1st Weigh In with Joel

Joel and I had our first weigh in on Friday.  Here is how it panned out:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.beautyandwell-being.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/weight-scale-400x400.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.beautyandwell-being.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/weight-scale-400x400.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Joel (6'): 230.2</b><br /><b> Hilary (5'8"): 252.8</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">We both won this week!  I have hit my lowest weight yet since starting this journey.  Joel also did well - dropping<b> </b>around 2 pounds from his starting weight of 232.6.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I had a relatively large loss in one week - close to 5 pounds.  I think that was mainly due to me being sick.  I had been feeling under the weather on Wednesday-Friday of last week, dealing with flu-like symptoms.  I'm not entirely sure what was wrong in the end.  I had a hard time eating and just felt nauseous all day long for several days straight.   That all seems to be in the clear though, because since Saturday I haven't had too tough of a time eating anything :).  </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Joel and I had a really busy and fun weekend.  We called it our "Groupon" weekend because we had 2 sets of vouchers that we needed to use up before they expired.  So Friday evening we set out on our first adventure - a 3 hour sailing ride down the Potomac river in Washington, DC.  </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLahc-DscIvvbeO50tC0SqJ3JK2KThQx96BHvoh23k4-QRnmopTxVZe9YgZ2uVeDYZSD4gIIxXpVTZqfeXsvMo8njemHQR7zKYAqbe8hj_klteKawLrubaBawJamRQHfc2kVJn8Wpkxw/s1600/Groupon+Weekend+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLahc-DscIvvbeO50tC0SqJ3JK2KThQx96BHvoh23k4-QRnmopTxVZe9YgZ2uVeDYZSD4gIIxXpVTZqfeXsvMo8njemHQR7zKYAqbe8hj_klteKawLrubaBawJamRQHfc2kVJn8Wpkxw/s400/Groupon+Weekend+002.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">see the tip of the Washington Monument in the <br />background?</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">The captain told us that our trip was only his second one all season where he was actually able to raise the sails.  So what does that tell you?  It was windy!  Not only that, but it was very chilly out on that water, especially after the sun went down.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU4qicvGRzu4HqjKHLwJZCLstZuBYrAycJbB2lCupvnoQvsFhQWZCu67BWLUZF3iIpRFaRiHDOBAM68PhMFa1ESspnvmjNY28TKapIu9-5HYBUrwlB5a4Eh2PaOMyvGFC_9ASeYNkyhk/s1600/Groupon+Weekend+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLU4qicvGRzu4HqjKHLwJZCLstZuBYrAycJbB2lCupvnoQvsFhQWZCu67BWLUZF3iIpRFaRiHDOBAM68PhMFa1ESspnvmjNY28TKapIu9-5HYBUrwlB5a4Eh2PaOMyvGFC_9ASeYNkyhk/s400/Groupon+Weekend+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">The ride was a neat experience overall.  It's not everyday that you get to see Virginia and DC from the Potomac River's vantage point.  Because it was so windy, we even experienced keeling - when the boat tips from one side to the other.  That was definitely a little scary for me.  I was not trying to include a chilly swim into my evening!    </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkTF_-0lpZFeZFUXfXNBh_bb9x1T2pdsqeXdN47jLAji116cIdhn60GMtGMN8g5vM9vu3vvrCZoOsSXUygJVVGL93vAOO8gMhRYOgGS4HgvmMr-0WisVdv7QPMJFJuNaYbKRWQpZ19fw/s1600/me+sailing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkTF_-0lpZFeZFUXfXNBh_bb9x1T2pdsqeXdN47jLAji116cIdhn60GMtGMN8g5vM9vu3vvrCZoOsSXUygJVVGL93vAOO8gMhRYOgGS4HgvmMr-0WisVdv7QPMJFJuNaYbKRWQpZ19fw/s400/me+sailing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Joel and I were more than ready for the ride to be over by the time we hit the 2 hour mark.  We were both cold and I had a headache.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87CXNeik1LmVHV6UwDGWmu_KFc-lI6Bl-cQwo7IxEcperCutyj9afhwM2zIxcb4SOCXRoBCbt7mZuEyqmjbO6dG44q_9GclYEtgaSDVwscJVG87ltv6DNfp-ftlOgqgGT4wH3lmLTdqU/s1600/sailing+wilson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87CXNeik1LmVHV6UwDGWmu_KFc-lI6Bl-cQwo7IxEcperCutyj9afhwM2zIxcb4SOCXRoBCbt7mZuEyqmjbO6dG44q_9GclYEtgaSDVwscJVG87ltv6DNfp-ftlOgqgGT4wH3lmLTdqU/s400/sailing+wilson.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">However, one additional cool experience was that the captain took us under the bridge you see off in the distance in the above picture.  For those not familiar with the DC Metro area, that is the Wilson Bridge and it is part of Interstate 495, the highway that forms a circle around DC - also known as the Capital Beltway.  <i>Also </i>known as a driving nightmare.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CRejq4BSaBqKmz9pm9rzibQds-yaFA5NfeJqjrSNSbqkgffAHSNsO4LidRUtwe7HuDNu2rW6uO71wpQ8RB0LNJ-R0p4vQJGIF4NVl-Rrj8hN06pTyC0-Z-u6Y-lulBCj1ceY2_lm6Nk/s1600/us+sailing+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CRejq4BSaBqKmz9pm9rzibQds-yaFA5NfeJqjrSNSbqkgffAHSNsO4LidRUtwe7HuDNu2rW6uO71wpQ8RB0LNJ-R0p4vQJGIF4NVl-Rrj8hN06pTyC0-Z-u6Y-lulBCj1ceY2_lm6Nk/s400/us+sailing+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Still, this was a great start to a fun-filled adventurous weekend :).  </div>

HJ Competition Miscellaneous Weight Loss 1st Weigh In with Joel

Joel and I had our first weigh in on Friday.  Here is how it panned out: Joel (6'): 230.2 Hilary (5'8"): 252.8   We both won t...

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It's Still Better

It seems like deja vu all over again, doesn't it?<br /><br />It's been happening for the past three years. We start without a loss, we beat Notre Dame and it's considered a "huge" win, Denard Robinson is viewed as the amazing quarterback athlete...and then we lose to Michigan State.<br /><br />We've been on this road before...or have we?<br /><br />There have been major changes to the team since Rich Rodriguez was fired. We have a defense that isn't constructed around a colander. We have an offensive line that has gotten bigger, albeit it's still difficult at times for them to keep the defense back. And we have a quarterback that is learning how to be a complete quarterback - when he's given the right plays.<br /><br />The biggest objection I have to the game against Michigan State was that Denard Robinson was given too many plays where he had to throw balls over 15 yards. He is still unsure about that, and when he's not consistent, he struggles mentally. When I attended the game against Minnesota, it was clear that Al Borges was trying to give Robinson's receivers short routes to run, so that he could gain some confidence in his throwing arm. Unfortunately, there weren't enough short routes open against the MSU defense. They may have picked up on that thought, or the wrong calls were played.<br /><br />I was happy to see that they kept it close at the end. If Robinson had not thrown that pick-six, the game might have ended with State winning by just a touchdown.<br /><br />If anything, this got the national media to stop putting Michigan on a pedestal that they didn't deserve. Did they deserve to be #11 in the nation? Really? Are there only ten teams better than Michigan? I highly doubt that. It puts Michigan back in its place: as a team that's rebuilding and finding its footholds again.<br /><br />But what does that say about the rest of the season? In 2008, they lost three out of four after MSU. In 2009, they lost six out of seven (the win was against Delaware State). In 2010, they lost four out of six. This year, we have Purdue, Iowa (away), Illinois (away), Nebraska, and Ohio State. Two of those games - Purdue and Iowa, are winnable (especially when you see Iowa lost to Penn State and didn't even score a touchdown). Even Nebraska, who has only played one ranked team all season and looked terrible against them (Wisconsin), is a game that can be won in Ann Arbor. Actually, if you look at Illinois and Ohio State's performances this season, there is a chance to win them all! We can't be discounted for any of these games. Even if I don't think we will, we hopefully won't win just one. <br /><br />This coming month is the true test for the Wolverines. September and early October were practice, as they always are. If Michigan wants to be true to the ranking that had been given them earlier in the season, they need to show their mettle against these Big Ten teams that do have weaknesses.<br /><br />I have all the confidence in this team's future games, and I do believe that this team is far better than the teams of the past three seasons.

It's Still Better

It seems like deja vu all over again, doesn't it? It's been happening for the past three years. We start without a loss, we beat Not...

