Internal Job Applicants Keeping You in the 99%

And here's another note on being one among 100 applicants for a job.  Quite of lot of your competition is from internal candidates looking to move up.  In fact, the company may already have every intention of promoting someone from within to the position, but is legally required to publicly post the job.  Something to think about when you get one of those  "Thanks, but we are considering other applicants"  email responses just two days after you apply.

Interesting Scoop on Cell Phone Services

1. Connections in the U.S. are slower than most of Asia because the FCC is holding onto bandwidth. A recent Wall Street Journal editorial says that the FCC is trying to manage competition among telecommunications providers using 1970's-era antitrust theories.

2. Battery life on 4g phones is terrible because there aren't enough 4g towers and your phone is constantly searching for those 4g towers.

3. It costs cell providers about 1/20 of a cent per text message. Text messaging is a bonanza for them.

4. Data service plans are expensive and could get worse because of #1 above.

Textbooks on the iPad

Textbooks on your iPad sounds great - no more heavy books to lug around, plus extra study guides and animations.  But I can't help but wonder if in the rush to be rid of pen and paper, students will miss something in their note taking.

Sometimes just the act of copying out important study notes and details helps a person remember.  I'm not sure the same memories are forged when substituting pen and paper with typing or highlighting in an iPad textbook or on a laptop.  The is especially a concern for those with different learning styles.

Have there been any actual comparisons on test results for students using their handwritten notes and notations in margins, complete with circles, arrows, underlines and highlights?  Personally, I'm not a fan of highlighting.  Isn't paraphrasing in your own words a better way to learn and remember?

100 Applicants for Every Job

Welcome to the 99% with every job rejection.  If you're lucky enough to get any feedback on job applications you'll find out that nearly 100 people applied.   And they found someone that just happened to do that exact job before.  Or with experience on the XYB system, etc.   Never mind that you would have been a better employee, faster learner, or more productive.

All this means that your job is still out there.  In faith, waiting for the day to be the 1% that gets hired.

Advice for the Recently RIF'ed

Eventually you will be able to forget about the past and MOVE ahead.  This is very hard, but must be done.

Click this lime green link to a great article on  Coping With Job Loss 
It goes through the stages and really says it all.  Read it.  Read it again.  Don't blame yourself.

When you're having a tough day, here are a few fun tips:

1. Give away or throw away items with the company name/logo.  If necessary, destroy them with a hammer in your garage.
2. Redesign the company logo into a house on fire or sinking ship.  Loads of fun.
3. Exercise - this is one of the best ways to energize yourself and help cope with any feelings of hopelessness.

Grover Norquist is Zach Galifianakis Look Alike

Ever wonder who this Grover Norquist no-tax pledge guy is? How can he have so much influence and seems to have many Republicans more committed to honoring his no new taxes pledge than committed to honoring their marriage vows?

I did a web search and found some photos. And he looks surprising like Zach Galifianakis. Look - compare the photos.

Put a pair of glasses on Zach, trim the beard and hair a bit and he's Grover. Kind of scary. So maybe Grover invited some Congressmen and Senators to his place for a drink and slipped "roofies" in their Jägermeisters. Then they signed the pledge. How else could it have happened?

Department of the Obvious - Airlines

So I hear that the airlines are concerned that it is taking too long to board passengers onto planes. There are delays. They are losing time, time is money. So, didn't they help create this problem by charging fees for baggage? More passengers haul their bags onto the planes, waste a lot of time cramming suitcases, etc. into the overhead bins. There isn't enough room! It takes extra time! Duh!! How much money and time must be lost in delays before it is not worth the revenue gained from baggage check fees?