105-year-old woman renews driver’s license

105-year-old woman renews driver’s license - 105-year-old Edythe Kirchmaier recently renewed her California drivers license (Facebook)There apparently isn’t much that can slow down Edythe Kirchmaier. The 105-year-old California resident made headlines on Monday when she passed her driving test – continuing 86 years without a blemish on her driving record and maintaining her status as the state's oldest living driver.

"I just couldn't imagine myself without a car," Kirchmaier told FoxNews.com. "It just didn't feel very good."

And that’s far from the only bit of notoriety to crop up recently in Kirchmaier’s life. Facebook has declared her its most senior user, she's the University of Chicago's oldest living former student, last week she appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show to celebrate her birthday and she has been a volunteer with the Direct Relief International (DRI) organization for 40 years.

To honor Kirchmaier, who says she wants to use her age milestone to help inspire volunteer efforts around the world, DRI set up a Facebook app where her fans can light a virtual candle to help celebrate her 105th birthday. The page includes a short video narrated by "Glee" actress Jane Lynch and has been making the rounds on social media circles, referenced by celebrities and other notable individuals, including Victoria Justice, Ricki Martin journalist Nick Kristof and the musical band Depeche Mode.

Kirchmaier reportedly drives herself to DRI each week, where she leads a team of volunteers.

"I think I’m a pretty good driver," Kirchmaier told Fox. "I feel safe about getting my driver's license renewed because I’ve never had an accident."

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Current Petraeus affair has nothing on nation’s first sex scandal

Current Petraeus affair has nothing on nation’s first sex scandal - The current sex scandal involving the C.I.A., the F.B.I., the military, and possibly several private citizens isn’t the first in Washington, but it has some things in common with the huge scandal that hit Alexander Hamilton more than 200 years ago.

The Maria Reynolds affair was the David Petraeus-Paula Broadwell-John Allen triangle of its day in the 1790s, with its admission of adultery, scandalous mail exchanges, and a high-profile resignation.

Alexander Hamilton

The Hamilton scandal also involved some elements that have nothing in common with the current situation: blackmail, a potential Founding Fathers duel, and a key role by two future U.S. presidents, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe.

And Aaron Burr, the man who eventually killed Hamilton in 1804, made two cameo appearances as the events unfolded.

In the 1790s, Hamilton was arguably the second- or third-most powerful politician in the United States, after his mentor, Washington, and Hamilton’s arch-enemy, Jefferson.

But Hamilton had many foes due to his aggressive role in government. Hamilton had started the first political party in the nation, the Federalists and battled leaders within his own party as well as Jefferson and his followers.

Hamilton became the first treasury secretary of the United States in 1789 and was President Washington’s most-trusted adviser. But he resigned in early 1795, reportedly to seek a lucrative private sector career working as a lawyer in New York.

But Hamilton was harboring a secret.

During Washington’s first term in office, Secretary Hamilton started an affair in 1791 with Maria Reynolds, a Philadelphia woman seeking money to leave her abusive husband and return to New York.

Unknown to Hamilton, Reynolds’ husband knew of the affair. James Reynolds forced the married Hamilton to pay him blackmail if he wanted to continue the liaison. Hamilton did.

James Reynolds was then caught in a separate financial scheme and tried to implicate Hamilton in that plot in 1792. The speaker of the House, Frederick Muhlenberg; Monroe; and a third Congress member confronted Hamilton.

Not only did the treasury secretary confirm the affair, Hamilton also handed over much of his mail correspondence with Reynolds to the men. The letters apparently proved that Hamilton wasn’t involved in the second financial scheme involving Reynolds.

Monroe and Muhlenberg agreed to keep the incident quiet, but Jefferson may have known of the affair. Monroe had given copies of the letters and records of the meetings with Hamilton to John Beckley, the clerk of the House of Representatives, to be sealed.

