Beer may be as old as civilization itself, but modern molecular biology could teach craft brewers some new tricks. Troels Prahl, a brewer and microbiologist with White Labs, is currently analyzing the full DNA sequences of yeast from 2500 batches of beer in hopes of finding the yeast genes that explain why a lager becomes a lager or an ale an ale.
There are some emergencies in life that don’t leave you panicked. Like if you happen to stumble across a sunset at a gorgeous park and desperately need to picnic, or you’ve wandered into an outdoor concert and need somewhere to sit. For those moments the Matador, a nylon waterproof blanket that can easily squeeze into your pants pockets, exists.
Now that the fine folks at Fleshlight have made a fuckable iPad case , it’s a good time for a crash course in how to clean your, um, personal fluids off of Cyberskin. Cyberskin, yeah. That’s the official name for the stuff. I’m getting hot just thinking about it!
For a few minutes, I saw the Moscone Center — and everyone inside it — under water. Sharks and small fish even swam past me as if I wasn’t there. And then, all of a sudden, I stood up straight and discovered that I’d poked my head above the waves….
Dan has summoned the team together to deliver some important news, so we have a full house today. With 65 episodes under the belt, the Eurocast is joining the likes of the HD podcast and taking a hiatus. We’re restructuring how we deliver news…
Finding what you want to know about a given topic isn’t hard, but an RSS feed is a bit bland. Other entities can be a bit too flashy for their own good (or ours), relying on snappy animation instead of getting the right data. Others curate information for you, which is nice, but limiting. Pipes, however, does a nice job … Continue reading
GE is getting into the smart lighting industry, revealing its upcoming connected light bulbs. As with the competing Philips hue (read our review), these bulbs will let users control the lighting in their home or office using their smartphone or tablet and a related app. The bulbs, revealed earlier today, will come in sizes equivalent to some of the most … Continue reading
A recent study by TheLadders suggests you should stop editing your resume as quickly as possible.
For their study, TheLadders asked recruiters to review a stack of resumes while connected to eye tracking software. Their data showed that recruiters spent just six seconds per resume before making a pass/fail decision. However, what they paid attention to was far more informative than their attention spans.
During the study, 80 percent of recruiters’ attention was on the following items — can you spot what they have in common?:
Answer: These are all items job seekers can’t change.
If recruiters spent 80 percent of six seconds (or 4.8 seconds) reviewing objective data job seekers can’t change, they spent just 1.2 seconds per resume on information job seekers can control: namely, bullet points. In other words, nobody’s reading your bullet points.
How can that be? Aren’t accomplishments and responsibilities the reason why recruiters read resumes in the first place? Perhaps they are in theory, but not in practice.
Given the choice, recruiters prefer objective (black-and-white) data to the vagueness of bullet points. Largely, this emphasis helps them identify safe candidates. Safe candidates are ones that a recruiter’s supervisor would never question, like those who have held this job before, worked for a competitor, or attended a prestigious college.
Safe candidates enable recruiters to get back to their “real” work (work that leads directly to raises, like hitting annual sales goals) as fast as possible. Therefore, safe candidates are the ones who get interviews.
Unfortunately, no amount of resume editing can turn you into a safe candidate if you are not one already. Resume typos will rule you out, but well-worded resumes never rule you in. The only way to become a safe candidate is to get an internal referral.
The futility of resume editing may seem like cause for despair, but I think it’s cause for celebration. It turns out your resume can be “done” (100% error-free with correct biographical information) in several hours, freeing your time to build relationships instead. Such networking pays far greater dividends per hour than editing resumes (or cover letters, or job posting applications…).
Best of all, relationship-building doesn’t require previous expertise, connections, or the ability to “sell yourself” – just a handful of minutes and (if you like) a good set of instructions.
So in summary, don’t stress over your resume. Get it error-free, and then get networking!
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Steve Dalton is the author of ‘The 2-Hour Job Search’ & career center programming director at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Solo living is increasingly a reality for many, both before and during retirement. Nearly half of women and 18 percent of men over age 65 are single today, according to Census Bureau statistics. When planning for retirement on your own, there are some distinct financial considerations. While many of the fundamental aspects of retirement planning hold true regardless of marital status, such as the importance of savings, having a written financial plan and securing sources of guaranteed income that last your lifetime, there are nuances for single retirees that are worth noting.
First, have a plan for your long term care. As a single retiree, it is not enough to rely upon a friend or family member to help in case of declining health due to old age or medical issues. For couples, there is an added element of security with a spouse providing some measure of care and support. Yet, singles need a plan to take care of themselves mentally and physically as they age, often with long term care insurance. This insurance protection can provide financial assistance to help cover an extended hospital or nursing home stay. Relying just on one’s own individual assets or support network may not be enough and can lead to less-than-optimal care when it is most needed later in life.
Second, look at securing guaranteed income that lasts a lifetime. For this, many of my single clients explore an immediate or lump sum annuity. This product involves a lump sum payment that provides guaranteed income for life. Single person often opt for a “maximum benefit”, which means they receive higher monthly payments that stop when the individual passes away. In contrast, couples often opt for spousal benefits that continue payments to take care of a surviving spouse. But, a single person may not have anyone else relying on those retirement dollars, so opting for the larger monthly payments may make more sense and increase retirement income. When I work with single clients who are nearing retirement, we sit down and project what their totally monthly income is likely to be in retirement, taking into account a lump sum annuity (if that is the right option for them) as well as Social Security, any pensions and other savings. Guarantees in annuities are based on the claims-paying ability of the underlying insurance company.
