GeekSugar

Do You Still Receive Chain Email Forwards?

GeekSugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:07:32 PDT

There was a time in my life where I really wanted to help that terminally ill child whose family was reaching out to me vial email forward, or grew seriously concerned about the risks of my deodorant giving me cancer. I call that time 1999, when chain email forwards were coming at me in all directions, namely from my friends, who also sent me email questionnaires about different aspects of their life, which were interesting the first 50 times I received them.

Now, my friends have realized how annoying and scam-worthy these forwards all were (though the questionnaire people moved on to MySpace bulletins). But that doesn't put me in the clear; it seems as some of my (let's say, older) relatives have finally "figured out" email, a certain email forwarding abuse has come with this newfound skill. So, I sort through them, scanning for anything new under the forward sun. Occasionally, if it's someone who won't be offended, I'll reply with the Snopes article disproving the forward they just sent. Hey, they have to learn too.

So tell me - are you still getting email forwards?

Source

Citizen For President! See the News Report! Pass It On!

CitizenSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:10 PDT

Wanna know a fabulous secret? I'm running for president! I know, you were all so sick of Obama and McCain. Well, thankfully my grassroots, underground campaign has really taken off and people are taking notice of my potential.

Oh, OK it's a personalize-it email-forward fake newscast, but it's fun! Fill it out with your friend's name and they'll get an email with the very convincing tale of their very own dark horse candidacy. Watch for the older gal with the personalized, ultimate-fan tattoo toward the end. Whoa.

To see the news report featuring me, the surprise candidate sweeping the nation,

So, whaddya say? Vote for me? Or send it on to your friends!

Do You Read or Forward Political Emails? Super or Spam?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:00:17 PDT

What's viral, anonymous, and will find you when you're least expecting it? Nope, it's not the clap, it's those political or activist email forwards. You know, the ones that originate from points unknown, to share information (?) or opinions with every Tom, Dick, and Inbox. Here's one that crossed my Spam Filter this week:

Subject: Midwest Flooding

As you watch the flooding in the Midwest, have you noticed that there are no farmers running around with stolen plasma TVs or holding stolen liquor over their heads? I heard a dimwit talking head on CNN yesterday say that this reminded him of New Orleans. How? Outside of being flooded the similarity stops there. There is no looting, no people wandering the streets looking for meanness. . . there is not one damn thing, other than water, that is similar to New Orleans. The actions of the people of Des Moines only makes the actions of the people of New Orleans look like what it was. . . people of several generations of dependency on government unable to depend upon themselves to save themselves. That is what always happens when the government bails folks out for generation after generation!

It relays an opinion, to be sure - but are these forwarded email missives taken as fact - and are they beneficial? They're a double-edged sword: by sending one on, you're assuming that the recipient shares your views while simultaneously espousing them as your own. Though they are a way to share information and start a dialogue. Do you forward them on?

Source

How to Get People to Stop Sending You Forwards

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:00:15 PDT

Remember when sending email forwards was totally in vogue and not at all annoying? It was about, oh, 1999 or so, and you and your friends would send each other chain letter forwards, quizzes about yourself that you filled out, inspirational poems about girlfriends and sisters, warnings to each other about deodorant causing cancer, and how to save a kid dying of a life-threatening disease you've never heard of.

Maybe it was the advent of social networking sites, but somehow, people stopped sending forwards. And I stopped getting annoyed every time I checked my inbox.

However, some people haven't really gotten that memo - and I'm sorry, but Mom, I totally have to call you out - and if you're afraid to tell them straightforwardly, the website StopForwarding.us will send an anonymous message on your behalf with a gentle but firmly-worded cease-and-desist email. Really, you're doing all of their email contacts a favor.

And as for you, Mom - well, you can keep on doing it. I like seeing your name in my inbox, even if it does mean getting a forward.