Five year later, Beckley was fired as House clerk by the Federalists, and all of the papers were suddenly made public in 1797 in what we would call a tabloid publication run by Philadelphia publisher James Callender.

Furious, Hamilton responded by publishing a denial and marching to Monroe’s house to ask him how the confidential papers became public. Monroe and Hamilton argued, and dueling challenges were exchanged.

A deadly battle between the future president and Hamilton seemed destined to happen, but Monroe’s second intervened in a series of letters and calmed down the two men. The second was Aaron Burr.

Burr was also the divorce attorney for Maria Reynolds.

Hamilton responded by publishing more correspondence on the matter, including 50 letters from Reynolds and fellow politicians and the dueling threats with Monroe.

The Maria Reynolds affair ended Hamilton’s likelihood of holding political office again. He remained a behind-the-scenes player in the Federalist Party, but would never become president–and his party wouldn’t win the presidency again in his lifetime.

But one lingering question remains today: What was Hamilton’s true role in the affair?

One theory that emerged in the 1970s, from a Jeffersonian scholar, was that some of the letters from Reynolds, depicting Hamilton’s innocence in the financial part of the scandal, were forged.

American Heritage magazine has a detailed account of the story online.

It also has an interesting footnote about those 50 papers that Hamilton published in 1797, which allegedly proved his innocence. The originals were supposed to be in the possession of William Bingham, a U.S. senator in Philadelphia who was one of America’s wealthiest men.

Bingham said he never received the papers in Philadelphia and the originals have been missing since then. ( National Constitution Center )

READ MORE - Current Petraeus affair has nothing on nation’s first sex scandal

Why Afternoon May Be the Best Time to Exercise

Why Afternoon May Be the Best Time to Exercise - Does exercise influence the body’s internal clock? Few of us may be conscious of it, but our bodies, and in turn our health, are ruled by rhythms. “The heart, the liver, the brain — all are controlled by an endogenous circadian rhythm,” says Christopher Colwell, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles’s Brain Research Institute, who led a series of new experiments on how exercise affects the body’s internal clock. The studies were conducted in mice, but the findings suggest that exercise does affect our circadian rhythms, and the effect may be most beneficial if the exercise is undertaken midday.

For the study, which appears in the December Journal of Physiology, the researchers gathered several types of mice. Most of the animals were young and healthy. But some had been bred to have a malfunctioning internal clock, or pacemaker, which involves, among other body parts, a cluster of cells inside the brain “whose job it is to tell the time of day,” Dr. Colwell says.

 

These pacemaker cells receive signals from light sources or darkness that set off a cascade of molecular effects. Certain genes fire, expressing proteins, which are released into the body, where they migrate to the heart, neurons, liver and elsewhere, choreographing those organs to pulse in tune with the rest of the body. We sleep, wake and function physiologically according to the dictates of our body’s internal clock.

But, Dr. Colwell says, that clock can become discombobulated. It is easily confused, for instance, by viewing artificial light in the evening, he says, when the internal clock expects darkness. Aging also worsens the clock’s functioning, he says. “By middle age, most of us start to have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep,” he says. “Then we have trouble staying awake the next day.”

The consequences of clock disruptions extend beyond sleepiness. Recent research has linked out-of-sync circadian rhythm in people to an increased risk for diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, memory loss and mood disorders, including depression.

“We believe there are serious potential health consequences” to problems with circadian rhythm, Dr. Colwell says. Which is why he and his colleagues set out to determine whether exercise, which is so potent physiologically, might “fix” a broken clock, and if so, whether exercising in the morning or later in the day is more effective in terms of regulating circadian rhythm.

They began by letting healthy mice run, an activity the animals enjoy. Some of the mice ran whenever they wanted. Others were given access to running wheels only in the early portion of their waking time (mice are active at night) or in the later stages, the equivalent of the afternoon for us.

