Monthly Archives: January 2013

The Job Facts Speak for Themselves

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The following facts about using social media to help you find a job are easily obtained on the Internet. I wanted to do the work for you because of what I talked about yesterday. If my 68-year-old friend nailed a job using his social media skills, so can you.

Online Colleges offered the following information.

1) One in six job seekers credit social media with landing their current job. That number is increasing every month.

2) Posting a social résumé allows you to see who is looking at you and provides you with other interesting analytics.

3) 92 per cent of employers in 2012 report using social media to find employees.

4) Recruiters used LinkedIn 98 percent of the time to find candidates.

5) Job seekers used Facebook the most, 52 percent.

6) Check out http://www.resumesocial.com, http://www.visualcv.com, razume.com, and ziggs.com. These sites will help you reach out to new contacts, search for jobs, create and share, and network.

The opportunity to find a job through social media is such a natural. It is very surprising that it took us this long to recognize its potential.

Check out the chart below. In fact, save the image to your camera roll. You can refer to it all the time.

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We Are Not Too Late for a Second Career

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Just when a friend of mine lost all hope of getting a job at 68 years of age, he was offered a CEO position at a financial services company in Raleigh, NC. Ken had been out of work for eight years and just could not land a position. Prior to that, he held sales and marketing positions at various companies. We would sit on the phone for hours bemoaning our fate. All the good jobs and assignments were going to younger people.

Then one day Ken’s granddaughter introduced him to several social media platforms, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, others. He started to socialize online the way he used to network in person. He dedicated himself to only posting info that made him look desirable for a high ranking position: 1-Business stories he found in his daily readings about a targeted niche. 2-Short, positive thoughts about changes in the specific industry he was interested in. 3-Inspiring comments about recent industry speeches and activities that he posted on other people’s blogs, podcasts, videos and group discussions.

Ken’s main goal was to appear knowledgeable and ageless. He carefully scrutinized every sentence he posted so that he always appeared positive, hopeful, and determined. There was never an attitude, a need to show-off or self-righteousness. It was all about presenting himself as a confident individual who knows how to get things done.

He was very disciplined about his postings. Ken made himself extremely visible and consistent. One day he received an email from a member of the board of a medium-sized financial company in Raleigh that mostly deals with real estate investments. The email was an invitation to a roundtable discussion about the stock market being held at company headquarters. Other outsiders were being invited too. He had to pay for his travel. All else was comped.

He went. When Ken came back from the two-day meeting he was a new man. Not only did he feel refreshed and enthused, but he felt relevant for the first time in years. His participation in social media gave him the business degree he never got. He taught himself so much about what was happening in business today that he actually became more knowledgable than many executives 10 years younger than himself.

Ken used the time away from the daily grind of business to actually become a strategist. The roundtable discussion in Raleigh was really an audition for all those who were invited to participate. Ken got the highest marks because he was the only one who understood and appreciated how to use today’s digital assets.

Today, Ken travels to Raleigh every Monday through Thursday and works from his home in Alpine, NJ on Fridays. He plans to work until he drops. He said he spent eight years in a forced retirement already and was miserable. These days he feels more alive and satisfied. While he doesn’t have much time to BS with me anymore, he doesn’t miss a day of being a voice online. He is gaining more traction than ever before and is teaching his grandchildren social resume skills that will be their calling card in the future

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Do You Think This Was a Set-Up?

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Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, showing off the next big step in technology, augmented-reality glasses.

Being a publicist, I am always suspicious when I read a story about something that happened “by chance.” People like me make “those chances” happen. Do I really believe that one of the richest men in the world, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, was riding the number 3 subway train downtown on Sunday when a stranger spotted him wearing Google’s augmented-reality glasses? Seconds later, the stranger (Noah Zerkin) tweeted the photo of Brin and the post got picked up on every online tech site, newspaper, and entertainment TV show within the next 24 hours.

This is what Noah Zerkin (@noazark) January 21, 2013, said on Twitter. “I just had a brief conversation with the most powerful man in the world. On the downtown 3 train. Nice guy.” Then he posted his photo. Zerkin is an interactive installation consultant who is a self-professed augmented-reality enthusiast who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Puh-leeze!