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Inside Job Rating Agencies

<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">ONE HAND FEEDS THE OTHER</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is interesting to see how apparently only European countries and corporations are downgraded by US rating agencies. How come so? Is it because these agencies are supposed to be impartial and independent? Is it not the USA which has the highest state dept? If the rating agencies are so independent and impartial as they claim to be, should they not downgrade the USA?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zIGThxn_eGk?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bumfpo4FW0I?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>The more laws and restrictions there are, </i><i><br /><i>the poorer the people become. </i><br /><i>The sharper men’s weapons, </i><br /><i>The more trouble in the land. </i><br /><i>The more ingenious and clever men are, </i><br /><i>The more strange things happen. The more rules and regulations, </i><br /><i>The more thieves and robbers. </i></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><i>Lao Tsu.</i></i> “The Tao Te Ching” (# 57) 6th century BCE </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">After several weeks of peaceful assembly of countless people gathered near Wall Street, mainstream media has been forced to report that this is no small event. <b>Finally!</b> See (<a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html</a>) People are waking from their long geo-engineered, drug-induced apathy. If little of substance was reported by managed-and-controlled news (85 percent of which is now in the hands of five corporations), the alternative press and Internet have spread the word.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Ilya Sandra Perlingieri</span></div>

Inside Job Rating Agencies

ONE HAND FEEDS THE OTHER It is interesting to see how apparently only European countries and corporations are downgraded by US rating agenci...

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I'm mis-er-a-ble

I'm back in Fairbanks at my sister's house. I came back on October 7 to help care for my sister, along with my youngest niece (46) and her husband (a living angel). We're my sister's caregivers, along with CNAs that come a few hours a week, and an R.N. that comes once a week. Now we also have an ANP making a weekly house call (Advanced Nurse Practitioner).<br /><br />Today is day 26 of my sister refusing all food and drinking very little water (less than 8 ounces a day). I honestly don't know how she's staying alive. She was 160 pounds when this started and now she's very thin.<br /><br />There was (and still is) some serious family drama going on involving my oldest niece (she's 49). She has the medical power of attorney for my sister as well as executor of her estate. She has pretty much lost her mind.<br /><br />I wish I was kidding, but I'm not. She hasn't even seen my sister since October 1 (other  than one 40-minute ambulance ride). She lives about ten miles from my sister's house, where my sister has been since October 3.<br /><br />My crazy niece called 911 twice on October 7 claiming her mother was having another stroke. She wasn't even here and it was a lie. My poor sister was taken on a 40-minute ambulance ride to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, where they said there was nothing wrong with her and sent her back home in the ambulance.<br /><br />My crazy niece had followed the ambulance to the house and then rode in it back to the hospital with my sister, ranting about how they'd get her on a morphine drip and she'd die in a few days.<br /><br />My niece was locked up in a padded cell, then shipped to Anchorage Psychiatric Institute for 48 hours, where she then walked out and flew home. They couldn't keep her against her will.<br />After she had many screaming tirades with hospital staff, with me and the rest of the family, she has hired an attorney to deal with the family and the hospital. The hospital has banned my niece from the hospital and they are refusing to speak with my niece or her attorney.<br /><br />None of the family is allowed to speak to my oldest niece. As of last Thursday we have to go through her attorney. We never were allowed to speak during the numerous phone calls she made to us. She would yell, screaming lies about how we were force feeding my sister, forcing her to stay alive, as well as forcing water down her throat. She told all of us she was suing us and how much she hated us. Before any of us could ever respond to her accusations she would slam down the phone. She is crazy.<br /><br />She's been spiraling down into very strange behavior since her father passed away two years ago. We all saw a change in her but we didn't realize the seriousness. It's not depression, but she started talking incessantly after my brother-in-law's death, saying odd and inappropriate things to anyone that would listen. She also became highly defensive and went on attack mode if you said anything she disagreed with. <br /><br />Now she's become extremely mean and hateful. I'm still in a bit of shock over some of the things she said to me, very hurtful words. Even though I know she's mentally ill, it's hard to accept it's the illness talking and not my niece. It's not just me she's attacking, but everyone in the family. Her viciousness and anger strikes anyone in her path.<br /><br />So this is just another layer of hell that's going on in addition to my sister's illness.<br /><br />My sister. What can I say other than what she tells me every day. "I'm mis-er-a-ble". She says it very slowly and angrily, over and over, spoken as someone who has had a severe stroke. Slowly and deliberately. One syllable at a time. She still can nod yes or no, but now she seldom even tries to speak. The smiles and laughter are gone.<br /><br />She absolutely will not eat. She refuses all food. She sips very little water a few times a day. <br />She still has some strength on her left side, but it's becoming weaker. The right-side paralysis is still complete. Today is day 26.<br /><br />We've talked about death. She wants to die. It breaks my heart to watch her kill herself by starving herself to death. This is the hardest thing I've ever done.<br /><br />Thursday she came down with strep throat, at least that was our guess. Since her doctor in town refused to prescribe any pain medicine for her unless he saw her in person (that would have required an ambulance ride), we called 911 to take her to ER. She was in agony and the Tylenol and Advil we had been giving her for back pain wasn't working on the strep.<br /><br />I rode with her in the ambulance for the ride to town, about 40 minutes. They admitted her in the ER for a "sore throat". This actually turned out to be a good thing since we were able to get her primary care provider changed to an Advanced Nurse Practitioner who can prescribe pain medicine and will make house calls to my sister's house (23 miles from town). <br /><br />The ANP, Janice, came to the hospital at 1pm (we'd been there since 9am), and saw my sister. She's an angel and deals with hospice care. She prescribed Oxycodone, a strong pain killer which immediately eased my sister's misery. Miraculously we were able to do this without a medical power of attorney (without the crazy niece's approval). Janice will make a house call on Tuesday to check on my sister. We also got an antibiotic for the strep. Since you can't die from strep, this won't make her live longer but only  make her more comfortable.<br /><br />My sister came back home the same day and has been on the Oxycodone for three days. I'm calling this the most "miserable" phase of my sister's slow dying process.<br /><br />Up until the pain medicine, we had a lot of laughter with her. We talked to her a lot, she interacted with us. One day she kept pointing at the TV, or at least I thought it was the TV (her hospital bed is in the middle of the living room, facing her big picture windows and  glass door - looking out on a river). I asked her if she wanted the TV turned on, she shook her head no, but kept pointing. Finally she grabbed my chin and face and turned it to the glass door. There, standing in the middle of the river was a cow moose and calf. We both had a good laugh over that one.<br /><br />Now my sister sleeps most of the time and when she's awake she's groggy, and very unhappy. Last night she got mad at me. I don't know why. She was trying to talk and I could see the anger in her face. I asked if she was mad at me and she shook her head yes. I kept trying to figure out what was wrong, and when she tried to speak again, her anger was very obvious.<br /><br />My sister has never said a mean word to me in my entire life. She's always been loving and kind. Even during the the past three weeks, her responses were always softly spoken, although we couldn't understand her. Lots of smiles and you could see the appreciation in her eyes. What happened last night was awful. I know it's the drug talking, but I hated it. <br /><br />The honeymoon phase of her dying process is over. I've lost her to the pain and the pain medication. I really hate this more than you can imagine. This is the part I dreaded. I knew it was coming but that doesn't make it any easier. I'm not sure if I'm staying to the end. I'm not sure I can handle it.<br /><br />There's a lot of discussion as to where my sister should spend her final days. She could go on for up to four weeks, or possibly only a week or two. No one knows.<br /><br />We're working with the crazy niece's attorney (who I detest), trying to find a solution that everyone will agree to. The crazy niece wants to hire CNA's to attend to her mother's care 24/7 since in her demented mind we're not qualified to provide comfort care. Never mind we've been doing it for almost two weeks and every R.N. and CNA (there have been several) that has made a home visit says we're doing an excellent job.<br />The problem is that you can't find an available R.N. or CNA willing to come out here to my sister's house, a 40-minute drive from town, for 24/7 care. The alternative is an assisted living home in town, and I could write a book on how I feel about that situation. Remember, we're in Fairbanks, Alaska.<br /><br />I'm not sure what will happen in the next few days. Dealing with the attorney is very unpleasant. She's a condescending bitch believing every word of the crazy niece, who has only spouted lies about this family. Our only concern has been the comfort and care of my sister during her last days. My crazy niece's goal, to put us all through her own special version of hell.<br /><br />As  my sister says, I'm mis-er-a-ble.<br /><br />

I'm mis-er-a-ble

I'm back in Fairbanks at my sister's house. I came back on October 7 to help care for my sister, along with my youngest niece (46) a...