After several weeks of running, the exercising mice, no matter when they ran, were found to be producing more proteins in their internal-clock cells than the sedentary animals. But the difference was slight in these healthy animals, which all had normal circadian rhythms to start with.

So the scientists turned to mice unable to produce a critical internal clock protein. Signals from these animals’ internal clocks rarely reach the rest of the body.

But after several weeks of running, the animals’ internal clocks were sturdier. Messages now traveled to these animals’ hearts and livers far more frequently than in their sedentary counterparts.

The beneficial effect was especially pronounced in those animals that exercised in the afternoon (or mouse equivalent).

That finding, Dr. Colwell says, “was a pretty big surprise.” He and his colleagues had expected to see the greatest effects from morning exercise, a popular workout time for many athletes.

But the animals that ran later produced more clock proteins and pumped the protein more efficiently to the rest of the body than animals that ran early in their day.

What all of this means for people isn’t clear, Dr. Colwell says. “It is evident that exercise will help to regulate” our bodily clocks and circadian rhythms, he says, especially as we enter middle age.

But whether we should opt for an afternoon jog over one in the morning “is impossible to say yet,” he says.

Late-night exercise, meanwhile, is probably inadvisable, he continues. Unpublished results from his lab show that healthy mice running at the animal equivalent of 11 p.m. or so developed significant disruptions in their circadian rhythm. Among other effects, they slept poorly.

“What we know, right now,” he says, “is that exercise is a good idea” if you wish to sleep well and avoid the physical ailments associated with an aging or clumsy circadian rhythm. And it is possible, although not yet proven, that afternoon sessions may produce more robust results.

“But any exercise is likely to be better than none,” he concludes. “And if you like morning exercise, which I do, great. Keep it up.” ( nytimes.com )

READ MORE - Why Afternoon May Be the Best Time to Exercise

'Earliest known life on Earth' may just be cracks in rock, study finds

'Earliest known life on Earth' may just be cracks in rock, study finds - Twenty years ago scientists hailed the important discovery of the oldest fossils on the planet, 3.5-billion-year-old microbes found embedded in rock in Australia.

But a new analysis of the microscopic structures has returned a surprising result - that they are not biological material at all.

In a new study published in Nature Geoscience, the US scientists suggest they may in fact simply be a series of rock fractures filled with crystals.

A new study claims the so-called fossils found in rock in the Pilbara region of Western Australia do not even contain carbon

The finding suggests that astrobiologists examining distant planets such as Mars must be careful labelling alien objects 'life', when researchers cannot be certain even with the evidence in front of them on Earth.

The Apex Chert formation in Western Australia's Pilbara region had been interpreted as cyanobacteria, once known as blue-green algae.

But the claim that the structures were carbon-based lifeforms has always been controversial, and so geologists from the University of Kansas decided to take another look.

Like previous teams, they cut slices of rock just 300 microns thick - roughly three times the diameter of a human hair - to study under the microscope, but this time added 30 micron sections to allow more light into the sample.

This revealed fractures within the rock that were filled with two unknown materials. Further analysis using a laser identified the mystery minerals were in fact haematite and quartz, neither of which are biological materials.

'It's one of those funny moments in science when you go out to do one thing and it completely flips 180 on you,' co-author Craig Marshall said. 'We discovered things were a little more complex than we thought they would be.'

The scientist who originally interpreted the structures as fossils, J. William Schopf, has prepared a response to the study but it has not yet been published. ( dailymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - 'Earliest known life on Earth' may just be cracks in rock, study finds

Why do other women resent me for having a fourth child?

Why do other women resent me for having a fourth child? - When Lorraine told friends she was pregnant at 42, she was horrified by the sniping and jealousy it provoked. Why should only women like Posh Spice, Heidi Klum, Jules Oliver and Tana Ramsay, who have the money and lifestyle, be able to have larger families?

When I was younger, I never wanted ­children. Never fantasised about what my future family may look like as a teenager, or day-dreamed of baby names in quieter moments at work.

