Need to avoid the douche bag that is always cracking jokes about in an effort to be really loud about it. Here are a few tips on how to avoid these douche bags from ruining your day and making you feel bad.
1.) Feel free to say NO, if you are asked to work with him on a project don't hesitate to walk away. It's just business!
2.) Better to be Outside than Inside, it is much better being outside of the cool crowd than inside being kicked around. The world is so much bigger than just one social group.
3.) No fear to Stand Up for Yourself, make sure your integrity is being protected. The last thing you want is for that douche bag to own you in his moment in his world.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
What are your New Years Resolutions for 2011?
In the traditional time of starting over a new leaf and learning from what has happened and did not happen in the past year we ask our fans what are you preparing for the new year to change about yourself for the better? Let us know what your new years resolution will be for 2011. We look forward to learning and helping you stick to your goal for the new year. Be creative.
-Sergi
-Sergi
Monday, December 6, 2010
Unemployed Flight attendants turn to SEX SELLS Cliche
Call it- Too Sexy or Too risky! The black hole of "unemployment" has given many a reason to think of ways to make your own income. Even if it means showing some skin.
These creative jobless Mexican flight attendants have found a niche in modeling for their own swimsuit calendar. Now every male in Mexico City is running to get their calendars, find out more bout them and get pictured with them. I wonder of they would of received the same publicity for just making a calendar with their regular uniforms.
Ten stewardesses with troubled Mexicana airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in August and suspended operations, launched a sultry aviation-themed calendar Thursday in a bid to call attention to their own plight and that of their airline — one of the world's oldest.
The 2011 calendar features glossy shots of the flight attendants, clad only in bikinis and aviation shades or abbreviated uniforms, draped over propellers and striking racy poses in the cockpit.
One of the flight attendants response to this last lifesaver to their unemployment status comments, "It occurred to me because we all needed money, and I thought that with so many pretty girls (among Mexicana's staff) there were bound to be some who'd be interested," she said.
Each of the 10 "aeromozas" — or flight attendants in Spanish — who ended up posing forked out money from her own pockets to help cover the production costs of 100,000 pesos (about $8,000).
"The goal was to try to help ourselves because we lost everything overnight," said one of the women, 26-year-old Maribel Zavala
The calendar has sparked a media frenzy in Mexico, and the first run of 1,000 was sold out even before Thursday's launch. A second edition of 3,000 calendars — which retail for 149 pesos, or about $12, apiece — is in the works.
The calendar's release came on the heels of Mexicana's announcement that a restructuring proposal might allow it to resume some flights by mid-December. Under the plan, just 30 percent of the company's personnel would be rehired.
Creativity is becoming a thing of survival of the fitest. The ones who will take it in their own hands to earn money it will come at whatever price.
These creative jobless Mexican flight attendants have found a niche in modeling for their own swimsuit calendar. Now every male in Mexico City is running to get their calendars, find out more bout them and get pictured with them. I wonder of they would of received the same publicity for just making a calendar with their regular uniforms.
Ten stewardesses with troubled Mexicana airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in August and suspended operations, launched a sultry aviation-themed calendar Thursday in a bid to call attention to their own plight and that of their airline — one of the world's oldest.
The 2011 calendar features glossy shots of the flight attendants, clad only in bikinis and aviation shades or abbreviated uniforms, draped over propellers and striking racy poses in the cockpit.
One of the flight attendants response to this last lifesaver to their unemployment status comments, "It occurred to me because we all needed money, and I thought that with so many pretty girls (among Mexicana's staff) there were bound to be some who'd be interested," she said.
Each of the 10 "aeromozas" — or flight attendants in Spanish — who ended up posing forked out money from her own pockets to help cover the production costs of 100,000 pesos (about $8,000).
"The goal was to try to help ourselves because we lost everything overnight," said one of the women, 26-year-old Maribel Zavala
The calendar has sparked a media frenzy in Mexico, and the first run of 1,000 was sold out even before Thursday's launch. A second edition of 3,000 calendars — which retail for 149 pesos, or about $12, apiece — is in the works.
The calendar's release came on the heels of Mexicana's announcement that a restructuring proposal might allow it to resume some flights by mid-December. Under the plan, just 30 percent of the company's personnel would be rehired.
Creativity is becoming a thing of survival of the fitest. The ones who will take it in their own hands to earn money it will come at whatever price.
Cyber Monday results jump to retailers satisfaction
Cyber Monday- is what Black Friday is to retail stores. In actuality it is the day to take advantage of great retail deals in online shopping.
This year, retailers swamped customers with online ads and e-mail deals, and sales could top $1 billion, making it bigger than any single shopping day last year.
Online sales were already running 15 percent ahead of last year's by 3 p.m. yesterday, with the biggest shopping hours of the day still to come, according to IBM's Coremetrics tracking service.
"The numbers are really strong," said the service's chief strategy officer, John Squire, who added that he expects Cyber Monday to be the biggest online shopping day of the season.
The Monday after Thanksgiving was dubbed Cyber Monday by the National Retail Federation trade group in 2005 to describe the unofficial kickoff to the online shopping season. The idea was that people returning to work after the long weekend would shop at their desks.
It never really was the busiest online shopping day of the year.
But like any good marketing angle, it spawned a bandwagon. Nearly 90 percent of U.S. retailers offered some kind of Cyber Monday promotion this year, targeting shoppers who didn't want to venture out at 4 a.m. for those in-store deals. In 2007, 72 percent offered a Cyber Monday promotion.
"Retailers are doing everything they can to build up and extend the event aspect of it -- tweeting deals every hour, running Cyber Monday ads -- like it's such a big thing you can't miss out on," said Stacy Landreth Grau, associate professor of marketing at Texas Christian University's Neeley School of Business.
Last year, Cyber Monday was the No. 2 busisest online shopping day of the season, and this year online deals have been stretched by retailers throughout the weekend.
Historically the biggest online shopping day of the year comes sometime in midDecember, when shoppers face deadlines for ordering to ensure delivery by Christmas Eve. Last year, it was Dec. 15, according to online research firm ComScore.
But this year, shoppers seem to be in the mood to spend more. On Thanksgiving Day, usually quiet for online shopping, Americans spent $407 million online, 28 percent more than last year. They spent nearly $650 million online the following day, up 9 percent.
Last year, Cyber Monday sales totaled $887 million. This year, $1 billion wouldn't be a surprise, analysts say.
New Yorker Joseph Gallo waited until Cyber Monday to buy the Blu-ray "Back to the Future" trilogy, on sale for $34.99, and separately a pair of headphones slashed to $45.69 from $130 at Amazon.com.
"I get the feeling of deals being better having watched Amazon all last week and today," Gallo said.
Many shoppers don't actually buy at work. They compare prices from their desks, then buy when they get home, said Graham Jones, vice president of merchant accounts for deal aggregator Pricegrabber.com. Peak activity on that site is usually 7 or 8 p.m.
Though retailers like Best Buy, Target and others extended their online deals through much of the weekend and through the week, they were offering specific deals on Monday.
Target offered a Kodak Waterproof mini video camera, regularly $99.99, for $49.99, and it will offer more deals today and throughout the week. Walmart.com, which is pushing the event as "Cyber Week," promoted bikes for $39 and a 6.5-quart Dutch oven for $33.
Some shoppers who bypassed discounts over the weekend were rewarded on Monday. At Landsend.com, a girl's jacket was on sale for $39.99 on Sunday, a third off the retail price of $59.50. By Monday morning, the price was $35, and an extra savings came by way of free shipping.
Christy McClung, a student and quality-control worker in central Oregon, said she bought a TV at BestBuy.com after she was out of town and missed Black Friday sales.
While she didn't find exactly the TV she wanted, she bought one because it was a good value, she said. "With the free shipping, it was a great deal."
Cyber Monday's share of online holiday spending has grown slightly over the past five years, from 2.5 percent in 2005 to 3 percent last year. That's partly because of shifts in the calendar that make the holiday shopping season longer or shorter, but also because "as consumers become more attuned to deals and discounts, Cyber Monday has become a more important event," said Andrew Lipsman, an analyst for ComScore.
Online spending is still a relatively small piece of the holiday pie, between 8 and 10 percent of total holiday sales.
This year, retailers swamped customers with online ads and e-mail deals, and sales could top $1 billion, making it bigger than any single shopping day last year.
Online sales were already running 15 percent ahead of last year's by 3 p.m. yesterday, with the biggest shopping hours of the day still to come, according to IBM's Coremetrics tracking service.