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Bias Argentine Media

<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLO-8_i3yB5Sx3ArrtdIrVv-G8T_EZd8baz_hE1wjbYu1d0nyVvbJX_ypg8xhxwy7fNj9qI8eBl7iWfEjSsg2g9rJH9hYPdA0lv6ps2W2AP6nmZP1G2HGOVFDkjB-1tmGHZOq1jQ7lD21Q/s1600/300px-Argentina_flag_icon.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLO-8_i3yB5Sx3ArrtdIrVv-G8T_EZd8baz_hE1wjbYu1d0nyVvbJX_ypg8xhxwy7fNj9qI8eBl7iWfEjSsg2g9rJH9hYPdA0lv6ps2W2AP6nmZP1G2HGOVFDkjB-1tmGHZOq1jQ7lD21Q/s200/300px-Argentina_flag_icon.svg.png" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MAIN STREAM MEDIA INFLUENCE IN ARGENTINA</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is interesting to see how mainstream print media is used to convey political massages in a subtle way, the common reader is most likely unable to detect.  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Take for example MercoPress and the Buenos Aires Herald, allegedly two, totally unconnected and independent media outlets, one being based in Buenos Aires and the other in Uruguay. Nevertheless both use the same topic and methodology to convey their political stance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the Buenos Aires Herald editorial dated the 12 October 2011, the editor in chief Carolina Barros and her team voice no doubt regarding the re – election of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and thus encourages the opposition to stop wasting energy on gaining opposition votes, but instead challenge her to name the cabinet in order to supply important clues as to the policies the government intends to apply in the wake of the looming global eco – financial storm. Something the voters should have a right to know.    </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shortly after the Buenos Aires Herald editorial was published, MercoPress poster an article on its web portal which cited that according to an opinion poll taken by Poliarquia Consultancy, one of whose customers is La Nacion newspaper (know to lean towards the opposition), the majority of voters allegedly demand changes in the cabinet, (what a coincident, just as requested in the Buenos Aires Herald editorial!!) and the always media effective fight crime and insecurity issue. (see <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/07/election-time-equals-crime-time-on.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/07/election-time-equals-crime-time-on.html</a> ).  An always welcome topic, the opposition tends to jump onto, in order to promise changes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since every one is certain that the current government of Argentina will win the upcoming elections the opposition has nothing to focus on, other than try and point voters towards public security issues and how the voters should question the future cabinet composition. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Buenos Aires Herald editorial then goes on with the usual mainstream media views on Eco – financial aspects which have been indoctrinated upon mainstream media by their corporate financiers who, needless to say, follow their own agenda in order to achieve certain objectives, one of them being to force Argentina to improve its relations with the USA in order to obtain international credits and rejoin the international financial markets. If Argentina would comply with such request it once again would step into the dept trap it has in recent past, when complying with the World and Inter American Development Banks and the IMF. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Economies of developing countries, especially in Africa and Latin America, have endured decades of bitter experiences of falling into debt traps that sap productive resources, benefit speculative financiers and weaken state capacities to govern</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Despite Argentina’s ban from the international financial markets it sustained its economic growth for was and is not subject to international market fluctuations and professionals with  </span><span style="font-size: large;">knowledge of macroeconomics and world affairs who intend to convince political and financial leaders of Latin American countries to accept massive "development loans" from the World Bank and USAID </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">(</span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Agency_for_International_Development#Controversies_and_criticism">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Agency_for_International_Development#Controversies_and_criticism</a></span><span style="font-size: large;">) </span><span style="font-size: large;">Once ensnared, the supplicants thus are subjected to pressure on different issues from Washington. Needless to say the fact that Argentina is doing rather well economically speaking, despite being not part of the international financial system does not suit the USA and its corporate entities in and outside the US as well as the European policy makers. Thus these entities use mainstream media to portray a bleak economic forecast for LATAM and Argentina in order to create uncertainty among common people as well as financial markets. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">See </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://en.mercopress.com/2011/10/14/fighting-crime-and-changes-in-the-cabinet-demand-argentine-voters-says-poll?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_content=argentina&utm_campaign=rss">http://en.mercopress.com/2011/10/14/fighting-crime-and-changes-in-the-cabinet-demand-argentine-voters-says-poll?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_content=argentina&utm_campaign=rss</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.poliarquia.com/">http://www.poliarquia.com/</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.buenosairesherald.com/">http://www.buenosairesherald.com/</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1;"><br /></div>

Bias Argentine Media

MAIN STREAM MEDIA INFLUENCE IN ARGENTINA It is interesting to see how mainstream print media is used to convey political massages in a subtl...

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5 Ways to Botch a Phone Interview

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></i></b></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tblContent"><tbody><tr id="trContent"><td align="center" class="cb_style tcContent" id="tcContent" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="cbArticleWrapper" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleContentWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleRight" style="width: 560px;"><div class="RXart" style="padding-right: 20px;"><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="margin-top: -30px;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/r1/ar5m0gf659vn3tj6s5r1.gif?time=9/22/2010%204:28:27%20pm" /></div><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing</span></b> </div><br /><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Phone interviews are a fairly fundamental part of the job search process. Yet many candidates fail to progress beyond this stage in their pursuit of a particular job.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Often, a candidate's failure occurs because he didn't treat the phone interview as seriously he would have a face-to-face meeting with a recruiter or potential employer," says Vicki Salemi, author of "Big Career in the Big City."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i></i>In her book, Salemi pinpoints several phone interview faux pas, which include the following:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Conducting the interview in your pajamas</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Even though you're not meeting with someone face-to-face, you should still wear clothes that make you feel confident and put together, Salemi says. In addition, she recommends candidates wake up at least 30 minutes before the interview, comb their hair and brush their teeth. "I can't tell you how many times I've conducted phone interviews with people who literally just woke up. This created the visions in my head about their unbrushed teeth, uncombed hair and overall inability to focus," she explains.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Picking the wrong spot to talk</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Whenever you're talking with a recruiter or potential employer on the phone, it's best to do so in a place that's peaceful and quiet. Outside noise and too many distractions around you can make it difficult to concentrate on what you're being asked during the interview. Salemi suggests staying at home for the phone interview and talking on a land line instead of a cell phone. "This way, it's likely you'll have clearer reception and you reduce any risk that you'll lose the call in the middle of a sentence."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Failing to take advantage of access to helpful resources right at your fingertips</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">According to Salemi, the main advantage to a phone interview is that you can refer to a handful of helpful resources during your interview. For example, you can glance at a list of talking points or you can pull up the company's website on your computer so that it's in front of you while you're interviewing.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Forgetting to let your smile shine</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It may feel silly to smile when no one's around to see it, but odds are strong that the person interviewing you will notice how much more pleasant your voice sounds when you're doing so. Salemi also suggests standing up during the interview. "You'll be able to project your voice more and sound more confident if you're standing as opposed to sitting down. Celebrities do this all of the time during radio interviews, so why not channel your inner rock star?"</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Neglecting to close on a strong note</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It's very important to close the phone interview just as you would an office interview, Salemi says. "Ask the interviewer about the next steps in the interview process, when you should follow up, and where they are in the process. Then say your cordial good-byes, hang up and immediately send a thank-you note."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i>Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST's Job Search and Career Blog (</i><i><a href="http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/</a></i><i>). Follow her on Twitter at </i><i><a href="http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne</a>.</i></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

5 Ways to Botch a Phone Interview

Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing   Phone interviews are a fairly fundamental part of the job search process. Yet many candidates fail to progre...

