the U.S. Postal Service will implement a new postage rate increase for the majority of mail services including First–Class Mail®, First–Class International®, Postcards and Special Services. The price for one–ounce First–Class™ stamps has increased to $0.44 from $0.42.
U.S. Postal Service Mail Class New Postage Rates
(effective 5/11/09) Previous Postage Rates
First-Class Mail® letter (1 oz.) $0.44 $0.42
First-Class Mail® letter - each additional ounce $0.17 $0.17
Postcard $0.28 $0.27
First-Class Mail® flat (1 oz.) $0.88 $0.83
First-Class Mail® parcel (1 oz.) $1.20 $1.17
Certified Mail (in addition to postage) $2.80 $2.70
First-Class Mail® International to Canada (1 oz.) $0.75 $0.72
First-Class Mail® International to Mexico (1 oz.) $0.79 $0.72
First-Class Mail® International to all other countries (1 oz.) $0.98 $0.94
Priority Mail® (1 lb.) $4.95 (and up) $4.80 (and up)
Express Mail® (0.5 lb.) $13.05 (and up) $12.60 (and up)
According to the U.S. Postal Service, the average postage increase by class of mail will be at or below the rate of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index).
U.S. Postal Service Mail Class New Postage Rates
(effective 5/11/09) Previous Postage Rates
First-Class Mail® letter (1 oz.) $0.44 $0.42
First-Class Mail® letter - each additional ounce $0.17 $0.17
Postcard $0.28 $0.27
First-Class Mail® flat (1 oz.) $0.88 $0.83
First-Class Mail® parcel (1 oz.) $1.20 $1.17
Certified Mail (in addition to postage) $2.80 $2.70
First-Class Mail® International to Canada (1 oz.) $0.75 $0.72
First-Class Mail® International to Mexico (1 oz.) $0.79 $0.72
First-Class Mail® International to all other countries (1 oz.) $0.98 $0.94
Priority Mail® (1 lb.) $4.95 (and up) $4.80 (and up)
Express Mail® (0.5 lb.) $13.05 (and up) $12.60 (and up)
According to the U.S. Postal Service, the average postage increase by class of mail will be at or below the rate of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index).
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