For those of you who don’t know about Google’s augmented-reality glasses, it is really worth researching because it is going to be the next big thing in technology. The glasses feature a translucent rectangle (the size of a postage stamp) that transmits data directly into your eye. Swiping motions can be made on the side of the headset to navigate the app interfaces. You can take hands-free photos, videos, and other soon-to-be announced tasks. The glasses are truly mind-boggling. A few years from now we will all be using them. They are slated to go on sale in 2014 for around $1,400. By that time, Google will have figured out some very practical uses for this device.

Meanwhile, I think I am the only one who feels the subway incident was a staged event. I have had my own share of PR “coincidences.” I staged Mohammad Ali to show up at a BSR (USA) sales rep meeting at the Chicago Hilton Tower Suites so he could throw air punches with retail customers. We pretended that he was having dinner downstairs with friends during our meeting. Through some miraculous last minute offer to show him the product line that was being introduced, he agreed to come up to the suite to say hello to the audience. The entire shtick was arranged weeks in advance and cost BSR lots of moola to get the champ to agree to the action-packed photo-op. Some retailers still have their photos displayed on the walls of their offices (or retirement homes).

Or how about the time we accidentally-on-purpose, lost a prototype for a new hand-held game for my electronics client in a New York City taxi cab during Toy Fair. The owners of the company offered a huge cash reward if anyone found and returned the one-of-a-kind mock up. Instantly, the brand became the talk of the entire convention.

I could go on and on about publicity stunts, but then I would be staging my own career death. That’s all for now.

Interesting Political Tweets

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Sarah Palin (@SarahPalinUSA)
1/21/13, 11:19 AM
Today Americans honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s been 30 years since President… fb.me/1PzcZqPI3

Chuck Todd (@chucktodd)
1/21/13, 11:45 AM
Lamar Alexander twice ran for WH. One of the most extensive resumes of any current senator

Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer)
1/21/13, 11:54 AM
On day 2 men r sworn it, recall that we’re a nation of laws, not men. For all the faults in our system, our system is our strength

The White House (@whitehouse)
1/21/13, 11:55 AM
Obama: “while freedom is a gift from God, it must be secured by His people here on Earth.” #inaug2013

Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff)
1/21/13, 11:55 AM
Second inaugurations aren’t unlike second marriages: a triumph of hope over experience.

Governor Christie (@GovChristie)
1/21/13, 12:32 PM
Today also marks MLK Jr Day of Service. I encourage New Jerseyans to honor Dr. King’s life & legacy w/ acts of service within our community.

The Associated Press (@AP)
1/21/13, 1:03 PM
Here is the text of President Barack Obama’s inaugural address: apne.ws/11M2UuP #inaug2013 -MM

Bill O’Reilly (@oreillyfactor)
1/21/13, 2:02 PM
VIDEO— Will: NRA more popular than Obama… Watch: bit.ly/10inBt1

richardbranson (@richardbranson)
1/21/13, 2:33 PM
#inaug2013 Exciting day for US & all who want more progress in the next 4 years virg.in/aug

Al Gore (@algore)
1/21/13, 2:38 PM
Great to hear President Obama call for climate action in today’s #inaug2013 address. Congratulations Mr. President bit.ly/VgnNwd

Rick Perry (@GovernorPerry)
1/21/13, 2:45 PM
Hey Phil….Texas is home to liberty and low taxes…we would love to have you as well !! tinyurl.com/b3zuhnd

Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee)
1/21/13, 3:02 PM
Anthony Kearns on his performances during the Inauguration, including Joint Chiefs Chair Martin Dempsey. justsayinapp.com/post/130175ad2…

Rolling Stone (@RollingStone)
1/21/13, 3:14 PM
Take a look through photos of the all-star musicians who have visited Obama in the White House: rol.st/YehbiV #inaug2013

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
1/21/13, 3:46 PM
“Socialists think profits are a vice; I consider losses the real vice.” – Winston Churchill

Yahoo! omg! (@YahooOmg)
1/21/13, 4:31 PM
Wow! Prince Harry opens up about being and uncle, and killing Taliban in Afghanistan! – yhoo.it/TbQ5Y8

Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow)
1/21/13, 4:54 PM
The MSNBC liveshot of the first family at the reviewing stand right now is a view we never see of them. Totally casual and candid

Al Roker (@alroker)
1/21/13, 5:06 PM
To have been acknowledged by the President and Vice President on a day honoring the man that made that possible is that much more special

Timothy Leary (@DrLeary)
1/21/13, 5:28 PM
For the first time ever, an inaugural address mentioned the rights of gay Americans–Obama states “America’s jou… bit.ly/10jdQuP

Glenn Beck (@glennbeck)
1/21/13, 6:21 PM
Hope you enjoyed the #MisfitBall! Here’s a look at what was going on backstage… bit.ly/WbF8og

The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport)
1/21/13, 6:25 PM
“Has it always been that we’re in a constant state of crisis in Congress? Because it’s exciting!” on.cc.com/13Iu9ES

Sean Hannity (@seanhannity)
1/21/13, 8:15 PM
The most divisive Inauguration Speech in history today-will discuss & take events/speeches live tonite w @KarlRove @repgregwalden @RepDavid

Romney last Tweeted in November
Mitt Romney (@MittRomney)
11/10/12, 2:37 PM
From the bottom of our hearts, Ann and I thank you for your support, prayers, efforts, & vote. We are forever grateful to every one of you.

Silicon Valley is Broadway Bound

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There are a number of regional musicals that are all about two of the most famous Internet pioneers, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Eliot and I were asked to invest in a few of them. None of the scripts we read thrilled us. It was difficult to get excited about musicals that depict the lives of nerds who became billionaires.

We think this is a fascinating subject that just doesn’t translate to song and dance. Maybe we are wrong. You can judge for yourself. The one show that has a shot at making it to Broadway is “Nerds,” a musical comedy that is currently playing at the A.J Theater in Raleigh, NC. It runs to February 3rd. It stars Darren Ritchie, Stanley Bahorek, Leslie Kritzer, and Diana DeGarmo.

We hope one of the musicals is as good as “The Social Network,” the story of Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. While many people feel the movie was pure fiction, at least it gave you a flavor of what took place to build a social media platform that has become a national sensation. The story of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates certainly deserves the same chance.

Digital Magazines Debut Before Print

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I knew this day would come but I didn’t think this soon. Hearst Magazines just announced that its digital issues will now be available on iPads before the print ones are on newsstands or in the mail to subscribers.

This is huge news considering most magazine publishers were reluctant to go digital just a few years ago. It turns out that magazine readers love when new issues show up on their screens, they don’t have to carry around a lot of weight, and they are saving trees.

Let’s give a round of applause to Apple and Hearst for working together leading the way for a better reading experience.

Hearst titles include Seventeen, Esquire and Popular Mechanics.

Hearst says it is nearing a million online subscribers while also seeing a sharp increase in revenue.

“Giving the Finger” could possibly be a “Cool Factor”

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I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember any of my passwords. I have about 75 different ones because I use many different websites, apps, social media platforms, blogs, YouTube, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, video chats, wire services, databanks, and banking terminals. I keep my passwords on an app called “mSecure” that lists everything in alphabetical order. I also keep printed lists with me in a secret compartment when I travel.

Very little helps. I am so lazy! I hate looking up my passwords. It’s just another step in a long process of digital “to do’s.” I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I can look up the password for let’s say, Facebook, post an entry and close the site, then remember something that I wanted to add. Damn it! I can’t remember the password I just used a few minutes ago. Back to the “MSecure” App list one more time.

That is why I am happy to report that Google announced today that they are working on a high tech ring that you wear on your finger to authorize entry to all of your accounts. You wave your finger in the air, or tap your device to recognize your password. I am so looking forward to an easy solution to help make logging in easier.

Google is also working with YubiKeys , a company that makes USB drives in the shape of a key, that is capable of reading your password on your computer or even from the cloud. How voodoo is that? Some of my friends are not happy about using devices to unlock codes because they believe we can lose them or even get them stolen. Then we are really in trouble.

I just want an easier solution than having to look up my list of passwords. If Google can develop the best reference system in the world that answers any question we may have, then they can certainly figure out how to “Abracadabra” all of our many devices.