It’s not that I didn’t like children, but I could see how much they needed and the younger me wanted other things so much more.

Even when my little sister had a child at 27 the thought of ever having one of my own didn’t cross my mind; motherhood wasn’t the logical conclusion to my life.

Mother's pride: Lorraine Candy was horrified by the reaction she got when she told friends she was pregnant withe her fourth child

Until I fell in love at 29. Then my world changed. Instead of seeing everything through a sort of selfish soft-focus I suddenly knew with complete clarity that I wanted a family.

The shift in my priorities was enormous. It was emotional and physical.

I was Editor of Cosmopolitan at the time — the job I had waited my whole career as a journalist for — but running alongside my ambition was my new and overwhelming need to start a family.

And here I am, 11 years later, awaiting the birth of my fourth baby in May. Sounds impressive doesn’t it? Mother-of-four: a statement of status for our times?

If you add ‘full-time job’ and the word ‘married’ it’s showing off on a whole other level isn’t it?

A Blue-Peter badge of maternal and marital success? Pass me the champagne for it would appear my life is complete: it seems I have ‘got-it-all’ (how ironic for the ex-editor of a magazine that coined that ridiculous phrase?).

Got it all? Victoria, who is pregnant with her fourth child, and David Beckham with their three children Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz

And the subtext, of course, is ­‘affluent, middle-class’ married mother of four.

In 1964 one in five families ­consisted of four or more children, by 2009 that figure had dropped to one in ten. So today it’s more unusual to have four, it’s seen as a luxury and, as a result, people’s views on larger broods have changed.

You probably assume that I never see my off-spring, who are being raised by an army of nannies in an Elton John-style nursery, Warhols hanging on the walls and Tiffany toys in the cot.

I have merely been a ‘gestational carrier’ as Nicole Kidman would say, popping the babies out and getting my stretch marks botoxed the next day.

Also the implication, I read recently, of ­having four is that my children are just status symbols or living accessories and having so many is the female equivalent of being a ‘master of the universe’ to ­borrow a phrase from Tom Wolfe.

Or it’s decadence on a par with Imelda Marcos’s shoe collection.

I mean, surely only women like Posh Spice, Heidi Klum, Jules Oliver and Tana Ramsay have the money and lifestyle to have double the average number of children?

And I guess you also assume these women’s husbands work so hard they don’t see the family at all.

If this is life for a family of six you may smugly conclude we don’t want it, it’s better to be a foursome with a smaller car and less strangers in your house.

Of course, I exaggerate to make a point because I feel the need to explain — not justify — my reasons for having a fourth baby at the age of 42.

The response to each of my previous pregnancies was overwhelmingly ­positive.

Admittedly, when I had the third and continued to work full-time a few more traditional (male) eyebrows were raised.

But this time I have encountered what is best described as ‘a not altogether enthusiastic response’ to my condition. It’s been much less celebratory.

There’s been jealousy (and, of course, I understand this especially with couples finding it difficult to start a family), impatient eye rolling and quite a bit of general tutting.

One of my friends was cross, blurting out ‘why have you done that?’ rather than the more usual ‘congratulations what a lovely surprise’.

Some women have been defensive, illogically concluding I am subconsciously pointing the finger of failure at them for not having more themselves, as if I am subtly saying: ‘What’s up with you, is two all you can cope with?’ This attitude ­surprised me.

First I should say Number Four was planned, not an accident, Number Four was not a last bid attempt to have a boy or a girl: I have two girls aged eight and seven, and a boy aged four.

And I haven’t been laying awake at night for the past ten years thinking ‘maybe if I do it just one more time I’ll get right’, I haven’t been trying to fill the void of an unfulfilling career either or make up for a lonely childhood.

Someone suggested I was motivated by the chance to take the summer off work — by any standards of extreme behaviour this would be nuts.

