Offbeat Jobs at Startups

Does innovation and variety inspire you? Are you the type of person who thrives around driven, intelligent, creative, passionate people? Then a job at a startup just might be in your future. Be warned though. If you’re going to help build a business from the ground up, you’ll most likely be part of the team building the foundation. In other words, be prepared to get your hands dirty.

It’s not likely that you’ll be hired on as ‘Engineer #1’ and walk out of the office after your first day with a forklift injury, but when you sign on with a startup, be ready to tackle the ”other duties as assigned” part of the job. New companies, especially those with little to no capital, don’t have the means to hire multiple people right out of the gate. So, they rely on the sparse work group they can bring on board to come to work with their A-game every day. As the sayings go, you will have to wear many hats and become a jack-of-all-trades, but the tradeoff can be immeasurable.

Your Government vs. Your Bank: Estate Planning & Eminent Domain

You’d think that banks might be happy for a solution to the mortgage crises. Especially in areas of the country where a majority of homes are underwater, mortgages are delinquent, and homeowners are abandoning their homes in droves. But one recent proposal to help with the problem has big banks up in arms. The solution involves the government obtaining underwater mortgages under its power of eminent domain.

A company called Mortgage Resolution Partners (MRP) developed this proposal, and is working to get county and city governments on board. The idea is that if banks fail to sell the loans to the government when offered fair market value, the government can force the sale under its power of eminent domain. Once the government owns the mortgages, MRP refinances the smaller (fair market value) loans, resulting in much more affordable payments for the homeowners.

Decreasing Labor Force & Increasing Disability Benefit Payments: Correlation?

“Jobs are down!”; “Benefit claims are up!” Alarmists can be heard shrieking and freaking- claiming this is sure evidence that lazy people are fleeing the workforce in order to sit on their butts collecting benefits! – But are they really?

A number of pundits have claimed a direct correlation between the recent upward trend in American’s Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) enrollment and the downturn in the number of people participating in the labor force. For example, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Chief US economist for J.P. Morgan, Michael Feroli, estimated that a quarter of all the people leaving the labor force are enrolling in SSDI. (The Wall Street Journal, 4/10/2013), Adding to the speculation, Fox & Friends commentators claimed the poor numbers shown in a recent jobs report were due to workers choosing to sit on the couch collecting benefits instead of going out to find a job and participating in the labor force. (http://mediamatters.org/research/2013/06/07/fox-rehashes-myth-that-unemployment-and-disabil/194385.)

What the “Fiscal Cliff” Resolution Means for Personal Estate Planning

At the end of 2012 one of the most popular media and water cooler topics was the so-called "Fiscal Cliff."  The Fiscal Cliff was such a frequent topic of discussion and debate because it referred to the serious financial ramifications that the United States would face if the Budget Control Act of 2011 went into effect on December 31, 2012.  These financial changes would have meant an end to the temporary payroll tax cuts, resulting in a 2% tax increase for employees, the end to several tax breaks for businesses, a change to the alternative minimum tax, a rollback of the "Bush tax cuts", and the beginning of taxes related to the Affordable Care Act. However, mere hours before midnight on December 31st, a deal was struck to avoid a financial crisis, and President Obama signed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the "Act").  Among other things this resolution impacted taxes related testamentary and inter vivos gift-giving that may impact estate planning for some.  

  

Injured on the Job: Can You Be Replaced by a Seasonal Employee?

Janet works as a server and an assistant chef at a catering company. During a big event, she slipped on the wet tile floor in the kitchen while carrying a tray of dishes. When she fell, she hit her head on the corner of the sink and was immediately sent to the Emergency Room where she was diagnosed with a concussion. The neurologist told Janet that she should take a week off from work and discuss having a lighter work load and shortened shifts with her employer. Her employer, understanding that her injury was work related, agreed to shorten her shifts and make her work load lighter when she returned after a week. Before Janet was scheduled to return back to work, her concussion symptoms worsened and the neurologist told her she should return to work at a later date. Worried about her job and a pile of bills, Janet filed for workers’ compensation to cover her lost wages; her boss told her that a newly hired seasonal employee could pick up her shifts.

