Is it like "noir"?

Some one had me a dictionary, please, or at least a spell checker.

Once again, jobs need to check their advertisements before posting them online.

I went on a sports website and thought I was applying to a sales job. All good in the hood, except the question about "proir" work experience and that the ad got removed. I don't know why it won't let me finish applying, but if it's because the spelling mistake, then by all means, take the who advertisement down, and not have candidates fill 2 pages out (of 4).

You can't make this up...

Got to love AP news...

This is why I am unqualified for a job: I don't fit the writing style standards of the Associated Press.

I was reading the Yahoo News headlines, and clicked on "McCartney's wife resigns from NYC transit board" in the top news.

It may be a brief topic, but, erm, the thing I understood the most out of this article: Wife #3 is still dating around ("music legends"), even though she's married to Macca.

Proof is paragraph 2 "Nancy Shevell married the Beatles great in October" versus paragraph 4 "When she isn't dating music legends [...]" as seen in the photo:

If one were to deduce anything from this article, she's married, but she's still running around. Makes as much sense as a 2 cent nickel.

Cheers,

Pay for a job fair, stay for a game...

... That maybe you don't want to watch.

About 2 months ago, I received an email to pay between 30 and 50 dollars to attend a job fair and then stay for a sports game. I forget what it was, but it was for a Tampa team. I may have written about it. But since Tampa is more than 2 hours away from me, I didn't feel it was dire to waste a trip (in gas) to pay 50 bucks for a job fair. It was one thing when I paid 25 for the New England Revolution's fair, because I wanted to see the home opener as well. But when the meetings turned out to be lousy (not even tables / vendors, and every person in attendance was told to apply online - where the vendors did not accept paper applications right then), I felt this Tampa gig would not be worth it.

Now, I get an email two days ago from the same site that sent me the Tampa information. This new fair is at the Daytona International Speedway.  The fair is going to last an hour and a half (according to the information) and then the race starts.

I'm all for endorsing the Redneck side of sports, but not when I have to pay 55 dollars in support of the job fair. It's really 50 dollars for the race ticket and 5 for the fair, if you think of it like the way the Revs went down. $22 went to the Fort ticket (normal seating for diehards) and $3 for entrance of the fair. I wanted to go to the football match, so spending 25 dollars is not an issue. The issue for the Daytona gig is the fact it's 4 hours and 10 minutes (each way) from me, about $35 worth of gas, and the $55 to attend (AND $14 for ticket processing... total: $69). With the meeting starting at 6pm, I won't make it home until well after midnight. And that's having left my house around 1 in the afternoon (I don't know Florida or its roads too well yet, so give an extra hour to travel).  Plus, who knows if there will be tolls. It's honestly not worth it.

The thing I don't agree with, in regards to the emails, is the fact that these places are doing meet and greets for jobs, to "network" - which is all good, but it's a waste of resources and time. Especially when you're paying just to attend the venue (sport). I learned my lesson from going to a Fenway Park fair 5 years ago, as well as the New England Revolution fair - you can have PR/ HR people from local teams (Revs, Patriots, Celtics and Lowell Spinners had a table, amongst others), but when the line for each table is out the door and you spend 25 to 30 minutes in the line to talk to them, you waste energy for when they tell you they're looking for interns (for college credit... now we're telling this to the 50+ crowd... because...?) or they really are not accepting any type of application or resume, then you have to question why you are really there. It's not fair nor is it right. The three tables I talked to at Gillette, took my resume and paper application, but they said that they won't be looking at anything for at least 2 months afterwards. It was just to get people's information. !!!!!

So thanks, job fairs, for thinking you're doing a good deed for the unemployed or underemployed. You're really doing us all a disservice!

The email I received:

           Dear Amy,

You are invited to attend our next TeamWork Online sports careers professional networking event hosted by Daytona International Speedway.

When: Friday February 24th - 6:00pm
Where: Daytona International Speedway
Parking: Attendees can park free at lot 7 off Bill France Blvd. where free shuttle will be available
Race: Camping World Truck Series - 2012 DIS Nextera Energy 250 NCWTS
Presented by: TeamWork Online

How did I get this invitation? You applied for a job in sports with one of our 750+ clients or signed up for TeamWork Online's professional network. We thought it might be better if you were able to meet face-to-face with your local teammates rather than rely on just computer connections.

What's in it for me? We want to increase your local contacts in the industry. You will have the opportunity to network with senior staff from the Daytona International Speedway and other Daytona sports properties. As the adage goes, the more people you know, the better your chances are at securing your next job.

What's the format? The event will begin one and a half hours before race time. You will meet members of the Daytona International Speedway business staff and other professionals within your area and engage in group discussions about current sports business issues. And you'll enjoy a fun night at the track. (Bring plenty of business cards!)

Cost? starting at $55.00, discount of $30 off regular admission (includes a ticket to the race). Register here or visit this link for more details Purchasing a ticket will automatically register you to become a "teammate" on the TeamWork Online professional network.)