Maternity leave is not a holiday: in fact if you used the word holiday in front of any sleep-deprived, sore nippled, saggy tummied, exhausted mother of a new born I suspect she’d ­summon her remaining strength to break both your legs.

We are having four because we want to. Because we want more. ­Simples, as they say in the ­meerkat ad.

It’s not about our wealth or social status; and really I can’t think of any woman with four who would see it that way.

Sometimes I wonder if there is a ­conspiracy of anti-female feeling; ­constantly reinforcing a ludicrous belief that women are stupidly competitive and would go as far as having a big ­family to prove something.

A fourth pregnancy (at any age) is hard work. No one in their right mind would go through it (pushing the ­statistics of a normal birth and baby into the danger zone) just to prove a point about superiority.

Of course, Mr Candy and I can afford good childcare, we work hard and are rewarded for this.

But I have made the most of the choices our feminist foremothers fought for and negotiated my way to a lifestyle that I believe ­accommodates work and family (it’s not ideal or guilt-free but what is the ideal? If you know please tell me and then we can share the fortune we’ll make revealing it).

And I am not passing any judgment on women who work longer hours or women who have to work, rather than choose to work. Everyone’s situation is different and we all make the most of what we have.

Why, then, am I judged for the particular life choices I have made? Why is wanting four ­children and a career treated variously as a mark of selfishness or virtual insanity?

WHO KNEW?
Large families are on the decline, with statistics showing that only children make up about 46 per cent of all families in the UK

I’ve negotiated flexible hours that allow me to pick up my children from school at least once a week or see them at home shortly after school. I do the drop off every day.

I’ve worked hard to reach my position as editor of a magazine. I have written about my own upbringing before but just to ­reiterate; I grew up in a remote Cornish village and left my ­comprehensive aged 16 with no qualifications, I was not born to privilege.

I find the harder I work, the luckier I get.

My husband is not a no-life banker who is rarely home before midnight. We share the child-rearing.

We have both turned down better paid jobs that would have stopped us being in our children’s lives so much. But I work because I passionately love my job, it makes me happy.

Obviously, family is priority but this is the best way to lead my life. I am having another child because I can — not because I am wealthier than some, or more middle class but because I know (roughly) what is involved.

I am aware of the sleep ­deprivation, the physical and ­emotional toll of a new baby.

I ­cannot say we are 100 per cent ­prepared because we don’t know what is going to happen — that is the joy of having babies, you ­cannot plan, or fantasise about what it will be like — this unpredictable nature of parenting is what makes you feel alive, I think.

I know I will weep with the pain of breastfeeding, I know I will be ­impatient and shouty, I know Mr Candy and I will take the stress out on each other and stride around the house at 4am in our PJs ­literally bickering over spilt milk.

I know that I won’t be going ­unaccompanied to the loo at home until about 2015.

I am aware that the grandparents — who aren’t really too involved in our children’s lives due to a ­combination of distance and age — will be even less enthusiastic about ­occasionally looking after four than they are three (I would never expect them to do more than they do anyway).

My children are my responsibility.

We also know we don’t have any room for a fourth and our baby equipment is as tired and worn out as us after three, so what we don’t have we are going to borrow or buy on eBay.

But I also know how much more love we will have in our lives, how much ­happiness we can look forward to and how long it will last.

It’s a risk but I think I can cope.

I’m not tired of reading The Tiger Who Came To Tea, I am not fazed by sterilising yet another set of bottles or another round of school assemblies or teething troubles.

I’m not squeamish about sick, poo, snot or blood, and I’ve never been one to sit down and relax: if I filled in a job application for mother-of-four I think I’d rate as a fairly good candidate.

I don’t like being on my own, and my fear of boredom is only beaten by my fear of moths.

I know many women from big working-class families of five or more, I also know mums at both my children’s schools who are much less well off than us who have four or more, too.

Indeed, my husband is one of four. So it is possible if you want it to be.