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A Walk Through the Park

I appreciate all of your advice and encouragement on my <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/2011/10/breakdown.html">breakdown post</a>.   Some of you stated that I am too hard on myself, and on one hand I know that I am my own worst critic.  On the other hand, I know I cannot continue to make excuses for myself for the rest of my life - I have to get my butt in gear if I want to enjoy what is left of my 20s!<br /><br />Onward to more happy things, shall we?<br /><br />On Sunday evening, after Joel and I drove the 7.5 hours back from Charlotte, we decided to take a stroll through a nearby park that we've been meaning to check out.  A walk through a park is much more enjoyable than 45 minutes spent on the elliptical, wouldn't you say?  <br /><br />The park offered nice, leisurely walking paths through the woods, allowing us to forget that we really live in a major metropolitan area (score!). <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrMx9Gu-0rvS47Omg0P9pcwKKvEc5FkI7O26clxrIHWBsFZPvXYjLiCfGzM1ZxEare2V3Qq9eTUmBuQod-k3TEd0FPtYlYEsTp0iUEaTTj9U1OkZQ2abDHgMo2rxI2N0HYRYLR1Hqs5Y/s1600/Walking+Pic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrMx9Gu-0rvS47Omg0P9pcwKKvEc5FkI7O26clxrIHWBsFZPvXYjLiCfGzM1ZxEare2V3Qq9eTUmBuQod-k3TEd0FPtYlYEsTp0iUEaTTj9U1OkZQ2abDHgMo2rxI2N0HYRYLR1Hqs5Y/s400/Walking+Pic+1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Though Joel was a little unhappy when we came upon the marshland to find out that they do not allow fishing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjOBdIaNlDNu1JC9lsx7OKu_mKVrc3ESI3qpXVgQcyrv7yKaq5mU2nKkRqmXOmQvOHto4ycGmrCsx2yyw4tcMXvYmOchflsUR3octFVodZtrZkUqXNtDzmaYyJiuR-Bz66FqMDXprXuA/s1600/Joel+no+fishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjOBdIaNlDNu1JC9lsx7OKu_mKVrc3ESI3qpXVgQcyrv7yKaq5mU2nKkRqmXOmQvOHto4ycGmrCsx2yyw4tcMXvYmOchflsUR3octFVodZtrZkUqXNtDzmaYyJiuR-Bz66FqMDXprXuA/s400/Joel+no+fishing.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Even so, this deck was so nicely built and well maintained.  It was clean and clear of debris, and while walking through the marsh, it confirmed our suspicions as to where all those mosquitoes are coming from!  We pretty much cannot step out our front door without getting bit (our condo's property lines the perimeter of this park).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOO79NleXWQBebPUOnbWYtYbdZzKeFmNZR7WbU0VDyp7X2K30eLDALxYcb8IKQUAPtNJ12ty_V5oqPKffUk0MqyxlY50D_KqRAbb1RhvyPPhSsdWhThqnJcQ-F0Xe6doNTtiL6iSzDo0/s1600/walking+deck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOO79NleXWQBebPUOnbWYtYbdZzKeFmNZR7WbU0VDyp7X2K30eLDALxYcb8IKQUAPtNJ12ty_V5oqPKffUk0MqyxlY50D_KqRAbb1RhvyPPhSsdWhThqnJcQ-F0Xe6doNTtiL6iSzDo0/s400/walking+deck.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />You can also see that here in the northern part of Virginia, our leaves are just now starting to change colors.  I just love the fall :).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggKPwfBBVwy6nL9KR8aKlJZFB9a2ToVQM4vTRxuTvfvrLw3yP-9ePY4o2910Uj-Ytn3R1WJ5KyEHGcKHeUYY6ZlZ_Po7uUKUJBdQZEDbiBQrG0uLy0fdGsqGWIV3r8AK9G4g-GW0Wweg/s1600/leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggKPwfBBVwy6nL9KR8aKlJZFB9a2ToVQM4vTRxuTvfvrLw3yP-9ePY4o2910Uj-Ytn3R1WJ5KyEHGcKHeUYY6ZlZ_Po7uUKUJBdQZEDbiBQrG0uLy0fdGsqGWIV3r8AK9G4g-GW0Wweg/s400/leaves.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />We really enjoyed ourselves here, and look forward to taking advantage of other area parks before it gets too cold to tolerate the outdoors. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhki3c8Y9cmmJpvkc6ZLlSLjpnTn1FWSsySpZiCVcEbPLyiuF5bLVQnMzlI6-igPRiSF4b9y9_SYttKnT0JhD2scKGTSVWrKeY5s8la9H6aJl3DePn6v0vfS3i3UxIPLl4f1ldyp29gSxg/s1600/fall+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhki3c8Y9cmmJpvkc6ZLlSLjpnTn1FWSsySpZiCVcEbPLyiuF5bLVQnMzlI6-igPRiSF4b9y9_SYttKnT0JhD2scKGTSVWrKeY5s8la9H6aJl3DePn6v0vfS3i3UxIPLl4f1ldyp29gSxg/s400/fall+woods.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cat tails are so neat to me, and not just because I <3 Charles so much & they <br />somewhat remind me of him :)</td></tr></tbody></table>On Friday, Joel and I are doing a sailing adventure on the Potomac River.  We purchased the tickets for it through a Groupon-type website.  There will surely be more pictures to follow from that!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0WvWhhYqr3nmUFRFyzNNQOLeDkQOJfcvpcB9nOfFtu6TyST4EOIPZL6aLY_mOeUif-F0kAd8qY_GOMjoOHU18D8PVu3Ly9qEVOTiCa7bhwVFnp9ZsQMewG3WgLd0mwGOUFWc8EhCNTc/s1600/marsh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0WvWhhYqr3nmUFRFyzNNQOLeDkQOJfcvpcB9nOfFtu6TyST4EOIPZL6aLY_mOeUif-F0kAd8qY_GOMjoOHU18D8PVu3Ly9qEVOTiCa7bhwVFnp9ZsQMewG3WgLd0mwGOUFWc8EhCNTc/s400/marsh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Tomorrow (Friday) is also Joel and I's official weigh in for our first week on WW.  We started together officially on Monday, and so our weigh in week this week is short.  However, after tomorrow, we will be weighing in weekly on Friday's. <br /><br />Have a great weekend!

Exercise Miscellaneous A Walk Through the Park

I appreciate all of your advice and encouragement on my breakdown post .   Some of you stated that I am too hard on myself, and on one hand ...

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7 Questions That Make Interviewers Cringe

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></i></b></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tblContent"><tbody><tr id="trContent"><td align="center" class="cb_style tcContent" id="tcContent" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="cbArticleWrapper" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleContentWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleRight" style="width: 560px;"><div class="RXart" style="padding-right: 20px;"><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="margin-top: -30px;"><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> </h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder writer</span></b><br /><br /><div class="cbmsnArticleImage">Chances are you've prepared answers to a variety of questions an interviewer might throw your way, but have you spent equal time considering the questions you want to pose to a potential employer? What you ask (and sometimes when) can speak volumes about your interest and work ethic. Keep interviewers from cringing -- and possibly questioning your suitability for the position -- by avoiding these seven questions:</div></div><div class="ArticleContent"><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>1. What does your company do?</b></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Sure, an interview is a two-way street designed for both parties to learn about one another. Yet how can a job seeker prove he is the person for the position if he doesn't even know the basics about where he wants to work?</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"I feel that if someone is coming to an interview, he should have some background about who we are and what we do," says Tina Kummelman, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/human+resources/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">human resources</a> business partner for Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/maryland/baltimore/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Baltimore, Md</a>. "Specific questions are great, but the overall blanketed question tells me someone did not do his homework."</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Bottom line: Don't waste the interviewer's time by having her recite what could have been learned beforehand on the company's website.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>2. How much does the role pay?</b></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It may be the answer you're dying to know, but seeking this information too soon can make you look like you're jumping the gun.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"Just don't ask it. It sends the wrong message," says Chris Brabec, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/director/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">director</a> of leadership talent acquisition for Western Union. Adds colleague Julie Rulis, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/senior+recruiter/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">senior recruiter</a> with the talent acquisition team, "I believe this question should be saved for later stages in the interview process. Asking about salary or benefits in the first interview isn't the impression you want to leave with an employer."</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A better idea: Do some research ahead of time to get a feel for what similar jobs are paying.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>3. What are the hours of this position?</b></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"This one question makes me cringe more than any other," says Paul Solomon, <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/president/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">president</a> of Solo Management, a New York-based executive recruitment firm that specializes in financial industry recruitment. "<a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/wall+street/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Wall Street</a> managers don't want a clock watcher, so when I hear that question I know the candidate will not be the right fit."</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Rulis agrees. "Although I understand why candidates are eager to know this  upfront, it<br /><br />can raise a question regarding their work ethic if asked too early in the process."</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>4. How many sick days do I get?</b></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">What goes through the interviewer's mind when hearing this question?</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"We are in the business of developing leaders, not slouchers," says Gary Rich, president of Rich Leadership, an executive coaching firm in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/New+york/new+york/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">New York City</a>.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Keep a potential employer from questioning your motivation (or your health) by looking this up in the employee handbook  later.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>5. How much time do I get off?</b></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Like numbers three and four, this question can make a potential employer wonder if a candidate is more interested in getting out of work than contributing. It is especially frowned upon in fields requiring significant motivation from the get-go.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"A career as a <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/financial+representative/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">financial representative</a> is what you make of it. Your hard work helps determine your rewards. You have the ability to be your own boss, build your own practice and arrange your own schedule, while making a positive impact on your clients' lives," says Randi Michaelson, a director of recruitment and selection for the McTigue Financial Group in <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/Illinois/chicago/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Chicago</a> who recruits career changers to work as Northwestern Mutual financial representatives. "In the beginning, it takes time, energy and commitment, but successful financial representatives -- like successful entrepreneurs -- are able to enjoy work-life balance among other rewards."</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>6. If I'm hired, when can I begin applying for other roles within the company?</b></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">"This question makes it seem like the candidate isn't really interested in the job she is currently interviewing for -- that she really just wants a foot in the door," Rulis says.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While ultimately you might have higher aspirations than the position for which you are applying, remember that an employer is looking for the best person to fill an opening for what the company needs now, not in the future.</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>7. Do you do background checks?</b></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you don't have something to hide, you probably aren't going to bother asking this one. If you do ...</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Rich sums up the feelings most interviewers have after hearing this question, "I definitely don't want this person on my payroll!"</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1799-Interview-Tips-7-Questions-That-Make-Interviewers-Cringe/%3Ca%20href=" http:="" search?q="top+questions+to+ask+in+an+interview&form=ap"" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" www.bing.com="">Bing">http://www.bing.com/search?q=top+questions+to+ask+in+an+interview&form=ap">Bing</a>: Top questions you should ask in an interview</div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