The Wage Gap - Only 13% of Food Workers Earn a Living Wage

Using the 5 most populous states (Illinois – 12,875,255; Florida – 19,317,568; New York – 19,570,261; Texas – 26,059,203; and California – 38,041,430) and comparing the living wage (as calculated by  MIT's Living Wage Calculator) to the minimum wage as reported by Minimum-Wage.org, it's easy to see the wage gap – only 13% of food workers earn a living wage.

Your Shrinking Social Security Check After the Government Shutdown

Millions of Americans, who have inadequate or no income, rely on monthly Social Security payments to pay for their basic living needs.  When the government faced a shutdown, earlier in October, new applicants faced the reality of a delayed process.  According to a Providence Social Security Disability Attorney, more than half of all Social Security cases are denied due to a tough application process.  With the government shutdown, many hopeful applicants, in desperate need of assistance, feared that they may never receive the assistance when they needed it.  However, prospective applicants were not the only ones worrying about the fate of Social Security.  Active recipients of government benefits worried that their assistance would be delayed while the government fought to come to an agreement on federal spending.  Fortunately, Americans who receive Social Security continued to receive their month checks on time.  With the shutdown over, many questions are still left unanswered, including the amount of next year’s Social Security.

The Dot-Com Boom: Perils and Promise of Rapid Growth through Incorporation

The year was 2008 and a new startup called Groupon took the Web by storm.
Groupon’s introduction into the marketplace spawned countless copycats and by 2011 it had already raised more than $1 billion in funding. However, as quickly as it grew … it just as rapidly fell.
The rise and fall of Groupon is but one of the many instances of a business growing too quickly in this dot-com era. Rapid expansion without a firm revenue method has seen the demise of many exciting tech startups but troubles in profitability are but one element of the equation.

Rapid growth often leads to quick, brash decisions in areas such as:

Killing Them Softly: Assisted Suicide

Is Assisted Suicide the Most Humane Way to End Unwanted Life?

Even though suicide is against the law in most of the United States, there are a few places – Oregon, Vermont and Washington – where that law has been turned on its head, providing for physician-assisted suicide (AS) for those victims of terminal and highly painful diseases.

One state, Montana, currently allows AS via a court ruling – what some would consider a legal precedent known as the Baxter decision. The physician responsible for this precedent-setting decision is Dr. Eric Kress, a family practitioner for 26 years. The incident itself, which ended the life of a terminally ill but mentally alert adult via prescription, has passed into history.

Unfair Labor Practices: Starbucks Lawsuit

             

Starbucks, one of the world’s most successful and largest coffee chains, is a customer favorite from the West to East Coast.  A corporation that started out in Seattle as a single retail store in 1971 expanded by great leaps and bounds in 40 plus years looks like a true success story for many business minded individuals.  The multi-million dollar corporation, with over 17,000 stores located internationally, offers numerous work opportunities for budding baristas and coffee aficionados, alike.  Many might think that Starbucks, keeping their small beginnings in mind, may make their employees their number one priority.  However, many Starbucks employees feel the brunt of a money hungry corporation rather than the “employee comes first” approach.  Employees, eager to fight for the respect they deserve are filing lawsuits against Starbucks to receive the workers’ compensation they are owed and rightly deserve; without baristas, Starbucks would not be what they are today.

Weird and Strange Laws

          


Did you know that in Illinois it is illegal to have sex with a corpse? Or that in Michigan it is illegal to sell a duckling that has been dyed? Or that in New Mexico idiots are not allowed to vote, while in South Carolina a man can go to jail for a year for breaking a promise to marry a woman? There are hundreds of state laws that many might find to be weird, causing some to wonder about the story behind their passage. Every law was passed to solve a societal concern. In some cases that concern is shared by a large part of the population, while in other cases the law addresses an issue known to only a few. In still other cases the law was passed to address a concern once shared by many, but now shared by few.

Temperature In Relation To Coal Mining Accidents

Coal Mining History

Coal mining used to be a dirty, dangerous, soul-destroying job. It has since morphed into a dirty and dangerous but rather well-paid job whose toll on the environment has increased even as its toll on the health and well-being of miners has decreased.  