I believe my marriage is the most important part of this family ­jigsaw — it is the stability of this that makes it possible to build all other things on it. You can be ­billionaires but it won’t make you better parents.

Sometimes I am a little ­embarrassed when people I don’t know ask me if this baby is my first and I reply no, my fourth.

It does sound excessive, greedy even. Am I pushing the boundaries of luck, perhaps expecting more than I deserve? Probably.

And of course we will be (and have been) criticised for being ­selfish, environmentally irresponsible and naïve.

It’s your right to think what you think, but I really don’t care. We’re not trying to prove anything or expecting anyone to make our choice any easier. It will be what it will be.

But I think life is supposed to be an adventure — and this is the next part of ours. ( dalymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - Why do other women resent me for having a fourth child?

''How Do You Tell Someone You Don't Have A Vagina?''

''How Do You Tell Someone You Don't Have A Vagina?'' - Michaela * has dated a handful of men, but whenever the relationships began to get serious, she would end them.

''How do you tell someone you don't have a vagina?'' she asks.

The 18-year-old, who was also born with two uteruses and a deformed kidney, hopes she never has to - but her future is hanging in a bureaucratic balance, which has infuriated doctors who want to help.

As an apprentice chef, Michaela cannot afford the cost of a surgically created vagina but desperately wants a chance at a normal marriage and sex life.

Her doctor, Michael Bennett - one of only two people in Australia trained to do such procedures - has offered to operate for free, but NSW Health will not allow it. The nation's only other paediatric/adolescent gynaecologist, Sonia Grover, works in Melbourne but spent most of the year on leave in Switzerland.

''This is despicable. It's not like [Michaela] can go to anyone else,'' Professor Bennett said.

The problem began in January when Professor Bennett retired as the head of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of NSW. That role was linked to his contract at the Royal Women's Hospital, in Randwick, where he has been seeing patients for 27 years.

Concerned that women who could not afford private health cover would be marooned, he requested permission to work at the hospital one day a week until Associate Professor Grover returned from Switzerland or a colleague, undertaking training in Britain, returns next year.

South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service refused the request on the grounds the hospital could not afford it. Professor Bennett then offered to do the surgery free but was told the hospital had no money and was asked to provide a ''business case'' to support his request.

''I presented the 130 cases I had dealt with in the past five years. All but five of them had been day surgery patients, so the costs are very little. … This is a stupid bureaucratic argument.''

About one in 5000 women were born with reproductive abnormalities and almost all were profoundly troubled, feeling alone and lacking self-esteem, he said. ''But with very little money or time, someone with the expertise and training that I have can get them back on track to being normal.''

Michaela is not the only case Professor Bennett is fighting for. He has another patient, 18, sitting her Higher School Certificate, who needs a vaginal construction and cannot afford the surgery. She wanted the operation before she attended schoolies next week, so she could ''do whatever every other girl does at schoolies'', he said.

A spokeswoman for NSW Health said women such as Michaela could be treated as public patients at the Sydney Children's Hospital, the Children's Hospital at Westmead or Prince of Wales, a statement that infuriates Professor Bennett.

He has presented evidence that unless these women are treated by specialists, such as himself, they often ended up with botched surgery. One girl, who could have had a vagina surgically created, will now have to go without because her gynaecologist accidentally cut the tissues between her rectum and bladder.

The opposition health spokeswoman, Jillian Skinner, said there was no excuse to deny these young women. ''When a highly specialised surgeon is offering his services for free, it makes no sense for the government to act as a roadblock. Health administrators should be looking at ways to make this work, not coming up with excuses as to why it can't be done.''

Michaela is saving her minimal wage in the hope she can afford the surgery in a few years, but Professor Bennett has refused to reveal the full cost for fear of dashing her hopes. ''This is the last thing I need to do and then I'll be just like everyone else,'' she said. ( sydney morning herald )

READ MORE - ''How Do You Tell Someone You Don't Have A Vagina?''