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Take A Break From Your Marriage

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Now that I have your attention with my somewhat shocking headline, I want to tell you about a website under development that is going to address your secret desires. By secret desires, I mean something you used to do a lot of but no longer can because your other half has no interest in it. That could mean tennis, golf, sailing, bowling, ballroom dancing, skiing, whatever. I know many married people who abandoned a passion because his or her spouse (or significant other) just has no interest in that particular activity.

The new site is going to network people (married or single) who want to find others to share their interests. For example, if you love to play tennis, you will be able to find a partner near you. If you want to see a certain play but don’t want to go alone, the website will help you find a companion for the evening. Don’t want to dine alone? This site will produce lots of people to join you and split the check.

When I first learned about this site, I thought that this was a playground to break up a lot of marriages. Someone also warned me that this was a cover for an escort service. Others said this reminded them of parties decades ago where married couples threw their house keys into the center of the room and went home with the person who owned the key they selected. Yuck !

The male investors who came up with the networking site approached me about handling the PR. At first, I thought they were joking. They are dead serious. They are targeting folks who are 40 plus. They expect to have lots of activity from those in their 50s and 60s.

The founders claim this site is not about philandering. It’s more about finding your inner self again. They believe it will build stronger marriages because people will feel more fulfilled and have an outlet for their hobbies and interests.

We are having a meeting in a few weeks to discuss the business model. I have to check out the legalities.

How legit do you think this is?

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Coming to a Windshield Near You

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It is very apparent that the automobile is not taking a “back seat” to the home when it comes to innovation. Every year, more and more automobile manufacturers are showing up at International CES because they want to be known as advanced technology companies. The editorial coverage they get at CES is good enough to warrant the expense. This year we witnessed automobiles that can drive, fix, and talk to themselves.

Now comes a new technology that even the best science fiction writers will be shocked to see. It is called “Head-Up Display,” also known at HUD. It’s a transparent display (like a ghost) that is projected on the windshield so drivers like you stay focused on-the-road ahead. Now you will be able to read all kinds of safety and traffic information like weather warnings, clearances for lane changes, incoming phone call identifications, driving directions, traffic jams and general news. There is even talk about gesture controls in the future. At some point we will be able to swipe the windshield to find out how fast the car next to us is going. Wild isn’t it?

The technology was originally developed for military aviation but automobiles are quickly adopting it. HUD has three primary components: a projector, a combiner, and a video generator. Together, the elements generate the imagery on a windshield.
Texas Instruments showed a full color prototype display at CES that could work with a backup camera. That means that for the first time ever, your windshield will project everything that is going on behind you. Harman showed a HUD prototype at CES which claims to be brighter than anything else available today.

Both companies believe that HUD will start appearing in automobiles by 2015.

Lose Weight by Sucking the Food Out of You

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Pump and Dump

Pump and Dump

AA

I really felt that I was in the twilight zone when I learned that there was an apparatus for treating obesity by extracting food right out of your stomach. I knew that I had to delve further into this right away so that all my readers could be among the first to know about AspireAssist. The do-it-yourself stomach pump was developed by Dean Kamen, the same inventor who created the Segway.

I have included two videos that show you how the tube gets professionally put in your stomach and then how you can suck the food out yourself. Gross? Not really. It all makes sense. I can draw two conclusions right away. One, you will be thin for the rest of your life. Two, you may not live very long. I am not a medical person so I have no idea what I am talking about other than to say be sure to seek medical advice before you dare to think about doing this.

CNET, a tech news site, quoted Kamen who said the procedure is “minimally invasive.” The 20-minute procedure involves being fitted with a removable stomach valve and a tube that leads from the top of the stomach to the valve’s outside port. Users wait a half hour after eating before starting the elimination process. They go to the bathroom and attach the AspireAssist to the port. An estimated third of the meal is drained out through the apparatus into the toilet.

The body reportedly still absorbs the calories it needs to function. Early trials show that patients lost about 45 pounds the first year using AspireAssist. Those who aspirated on a regular basis and adhered to a healthier food plan lost much more.

Don’t rush out to buy this yet. The AspireAssist is available in Europe but it has not been approved for sale in the United States yet.