The American coal-mining industry began in the latter half of the 18th century, in Pennsylvania, which was even as late as 1995 the fourth largest coal-producing state in the United States. Miners were typically immigrants, though commonly from countries which also had mining operations, like Wales or Germany. Men who did not know how the mines worked were not welcome because their lack of experience usually ended up killing others in addition to themselves. The only certainty in a coal miner’s life was the ubiquitous presence of coal dust and “gob”; that is, high-potency methane gas. Both, though mitigated by various modern ventilation and filtering methods, remain a constant.

U.S. Lacks Alternative Power Compared to UK

As the climate continues to warm, and normally cool or even cold places like Alaska break records during what is only the first month of summer, U.S. policy makers turn – belatedly – to the idea of alternative power.

It’s far too late to prevent some of the devastating effects of global warming, also known as climate change. In fact, it’s very likely that the planet will not only reach the unimaginable 2-degree increase in temperature predicted by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), but exceed it. This, at least, is the message from James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and a highly reputable (if singularly disturbing) scientist in his own right.

The Mind of a Serial Killer: Dexter

Showtime’s “Dexter”, one of the network’s most popular long running shows, has Dexter Morgan fans starting to mourn the show as its rumored “final” season 8 aired in late June.  Hundreds of thousands of viewers tune in each week to watch the self-proclaimed monster, serial killer Dexter Morgan, carefully select his victims.  Viewers are drawn to Dexter because, while he is a serial killer, he is ridding the world of bad people.  Dexter’s killings play into morality; the good or the bad of another human being.  His victims are never innocent, but instead are guilty of murder, emotional, physical and/or sexual assault and other crimes involving innocent people.  Dexter’s killings attempt to create a balance in an unjust society, but taking a look at Dexter, is he really any better than his deserving victims?

5 Deadliest Workplace Disasters

No. 1, the Most Recent

In the wake of the 2013 clothing factory collapse in Bangladesh, at Rana Plaza, people in the developed world are beginning to turn their eyes and minds to the real cost of the clothing they buy.

And not a moment too soon. The more than 1,100 who died on April 24, and the thousands more who survived, are a haunting lesson in Third World economics. It was only when the larger world outside Bangladesh learned that garment workers were forced back into the building in spite of warnings surrounding the huge crack that had developed, that the incident developed moral overtones.

Is Your Sunscreen Dangerous?

What Is a Sunscreen

Just in time for a really hot summer comes this report from the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, about how sunscreen choices impact your life and, perhaps more importantly, the life of your perpetual motion machine, otherwise known as your offspring.

Will Stricter Gun Laws Decrease Violence and Death

With so many shootings in the news lately, it’s no surprise that Mother Jones is calling 2013 “…the worst year of mass shootings in modern US history.”

Mother Jones is one of the oldest, social-justice oriented, independent nonprofits in the United States according to Sourcewatch, the publication for the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD).

The Center, an online nonprofit investigative reporting consorteum which includes ALECexposed.org and PR Watch, is not blameless, but still stands head and shoulders above such entities as the Heritage Foundation, the Heartland Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who appear aligned in their libertarian and/or rightist stance. 

Business Owner Responsibilities, Five Common Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents

Slips and falls are not only the largest source of injuries in the home; they also occupy the lion’s share of reported injuries in public venues like grocery stores, shopping malls and restaurants. They are also prominent in the construction trades.  More important, they are most often reported in relation to day workers, temporary workers, or seasonal workers, who are at best semi-skilled.

Slips, trips and falls, notes OSHA (the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, a division of the Department of Labor), comprise the majority of general industry accidents as well; “general industry” meaning all the across-the-board enterprises which make, refine, or ship and deliver industrial, consumer and business products around the nation.

Financial Calculator: Avoid Bankruptcy

Even in the worst times, it is possible to avoid bankruptcy. There are, of course, some cases when it is virtually impossible. For instance, many people end up going bankrupt because they suffer a severe illness and, even though they may have a very good job and plenty of savings, they soon find all of their money drained away paying for medical expenses.

Social Media Gifts for Fundraising: 3 Methods to Boost Your Strategy with Promotional Gifts.