Is Dora the Explorer an illegal immigrant?

Is Dora the Explorer an illegal immigrant?. Campaigners against a controversial new immigration law in the US state of Arizona have adopted a popular children's cartoon character as a symbol of their cause.

Dora the Explorer has taught millions of American children basic Spanish phrases on her Nickelodeon TV show.

But a doctored image on the internet now shows the cartoon heroine with a black eye in a police mugshot.

Her alleged crimes? Illegal border crossing and resisting arrest.

Is Dora the Explorer an illegal immigrant?

Several websites, including the influential Huffington Post, have run satirical stories describing Dora's capture by the immigration authorities.

One picture circulating on Facebook shows her vaulting over the fence on the US-Mexican border.

Another shows an advert for a mock television show entitled Dora the Illegal Immigrant.

Meanwhile, some anti-immigration sites have questioned whether the character is part of a conspiracy to persuade Americans to welcome migrants from Latin America.

Global empire

For almost a decade, the doe-eyed cartoon heroine has been one of the most prominent Hispanic characters on children's television in the US.

Her TV show has spawned a global empire, with her smiling face appearing on everything from lunch boxes to computer games.

But as the controversy over illegal immigration has intensified, Dora has been drawn into the political debate.

Most of the websites that have appropriated her image assume she is a migrant from Mexico.

Dora has brown skin, dark hair, and speaks Spanish with an American accent. She lives in a tropical country with pyramids, accompanied by friends Boots the Monkey and Isa the Iguana.

But Nickelodeon has declined to comment on her background, and her place of birth and citizenship have never been made clear.

The Dora police mugshot was originally created last year by Debbie Groben of Sarasota, Florida, for a contest on the fake news site FreakingNews.com.

Last month, Arizona passed a law requiring police, in the context of enforcing other laws, to question people about their immigration status if they have reasonable suspicion they are in the US illegally.

Opponents have rallied against the measure, saying it it will encourage racial profiling of Hispanics, who make up three-quarters of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the US.( bbc.co.uk )

READ MORE - Is Dora the Explorer an illegal immigrant?

Enjoy sex during pregnancy

Enjoy sex during pregnancy. Can pregnancy and sex go hand in hand? Yes they can, because great sex requires a flexibility of thought, and a willingness to discover the unknown.

Pregnancy is the most beautiful phase of a woman's life, but that doesn't mean putting a lid on one's sexual desires. Yet, sex during pregnancy remains a big taboo. A study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests that sex may actually be beneficial in encouraging pregnancies to go full-term.

"During the first trimester we avoided having intercourse as it was a strict no no from my gynecologist. But yes, intimate the sensations seemed heightened, despite the initial, 'Oh my gosh, are we going to hurt the baby?' Now in the second trimester, it's becoming a little more awkward, especially now that I'm showing. We've had to adjust a little bit, position-wise, but the intimacy hasn't changed," says Renuka Roy (name changed), a marketing executive with a MNC.

Change is quite evident, both physically and emotionally during pregnancy. There is also a change in one's innate beliefs. Women may feel large and uncomfortable, whereas men generally find the pregnant body very erotic and desirable. Dr. Rajan B Bhonsle, Hon. Prof & HOD Dept of Sexual Medicine KEM Hospital explains, "The first three months are very delicate and we advise no sex. Intercourse and intimacy are two very different things. Getting intimate is advised, but definitely not intercourse. Moreover, one should try and understand the emotional changes a woman undergoes. The desire to be a mother is very high in her. At this stage, there is also an increase in vaginal lubrication."

"Due to some medical problem, my doctor advised me to abstain from intercourse. Even having an orgasm was banned at week 15. Now I am in my second trimester and I think the lack of sex has created a distance between me and my husband. I am afraid we won't get the magic back when there's a newborn baby in the house" affirms Nishta Chopra, a teacher.