7 Questions That Make Interviewers Cringe

Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder writer Chances are you've prepared answers to a variety of questions an interviewer might throw your...

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A Breakdown

As you may have guessed from my absence of blog entries, I was rather busy last week.  I spent Sunday - Wednesday in Philadelphia.  On Friday, Joel and I made our way to Charlotte, NC for the wedding.  We returned on Sunday and I was off on Monday for Columbus Day.<br /><br />Well friends, you didn't miss much in my world I can assure you.  It was a week filled with very poor eating choices and weight gain.  <br /><br />However, it was a week where I still managed to get in 4 very good days of activity - 2 in Philly, 1 in North Carolina and 1 yesterday.  I'm proud of those days of exercise - it was the one thing I felt I had the most control over throughout my travels.<br /><br />On the NC trip, I had a bit of a breakdown.  I was feeling extremely uncomfortable in my dress, along with the control top tights. I should not have bought control top... it almost defeats the purpose if you think about it.  The fitted top sucks you in so much that it creates even more rolls above the ones it's trying to eliminate, and those rolls made me feel ugly and fat and sad.  (I even had a moment where I was contemplating ending this blog all together.  I'm supposed to be blogging about weight that I'm losing, but if you look at the numbers on the left, you'll see why I feel like such an weight-loss-blogging imposter.)<br /><br />There were plenty of coworkers at this wedding.  These people have never seen me in a dress before, and I also had insecurities of exposing my legs to them.  Of course, "these people" are all skinny girls who live on a different planet that I do.  They dress to impress.  I dress to blend in.  Let's just say the wedding weekend was not one of the highlights of my life. <br /><br />One good thing that did come out of that weekend was Joel agreed to do Weight Watchers with me.  <a href="http://the-big-weight.blogspot.com/search/label/HJ%20Competition">We tried to institute a weight loss competition many months ago</a>, but he and I loosely followed it, chalking up our living situation to the reason why we couldn't seriously follow along.  However, in due part to my breakdown and also due to his recent diagnosis of high blood pressure, he knows he needs to get in shape and lose some weight as well.  So we will be Points+ counting fools, and I'm so excited that he has agreed to participate.  It's so tough trying to eat "right" when you have a partner who has a completely different food agenda.  <br /><br />I have high hopes for myself: <br /><br /><blockquote>1. Of one day being a dashing bride - a thinner version of myself, walking down the aisle to ooohhh's and ahhhh's from friends and family who cannot believe I finally lost The Big Weight.  <br /><br />2. Of being a confident individual in all that I do, especially at work.  <br /><br />3. Of loving myself first, so that I can more effectively love those closest to me.</blockquote><br />I need to keep reminding myself: <b>Every time the food wins, <i>it steals away my joy in life</i></b>.<br /><br /><br /><div style="color: #351c75; text-align: center;"><b><i>There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream.  ~Author Unknown</i></b></div>

Weight Loss Challenges A Breakdown

As you may have guessed from my absence of blog entries, I was rather busy last week.  I spent Sunday - Wednesday in Philadelphia.  On Frida...

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Companies hiring in large volume

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></i></b></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal arial, helvetica;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="tblContent"><tbody><tr id="trContent"><td align="center" class="cb_style tcContent" id="tcContent" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><div class="cbArticleWrapper" style="background-color: white; text-align: left; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleContentWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 15px; width: 750px;"><div class="cbArticleRight" style="width: 560px;"><div class="RXart" style="padding-right: 20px;"><div class="ArticleHeadline" style="margin-top: -30px;"><div class="cbmsnArticleImage" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/9r/ar5l0b46yz93bz1lpy9r.gif?time=9/8/2011%2010:51:04%20am" /></div><div class="hdr_org_bld" style="color: #ff6600; font: normal normal bold 18px/normal arial, helvetica;"><h1 id="articleHeadline" style="color: #ff7700; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br /></h1></div><b><span id="cbArticle_lblByLine">Kaitlin Madden, CareerBuilder</span></b> </div><br /><div class="ArticleContent"><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.theworkbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/help-wanted-HS1.jpg" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"></a>There's an interesting dynamic going on in the job market right now. Despite the fact that millions of people can't find jobs, millions of employers can't seem to find the right employees, either.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In case you missed it, last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy created no jobs in August, and that the unemployment rate held steady at 9.1 percent.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">At the same time, however, the BLS also reported that nearly 2.7 million jobs went unfilled in August, and, according to CareerBuilder's 2011 Q3 hiring forecast, 26 percent of employers report having difficulties filling open positions -- a 4 percent increase over 2010.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">To help close this employment gap, and match job seekers in need of work with companies in need of their services, we've put together a list of employers that are hiring in large volume right now.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The following 14 companies have a combined total of nearly 10,000 job openings -- and they need employees as badly as you need a job.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>1. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/PNC/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">PNC</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available: </strong>1,000+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs: </strong>Mortgage loan officer, bank branch manager, software engineer, part-time teller, relationship manager and financial advisor</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>2. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/AON/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">AON</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available: </strong>1,390+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs: </strong>Risk management, insurance brokerage services, benefits outsourcing, human capital consulting and actuarial</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>3. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/u-haul/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">U-Haul</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 1,575+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: General manager and trainees, shop manager, customer care representative, programmer, web designer, traffic control manager, storage team manager, structural engineer, production manager and transfer driver</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>4. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/yellowbook/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Yellowbook</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 1,000+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: New media specialist, client service representative, entry-level customer service, finance, it- engineering, developer, programmer, entry-level production and entry-level field distribution management</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>5. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/comfort+keepers/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Comfort Keepers</a></strong><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/comfort+keepers/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 900+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Caregiver, home health aide, LPN, personal care aide, registered nurse, community relations and marketing director</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>6. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/motorola+solutions/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Motorola Solutions</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 600+ globally</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Various IT and engineering roles: product manager, systems engineer, information security specialist and software engineer</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>7. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/red+ventures/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Red Ventures</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 500+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Inside sales, web developer, online marketing, sales trainer, corporate recruiter, php developer, sales recruiter, human resources and copywriter</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>8. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/bridgestone/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bridgestone Retail Operations</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 400+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Retail management trainee, retail sales (full-time and part-time), automotive technician (full-time and part-time) and automotive maintenance technician (full-time and part-time)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>9. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/earthlink/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Earthlink</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 300+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Account executive, major account executive, national account executive, system sales, channel sales, sales engineer, field technician, NOC technician and branch manager</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>10. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/unitek/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">UniTek Global Services</a></strong><strong></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>umber of jobs available:</strong> 400+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Cable installer, satellite installer and wireless installation project manager and foreman</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>11. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/certified+payment+processing/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Certified Payment Processing</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 400+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Outside sales</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>12. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/pilot+flying+j/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pilot Flying J</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 500+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs</strong>: Retail and restaurant managers</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>13. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/senior+helpers/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Senior Helpers</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 400+</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs: </strong>Certified nursing assistant, caregiver, scheduling coordinator, marketing manager, client services manager, community relations coordinator</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>14. <a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/harbor+freight+tools/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Harbor Freight Tools</a></strong></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Number of jobs available:</strong> 500</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><strong>Types of jobs: </strong>Field positions at all level within our stores, nationwide. Corporate positions in all functions: finance, legal, marketing, sourcing, category management, etc.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">See a job you're interested in? Check out these articles before you submit your application:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-2532-Job-Search-Strategies-What-hiring-managers-really-want-to-see/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">What hiring managers really want to see</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-2267-Job-Search-Strategies-3-things-that-make-you-irresistible-to-employers/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">3 things that make you irresistable to employers</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-2379-Resumes-Cover-Letters-10-useless-r%c3%a9sum%c3%a9-words-and-10-eye-catching-ones/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">10 useless resume words (and 10 eye-catching ones)</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-2415-Job-Search-Strategies-Getting-results-10-strategies-for-job-search-success/" style="color: #3300cc; font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Getting results: 10 strategies for job search success</a></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Companies hiring in large volume

Kaitlin Madden, CareerBuilder   There's an interesting dynamic going on in the job market right now. Despite the fact that millions of p...