Social media is the taking over as the place for fundraisers looking to generate interest, conversation and increase engagement with their cause. It is the ideal platform for communicating with supporters, potential and existing. Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are among many of the online tools now at your disposal. However, social media is yet to make other forms of traditional marketing obsolete and focusing your efforts on an interconnected strategy is imperative to success. The promotional gifts industry is well recognized in the fundraising sector but there are new ways it can be utilized with modern marketing tools.

In a study by the BPMA they found that promotional gifts can increase visibility more than most other forms of promotion.

Turn Your Old Car Green

Most people don’t realize that manufacturing a new vehicle generates a huge amount of carbon dioxide, or CO2, that ubiquitous gas largely associated with global warming and climate change.

The most accurate set of calculations, as worked out by the Guardian (a news source operating in the United Kingdom, or UK), is 720 kilograms (kg; or 1,587 pounds) for each £1,000 ($1,587) spent.  

Extrapolating from that equation, your new car – costing on average $26,000 – has a built-in, coal-generation carbon footprint of 18,720 kg, or very nearly a short ton (which is 20.6 kg). By comparison, even Big Foot comes off looking less like a shaggy hermit and more like Tinker Bell.

Business Owners Hiring Responsibilities : Immigration Law

James, a small business owner, specializes in guitar repairs and general musical instrument sales, as well as offering guitar lessons.  James met Javier, an immigrant from Mexico, when Javier became a regular in the guitar shop.  While the two men got to know each other more, James learned that Javier makes his own acoustic guitars and is a self-taught musician.  Javier came to the United States, with his family, in hopes of having a better quality of life full of employment and educational opportunities.  In the 6 months that Javier has been in the U.S., the only jobs he has been able to get were construction jobs.  Javier wants to quit because the working conditions are unfair and unsafe, but he cannot afford to quit.  James would like to hire Javier to assist with guitar repairs and to give lessons, but James is not sure if he is able to hire Javier, due to the Federal Immigration Law.

Time to repair your roof? Top tips on when you should invest:

Repairing your roof, no matter how small or large the work is, is an investment! Protecting my family and the value of my home seems like a sound investment to me.

 Do you know the current condition of your roof? It is an aspect of our homes that most of us pay very little attention to, unaware as to whether there are any signs of damage. We’d be concerned if there was a crack in our wall, or a missing brick, so why are we less concerned when the damage is happening on our roof?

Deaths Caused by Granuflo and Naturalyte Treatments

Being diagnosed with a chronic health condition can be very difficult. Individuals who are placed in this situation must not only deal with the psychological stressors of illness, but must also face long months of doctors visits, invasive procedures, and on-going therapy. This is especially true for renal patients, who must often undergo dialysis treatments for years before organ replacement becomes an option. Unfortunately, many dialysis patients—such as those who were treated with granuflo and naturalyte—died as a result of their care. Understanding the basics behind the prescribed medications, and the causes and frequency of death can be beneficial for those currently undergoing treatment.

Top Causes of Driver Deaths

The roadways are a busy place, packed with multi-tasking, sleep deprived commuters. It’s not rare to see a driver talking on a cell phone and eating lunch while speeding down the freeway at dangerous speeds, failing to signal lane changes. Each careless and poor decision made by a driver, makes them one step closer to becoming a fatality statistic. Each year, it is estimated that 43,000 or more of the United States’ population die in auto accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Most auto accident deaths could have been prevented if the driver, of either vehicle, would have made different or better choices while driving. Fatal accidents are caused by a careless decision by some driver on the road. As a driver, it is important that you are aware of some of the top causes that lead to driver deaths.

Exposition on the Longshoreman Act

Longshoremen, also known as harbor workers, spend their work day loading and unloading cargo to and from ships. The days can be long, not having routine or consistent hours, as a longshoreman’s shift coordinates with a ship’s schedule. In addition to handling cargo, longshoremen work with potentially dangerous equipment such as cranes, forklifts, and other heavy machinery. Each task can be risky, leading to numerous injuries from minor to fatal, each year. According to the United States Department of Labor, The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides employment-injury and occupational-disease protection to approximately 500,000 workers who are injured or contract occupational diseases occurring on the navigable waters of the United States, or in adjoining areas.