"The numbers are really strong," said the service's chief strategy officer, John Squire, who added that he expects Cyber Monday to be the biggest online shopping day of the season.
The Monday after Thanksgiving was dubbed Cyber Monday by the National Retail Federation trade group in 2005 to describe the unofficial kickoff to the online shopping season. The idea was that people returning to work after the long weekend would shop at their desks.
It never really was the busiest online shopping day of the year.
But like any good marketing angle, it spawned a bandwagon. Nearly 90 percent of U.S. retailers offered some kind of Cyber Monday promotion this year, targeting shoppers who didn't want to venture out at 4 a.m. for those in-store deals. In 2007, 72 percent offered a Cyber Monday promotion.
"Retailers are doing everything they can to build up and extend the event aspect of it -- tweeting deals every hour, running Cyber Monday ads -- like it's such a big thing you can't miss out on," said Stacy Landreth Grau, associate professor of marketing at Texas Christian University's Neeley School of Business.
Last year, Cyber Monday was the No. 2 busisest online shopping day of the season, and this year online deals have been stretched by retailers throughout the weekend.
Historically the biggest online shopping day of the year comes sometime in midDecember, when shoppers face deadlines for ordering to ensure delivery by Christmas Eve. Last year, it was Dec. 15, according to online research firm ComScore.
But this year, shoppers seem to be in the mood to spend more. On Thanksgiving Day, usually quiet for online shopping, Americans spent $407 million online, 28 percent more than last year. They spent nearly $650 million online the following day, up 9 percent.
Last year, Cyber Monday sales totaled $887 million. This year, $1 billion wouldn't be a surprise, analysts say.
New Yorker Joseph Gallo waited until Cyber Monday to buy the Blu-ray "Back to the Future" trilogy, on sale for $34.99, and separately a pair of headphones slashed to $45.69 from $130 at Amazon.com.
"I get the feeling of deals being better having watched Amazon all last week and today," Gallo said.
Many shoppers don't actually buy at work. They compare prices from their desks, then buy when they get home, said Graham Jones, vice president of merchant accounts for deal aggregator Pricegrabber.com. Peak activity on that site is usually 7 or 8 p.m.
Though retailers like Best Buy, Target and others extended their online deals through much of the weekend and through the week, they were offering specific deals on Monday.
Target offered a Kodak Waterproof mini video camera, regularly $99.99, for $49.99, and it will offer more deals today and throughout the week. Walmart.com, which is pushing the event as "Cyber Week," promoted bikes for $39 and a 6.5-quart Dutch oven for $33.
Some shoppers who bypassed discounts over the weekend were rewarded on Monday. At Landsend.com, a girl's jacket was on sale for $39.99 on Sunday, a third off the retail price of $59.50. By Monday morning, the price was $35, and an extra savings came by way of free shipping.
Christy McClung, a student and quality-control worker in central Oregon, said she bought a TV at BestBuy.com after she was out of town and missed Black Friday sales.
While she didn't find exactly the TV she wanted, she bought one because it was a good value, she said. "With the free shipping, it was a great deal."
Cyber Monday's share of online holiday spending has grown slightly over the past five years, from 2.5 percent in 2005 to 3 percent last year. That's partly because of shifts in the calendar that make the holiday shopping season longer or shorter, but also because "as consumers become more attuned to deals and discounts, Cyber Monday has become a more important event," said Andrew Lipsman, an analyst for ComScore.
Online spending is still a relatively small piece of the holiday pie, between 8 and 10 percent of total holiday sales.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Wine: Good drink for dieting?
Drinking wine in moderation—that means about a glass a day, tops—has some awesome perks.
Happy Hour Does Your Body Good...
Researchers kept tabs on nearly 20,000 normal-weight women for 13 years. Over time, the women who drank a glass or two of red wine a day were 30 percent less likely to be overweight than the nondrinkers (they tracked women who drank liquor and beer too, but the link was strongest for red wine). That’s not surprising, since vino has other benefits. "It’s rich in antioxidants that reduce cholesterol and blood pressure,” says Jana Klauer, a New York City physician specializing in nutrition and metabolism.
One reason wine may contribute to a healthy weight is that digesting booze triggers your body to torch calories. “Women make smaller amounts of the enzyme that metabolizes alcohol than men do, so to digest a drink, they have to keep producing it, which requires the body to burn energy,” says Dr. Klauer. That means you’re likely to see more of a benefit than your guy since his body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest a glass of the grape.
Alcohol also may burn calories due to a process called thermogenesis, says Lu Wang, MD, PhD, the lead study author and member of the division of preventive medicine at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Alcohol raises your body temperature (one reason some people get red cheeks when drinking), causing the body to burn calories to create heat.
...But That’s Not All
The study also showed that women who drank moderately ate less. While researchers can’t say why, it’s possible that they were more likely to slow down and savor their food and drink.
If you combine all these factors, drinking wine could lead to taking in fewer calories while your body is burning energy, meaning you’re less likely to gain weight, says Dr. Wang. Awesome, but you don’t want to replace food with wine—you’ll miss out on key nutrients and wind up schnockered. And keep in mind that wine has calories: about 125 for 5 ounces. “That’s why drinking isn’t a weight-loss strategy on its own,” says Dr. Klauer. Overdoing it is linked to health risks you don’t want to take, like breast cancer. “But having a glass,” says Dr. Klauer, “along with a healthy diet and exercise, seems to be a marker for a healthier lifestyle.” Hey, we’ll salud to that
Happy Hour Does Your Body Good...
Researchers kept tabs on nearly 20,000 normal-weight women for 13 years. Over time, the women who drank a glass or two of red wine a day were 30 percent less likely to be overweight than the nondrinkers (they tracked women who drank liquor and beer too, but the link was strongest for red wine). That’s not surprising, since vino has other benefits. "It’s rich in antioxidants that reduce cholesterol and blood pressure,” says Jana Klauer, a New York City physician specializing in nutrition and metabolism.
One reason wine may contribute to a healthy weight is that digesting booze triggers your body to torch calories. “Women make smaller amounts of the enzyme that metabolizes alcohol than men do, so to digest a drink, they have to keep producing it, which requires the body to burn energy,” says Dr. Klauer. That means you’re likely to see more of a benefit than your guy since his body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest a glass of the grape.
Alcohol also may burn calories due to a process called thermogenesis, says Lu Wang, MD, PhD, the lead study author and member of the division of preventive medicine at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Alcohol raises your body temperature (one reason some people get red cheeks when drinking), causing the body to burn calories to create heat.
...But That’s Not All
The study also showed that women who drank moderately ate less. While researchers can’t say why, it’s possible that they were more likely to slow down and savor their food and drink.
If you combine all these factors, drinking wine could lead to taking in fewer calories while your body is burning energy, meaning you’re less likely to gain weight, says Dr. Wang. Awesome, but you don’t want to replace food with wine—you’ll miss out on key nutrients and wind up schnockered. And keep in mind that wine has calories: about 125 for 5 ounces. “That’s why drinking isn’t a weight-loss strategy on its own,” says Dr. Klauer. Overdoing it is linked to health risks you don’t want to take, like breast cancer. “But having a glass,” says Dr. Klauer, “along with a healthy diet and exercise, seems to be a marker for a healthier lifestyle.” Hey, we’ll salud to that
Why women Love Shoes?
Shoes instantly updates an outfit from last year or just making women feel hotter than hell.
Happy Feet
First of all, there's some serious mood-boosting going on when you try on any kind of apparel. "The neurotransmitter dopamine is released, providing a feel-good high, similar to taking a drug," says Martin Lindstrom, a branding expert for Fortune 100 companies and author of Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy. "The dopamine increases until you swipe your debit card." Usually, the high then flatlines, and guilt starts creeping in...except, that is, when the item you're purchasing is a pair of shoes. "Shoppers rationalize shoes as a practical buy — something they can wear multiple times a week — so they hold on to that pleasurable feeling longer," says Lindstrom.
But it's not just dopamine at work. Shoes' mood-altering traits also come from another brain reaction, says Lindstrom. Buying new footwear stimulates an area of the brain's prefrontal cortex termed the collecting spot. "Shoes are a collector's item, whether women realize they perceive them that way or not," says Suzanne Ferriss, PhD, editor of Footnotes: On Shoes. Just think of how they're often stored artfully on shoe trees and shelves. "They're like sculptures," says Ferriss. As a result, collecting each type provides a mini-adrenaline rush similar to the satisfaction a stamp collector gets when he acquires a rare find.