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EU Austerity

<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>PERMANENT AUSTERITY - DEMOCRACY AT STAKE?</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the one hand EU governments implement austerity measures on society to tackle the finance crisis and on the other hand they have no scruple whatsoever to give 700 billion Euro of tax money to the banks without asking taxpayers, thus one has to assume that the <b>entire system has a serious fault</b>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are conspiracy theorist right when they claim that the “New World Order” is imminent and that the EU dept crisis is a long-term strategic plan of the Paris Club, the IMF and the World Bank to justify austerity measures which in reality are an excuse to undermine democratic values and set the stage for the New World Order?    Maybe such theory is somewhat farfetched but if one looks closer at the recent developments surrounding the financial crisis and the response of governments and financial institutions of the “free world” one cannot avoid seriously questioning certain moves initiated by these governments and financial entities in order to undermine democratic values.      </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3E-SScSsrhI?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The EU’s response to the economic crisis is setting member states on course towards a model of permanent austerity, including widespread attacks on social rights. To prevent any resistance, the model being put forward by the EU aims at minimizing or even totally getting rid of democratic interference. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">(The European) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">see also: http://www.alternet.org/vision/152606/the_real_reason_why_police_cage_peaceful_protestors/</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

EU Austerity

PERMANENT AUSTERITY - DEMOCRACY AT STAKE? On the one hand EU governments implement austerity measures on society to tackle the finance crisi...

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The Family Of God In Lincoln County, Nevada

Don’t get me wrong. I love Las Vegas. The sheer surrealism of living here amazes me every day. But sometimes it is just too much. Saturday things had been frenzied in a good way with our booth at the Pure Aloha Festival and Convention preparation going on at the same time. Then there was a barrage of the kind of incoming criticism that just goes with the turf of my curious (double entendre) vocation. But God provides. Saturday afternoon, Linda and I headed out for Pioche. But not so fast there kid. We took the I-15, little knowing it had been narrowed to a single lane for road construction. Trapped. It took forever before we could escape the jam. When we did, we had escaped onto the Las Vegas Strip. Arrrrgh! It was a tortuous odyssey wending our way to the I-95. But eventually we made it. We were sprung!<br /><br />Then it was a lovely drive through the autumn afternoon up the 93, through my beloved Pahranagat Valley, through the Joshua Tree forest, along the pastures, to Pioche, once the wildest town in the Wild Wild West.<br /><br />Dinner at the Silver Café. Then up the hill to Christ Church where Nick had unlocked the lower level and turned on the heat for us to spend the night in the bedroom they keep ready for itinerant preachers and roving prophets. The dog Fichu was beside himself. The steeply sloping back yard of Christ Church is his favorite place on God’s green earth. He did miss the cats that used to live across the street but they had moved on. There we spent a quiet evening, me reading A. N. Wilson’s eloquent biography of the Puritan heretic Milton.<br /><br />Morning brought biscuits and sausage gravy at the Silver Café. A rangy young working man was making sweeping generalizations about the evils of socialism while an older working man was responding with a nuanced analysis of the pros and cons of the President’s Jobs Bill. <br /><br />Back to Church for an early morning vestry meeting. They handled their business expeditiously and informally. As the Treasurer put it “We don’t know Robert.” His rules of order did not impede the good Christian folk of Pioche from getting on with the mission.<br /><br />They had a challenge. The church musician Louie was missing. That is not unusual. He sometimes goes on walk about. To accommodate his wandering ways, they are buying one of those nifty machines that play hymns to support congregational singing, but it isn’t here yet. So they called Norma to drive a few hours down from Ely to provide the musical accompaniment on a xylophone. It was excellent. The gathered assembly of about 20 people sang right along.<br /><br />The road from the 93 down to Pioche is an adopted highway, adopted by Christ Church, as a sign conspicuously announces. Civic responsibility, the Church engaged with society, the Christ light shining in a mountain village. After seeing the sign, Linda and I scanned the roadside for litter intending to stop and pick up any scrap we might find. But Deacon Kathy Hiatt and the laity of Christ Church had beaten us to it. The road was pristine. <br /><br />At the vestry meeting we learned that this little congregation recently gave money to Episcopal Relief and Development to help the tornado victims in Joplin, Missouri. They support a missionary family in Chile. A thank you poster on their wall marks a donation they had made to UNICEF. They voluntarily give money above and beyond their diocesan assessment to support Ministry Development throughout our diocese.<br /><br />Christ Church was founded by the first missionary bishop of Nevada, Ozzie Whittaker, who celebrated the first Pioche Holy Eucharist in a saloon, using the bar for an altar. This congregation was nourished for many years by Deaconess-in-Charge Jenny Hesmark whose biography is now being written by Karen Wilkes of St. Christopher’s, Boulder City. Christ Church was the star of Bishop Wes Frensdorff’s Total Ministry innovations in the 70s. Then they were shaped in the faith by the devoted ministry of their priest, the Rev. Jean Orr. Jean was called to priesthood by this congregation in 1975 – that’s right several years before women’s ordination was allowed in the Episcopal Church. Jean served until she was past 90. It was my privilege just last week at St. Catherine’s, Reno to confirm Jean’s grand-niece, Sophia Bedel.<br /><br />When things get rough, it’s good to find the family of God to take one in and boost one’s hope.

The Family Of God In Lincoln County, Nevada

Don’t get me wrong. I love Las Vegas. The sheer surrealism of living here amazes me every day. But sometimes it is just too much. Saturday t...

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Screencasting with Screenr is so easy

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />Today I thought I would experiment with Screenr as a screencasting tool to illustrate some aspects that I want to highlight in a talk I am presenting tomorrow. I normally use Jing, and I will write about Jing at some stage as well.<br /><br />Well first of all I went along to the Screenr website and joined. <br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVW6MdlAn004V8BhI-2GVpFcwY-u5ZA20O2vfe9MeAF5RJfVcfUBLUTtW3mOOYuMLXlKWctiGK2Dy0JFUTKnK43GkQ3rXRF8nPFcVIwdhgQo1-zNBWu3GXTMq0iZ2q60zCGowtal3LSr0/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEVM6PrCFtmxAXAHnoqUMWe0p4gBVzm-Guk-INmryqbLWJuqPqvUGpaHn5X7F7nyMKJcpjxOtZihWo4AK0FGQnoxtSYdu2bh_1lsk3KL9s4MRV68mbYeaBnq3BwQwg3DOcxzjub_YQn0/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="image" width="391" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There was a video giving instructions right there and so I watched it.  In fact click on the picture below and you will be taken to the instruction video<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.screenr.com/"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilvumABBd5OBtQlAR04isbEH5RlGtDOziU8rAbNLuZUG765aNyz0jdAHQGNDjX15B-DpNE5s7IuJxDFQc7h3FeR5xb_V6YNySvGDAjGa7PvVmmSgCiy8pb1Jlz617OJdL9rbYakolmYKY/s400/screenr2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />See how easy it looks. For my talk tomorrow I was to show things as though I am on the Internet because it takes forever to actually click on a link. So after recording my snippet using Screenr I looked at it and it was fine. I then published it and downloaded it as an MP4 movie as I actually want to embed it in my PowerPoint as a movie. I worked! Success!<br /><br />Don’t believe me? Well, it embeds on a blog as well. Here I am showing Storybird without actually going on to the Internet. <br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,115,0" height="256" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.screenr.com/public/1.5/flash/screenr.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value="i=332216&h=t&svr=http://www.screenr.com/&vEmbed=<iframe src="http://www.screenr.com/embed/KrOs" width="420" height="256" frameborder="0"></iframe>" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="opaque" /><embed wmode="opaque" src="http://cdn.screenr.com/public/1.5/flash/screenr.swf" flashvars="i=332216&h=t&svr=http://www.screenr.com/&vEmbed=<iframe src="http://www.screenr.com/embed/KrOs" width="420" height="256" frameborder="0"></iframe>" allowFullScreen="true" width="420" height="256" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><a href="http://www.screenr.com/">http://www.screenr.com/</a> </div>

Screencasting Screenr Web tools Screencasting with Screenr is so easy

Today I thought I would experiment with Screenr as a screencasting tool to illustrate some aspects that I want to highlight in a talk I am p...