What constitutes a Disability?

When people think of individuals with a disability, many assume that it is solely an obvious and physical impairment. So, what exactly is a disability? Whether you look at Merriam-Webster’s dictionary or the Department of Labor, the definition is about the same. A disability is physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person's major life activities. A disability is not always obvious and it may occur suddenly, rather than over a period of time or since birth. Individuals with disabilities are often too limited to work and earn enough money to cover basic living expenses. Depending on the disability, some individuals have never been able to have an occupation while others have had to quit work when the disability worsened. SSI or Supplemental Security Income was enacted to offer federal financial assistance to individual with disabilities; assistance with basic living needs such as food, shelter and clothing. If you are a disabled individual and are considering applying for SSI, it’s important to know how the Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates and classifies disabilities.

Facebook Mobile Phone: Is Everyone Excited for this?”

There was a large, expectant crowd of people representing the press, self-styled analysts and camera toting eager new-hunters present at the headquarters of Facebook, at Menlo Park, California. The steady drizzle of rain did not deter them as they had gathered to garner news about the much hyped Facebook Mobile Phone. Is this going to be another piece of cleverly designed software that will give Facebook the center stage on devices driven by Android? People were eager to know what Facebook had up its sleeve this time.

The local radio stations were busy giving a running commentary, with short breaks in between to announce the impending visit of President Obama to the locality (Bay Area). None other than the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg went onstage, as the announcement was considered important enough to justify the presence of the most important man at Facebook HQ.

Why Are Life Insurance Policies in Decline?

Why Are Life Insurance Policies in Decline?

According to the Life Insurance and Market Research Association, or LIMRA, 56 percent of U.S. households did not have an individual policy as of 2010, a 50-year high. Many speculate that this is due to the lack of mandatory regulation to have any type of life insurance. Because vehicular and home insurance is mandatory, there is a disproportionate number of people who hold those types of insurance policies, but claim that they don’t have enough funds to afford life insurance. There are numerous other reasons that can account for this decline in life insurance policy holders however a few of the most prevalent reasons can be found below.

How Much Does Google Know About You?

How Much Does Google Know About You infographic

Internet privacy is a very hot topic and it is is being talked about more and more as we become increasingly dependent on computers. Many people are making sure they have firewalls, their data is encrypted and they have passwords that aren't as simple as password123. There are even laws that have attempted to be passed such as the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act or CISPA, which would have destroyed internet privacy as we know it today.

It's no surprise that one of the companies that supported CISPA was Google. This is because CISPA allowed for companies to share your information internet information such as search history and preferences online without the threat of prosecution. So why would Google want to share your information? One word that sums it up, money.

Dell Gines took a look at some of the ways Google tracks its users data below. Internet users have become increasingly more dependent upon Google for almost everything they do online. Want to check out that new viral video? Google the name of it and browse through result or just go to YouTube, which just happens to be owned by Google. Your Gmail account is done through Google, which is used to send and store sensitive data. If you want to access data from another location, you can even store it on your gmail accounts drive. Take a look at the infographic to find out all the ways you depend on Google.

When Social Security Fails-Reverse Home Mortgages

The future of Social Security Insurance benefits in the country is not looking so well. New tax increases have saved the program for now, but many are wondering how much longer the program will hold up. The problem with the depletion of SSI is that many Americans have not prepared properly for retirement and aging generations are facing the real risk of never receiving Social Security – that’s why many are seeking alternative options. Reverse mortgage loans offers seniors a way to pursue financial security through the equity in their home. Learn about reverse home mortgages to determine if these programs are the best option for you.

Review of Best Socially Conscious Business Apps

After carefully reviewing and testing hundreds of apps suggested by The Business Insider, PC Mag, and Information Week, the apps below are the ones which offer the most to the socially conscious business person. Check out the reviews of these useful apps for the modern socialpreneur, most of which can be used by people with only a basic understanding of mobile technology.

Apps for Reducing Waste

iRecycle, iOS, Android

This app lets you locate local recycling locations for various types of materials. iRecycle offers over 1.5 million ways to recycle over 350 types of materials. Businesses which produce any type of waste will discover how to immediately reduce their carbon footprint by keeping their trash out of landfills.