A Higher Power
All those wonderful feelings are intensified when you choose high heels...but again, it's biology, not Jimmy Choo, at work. "Like most animals, we're wired to associate height with power," says Helen Fisher, PhD, professor of anthropology at Rutgers University. "High heels can literally raise your status because you're taller when you wear them."
Heels carry historical significance as well, adding to their appeal. In previous centuries, only the wealthy wore high heels — everyone else had practical footwear to do manual labor. "Shoes were a measure of class," says Fisher, "and we still have a bit of that mind-set ingrained in us."
Sexual Heeling
Now go even higher — to stilettos — and another element rears its head: sex. Stilettos are undoubtedly foxy, but why, exactly? "When a woman wears them, she assumes a primal mating pose called lordosis," says Fisher. "Her butt lifts, and her back arches."
But there's more to it than how hot your ass looks. According to Daniel Amen, MD, author of The Brain in Love, our minds are structured in a way that may associate feet with sex. "The area of the brain that communicates with the genitals is right next to the area that deals with the feet," says Dr. Amen. "These regions share neural crosstalk, which may be why shoes can be erotic." And we thought it was just our lust for high style talking
Happy Feet
First of all, there's some serious mood-boosting going on when you try on any kind of apparel. "The neurotransmitter dopamine is released, providing a feel-good high, similar to taking a drug," says Martin Lindstrom, a branding expert for Fortune 100 companies and author of Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy. "The dopamine increases until you swipe your debit card." Usually, the high then flatlines, and guilt starts creeping in...except, that is, when the item you're purchasing is a pair of shoes. "Shoppers rationalize shoes as a practical buy — something they can wear multiple times a week — so they hold on to that pleasurable feeling longer," says Lindstrom.
But it's not just dopamine at work. Shoes' mood-altering traits also come from another brain reaction, says Lindstrom. Buying new footwear stimulates an area of the brain's prefrontal cortex termed the collecting spot. "Shoes are a collector's item, whether women realize they perceive them that way or not," says Suzanne Ferriss, PhD, editor of Footnotes: On Shoes. Just think of how they're often stored artfully on shoe trees and shelves. "They're like sculptures," says Ferriss. As a result, collecting each type provides a mini-adrenaline rush similar to the satisfaction a stamp collector gets when he acquires a rare find.
A Higher Power
All those wonderful feelings are intensified when you choose high heels...but again, it's biology, not Jimmy Choo, at work. "Like most animals, we're wired to associate height with power," says Helen Fisher, PhD, professor of anthropology at Rutgers University. "High heels can literally raise your status because you're taller when you wear them."
Heels carry historical significance as well, adding to their appeal. In previous centuries, only the wealthy wore high heels — everyone else had practical footwear to do manual labor. "Shoes were a measure of class," says Fisher, "and we still have a bit of that mind-set ingrained in us."
Sexual Heeling
Now go even higher — to stilettos — and another element rears its head: sex. Stilettos are undoubtedly foxy, but why, exactly? "When a woman wears them, she assumes a primal mating pose called lordosis," says Fisher. "Her butt lifts, and her back arches."
But there's more to it than how hot your ass looks. According to Daniel Amen, MD, author of The Brain in Love, our minds are structured in a way that may associate feet with sex. "The area of the brain that communicates with the genitals is right next to the area that deals with the feet," says Dr. Amen. "These regions share neural crosstalk, which may be why shoes can be erotic." And we thought it was just our lust for high style talking
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Holiday Shopping is BACK!
Meredith Barnhill says her favorite part of the holiday season is giving gifts.
Her Christmas purchases last year -- an Xbox for her brother, clothing from Urban Outfitters for her sister, jewelry for her mom and Blu-ray Discs for her father -- totaled twice the amount she anticipated on her credit card bill.
"I couldn't enjoy Christmas because I had to worry about debt for the new year," said the 25-year-old web producer from Austin, Texas.
This year, Barnhill is reforming her spending habits. Instead of waiting until the last minute, in July she started saving $100 a month in a Christmas fund. To cut back on spending, she is creating a list rather than arriving at the mall clueless. She is also relying on coupons and deals from social group-buying websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial.
With Black Friday and the holidays approaching, shoppers face a deluge of retail, catalog and online options along with pressures from stores and family and friends. Last year, the average person planned on spending $417 for holiday gifts, according to the American Research Group Inc., a group that conducts national surveys.
Many families also are financially strapped this year. The unemployment rate was at 9.6 percent in October, according to the U.S. . Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Experts predict the economic downturn will continue to influence the way many Americans spend money. The National Retail Federation reported than 40 percent of shoppers will be keeping sales and discounts in mind during holiday shopping.
Ladies; How can you save money during the holiday gift-buying?
Setting the budget
I know its hard, but it is a start to give you a middle and an end to spending.
You should limit the number of credit cards you use during the holiday season. Mint research has found the average American holds four credit cards. The more credit cards a person uses, the less you are able to keep track of bills.
The best solution is to set aside good old fashioned cash, which can eliminate anxiety and tricky finances. You should really have a way of tracking down all your spending in one place.
Families should try to set aside a special bank account for holiday spending. Several banks offer the option of creating separate special accounts. ING Direct, the online-only banking arm of ING Group, allows users to create subaccounts, as does SmartyPig.com, a social banking site.
Shoppers should make a habit of buying a few gifts on payday to avoid overdraft fees or high credit card interest.
To buy or not to buy
Making a list -- and checking it twice -- can help shoppers stay on track.
April Benson, a psychologist who wrote the book "To Buy or Not to Buy: Why We Overshop and How to Stop," suggests making organized shopping lists to avoid overspending and last-minute panic. She says the list should be as detailed as possible with what each person will receive and how much money will be spent.
Before buying something, Benson says shoppers should ask themselves these questions:
• Does he or she really need it?
• Can I actually afford it?
• What are the implications of buying this?
Great deals online
Louis Scatigna, radio show host and author of "The Financial Physician," says technology is a helpful tool for the budget-conscious.
Online shopping offers many opportunities for money-savvy consumers to snag better deals. Sites such as eBay and Amazon allow customers to compare multiple selling prices.
Easy-to-navigate sites such as NextTag and PriceGrabber also allow buyers to compare prices, he says. Many online sites offer free shipping during the holiday season. Customers should always search for coupons and other deals before making a purchase online, he says.
"It's much less stressful, and you're not out there going crazy," he says.
Smartphones are a convenient way to make purchases without fighting for parking spots at the mall. The National Retail Federation reports a quarter of adults surveyed plan on using these mobile devices to buy presents.
Another way to use a smartphone is to use an application that transforms it into a bar-code scanner, which can help shoppers compare prices and save money.
The holidays may often be centered on giving and receiving gifts, but Scatigna said the season also can be a good time for selling unwanted items online. The extra cash can be used to buy new gifts. The process can also clean up clutter and force a person to assess what he or she really needs to buy for Christmas, he says.
Cutting down on presents?
In a down economy when money is tight, Andra Davidson, co-founder of MothersClick, a social network site and online resource for moms, says several of her members saved money by eliminating gifts.
Last year, many mothers wrote to her site about cutting down the number of children's presents.
"Kids are used to a certain tradition of getting lots of gifts and maybe expensive gifts," Davidson said. "You really have to sit down and explain to them things are not the same as they used to be."
Her Christmas purchases last year -- an Xbox for her brother, clothing from Urban Outfitters for her sister, jewelry for her mom and Blu-ray Discs for her father -- totaled twice the amount she anticipated on her credit card bill.
"I couldn't enjoy Christmas because I had to worry about debt for the new year," said the 25-year-old web producer from Austin, Texas.
This year, Barnhill is reforming her spending habits. Instead of waiting until the last minute, in July she started saving $100 a month in a Christmas fund. To cut back on spending, she is creating a list rather than arriving at the mall clueless. She is also relying on coupons and deals from social group-buying websites such as Groupon and LivingSocial.
With Black Friday and the holidays approaching, shoppers face a deluge of retail, catalog and online options along with pressures from stores and family and friends. Last year, the average person planned on spending $417 for holiday gifts, according to the American Research Group Inc., a group that conducts national surveys.