"My Long-Distance Boyfriend Doesn't Want Me to Visit"

Tres Community — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 03:05:01 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I live in Portugal, he lives in Belgium. We first met seven years ago while he was in Portugal for work for a couple of weeks. We dated innocently a few times until I saw his wedding ring. He said that he was unhappy in his marriage and thinking of separating, that he really liked me but I didn't want any kind of contact anymore. Last year he found me on Facebook. He had been divorced for four years and in a few months he convinced me to have a long distance relationship. He visited me twice last year and everything was great all year long, we spoke a lot over the phone, chatted, had video calls. At the beginning of this year he started a new job and very soon our relationship changed completely.

Keep reading for the rest of this dilemma.

11 Things Hiring Managers Won’t Tell You

LearnVest — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:15:24 PDT

Ever want to read your interviewer's mind? LearnVest shares a couple of secrets hiring managers don't want you to know.

The next time you walk into an interview, consider the following:

Your wedding or engagement ring? Can and may be used against you.

Those photos of kids on a hiring manager's desk? They may not actually be the manager's children - but the photo is designed to get you talking about your kids or whether you plan to have some eventually.

And then there's the trick that can land some applicants $20,000 more when they start negotiating their salary.

In fact, LearnVest got the inside scoop from hiring managers across the country. Many spoke on the condition of anonymity because their methods were so controversial - and not what you'd find in any company manual.

New research out of the United States Census Bureau shows that women still earn less than their male counterparts at every education level. Although women are outearning men in terms of college degrees and doctorates, our wages aren't keeping up. In fact, the gap only worsens at higher levels of education.

RELATED: The 10 Fastest-Growing Jobs

But armed with this insider knowledge - straight from the mouths of those who hire you - you can help improve both these statistics and your bottom line.

I leave pictures of kids on my desk. They’re not even my kids.

Legally, hiring managers aren’t allowed to ask if you have kids, just as they’re not supposed to discriminate against you on the hunch that your child might occasionally have a soccer game. But we spoke to one hiring manager who leaves pictures of her niece and nephew to find out (legally) who has kids. “I’m not allowed to ask about family situations, but if they bring it up, it’s fair game. Kids are a distraction to this job, which requires long hours and weekends. I won’t hire someone who has other priorities.”

How to handle this: it’s very easy to get nervous and resort to small talk. (“Oh, are those your kids? How old? Mine are 6 and 10 . . . ”) Commenting on kids’ photos is easy bait, especially if you’re a parent yourself, but avoid it if you can. Talk about the weather or find something to compliment your interviewer on instead.

I check for wedding bands.

One hiring manager told us: “This is an entry-level job, and the people we hire are usually fresh out of college. If I see a wedding band, there’s a good probability that candidate is going to start a family soon. If I hire her and she goes on maternity leave, I can’t legally fire her, but I still have to find someone else to replace her while she’s gone. When she comes back, I can’t fire her either, so now I’m stuck with two employees when all I needed was one. No thanks.”

This one is an easy fix: leave your wedding ring at home. You're not obligated to share any information about your relationship status, so try to avoid doing so.

Read on for more.

5 Ways to Take the Sting Out of Monday

SavvySugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:15:14 PDT

Coming back to work after a fun, restful weekend is never easy, but it doesn't have to be quite so hard. Check out these five ways to turn your least favorite day of the week into one worth looking forward to.

Set manageable goals: Rather than staring at your massive to-do list and feeling overwhelmed, set lots of little goals for yourself throughout the day. It’ll make it easier to stay focused and on track, and you can give yourself kudos each time you reach a goal.
Reward yourself: Each time you do reach one of your set goals for the day, give yourself a reward! It can be as small as a walk to the kitchen to raid the candy dish, or as big as a 30-minute break to enjoy some fro yo in the sun. Providing your own incentives throughout the day can be a strong defense against a case of the Mondays.

Three more tips for a better Monday after the jump!

Visa, MasterCard Security Breach: How to Avoid Fraud

Emily Co — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:32:38 PDT

Data has been breached at a payments processing firm and the personal information of up to 10 million users can potentially be compromised, says security blog Krebs on Security.