Want to be more engaged in the sports business? Here's your chance. Come join us!
All my best,
Matt

Cheers,

SOPA

Yesterday went down faily decent, so I'm reading. I tried to stay away from the computer because of the whole SOPA and PIPA deal. But to quote the email I received this morning:

Today was nuts, right?

 Google launched a petition.  Wikipedia voted to shut itself off.  Senators' websites went down just from the sheer surge of voters trying to write them.   NYC and SF geeks had protests that packed city blocks.

You made history today: nothing like this has ever happened before.  Tech companies and users teamed up.  Tens of millions of people who make the internet what it is joined together to defend their freedoms.  The free network defended itself.  Whatever you call it, the bottom line is clear: from today forward, it will be much harder to mess up the internet.

The really crazy part?  We might even win.

 Approaching Monday's crucial Senate vote there are now 35 Senators publicly opposing PIPA.  Last week there were 5.   And it just takes just 41 solid "no" votes to permanently stall PIPA (and SOPA) in the Senate.  What seemed like miles away a few weeks ago is now within reach.

 But don't trust predictions.  The forces behind SOPA & PIPA (mostly movie companies) can make small changes to these bills until they know they have the votes to pass. 

Members of Congress know SOPA & PIPA are unpopular, but they don't understand why--so they're easily duped by superficial changes.  The Senate returns next week, and the next few days are critical.  Here are two things to think about:

1. Plan on calling your Senator every day next week.  Pick up the phone each morning and call your Senators' offices, until they vote "no" on cloture.  If your site participated today, consider running a "Call the Senate" link all next week. 

2. Tomorrow, drop in at your Senators' district offices.  We don't have a cool map widget to show you the offices nearest you (we're too exhausted! any takers?).  So do it the old fashioned way: use Google, or the phonebook to find the address, and just walk in, say you oppose PIPA, and urge the Senator to vote "no" on cloture.  These drop-in visits make our spectacular online protests more tangible and credible. 

 That's it for now. Be proud and stay on it!

--Holmes, Tiffiniy, and the whole Fight for the Future team.

 ___

 P.S. Huge credit goes to participants in the 11/16 American Censorship Day protest: Mozilla, 4chan, BoingBoing, Tumblr, TGWTG, and thousands of others.  That's what got this ball rolling!  Reddit, both the community and the team behind it, you're amazing.  And of course, thanks to the Wikimedians whose patient and inexorable pursuit of the right answer brought them to take world-changing action. Thanks to David S, David K, Cory D, and E Stark for bold action at critical times.

 P.P.S. If you haven't already, show this video to as many people as you can. It works! http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa/
 

SOPA / PIPA

As you know by now... I've been posting about the SOPA and Internet Censorship the last month or so... This week is the week... Let's get together and get this killed once and for all. Everything we know about the internet will be shut down - from Craigslist to Facebook, to Google, Twitter and Youtube; everything in between as well. Even this blog faces death. PLEASE do some good and don't let SOPA (or PIPA) pass!!

http://sopastrike.com/


(image courtesy of sopastrike.com)


As I'm not going to be available on the computer until the weekend, I'm spreading the news now.... but I'll try to make it Wednesday!

Cheers

Never gonna give you up...

Never gonna let you down!

Ever want to just shut the radio off when you hear a bad 80s tune? Or the fact that you click (what you think is) a legitimate link and end up getting Rick Roll'd?

That's what happened to me yesterday at work, but instead of clicking a Youtube link, I walked right into the store to hear Rick Astley telling me he's never going to run around and desert me.

My immediate thought was "okay, where are the candid cameras?" and then I realised Christmas is over, so it's time to start pumping up the 80s tunes during the week, to keep customers happy with their shopping. Thanks for the cheesy muzak, retail store.

I guess, in theory, I should be happy I don't have to constantly hear Ava Maria or know that there is a Little Drummer Boy going pa, rum, pa, pum, pum. On the other hand, I have a strong dislike for 80s music, therefore I yearn for the 3 minutes I can get, when something from the 90s turns up (which it did on Saturday... quite a few times) or the minutes I get off the clock, where I can choose to listen to oncoming traffic.

Either way, this blog will never make you cry.

Cheers,

Time to test the conspiracy theorem of 2012

Happy New Year. It's 2012 and we're supposed to be seeing flying cars, hovercrafts and all sorts of transporters, no?

Well, this year brings on the time space continuum that needs to be tested: Conspiracies. According to numerous theorists, we're going to die by some sort of mother nature or science hazard. As in: tsunamis, earthquakes, winter freezes...all across the board, comets and asteroids flying into the planet and destroying it, mass suicide or just plain old death. From what I've read, I can only deduce the fact that it's going to be the real live version of a mash between The Day After Tomorrow and 2012. Pretty much the culmination of the two, times ten. Maybe Al Gore is right: global warming will kick our ass if we're not careful. But then again, who's Al Gore to say it's specifically "us"? The animals of the world contribute, by not as much as humans, but they still factor into the equation... No?

At any rate, it's still early into January first, and we've got a whole 364 days to test out the whack jobs' mutterings. Question is, who's making the Kool Aid this time?