Many families also are financially strapped this year. The unemployment rate was at 9.6 percent in October, according to the U.S. . Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Experts predict the economic downturn will continue to influence the way many Americans spend money. The National Retail Federation reported than 40 percent of shoppers will be keeping sales and discounts in mind during holiday shopping.
Ladies; How can you save money during the holiday gift-buying?
Setting the budget
I know its hard, but it is a start to give you a middle and an end to spending.
You should limit the number of credit cards you use during the holiday season. Mint research has found the average American holds four credit cards. The more credit cards a person uses, the less you are able to keep track of bills.
The best solution is to set aside good old fashioned cash, which can eliminate anxiety and tricky finances. You should really have a way of tracking down all your spending in one place.
Families should try to set aside a special bank account for holiday spending. Several banks offer the option of creating separate special accounts. ING Direct, the online-only banking arm of ING Group, allows users to create subaccounts, as does SmartyPig.com, a social banking site.
Shoppers should make a habit of buying a few gifts on payday to avoid overdraft fees or high credit card interest.
To buy or not to buy
Making a list -- and checking it twice -- can help shoppers stay on track.
April Benson, a psychologist who wrote the book "To Buy or Not to Buy: Why We Overshop and How to Stop," suggests making organized shopping lists to avoid overspending and last-minute panic. She says the list should be as detailed as possible with what each person will receive and how much money will be spent.
Before buying something, Benson says shoppers should ask themselves these questions:
• Does he or she really need it?
• Can I actually afford it?
• What are the implications of buying this?
Great deals online
Louis Scatigna, radio show host and author of "The Financial Physician," says technology is a helpful tool for the budget-conscious.
Online shopping offers many opportunities for money-savvy consumers to snag better deals. Sites such as eBay and Amazon allow customers to compare multiple selling prices.
Easy-to-navigate sites such as NextTag and PriceGrabber also allow buyers to compare prices, he says. Many online sites offer free shipping during the holiday season. Customers should always search for coupons and other deals before making a purchase online, he says.
"It's much less stressful, and you're not out there going crazy," he says.
Smartphones are a convenient way to make purchases without fighting for parking spots at the mall. The National Retail Federation reports a quarter of adults surveyed plan on using these mobile devices to buy presents.
Another way to use a smartphone is to use an application that transforms it into a bar-code scanner, which can help shoppers compare prices and save money.
The holidays may often be centered on giving and receiving gifts, but Scatigna said the season also can be a good time for selling unwanted items online. The extra cash can be used to buy new gifts. The process can also clean up clutter and force a person to assess what he or she really needs to buy for Christmas, he says.
Cutting down on presents?
In a down economy when money is tight, Andra Davidson, co-founder of MothersClick, a social network site and online resource for moms, says several of her members saved money by eliminating gifts.
Last year, many mothers wrote to her site about cutting down the number of children's presents.
"Kids are used to a certain tradition of getting lots of gifts and maybe expensive gifts," Davidson said. "You really have to sit down and explain to them things are not the same as they used to be."
Top 10 places NOT to flirt
Earlier this week, a juror in a Connecticut murder trial was chastised by the judge for passing a note to the court marshal asking him for a date. After being alerted to the note, the judge told the juror he was a "'romantic at heart," but not in the courtroom, and said sending the note was a "g------ dumb thing to do."
Obviously, there are appropriate places for flirting and a murder trial isn't one of them.
Here are 10 more dumb places to play a game of "pick-up."
1. A hospital waiting room
A hospital waiting room is prime breeding ground for anxiety. People are anxious about tests they're about to take, results they're about to be given, and all the things they could be doing in the hour(s) they're sitting there waiting for these unpleasant affairs. Anxiety is not the emotion you want in play when you make your move.
2. The gym
With all those hot bodies in skimpy clothes, the gym may seem like an ideal pick-up joint, but for a lot of people, the last thing they want to deal with is someone hitting on them when they're dripping with sweat and dying to finish their third mile on the treadmill so they can shower and get home.
Your best bet is to catch your crush on her way out or use your gym connection to say "hi" if you see him or her "out in the wild."
3. A funeral
Come on, now; that's just tacky.
4. A job interview
If you must, grab a business card and send a friendly e-mail after the job is filled, but don't blow your shot -- at the job or a date -- by making googly eyes during the interview.
5. In the underwear section of a department store
You should probably at least have dinner together before you know what kind of underwear the other prefers.
6. In line for the bathroom
Look, no one feels sexy with a full bladder. Catch her on the way out when she's had a chance to relieve herself and apply a little lip gloss.
7. Your therapy appointment
You're there to fix your problems, not make more of them.
8. A parent-teacher conference
There are far better ways to embarrass your kid (and yourself) than hitting on his/her teacher. Keep things professional at least until the end of the school year when a potential relationship wouldn't be a conflict of interest.
9. On a date with someone else
Even if your date is a bust and you both know it, you'll be the cad who has no clue about social etiquette if you make a move on someone else. You can always go back after you bid your date farewell and see if your dream girl is still there.
10. At work
Office romance is an oxymoron. You may meet the love of your life at work, but keep things professional for everyone and leave the flirting for after-hours.
Obviously, there are appropriate places for flirting and a murder trial isn't one of them.
Here are 10 more dumb places to play a game of "pick-up."
1. A hospital waiting room
A hospital waiting room is prime breeding ground for anxiety. People are anxious about tests they're about to take, results they're about to be given, and all the things they could be doing in the hour(s) they're sitting there waiting for these unpleasant affairs. Anxiety is not the emotion you want in play when you make your move.
2. The gym
With all those hot bodies in skimpy clothes, the gym may seem like an ideal pick-up joint, but for a lot of people, the last thing they want to deal with is someone hitting on them when they're dripping with sweat and dying to finish their third mile on the treadmill so they can shower and get home.
Your best bet is to catch your crush on her way out or use your gym connection to say "hi" if you see him or her "out in the wild."
3. A funeral
Come on, now; that's just tacky.
4. A job interview
If you must, grab a business card and send a friendly e-mail after the job is filled, but don't blow your shot -- at the job or a date -- by making googly eyes during the interview.
5. In the underwear section of a department store
You should probably at least have dinner together before you know what kind of underwear the other prefers.
6. In line for the bathroom
Look, no one feels sexy with a full bladder. Catch her on the way out when she's had a chance to relieve herself and apply a little lip gloss.
7. Your therapy appointment
You're there to fix your problems, not make more of them.
8. A parent-teacher conference
There are far better ways to embarrass your kid (and yourself) than hitting on his/her teacher. Keep things professional at least until the end of the school year when a potential relationship wouldn't be a conflict of interest.
9. On a date with someone else
Even if your date is a bust and you both know it, you'll be the cad who has no clue about social etiquette if you make a move on someone else. You can always go back after you bid your date farewell and see if your dream girl is still there.
10. At work
Office romance is an oxymoron. You may meet the love of your life at work, but keep things professional for everyone and leave the flirting for after-hours.
Famous JetBlue flight attendant escapes jail time
The JetBlue Airways Corp. flight attendant whose job-quitting meltdown landed him in court avoided jail time in a plea deal Tuesday that requires him to undergo counseling and treatment for a least a year.
Steven Slater spoke politely and calmly as he entered a guilty plea to a charge of second-degree attempted criminal mischief, a felony, and a lesser charge of fourth-degree attempted criminal mischief.
He admitted he pulled the emergency chute Aug. 9 on a JetBlue flight from Pittsburgh after it landed at Kennedy International Airport. Slater went on the public-address system, swore at a passenger who he claimed treated him rudely, grabbed a beer and slid onto the tarmac.
"At the end of the day, I'm a grown-up and I must take responsibility for my actions," Steven Slater said outside court. He thanked his attorney, prosecutors, his mother and his partner, and said the public interest in his case had surprised him.
Under the terms of the deal, Slater must undergo at least a year of counseling and substance-abuse treatment. If he completes the program to the judge's satisfaction, the top charge will be dismissed, the misdemeanor will remain and he will be sentenced to a year of probation.
He must check in with the court periodically and could also have to pay restitution to JetBlue. If he does not fulfill the requirements, he will get one to three years in jail.
Slater's dramatic and unusual departure made him a cult hero to some. He was a topic on TV shows, on the front pages of newspapers and many cheered him for standing up to the inhospitable world of airline travel and for quitting his job so spectacularly.
His fame has waned, but it's not gone: In a homage to Slater this Halloween, several retailers are selling their own versions of the disgruntled airline employee or the angry steward.