Third, find a financial support network. As a financial advisor, many of my single, retired clients appreciate my role as a sounding board and voice of reason on money matters. It is an honor and responsibility to play that role in other people’s lives. Especially for singles, it is important to seek out productive input from others who have their best interests at heart. Bouncing ideas, fears or disappointments off of someone else who is not going to feed into fear or paranoia can make a big difference in maintaining an even keel. A financial network could include a financial advisor, friends, family members or other trusted individual with whom you feel comfortable discussing money concerns, ideas and plans.
Fourth, make plans for your legacy. While every retiree should make sure wills and financial documents are in order, single individuals should pay extra attention to this. A surviving spouse is the default inheritor of a deceased spouse’s assets, giving some assurance to married couples if one of them should die without a will in place. But single individuals may leave their family and friends mired in conflict and legal battles if their wishes are not clearly documented in wills and beneficiary information before death.
Lastly, find a community. I encourage single retirees to remember one of my favorite phrases, “have something to do, something to look forward to and something or someone to love.” A common concern for older singles is isolation, which can create a negative, downward spiral that impacts all areas of life. Without the order, routine and social interaction of work, retirement can feel lonely, especially for people who are single. In retirement, I encourage singles to embrace their passions and interests — whether it be cooking, traveling, gardening, grandchildren, church, pets or volunteering — and build communities that keep them active and engaged. Given the trend towards more people living single in retirement, there are many opportunities for seniors to find communities and activities on a fixed budget.
For a single person approaching retirement, it can be empowering and confidence-inspiring to get on top of the financial planning and be in a position to be ready to retire and embrace this new phase in life.
Voya Retirement Coach Jacob Gold is a third generation financial advisor with ING Financial Partners, a broker-dealer of Voya FinancialTM. He is a published author of “Financial Intelligence; Getting Back to Basics after an Economic Meltdown”, which was published in August 2009. Gold is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and Series 7, 24 and 66 securities registered.
Securities and Investment advisory services offered through ING Financial Partners, Member SIPC.
BY: IRENE MICHAELS
Founder of IOnTheScene.com
In my last post, I talked about healthy attitudes. This is one of our most powerful tools for a long and healthy life. I would like to share with you some of the challenges that I have been faced with, and how my attitude helped me through all of them. Our journey through life has many obstacles, and I want you to know, “It’s not what happens to us, but how we handle it.” That is the real challenge!
During our lifetimes, we observe many examples whereby someone is injured — either around their house, on the job, in a car, etc. The result of this accident can vary widely, depending on the individual. Their interpretation of a physical setback can have an amazing effect (both positive and negative) on their recovery process. Certain people have been known to experience fascinating recoveries against all odds despite doctors’ prognosis or estimations. Some of these stories are so astonishing; they’ve even been developed into books or movies.
On one hand, a person in their 20’s can suffer through a temporary injury and act like they’ve been sentenced to life in a wheelchair; whereas someone twice that age accomplishes an amazing recuperation to go on and continue a professional career or take care of their three kids, etc.
A perfect real life example is Evel Knievel — the legendary motorcycle daredevil of the 1970’s who (despite doctors predictions) resurfaced time and again, stronger than ever, no matter how many broken bones he endured….
The one common element to all of these extraordinary recoveries was the person’s positive state of mind, whereby nothing was going to get in their way or prevent them from returning to their previous lifestyles; which enabled them to pursue all of their goals, some of them even bigger and better than before.
A few years ago I had an accident while on my horse, Marc, that resulted in a fractured femur in six places; I was unable to move and had to be transported in an ambulance. It was difficult to rescue me since I fell in the middle of a cornfield. When the ambulance arrived, I was brought to the nearest hospital, where they decided I had to have emergency surgery. Since the hospital was so far from my home, I requested to be moved to a Chicago hospital. That way, I could easily contact my doctors. The next day I had an operation to repair my leg that involved several screws and pins. I was then told I would not be able to ride again. Ever. I was so relieved that my horse was unhurt. Not only was I in pain, but I was also worried about my bones healing and I couldn’t imagine not having my exercise with Marc. I had to heal. With great surgeons, the love of friends and because of my determination, the willpower to not give up and my attitude about the accident I was able to come back stronger than ever.
During the recovery process I became very strict about taking my vitamins and supplements on a daily and consistent basis. Bone health is a major worry for many women and men, since osteoporosis is a serious concern. It affects many aspects of our lives. I was surprised to read about how many men are also affected by osteoporosis (a medical condition whereby bones become brittle and fragile from the loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D.) n certain women over 50, they can sustain a serious injury to their hip or ankle, just by stepping off a curb.
The goal of treating osteoporosis is to prevent bone fractures or increase bone density and strength. However, keep in mind it is difficult to completely rebuild a bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis.
Three preventative measures that can help:
1. Take adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D.
2. Listen to your doctor if he/she prescribes medication that stops bone loss.
3. Try to do weight-bearing exercises at least three times a week.
Getting older is truly a luxury, but we must take care of our bodies. EXERCISE, proper nutrition and vitamin supplements are practically mandatory — not luxuries in the Post-50 Woman.
I truly believe, (and my doctors concurred) that my healthy pre-accident lifestyle helped me recover after my fall from my horse. After the rest period necessary for proper healing was over for me, the hard work of rehabilitation and nutrition — learning and re-learning this intake of those vitamins and food that would augment and strengthen my bones began. Some supplements don’t mix with others and some vitamins are best absorbed in their natural food state.
Fortunately, this healthy focused rehabilitation became part of my Post-50 regimen; the kind every woman should follow to prevent injuries as much as possible.
Take pride in your body, it is the only one you will have.
I would be so interested in hearing from my readers about coping with injuries and other post-50 incidents please note in comment section.
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This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