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GEOPOLITICS Argentina

<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Argentina</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span></b></div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: blue; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>NOT EVERYTHING IS SOY</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">The minute Soy prices fall, “economic experts” warn of a looming crisis in Argentina. Even if Soy prices fall, Soy may be the most prominent commodity but clearly not the sole one Argentina exports. (See <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/07/share-of-cake.html">http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/07/share-of-cake.html</a> ). It seems that these so called experts humbly reiterate what they are told to say by commodity lobbyists. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Speculators and the stock exchange may alter commodity prices but this does not change the fact that CHINA and as well as the rest of the World still needs to be fed, thus export of food commodity will continue.   </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8PLCSmCkmo?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>LATAM CHINA AND EUROPE</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfRjpHP-7xwJZN6KstRPqeLeHp8IQEDy9CiBUzgCThxxt11ib2F7WQ8PKkvbNlj8oUY39IXwSjrSddb5eliOCTraYb8ULYsjpQ_NVjAdRrreU2S4wJRt9UVS2YIEVJ0df3lRNlvHwvhwN/s1600/chinacommoditybackandforth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfRjpHP-7xwJZN6KstRPqeLeHp8IQEDy9CiBUzgCThxxt11ib2F7WQ8PKkvbNlj8oUY39IXwSjrSddb5eliOCTraYb8ULYsjpQ_NVjAdRrreU2S4wJRt9UVS2YIEVJ0df3lRNlvHwvhwN/s200/chinacommoditybackandforth.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">When reading “corporate” US and EUROPEAN media one cannot avoid detecting a certain jealousy regarding LATAM (LATIN AMERICAS_ economic growth and increased economic ties between LATAM and ASIA, especially CHINA. Could it be that the EUROPEANS lacked foresight regarding CHINA and ASIA and now try to recover lost terrain? EUROPEAN – US entities such as the Paris Club, IMF and the World Bank don’t miss a chance to paint a bleak picture on LATAM and its economy in order to shake the fragile markets, where in reality the economic outlook is everything but bleak in these parts of the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>TURKEY EYES AT LATAM </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>   </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">In recent past TURKEY has become a major player on the world stage, both geopolitical as well as Geo- strategically and to some extent economically. TURKEYS far sight on current geopolitical developments are showcased once more as it wittily focuses on advantages it could gain from developing economic ties and defense agreements with BRAZIL. Both countries pledged to increase cooperation’s in the construction industry as well as natural resource extraction and last but not least the defense industry.  </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Amidst the current global shake up, TURKEY and BRAZIL are among countries that continue growing and thus could even push the G-20 group to revise its economic policies. TURKEY and BRAZIL’S economic capacities could be utilized to expand relations and find options to ease the effects of the current worldwide economic situation.  </span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">That TURKEY is flexing its muscle in the MIDDLE EAST is a fact and thus it comes as no surprise that the rift with its neighbor Iran is growing. As mentioned previously in my blog (http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2011/08/saudia-arabia-usa-turkey-versus-iran.html ), the new alignments between TURKEY, SAUDI ARABIA and the USA versus IRAN, SYRIA, RUSSIA and CHINA will cause for tens times in the region.  </span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">See also:</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.crethiplethi.com/a-different-path-assessing-turkeys-foreign-policy-in-latin-america/islamic-countries/turkey/2011/">http://www.crethiplethi.com/a-different-path-assessing-turkeys-foreign-policy-in-latin-america/islamic-countries/turkey/2011/</a></span></div>

GEOPOLITICS Argentina

Argentina NOT EVERYTHING IS SOY The minute Soy prices fall, “economic experts” warn of a looming crisis in Argentina. Even if Soy prices fal...