"It's a blue steward shirt with a light blue tie and it comes with a Band-Aid for your forehead," Todd Kenig, chairman of Ricky's NYC, told the AP last week.
JetBlue suspended Slater, and he resigned from the company last week, leaving him unemployed. He had worked at JetBlue for about three years, though he spent nearly two decades in the airline industry.
JetBlue told employees in a memo that press coverage was not taking into account how much harm can be caused by emergency slides, which are deployed with a potentially deadly amount of force.
District Attorney Richard Brown scolded Slater — and the public — for not taking his actions more seriously, noting it cost $25,000 to fix the slide and that the plane had to be taken out of service afterward, causing flight delays.
Slater's attorney, Daniel J. Horwitz, said his client took the matter very seriously. He said Slater had been under tremendous pressure because of his terminally ill mother, recently deceased father, and health problems of his own, adding that his client is HIV positive.
Slater was upbeat and smiley outside court, dressed in a gray suit, blue shirt and gold tie.
"I am very grateful to the court for making these arrangements," said Slater, who did not answer questions.
Slater was initially charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing. He underwent a mental health evaluation and it was determined he was fit for the alternative sentencing program. His case was transferred to Mental Health Court, a special division of state justice where defendants are monitored and treated instead of immediately jailed.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
The Importance of Social Media in Business
The great thing about social networking is its ability to connect people without boundaries. We can catch up with friends, find business contacts, meet people with similar interests, and so on. For a lot of users of social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, it is very satisfying to have a large number of ‘friends’ or ‘followers.’ What many people forget is that just as in the real world, it takes time and effort to make any relationship work. It isn’t enough to simply have 478 friends on Facebook and say you’re ‘networked.’ It isn’t enough to follow key people on Twitter and say you’re involved. It takes more than that. It takes being proactive and making the most of your connections.
One of the recommendations I have is for people to pick one friend, follower, or contact every day and send them a brief note. Make it personal and relevant to that person. It will show them that they are more than a number, a contact, or a member of a group. They are important and relevant to you, and thus, you become to them. We used to preach to our clients about making sure your goodwill bank account was full for when a crisis hits to help manage bad news or a branding black eye. The same can be said for keeping your networking in order. If you’re looking for a job, a client, a referral, a friend, or anything from someone else, when you need it is the worst time to try and fire up a relationship. Building relationships is key to developing a true relationship.
Just because technology has made it much simpler for us to stay connected, it has also made it easier for us to be ignored. Make a difference to someone else, and they will make an effort for you.
One of the recommendations I have is for people to pick one friend, follower, or contact every day and send them a brief note. Make it personal and relevant to that person. It will show them that they are more than a number, a contact, or a member of a group. They are important and relevant to you, and thus, you become to them. We used to preach to our clients about making sure your goodwill bank account was full for when a crisis hits to help manage bad news or a branding black eye. The same can be said for keeping your networking in order. If you’re looking for a job, a client, a referral, a friend, or anything from someone else, when you need it is the worst time to try and fire up a relationship. Building relationships is key to developing a true relationship.
Just because technology has made it much simpler for us to stay connected, it has also made it easier for us to be ignored. Make a difference to someone else, and they will make an effort for you.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Gap Inc. Screws up New Logo
Gap Inc. abandoned a new logo after consumer criticism and will revert to the blue-square emblem that has been featured in its marketing for more than 20 years.
The clothing retailer released a redesigned logo on its website Oct. 4 and had planned to roll it out in marketing campaigns starting next month. More than a thousand people left comments on Gap’s Facebook page, a majority of them disparaging.
“We’ve learned a lot in this process,” Marka Hansen, the Gap brand president in North America, said yesterday in an e- mailed statement. “We are clear that we did not go about this in the right way. We recognize that we missed the opportunity to engage with the online community. This wasn’t the right project at the right time for crowd sourcing.”
The new logo set the Gap name against a white backdrop, with a blue square in the upper-right corner. Gap, which owns Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta, has been updating its clothing lines and stores to appeal to so-called Millennials -- consumers in their 20s and early 30s. The logo change was part of that evolution of the brand from “classic, American design, to modern, sexy, cool” Louise Callagy, a spokeswoman for San Francisco-based Gap, said last week.
Two days after the logo release, Gap responded to the outcry on its Facebook page, welcoming design suggestions and calling it a crowd-sourcing project.
‘Different Way’
“We’ve learned just how much energy there is around our brand, and after much thought, we’ve decided to go back to our iconic blue box logo,” Callagy said yesterday in an interview. The change will take place starting today, she said.
Chief Executive Officer Glenn Murphy has focused on the Gap brand since he joined the company three years ago, part of a bid to revive growth. Sales at Gap stores in North America open at least a year have declined six straight months, including a 1 percent drop in September, while Old Navy and Banana Republic have made gains this year. The parent company hasn’t increased annual sales since fiscal 2005.
“There may be a time to evolve our logo, but if and when that time comes, we’ll handle it in a different way,” Hansen said.
There are better ways to invest your time in changing your marketing strategy.
Gap rose 44 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $18.71 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have dropped 11 percent this year.
The clothing retailer released a redesigned logo on its website Oct. 4 and had planned to roll it out in marketing campaigns starting next month. More than a thousand people left comments on Gap’s Facebook page, a majority of them disparaging.
“We’ve learned a lot in this process,” Marka Hansen, the Gap brand president in North America, said yesterday in an e- mailed statement. “We are clear that we did not go about this in the right way. We recognize that we missed the opportunity to engage with the online community. This wasn’t the right project at the right time for crowd sourcing.”
The new logo set the Gap name against a white backdrop, with a blue square in the upper-right corner. Gap, which owns Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta, has been updating its clothing lines and stores to appeal to so-called Millennials -- consumers in their 20s and early 30s. The logo change was part of that evolution of the brand from “classic, American design, to modern, sexy, cool” Louise Callagy, a spokeswoman for San Francisco-based Gap, said last week.
Two days after the logo release, Gap responded to the outcry on its Facebook page, welcoming design suggestions and calling it a crowd-sourcing project.
‘Different Way’
“We’ve learned just how much energy there is around our brand, and after much thought, we’ve decided to go back to our iconic blue box logo,” Callagy said yesterday in an interview. The change will take place starting today, she said.
Chief Executive Officer Glenn Murphy has focused on the Gap brand since he joined the company three years ago, part of a bid to revive growth. Sales at Gap stores in North America open at least a year have declined six straight months, including a 1 percent drop in September, while Old Navy and Banana Republic have made gains this year. The parent company hasn’t increased annual sales since fiscal 2005.
“There may be a time to evolve our logo, but if and when that time comes, we’ll handle it in a different way,” Hansen said.
There are better ways to invest your time in changing your marketing strategy.
Gap rose 44 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $18.71 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have dropped 11 percent this year.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Fall Boots Make you Feel...
Got to www.sergishoes.com and email us at info@sergishoes.com if trouble with link.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Mariah: Stilettos on stage do not mix
Four songs into Mariah Carey's Sunday night set at the Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix, the singer had a wardrobe malfunction.
Nothing went wrong with her outfit, though -- it was Mariah's dancing that went wrong: She slipped in her high heels while striding across the stage and clapping along to her 1992 hit "Make It Happen." A nearby backup dancer quickly rushed to her aid and a smiling Carey made a very quick recovery, telling the crowd, "I did that on purpose."
Her next order of business was to remove the offending footwear. "Someone come out here and take these shoes off," Carey said into her microphone, adding, "Obviously I'm supposed to be barefoot."
When an assistant arrived with a bottle of water, Mariah pointed to her feet and gesticulated repeatedly until her message was clear.
"We love her. She is a darling dear," Carey said of the woman, identifiable as her stylist, Blair. Three dancers helped Carey balance -- and she kept on singing -- while an additional assistant ran out from backstage to help her out of her heels.
Carey is known for beckoning her crew onstage during shows for wardrobe and microphone adjustments. On New Year's Eve in New York last year, she announced, "I need some lipstick real quick and my hair fluffed," and also called in personal assistants to affix her microphone pack and hand her a glass of champagne. "They say I'm a diva so, might as well act like one," she told the crowd at Madison Square Garden.
The singer's predilection for high heels has tripped her up before. She nearly fell down while walking out onstage for a November 2009 appearance on "The Jay Leno Show."