Apparently, the scale of the breach is "massive" and major credit card companies like Visa and MasterCard have been alerting their customers about this development and to reassure them that the actual Visa and MasterCard's internal systems haven't been breached. It's a third-party processing center called Global Payments Inc. Worried about your information being used by hackers? Here are a couple of security tips:

Review: Check your credit card statements online to see if there is any unusual activity.
Get ready: If you're one of the consumers whose data has been compromised, you will most likely be contacted by your bank. However, you should still be monitoring your information on your own, just in case you were missed.
Sigh up for alerts: Sign up for email or text transaction alerts if your bank provides this service.
Contact your bank immediately: Call your bank if you see any suspicious activity and have them reissue you a card immediately. The sooner you report fraud, the better protected you'll be.
Limit your cards: You'll worry less with only one card to keep an eye on. Going forward, try to reduce the amount of cards you're juggling if it makes sense for you to do so.

Savvy Confessions: Did I Jump the Gun With This Interview?

Emily Co — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:15:37 PDT

This reader posted in our anonymous Savvy Confessions group, saying that she's worried about jumping the gun on an interview.

Dear SavvySugar,

I have a job interview on Wednesday that I am incredibly excited about. I am currently in graduate school and asked one of my professors to write me a recommendation letter last week after I scheduled the interview. He said he is more than happy to, that he is traveling in China so the earliest he would be able to do so would be Monday, the 26th, and that he would like to email the interviewer directly because it would look better for me if the letter comes straight from him. I told him, "Thank you," provided her email address, and let him know that he doesn't need to rush the letter, as my interview isn't until the 28th, so if he could send it after the interview that would be great.

However, I got an email this morning (Monday morning) from him, saying that he emailed the letter to the interviewer already. I am worried. Does it look bad that he already emailed it to her before my interview?? I did not ask her if it was OK to share her email address for the reference. She did not mention needing reference letters on the phone, so this was something I was providing on my own.

I am paranoid that I have ruined my chance by jumping the gun!!

Thanks,
Worried About My Interview

Dear Worried About My Interview,

First of all, relax. Don't make a bigger deal out of it than it really is. Your interviewer may be slightly taken aback, but it isn't the end of the world. You can clear things up by sending a brief email today and remember to keep it short and sweet. You can say something like:

"Apologies for the premature reference email from my professor. I had asked my professor to prepare something, but it looks like there is a bit of a mix-up on the dates of my interview. Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday."

Read on for more.

5 Tips For Staying Optimistic During the Postgrad Transition

Laura Marie Given — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:28:25 PDT

The shift from college to real life can be a tough one, but if you're able to maintain a positive outlook, it can also be a fun, exciting time. Hoping to amp up your optimism and get ahead? You'll thrive during the postgrad transition by following these mood-boosting tips:

Connect With Fellow Grads
After four years of roommates, cafeterias, and constant companions, the postgrad life can feel like an awfully lonely road. Feeling a little lost? Look for someone who truly understands what you're going through and reach out to friends who can offer an empathetic ear.

Build a Professional Network
Finding a job can definitely be stressful, so make the task easier on yourself by establishing a strong network of young professionals. The more people you know, the more likely you are to have a valuable, job-securing connection. Begin by reaching out via LinkedIn or Facebook, then send an email to friends and parents who may be able to help. Every little effort will make you feel productive and just a bit more self-assured.

Learn From the Experts
Feeling defeated and uninspired? Do a bit of research to find local lectures related to your field. Attend panels, join job-related groups, and read as much as possible about the industry you hope to join. Taking a few (or several) steps in the right direction will reinvigorate your professional passions and kick-start your enthusiasm.

Remember to Look Forward
It's only natural to get nostalgic every once in a while, but don't let yourself long for the glory days too often. Instead, map out your dream life. Decide where you want to be in five, 10, 15 years, then create an inspiration board to keep your eyes on the prize.

Take Steps Toward Your Goal
It's easy to say what you want, but real happiness comes from acting on that desire. Fantasize about your future as an event planner? Throw parties to showcase your talent, start a blog to build a following, and reach out to experts to find a mentor you respect. Gaining credibility is sure to strengthen your confidence, so you'll be back on the optimistic path in no time.

The bottom line: Transitions aren't easy, so it's important to cut yourself some slack as you move through the gray area. Tuck away the scrapbooks for another time, and for now, just remember to stay connected, put yourself out there, and focus on the bright future that lies ahead of you.