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To Be or Not to Be - Carole Lombard's final film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6bQj-xKkCPo5BlcfJhNbKKdXNUVBqj9Uyzr-l1WcoArruWRinbkaR0NvbHuzfLlRSpO1vvxNRUg56bv-Pw8eqjS6R9PO564n-n3_aiWhym25Sit_y3pFL7GejrqjmOid4DT6w1Yp5jjr/s1600/to+be+or+not+to+be.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6bQj-xKkCPo5BlcfJhNbKKdXNUVBqj9Uyzr-l1WcoArruWRinbkaR0NvbHuzfLlRSpO1vvxNRUg56bv-Pw8eqjS6R9PO564n-n3_aiWhym25Sit_y3pFL7GejrqjmOid4DT6w1Yp5jjr/s320/to+be+or+not+to+be.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>For Carole & Company's "Carole-tennial (+3)," marking the 103rd anniversary of Hollywood legend Carole Lombard's birth, I'm taking a look at my favorite Carole Lombard film, director Ernst Lubitsch's </i><i>To Be or Not to Be (1942). This was Lombard's last film, released just a month after her death. </i><br /><br />'The Lubitsch Touch'<i> </i>has been dissected and analyzed for decades. Billy Wilder, who had been prot<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">égé to director Ernst Lubitsch early on</span></span></span>, put it succinctly: "The Lubitsch Touch is a <i>light</i> touch. But there are serious overtones in Lubitsch. He understood life..." <br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In 1941, Lubitsch signed a three year contract with Paramount Pictures. But first he had another commitment to fulfill with United Artists. <i>To Be or Not to Be </i>was part of Lubitsch's arrangement with UA.<br /><br />Though the original story for the film was mostly Lubitsch's, the project that evolved was something of a departure for the director. As he later remarked, "I was tired of the two established recognized recipes, drama with comedy relief and comedy with dramatic relief. I had made up my mind to make a picture with no attempt to relieve anybody from anything at any time."</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>To Be or Not to Be </i>is a comedy both black and broad; it is also a sophisticated and razor sharp satire on the Nazis.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkkCAIOmiv8h1ZDSPIQ68OJmsaHAiI7WfALkJJoFSsudWqehgzD9pQwPKbZxs8kgAoxeIT90MpJMxkxzTkOjtt4xVApa-rnZSRgH2qzLUdYB-mxbmjnC_BjYwuPLGdHj7ZSy9jc4R6HN8/s1600/to+be+or+not+to+be+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkkCAIOmiv8h1ZDSPIQ68OJmsaHAiI7WfALkJJoFSsudWqehgzD9pQwPKbZxs8kgAoxeIT90MpJMxkxzTkOjtt4xVApa-rnZSRgH2qzLUdYB-mxbmjnC_BjYwuPLGdHj7ZSy9jc4R6HN8/s320/to+be+or+not+to+be+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actors...and Nazis, <i>To Be or Not to Be</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lubitsch chose radio superstar Jack Benny for the male lead. Benny, who later observed that it was "impossible for comedians like me and [Bob] Hope to get good directors - that's why we made lousy movies," considered Lubitsch "the greatest comedy director that ever lived" and was eager to work with him. Though Miriam Hopkins was up for the role of Benny's onscreen wife, she was only interested in taking the part if it was enlarged for her. Jack Benny was meanwhile pushing for Carole Lombard in the role. One night Benny and producer Alexander Korda went out on the town together; much drinking ensued and the upshot was that Korda wired UA and asked the studio to hire Lombard.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Lubitsch and Lombard knew each other from her early days on the Paramount lot. While the director had made pictures with the other great Paramount leading ladies, Claudette Colbert and Marlene Dietrich, he and Lombard had never managed to work together. Lombard's husband, box office king Clark Gable, was not excited about <i>To Be or Not to Be</i> and referred to Lubitsch as "the horny Hun." But Lombard had always wanted to work with the director and signed on; her only special request was that Irene design her wardrobe. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The production had its share of problems. To begin with, Jack Benny was jittery. According to co-star Robert Stack, he was "scared to death." Benny's source of discomfort was that while he knew how to deliver his lines on stage and on radio, he didn't know what to do when it came to a movie set. This made him very nervous.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Another problem concerned musical director Miklos Rozsa. Rozsa was set to score the film but once he saw the script and realized it was a satire on Nazism, he refused; he just didn't see the humor.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qybHm9N_MITmUSt3u5pRJ6Lc0my_QzXmikMItXpF643wvmO3AhnVF-nBApAiYiJzHPg7JGbtJLpV3P-cyt-p7tjzi1t_urldlTFqaMxus5O9gcMRhHDHXBII5dSHk2v3WXp7wYijFbfX/s1600/to+be+or+not+to+be+lombard+and+stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qybHm9N_MITmUSt3u5pRJ6Lc0my_QzXmikMItXpF643wvmO3AhnVF-nBApAiYiJzHPg7JGbtJLpV3P-cyt-p7tjzi1t_urldlTFqaMxus5O9gcMRhHDHXBII5dSHk2v3WXp7wYijFbfX/s320/to+be+or+not+to+be+lombard+and+stack.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carole Lombard and Robert Stack on the set</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Regardless of these and other difficulties, the atmosphere on the set was a happy one. Lombard developed a habit of driving in from Encino, even when she wasn't scheduled, just to watch Lubitsch at work. According to Jack Benny, "Everyone was in awe of him."</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>To Be or Not to Be</i> opens in Warsaw, Poland, just before the Nazi invasion. A man who appears to be Adolf Hitler is walking the streets, creating a stir.  The man, it turns out, is not Hitler but a local actor named Bronski (Tom Dugan) who is about to portray Adolf Hitler in an anti-Nazi play; he is testing his believability in public<i>. </i><br /><br />The plot centers on the acting troupe Bronski is part of, the Theatre Polsky, and its two stars, Josef and Maria Tura (Benny and Lombard). The troupe is rehearsing an anti-Nazi play, <i>Gestapo</i>, but is forced to revert to a less controversial drama, Shakespeare's <i>Hamlet</i>.<i> </i>A running gag concerns Maria, who is carrying on with a young pilot (Robert Stack). Whenever Josef begins Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy on stage, Maria's eager young man conspicuously shuffles out of his theater seat to meet her. The walk-out of an audience member in the midst of this speech completely flusters the actor (who has no idea why the man has left). Josef Tura's Hamlet is heavy on the ham and, as one Nazi character remarks, "What he did to Shakespeare we are now doing to Poland." The troupe eventually becomes involved with the Polish resistance.<br /><br />Lombard is well-matched with Benny, who was never better and never had a better role. The two shared exquisite timing and much panache, and their scenes together could be shown in a master class on playing comedy. The fine ensemble cast includes venerable Felix Bressart (as an actor relegated to "spear carrier" roles but who has his moment to quote Shakespeare, eloquently) and Lionel Atwill along with Sig Ruman, Stack and Dugan.<br /><br />Billy Wilder elaborated on another aspect of Lubitsch's genius, "The Lubitsch Touch is the superjoke. You have a joke, and then you don't expect the joke on top of the joke that tops the first one. The joke you didn't expect is funnier than the one you expected..."<br /><br />The sequence below ends with one of Lubitsch's great "toppers." Sig Ruman's character (aka/'Concentration Camp Ehrhardt') is a Nazi colonel with a habit of blaming his own mishaps, mistakes and misunderstandings on his inept second-in-command, Captain Schulz. In this scene, the "topper" is Ehrhardt's final exclamation, a late addition to the script by Lubitsch...</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0Fk1b0jIMBc" width="420"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sig Ruman, Carole Lombard (and Tom Dugan) in </span><i style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To Be or Not to Be</i></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /></span><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The picture wrapped just before Christmas 1941, and Carole Lombard promised Jack Benny she would guest on his radio show once she returned from an upcoming war bond drive. But on the evening of January 16, 1942, the plane returning Lombard and her mother from the bond drive, along with 20 others, crashed into a mountain west of Las Vegas. All aboard were killed. Apparently the pilot had changed course, flying toward Las Vegas rather than his official destination, Boulder, Colorado. The plane had almost missed the mountain peak, crashing only 120 feet from the top. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fSQKtHm54DBrTnIGC5ZPj3e6UfNekxQw0sSFHBlOG9ijszDbFHTqRDDfeCgUk-SEihc9cgi8kEuJYvLI68lDPgqChxDDoRO_MyWzyRbLmmcEukknYrT68w7xrpdRxBGIkdeOyyzTGbrh/s1600/to+be+or+not+to+be+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fSQKtHm54DBrTnIGC5ZPj3e6UfNekxQw0sSFHBlOG9ijszDbFHTqRDDfeCgUk-SEihc9cgi8kEuJYvLI68lDPgqChxDDoRO_MyWzyRbLmmcEukknYrT68w7xrpdRxBGIkdeOyyzTGbrh/s400/to+be+or+not+to+be+poster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To Be or Not to Be </i>premiered on February 15, 1942. It was not a hit. Some critics claimed Lubitsch had suffered a lapse in taste. Churlish Bosley Crowther of the <i>New York Times </i>accused the director of  going for cheap laughs. Robert Stack later said that the press of the time just didn't get it. He noted that Lubitsch was "a Jew from the Old Country himself" and declared that <i>To Be or Not to Be</i> was the best satire on Nazism ever made.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lubitsch was appalled that his intent and his taste were both misinterpreted and maligned. He acknowledged that he hadn't depicted Nazi terror in the typical way with outright violence, "My Nazis are different; they passed that stage long ago. Brutality, flogging and torture have become their daily routine. They talk about it the same way as a salesman referring to the sale of a handbag."</span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJvNY-QVmLIZSiDq9RUTYI86kWRz2yyBdYwFuI8afLNJ11T_F5tpAmr7Enp94XvGwK4cW9njs6oV46onDYIC01YafiqfqG42Gm2JC3g09qCooM0kS40DlLSgG0rT47OlGSLmnIPobEenP/s1600/lombard+and+lubitsch+tbontb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJvNY-QVmLIZSiDq9RUTYI86kWRz2yyBdYwFuI8afLNJ11T_F5tpAmr7Enp94XvGwK4cW9njs6oV46onDYIC01YafiqfqG42Gm2JC3g09qCooM0kS40DlLSgG0rT47OlGSLmnIPobEenP/s320/lombard+and+lubitsch+tbontb.jpg" width="174" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lombard and Lubitsch</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">It isn't surprising that critics and audiences of early 1942 may not have warmed to or understood Lubitsch's approach. The country had suffered Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and entered World War II just as the production of <i>To Be or Not to Be </i>was coming to an end. Those early days of the war were deeply patriotic times in the U.S. and the outcome of the conflict was still far from certain. Other wartime movies generally presented a more traditional portrait of our enemies and their victims - unequivocal, distinctly unfunny and in stark black and white terms.  Lubitsch's witty satire had arrived in American theaters at the wrong moment. But the passage of time has been kind to <i>To Be or Not to Be.</i> It long ago entered the pantheon of Lubitsch's great masterworks - that very special place where <i>Ninotchka </i>(1939) and <i>The Shop Around the Corner </i>(1940) also abide. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Carole Lombard, a natural as vain but appealing Maria Tura, was never more elegant or disarming. Though her character is clearly 'a woman of affairs,' Lombard endows her with so much warmth, humor and humanity that Maria is never less than entirely sympathetic. Such was Lombard's irreplaceable talent.<br /><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>To learn more about Carole & Company's "Carole-tennial (+3)" blogathon and participating blogs, <a href="http://carole-and-co.livejournal.com/447884.html" style="color: #990000;">click here</a>... </i></span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JrFWRe1r1PJYWpdFee0MIj3jr13mzwH-nRT_foo0WemBR8LdW5wrw2zURjN61eMZ2frXNy9k0S-wcNzpzB-Gdqe5XXPDUhdzPUVC3WElO6npwHbdbiK9UE1gV0vvafZ3c_PX6XMkkCX8/s1600/Carole+Lombard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JrFWRe1r1PJYWpdFee0MIj3jr13mzwH-nRT_foo0WemBR8LdW5wrw2zURjN61eMZ2frXNy9k0S-wcNzpzB-Gdqe5XXPDUhdzPUVC3WElO6npwHbdbiK9UE1gV0vvafZ3c_PX6XMkkCX8/s400/Carole+Lombard.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carole Lombard, 1908 - 1942</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>References</b>:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise</u> by Scott Eyman</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>Nobody's Perfect: Billy Wilder, A Personal Biography</u> by Charlotte Chandler</span></div>

Alexander Korda Carole Lombard Clark Gable Ernst Lubitsch Felix Bressart Jack Benny Lionel Atwill Robert Stack Sig Ruman The Lady Eve (author) To Be Or Not To Be To Be or Not to Be - Carole Lombard's final film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch

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