[Rewind: Onstage tumble lands Pink in hospital]
After her show in Singapore last night, Carey rushed out a tweet so fans would know all was well and her good humor was intact. "TY SO much to my fans in Singapore!!!" she tweeted. "Yeah, several hectic moments, (lol!)but I tried to swirl them into festive!.Love+ God Bless."
Fans were extra curious about the fall because of ongoing rumors that Carey is pregnant. Mariah has refused to issue a statement confirming or denying she will be having her first child with husband Nick Cannon. In her only official comment on the matter, Carey said in a statement last month: "I appreciate everyone's well wishes, but I am very superstitious." Referring to her longtime publicist, Carey added: "When the time is right, everyone will know -- even Cindi Berger."
Friday, September 24, 2010
Frustrated? Does your hubby spend too much?
Ladies. I know we men like to impress you by being your trust fund when we are finally your "husband". It's a "Man Thang". We feel like we are entitled to be the head of the house/apartment/relationship by demonstrating a courtly gesture of your protector and gate keeper. Here are a few suggestions to keep him in check and create a healthy financial lifestyle.
1. Put more into your savings.
Keeping a consistant addition to your savings helps for those rainy days.
You should definitely be putting away for emergencies and retirement!!
2. Make sure he does not act selfish.
A healthy financial relationship is one where both of you agree what accounts to manage together and separate.
1. Put more into your savings.
Keeping a consistant addition to your savings helps for those rainy days.
You should definitely be putting away for emergencies and retirement!!
2. Make sure he does not act selfish.
A healthy financial relationship is one where both of you agree what accounts to manage together and separate.
Goldman a Sexist? Former Goldman Sachs Woman Explains
Plenty of women have said what they think about the sexual discrimination charges that three women filed a couple of weeks ago against Goldman Sachs.
Some have come out passionately describing the difficulty that Goldman Sachs as a whole faces as they try to fix the obvious problem of an underwhelming number of women in the top ranks at their firm. Others describe the rules that Goldman has implemented to try to improve the situation.
And then there's this perspective on the issue, from Yves Smith, who used to be the former Goldman Sachs corporate finance director.
In a recently released article, Smith mentions the dirty specifics of her case. (Actually hers does - and these two engaging pieces on this issue, which we also mentioned above, don't.)
But because it's detached and hopeless that Goldman and Wall Street will in our lifetime figure out a way to fix its inherent sexism without implying that women are handicapped because they need stats (read: help) to get to the top.
It's depressing because Smith comes from Goldman, so she might be right.
She writes a lot more, but this is one of her concluding points about the discrimination case:
Conservatism and a common preference to hire in your own image leads many firms to stick with their tried-and true profile, which in most cases is Caucasian and male.
"Conservatism and a common preference to ..." Those are nicer words for narcissism, a quality in both men and women, and a good point.
They further prove her actual conclusion, which is that nothing will change anytime soon as long as people are narcissists, which, let's be honest - they always will be.
Boys see older men at the heads of Wall Street companies and want to emulate them. Girls don't, so they don't as frequently aspire to be like them.
Human nature will not change soon or evolve with fewer narcissistic traits. So it seems to us that requiring every company to employ at least some percentage of women to work in the upper ranks is the only way to fix the repetitive and damaging system.
Sure, women will have to work harder to prove that they didn't just get handed the job because they're handicapped. And based on the gender discrimination lawsuits we've seen, they'll probably continue to be required to meet higher standards.
Some have come out passionately describing the difficulty that Goldman Sachs as a whole faces as they try to fix the obvious problem of an underwhelming number of women in the top ranks at their firm. Others describe the rules that Goldman has implemented to try to improve the situation.
And then there's this perspective on the issue, from Yves Smith, who used to be the former Goldman Sachs corporate finance director.
In a recently released article, Smith mentions the dirty specifics of her case. (Actually hers does - and these two engaging pieces on this issue, which we also mentioned above, don't.)
But because it's detached and hopeless that Goldman and Wall Street will in our lifetime figure out a way to fix its inherent sexism without implying that women are handicapped because they need stats (read: help) to get to the top.
It's depressing because Smith comes from Goldman, so she might be right.
She writes a lot more, but this is one of her concluding points about the discrimination case:
Conservatism and a common preference to hire in your own image leads many firms to stick with their tried-and true profile, which in most cases is Caucasian and male.
"Conservatism and a common preference to ..." Those are nicer words for narcissism, a quality in both men and women, and a good point.
They further prove her actual conclusion, which is that nothing will change anytime soon as long as people are narcissists, which, let's be honest - they always will be.
Boys see older men at the heads of Wall Street companies and want to emulate them. Girls don't, so they don't as frequently aspire to be like them.
Human nature will not change soon or evolve with fewer narcissistic traits. So it seems to us that requiring every company to employ at least some percentage of women to work in the upper ranks is the only way to fix the repetitive and damaging system.
Sure, women will have to work harder to prove that they didn't just get handed the job because they're handicapped. And based on the gender discrimination lawsuits we've seen, they'll probably continue to be required to meet higher standards.
Shopoholics: iPhone app that gives bargain prices
Major retailers are working with a new smartphone application that tracks and offers promotions to shoppers as they move from outside the store, to counters, to cash registers — even inside the dressing room (now that’s persistence).
The app, called Shopkick, for the iPhone and in the fall for Android phones. And with five major companies supporting it — Macy’s, Best Buy, Sports Authority and American Eagle Outfitters, along with the Simon Property Group, the prominent mall operator — it is getting a big introduction.
Customers with the Shopkick app will get points (called kickbucks) for entering a store. Pick up a putter at Sports Authority, and points drop into the app. Stop in the dressing room at American Eagle, and more points arrive.
The points are redeemable for gift cards at the retailers, along with music downloads or credits toward Facebook games. It takes a lot of points, however, to earn even a $5 gift card, although the stores say they may adjust the point system to make points more valuable.
Whether shoppers will get a kick, so to speak, out of being followed — and pinged from one floor of a store to the next — remains debatable. What retailers see as sophisticated marketing, privacy advocates see as intrusive. Shopkick knows “where you are, what you buy, your spending habits, passions, excesses,” Jeffrey Chester, the executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, said via e-mail.
Unlike apps like Foursquare, Shopkick tells retailers when users are inside, not just near, a store.
“That’s unusual,” said Sucharita Mulpuru, an analyst with Forrester Research. “Will it lift sales? That remains to be seen, but everyone is eager to experiment.”
The app lets stores “influence their behavior,” said Mikael Thygesen, who is the chief marketing officer at the Simon Property Group and the president of its Simon Brand Ventures division. Simon, along with the other companies using Shopkick, will install it in stores in and around New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles initially, with Chicago to follow next week.
Before introducing Shopkick, the company’s co-founder and chief executive, Cyriac Roeding, tested how willing consumers would be to “check in” to a location in exchange for a reward — in that case, money for charities. That app, called CauseWorld, was introduced in December 2009 and was downloaded more than 550,000 times in its first five months, with almost $1 million going to charities so far. Ms. Mulpuru called it “a success story of the retail-app world.”
Shopkick goes further.
Mr. Roeding stood on a slim strip of sidewalk on 46th Street in Manhattan, trying to avoid Times Square tourists as he demonstrated the app. As he stood a few yards from the entrance to an American Eagle Outfitters store, the app showed him all the nearby stores where he could check in — including American Eagle or the tiny candy store nearby. For each check-in — which did not require him to actually go inside — he could receive 0 to 2 points.
That was fine, but “foot traffic is so important,” Mr. Roeding said. “Why does no one ever reward anyone for visiting a store?” By actually going inside the American Eagle store, the app told him, he could earn 35 kickbucks. The app knows someone is in a store by listening for an audio transmitter placed in each participating store; the phone’s microphone picks up the signal, which people cannot hear.
Once inside, Mr. Roeding swiped through offers: a 15 percent discount, a sale on jeans. Enter a dressing room — once a shopper tries on clothes, sales rise, retailers know — and posters on the walls offer points for scanning the bar code.
“It’s the first reward programs for desired behaviors,” Mr. Roeding said.
Shopkick earns a small fee for each kickbuck a customer earns. If a customer buys something after using the app, Shopkick gets a percentage of the price.
Right now, it takes a lot of kickbucks to earn anything — a $5 gift card at American Eagle requires 1,250 kickbucks. And retailers limit the number of eligible visits each day, so someone cannot sprint in and out of Best Buy all afternoon.
Soon, the retailers say, they hope to become more sophisticated, giving points or promoting items based on sex or age, where people live, how frequently they shop or their buying history.