Protecting Your Intellectual Property

These days, getting ahead—at least from a financial standpoint—has become more and more difficult. While some people are able to make strides when it comes to advancing in their career field or chosen profession, others fall farther behind. Though there are a number of different ways in which individuals can succeed financially, developing a new product or service is one of the most popular. Individuals who have developed a new invention may want to “protect” their idea—or intellectual property—from theft by other businessmen and women. Understanding the basics behind intellectual property, why it should be protected, and how this task can be done is essential for those who hope to capitalize on their concept. 

Top Ten Tips to Quickly Fix Your Credit

Improving your credit can seem like an uphill battle, especially if your credit score has taken a few hits due to things like late credit card payments, defaulted student loans, or persistently high balances on your accounts. However, with steady adherence to the following tips, your credit will be on the road to recovery.

Help Us Reach One More Special Olympics Athlete!

Finding one’s place in the world can be a difficult task. In many cases, individuals experience challenges when it comes to identifying their strengths and socializing with people who demonstrate similar values. The process of discovering where one “fits in” can be especially formidable for those who suffer from a mental disability. Fortunately, specific groups designed to target individuals who suffer from these types of conditions—such as the Special Olympics—can be crucial when it comes to discovering a sense of self-esteem. Before committing to Special Olympics, potential participants and their parents should have a basic understanding of the organization itself, as well as a comprehension of how to enroll in Special Olympics and participation options.

Is Organic Food Really Better?

In the late 2000s, products with the label ‘organic’ started showing up more and more in commercial supermarkets, and farmers markets all of a sudden became popular again. You can almost assuredly credit the organic movement to public awareness through media stories and popular documentaries which blew the cover on toxic and non-organic food.

A Brief List of 2012 Food & Grocery Recalls

Have you ever walked into a grocery store on Monday and purchased a brand new food product (at least to you) that you think might be really nice to try. After cooking it up you thought it was pretty good, even if you possible got sick (but with all the random things we ingest it is always hard to figure out what exactly got us sick). So you decide to go back to the store the following Monday and pick up the same product. But lo and behold…. It is no longer being carried.  You decide to do some investigating (aka… type  the product name in Google) and all of a sudden you see a news report saying that the product has been recalled due to Salmonella poisoning!

Toxic Exposure from Plastic Bottle Manufacturers- BPA

Many consumers are raising an eyebrow over products containing a component known as BPA. Agencies such as the FDA, CDC, and many other government and private companies are learning more and more about this chemical, and the findings are not good. Learn what you need to know about toxic BPA exposure as a consumer.

Preparing for the future…Again- (Social Security)

In case you have never heard of Social Security or are a bit unsure as to what exactly it is- here is a brief definition: Social Security is a type of social insurance meant to protect citizens from succumbing to financial troubles from unemployment or underemployment due to age, disability, and other special circumstances (ideally). Funds for Social Security benefits are pulled from federal payroll taxes and are then paid to the citizen when they qualify for benefits under certain criteria. Social Security comes out of the worker’s paycheck and it is paid back to them once they need it due to retirement, disability, or death – if a worker dies before collecting benefits, Social Security is typically paid out to their spouse or family. The threat of Social Security becoming a thing of the past is nearing closer to reality. The government has had to restructure the program many times to ensure benefits to the current recipients of SSI, but future generations may possibly never collect benefits.

Cerebral Palsy: Your Rights and Social Responsibility

 

Having a baby is one of the happiest moments in a parent’s life. From the moment you learn that you are pregnant, emotions of excitement and anticipation accompany you until the delightful moment that your little one enters the world.  Mothers work hard to ensure that they eat properly, get enough rest and take care of themselves while pregnant to ensure the health of their baby.  Couples interview doctors and choose a qualified care provider that can make assure their child is cared for during pregnancy and delivery.  Parents put their trust in hospitals and medical professionals every day asking of them one simple thing – do a good job and deliver my child safely.  Unfortunately accidents during delivery happen, and when they do children are at risk for cerebral palsy.