The companies can even weave in rewards-card numbers, as Best Buy is already doing. With that, “we have the ability to target down to even an individual level,” said Mike Dupuis, the vice president for marketing and operations at American Eagle Outfitters Direct, the Web and mobile division of American Eagle.
Privacy advocates like Mr. Chester said that was problematic, especially given how that data could be combined with other available information about consumers, and that Shopkick’s privacy policy was too broad.
“What appears to be a relatively harmless trade-off of your information for rewards or discounts is really misleading,” he said.
Mr. Roeding said he believed that because consumers had to turn on the app, the privacy problems were minimal. “The device does not detect your phone, the phone detects your device,” he said.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
New York Fashion Week Spring 2011 Trends
This fall, butterscotch, camel and caramel are big winners. In the spring before that, colors most often referred to as "nudes" were hot, too.
Good news for those of us who like our trends to last, as lovely light colors look to be a hit based on the first few days of New York Fashion Week Spring 2011.
These are lighter, airier versions than fall's cozy cousins. White and cream figure prominently too. Of course, white jeans and khaki shorts are always in style when the weather is warm. But Spring 2011's looks so far lack that crisp New England summer feel. And they don't set the same mood as a laid-back, hazy-days-of-summer, gauzy white sundress.
Instead they are fluid and pretty, tailored in a soft, sophisticated way, as in the amazing parade of neutral dresses at Costello Tagliapietra or Nicole Miller. They are body-conscious without being constricting.
The palette is monochromatic, so save your red strappy sandals for another day and brightly colored statement necklaces for another day. But tangerine lipstick may be just right.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
$100K jobs for the Executive Professional
WHERE $100K+ TALENT
FINDS $100K+ JOBS.
Keyword
e.g. "VP of Sales"
The Ladders is a great job board for those very qualified and deserving salary job seekers. This allows you to be set apart from the majority of recent college grads who bombard job boards such as careerbuilder.com and monster.com
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
New Sheriffs of Wall Street
These women are ready to regulate banking and finance into the next generation. They are determined to cleaning up the mess.
Mary Schapiro,SEC, Securities and Exchange Commission, Chair
Mrs. Schapiro was picked by President Obama to be the Comission's Chair in 2008.
As part of her contributions, Mrs. Schapiro has started an in-house think tank to track risky investments and mysterious trading practices. She eliminated the comissions earned by SEC investigators before the start of a case or during the negotiation process. In April 2010, she approved to press charges on Goldman Sachs for alleged fraud charges. She has also enforced in-house rules by putting a notice to her staff that anyone caught viewing porn at work would be "subject to termination"
Elizabeth Warren, TARP Oversight Panel Chair
Her agency has pushed the Treasury to provide monthly reports, better investment returns and produce efforts to help out borrowers. She has been neglected by some Treasury officials in her efforts to maintain consistent in depth information from the Treasury. For instance, one official told her, "That's not what reports are supposed to look like." She asked "Why not?" The offical responded "The language is far too direct." Her idea to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency was recognized by President Obama, but overlooked by the US Chamber of Commerce. They pursued a spending strategy in order to defeat the proposal. So far, the strategy has had marginal success.
Sheila Bair, FDIC Chair
Bair has pushed her plan for foreclosure prevention, stopped the FDIC from taking all bank debt, and effectively bailed out unsecured bondholders. She warned the former CEO of Washington Mutual about risky loans which would cause massive foreclosures and depreciate homes. Washington Mutual's primary regulator responded to the situation by writing in an email "I cannot believe the continuing audacity of this woman." She also warned banks of the risky loans, but was received with hostility. Later in 2008, 25 banks were taken over by the FDIC, which included Washington Mutual.
Mary Schapiro,SEC, Securities and Exchange Commission, Chair
Mrs. Schapiro was picked by President Obama to be the Comission's Chair in 2008.
As part of her contributions, Mrs. Schapiro has started an in-house think tank to track risky investments and mysterious trading practices. She eliminated the comissions earned by SEC investigators before the start of a case or during the negotiation process. In April 2010, she approved to press charges on Goldman Sachs for alleged fraud charges. She has also enforced in-house rules by putting a notice to her staff that anyone caught viewing porn at work would be "subject to termination"
Elizabeth Warren, TARP Oversight Panel Chair
Her agency has pushed the Treasury to provide monthly reports, better investment returns and produce efforts to help out borrowers. She has been neglected by some Treasury officials in her efforts to maintain consistent in depth information from the Treasury. For instance, one official told her, "That's not what reports are supposed to look like." She asked "Why not?" The offical responded "The language is far too direct." Her idea to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency was recognized by President Obama, but overlooked by the US Chamber of Commerce. They pursued a spending strategy in order to defeat the proposal. So far, the strategy has had marginal success.
Sheila Bair, FDIC Chair
Bair has pushed her plan for foreclosure prevention, stopped the FDIC from taking all bank debt, and effectively bailed out unsecured bondholders. She warned the former CEO of Washington Mutual about risky loans which would cause massive foreclosures and depreciate homes. Washington Mutual's primary regulator responded to the situation by writing in an email "I cannot believe the continuing audacity of this woman." She also warned banks of the risky loans, but was received with hostility. Later in 2008, 25 banks were taken over by the FDIC, which included Washington Mutual.
Another reason not to wear stilettos- Pregnant Alicia Keys FALLS onstage
At the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, Alicia Keys took a stumble as she performed "Love is Blind" in her monstrous high heels. She landed on her rear end and she and her unborn child were fine. She got up and continued on performing. Lesson learned: Leave the big heels at home when performing pregnant.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Spirit airlines is back in the air after brief strike
Spirit airline passengers stranded in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Planning to fly to Latin America or the Carribean this summer? How about taking advantage of a mini-strike? After a brief six-day strike by Spirit Airline pilots, the airline is offerring a $50 discount coupon for a future flight through November 17th as well as 5,000 bonus miles in its Free Spirit program at websites www.spiritair.com/50off and www.sprirtair.com/5kmiles. Spirit airlines has resumed airline service as of June 18, 2010.
Pilots have been seeking a contract improvement for the past four years because they believe their pay should be similar to other discount airlines like JetBlue Airways Corp. and AirTran Airways, a unit of AirTran Holdings Inc. The company has said those other airlines are much bigger than Spirit. Privately held Spirit is based in Miramar, Fla., and ended 2009 with $139.5 million in cash and short-term investments, according to filings with the government.
The two airlines likely to benefit most from the Spirit strike are AMR Corp.'s American, followed by JetBlue, airline analyst Daniel McKenzie of Hudson Securities wrote in a note on Monday.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Antifatigue Leg Cream
Sponge Skincare Antifatigue cream is made of OB/GYN grease. This antifatigue cream is used by pregnant patients who have trouble with circulation in their legs. This cream invigorates circulation, keeps the swelling down and let's you be out on your heels longer than you think.
Unit cost $95.00
Shop at http://www.spongeskincare.com/main_new.html
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Fired for Being too Sexy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
It's not a crime to be beautiful or dress well, but if you ask 33-year-old Debrahlee Lorenzana they both can cost you your job. "They pulled me aside and said I could not wear pencil skirts, turtlenecks, I cannot wear business suits that were fitted. Basically they said it drew too much attention," says Lorenzana. The single mom used to work for Citibank as a business banker at their branch inside the Chrysler building. She says her outfits for work were deemed "too distracting" by her male managers. They allegedly pointed to her rear and said her pants were too tight.
“Very uncomfortable,” is how Lorenzana describes those confrontations.
She says when she complained to human resources, her managers retaliated. According to her lawsuit Citibank gave her targets she could not meet because she was not properly trained. Citibank cited her work performance as a reason for termination. Left without a job Lorenzana struggled to pay the bills "It was very hard," says Lorenzana who fought back tears when describing a recent Christmas she celebrated with her son with no presents. Her lawyer Jack Tuckner says at its base this case is about gender discrimination. "It was about her being too good looking for us to bother to contain ourselves. So that's shirt's gotta go,” says Tuckner hypothesizing what Lorenzana’s managers thought about her clothes. “Why should we have to deal with what a babe you are? Fix it." In a prepared statement Citibank tells NBCNewYork:
"Ms. Lorenzana has chosen to make numerous unfounded accusations and inaccurate statements against Citibank and several of our employees. While we will not discuss the details of her case, we can say that her termination was solely performance-based and not at all related to her appearance or attire. We are confident that when all of the facts and documentation are presented, the claim will be dismissed."
Citibank also points out that all workers who face employees are given dress guidelines. When Lorenzana was hired she signed a contract which prevents her from directly suing Citibank. So an arbitration hearing will be held. It could be months if not years before a decision is made. She is seeking future earnings, back pay, and damages for mental and emotional distress. Tuckner says if the roles were reversed it would be very difficult to see a man being asked to changed his wardrobe for dressing well. "Maybe they were uncomfortable with her because they didn't feel like they could not hit on her over long periods of time. So instead they wanted her to wear a tent or a Burka," says Tuckner.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tips for Staying Alert at the Office
Eat A Good Breakfast- Start your day off by eating a good, hearty breakfast full of carbohydrates and protein for energy and endurance. You may have sacrificed your Wheaties for a couple of added Snooze buttons or some extra time in the shower, but its really worth it to make the effort here, especially getting your metabolism going to jumpstart your day. Go for something quick and simple: a bagel or fruit with peanut butter or a breakfast shake you can grab and go.
Get Some Sunshine- exposing yourself to bright light is a great way to jolt yourself to consciousness. Take a quick walk outside for ten or fifteen minutes. Another benefit is to get your muscles moving and blood pumping as you spin around the block.
Take a Power Nap- If you have a place to go during the day-a break room or even your car-use break time as an opportunity to get some shut eye before you return refreshed to the daily grind
Don't Sit Still- The more you can get up from your desk throughout the day, the more alert you'll remain. If you need to talk to a coworker get up and walk to their desk instead of sending an email. Get up and get a glass of water to stay hydrated to keep you more awake. These short trips will also provide the small breaks from your work that may prove vital to your sanity throughout the day.
Get Some Sunshine- exposing yourself to bright light is a great way to jolt yourself to consciousness. Take a quick walk outside for ten or fifteen minutes. Another benefit is to get your muscles moving and blood pumping as you spin around the block.
Take a Power Nap- If you have a place to go during the day-a break room or even your car-use break time as an opportunity to get some shut eye before you return refreshed to the daily grind
Don't Sit Still- The more you can get up from your desk throughout the day, the more alert you'll remain. If you need to talk to a coworker get up and walk to their desk instead of sending an email. Get up and get a glass of water to stay hydrated to keep you more awake. These short trips will also provide the small breaks from your work that may prove vital to your sanity throughout the day.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Tricks for Getting your Way at Work
1. Ace a Meeting- Sit on the first third of your seat, which makes you appear more engaged and on top of things. Then hold something that you know your boss likes in the hand nearest to him (coffee he drinks or brand of pen). This psychological device prompts him to assoicate the two of you in his mind, which makes him subconciously more likely to agree with what you're saying.
2. Make Anyone Say Yes- To get a coworker to agree to a favor, gesture with one palm up, a technique police officers use during questioning to persuade a person to do as they ask. Then touch your hand over your heart as you finish the request, signaling a "heartfelt" appeal. To seal the deal, pause for a few seconds before you say the key word, such as "I know we're all busy, but can you (pause)work my shift?" That brief silence subtly frames it as a subliminal command, promoting her to say yes.
3. Shut Up an Annoying Coworker- Continue to look at what you're doing as she's talking, and do a gesture known as the handgun steeple (you interlace all your fingers, except for your pointers, which form the barrel of the "gun"). Rest the barrel against your lips, signaling that you don't want to speak. If she doesn't get it, aim it at her as you say something nuetral, such as "I've got so much work to do"
4. Move Past a Mistake- Okay, so you messed up. Keep your supervisor from freaking by standing 2 feet to one side of him when you confess. This is a nonconfrontational stance that triggers him subconciously to want to get past your screwup. Emphasize the point by saying, "Going forward, this will not happen again."
5. Take Charge of the Office Bitch- Address her straight on (tilting your head suggests you're looking for approval), and lift your chin about 2 inches. You'll exude confidence since you're literally looking down your nose. Use a dismissive, palm down hand gesture to show that you are the one in control and aren't buying her BS.
6. Outsmart a Competitive Colleague- As you're talking, lay your arm across her desk. You want to take up space in her territory. Touching her turf asserts you as the alpha coworker and conveys that you can-and will-get what you want.
2. Make Anyone Say Yes- To get a coworker to agree to a favor, gesture with one palm up, a technique police officers use during questioning to persuade a person to do as they ask. Then touch your hand over your heart as you finish the request, signaling a "heartfelt" appeal. To seal the deal, pause for a few seconds before you say the key word, such as "I know we're all busy, but can you (pause)work my shift?" That brief silence subtly frames it as a subliminal command, promoting her to say yes.
3. Shut Up an Annoying Coworker- Continue to look at what you're doing as she's talking, and do a gesture known as the handgun steeple (you interlace all your fingers, except for your pointers, which form the barrel of the "gun"). Rest the barrel against your lips, signaling that you don't want to speak. If she doesn't get it, aim it at her as you say something nuetral, such as "I've got so much work to do"
4. Move Past a Mistake- Okay, so you messed up. Keep your supervisor from freaking by standing 2 feet to one side of him when you confess. This is a nonconfrontational stance that triggers him subconciously to want to get past your screwup. Emphasize the point by saying, "Going forward, this will not happen again."
5. Take Charge of the Office Bitch- Address her straight on (tilting your head suggests you're looking for approval), and lift your chin about 2 inches. You'll exude confidence since you're literally looking down your nose. Use a dismissive, palm down hand gesture to show that you are the one in control and aren't buying her BS.
6. Outsmart a Competitive Colleague- As you're talking, lay your arm across her desk. You want to take up space in her territory. Touching her turf asserts you as the alpha coworker and conveys that you can-and will-get what you want.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Fashionable uniforms for Delta-NWA Flight Attendants
Fashion for flight attendants is sometimes overseen, but now fashion designer Richard Tyler has designed distinctive red uniforms for NWA flight attendants. The uniform seems comfortable and practical. The color very much stands out so ladies don't mind being noticed at work. How often are uniforms designed by a fashion designer? The 21st century flight attendants should start mixing a style of professionalism and couture. Nowadays flight attendant uniforms seem to black or white not gray. Uniforms are usually not too fashionable, but for a flight attendant who is constantly presenting themselves to people should have a variety of style in their uniforms.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
April 21st National Administrative (Secretaries) Day
Thank your office secretary for all the hard work and putting up with all those obnoxious people on the phone. Enjoy America's favorite office secretary Pam from the NBC TV series The Office.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Love your feet
While wishing you a “Happy Valentine’s Day"
Definitely indulge yourselfs in chocolates and gifts.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Jewelry for shoes
Time to give your shoes a little love...
Shoeworthy shoe clips worthy of adorning your favorite shoes
Shoeworthy shoe clips were designed for anyone who wants to
enhance and embellish their shoes with beautiful, fashionable
shoe clips ~ clips that are Shoe-worthy.
Instantly create your own unique look.
Unlike shoe clips of the past, Shoeworthy clips are extremely
comfortable and will not damage your shoes.With Shoeworthy
you can add a variety of modern looks to any pair of shoes.
Shoeworthy shoe clips are made using quality beads & stones.
They can also be clipped onto hats, scarves and purses too!
~~~
Copyright © 2009-2010, Shoeworthy All Rights Reserved
Add a pair of Shoeworthy shoe clips
and transform your shoes instantly!
sparkle shoe clip
white rhinestone bow
Check out these do it yourself jewelry clips for your shoes. This is a convenient way to adorn your plain shoes. Use it for different occasions.
Shoeworthy shoe clips worthy of adorning your favorite shoes
Shoeworthy shoe clips were designed for anyone who wants to
enhance and embellish their shoes with beautiful, fashionable
shoe clips ~ clips that are Shoe-worthy.
Instantly create your own unique look.
Unlike shoe clips of the past, Shoeworthy clips are extremely
comfortable and will not damage your shoes.With Shoeworthy
you can add a variety of modern looks to any pair of shoes.
Shoeworthy shoe clips are made using quality beads & stones.
They can also be clipped onto hats, scarves and purses too!
~~~
Copyright © 2009-2010, Shoeworthy All Rights Reserved
Add a pair of Shoeworthy shoe clips
and transform your shoes instantly!
sparkle shoe clip
white rhinestone bow
Check out these do it yourself jewelry clips for your shoes. This is a convenient way to adorn your plain shoes. Use it for different occasions.
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