"The hormonal fluctuations in a woman during pregnancy also play an important part in her reactions to making love, as do the trimesters. Many women are too fatigued and nauseated to be interested in sex during the first trimester, while the second trimester brings on a new sense of delight as her abdomen grows, and again later in the third trimester the desire may wane," explains Dr. Bhonsle

One should clearly understand that sex and sexuality are very different entities and a woman can express her sexuality even without having actual sexual intercourse. A couple may choose to give each other sexual and sensual pleasures like kissing, cuddling and caressing to bring each other closer.

Sex positions:

A pregnant woman is very fragile; therefore, sex during pregnancy is something that has to be handled with great care. Dr. Bhonsle elucidates, "the woman on top is always a safe position. The man on top is not recommended as its might hurt the woman's belly. The spoon position is also advised in this period.

The most important thing is that the man should respect his partner's body which is going through phenomenal changes and take special care of her". Apart from these reccomendations, Dr Bhonsle strongly advices, "staying away from oral sex (cunnilingus) as it may be harmful for the woman. There is a fear of air been blown in the vagina."

As a general rule, a good position for sex during pregnancy is one where:

Both partners are physically comfortable.
The position should allow for the kind of sex and physical contact you want to have.
Both partners must avoid putting pressure on a woman's uterus, or a partner's full weight on the pregnant belly.
There are many positions that are more comfortable. Few of them are:

Woman on top
Spooning (Man behind woman, rear entry)
Hands and Knees
Sexual practices during pregnancy will depend on:

Your previous beliefs about sex
Physical aspects of your pregnancy
Emotional aspects of your pregnancy
Or more bluntly put, whatever works!
When not to have sex and/or orgasms during pregnancy:

Your practitioner has advised against it
You have a history of premature birth or labor
Placenta previa (where part of the placenta is covering the cervix)
Your water has broken
You are currently experiencing bleeding
You or your partner is affected by STD

( indiatimes.com )

READ MORE - Enjoy sex during pregnancy

Laid Off? Your 'Get Hired' Plan

Laid Off? Your 'Get Hired' Plan. Tips from Martha Finney, author of "Rebound: A Proven Plan for Starting Over After Job Loss". Unless you're in complete denial of what's happening in the world around you, by now you're well-aware that layoffs are rampant in today's economy.

In February 2009* alone, employers made 2,769 mass layoffs compared with 1,672 mass layoffs in the same month last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each layoff involved at least 50 people from a single employer filing for unemployment insurance. Since December 2007, when the recession was declared to have started, there have been 28,481 mass layoffs, and more than 2.9 million people have filed for unemployment benefits during that time.

The numbers show that it no longer matters if you've been with a company for 15 years, if you're highly educated, if you're a top performer or even if you're friends with the boss. Layoffs are happening, and they are happening to everyone.

"If the company is determined to cut head count by a certain percentage, no amount of exposure, of reminding the boss how successful you've been in helping the company achieve its goals, will save your job," says Martha Finney, author of "Rebound: A Proven Plan for Starting Over After Job Loss" (FT Press). "They'll miss you when you're gone, but they've already determined that you're gone anyway."

Voice of experience

Charles** worked for a family-owned real-estate and agricultural business for 10 years. He has two master's degrees, moved up quickly within the company and had a long-term plan to take over the IT department.

When the housing market collapsed, the company began to go through some tough times and it became evident to Charles that companywide layoffs were on the horizon.

"I honestly thought I was safe because I had really good rapport with the family," he says. "My boss's boss was the CFO and he had asked me work on a special project analyzing some of the various business units and what it would cost to dispose of them. He told me not to read anything into that. 'Don't worry about things,' he said."

When the project was finished, Charles was laid off.

"I thought I'd work for this company for the rest of my life. I believed that good work would give me job security. As long as I do really good work, why would a company let me go?" he says. "Even though I knew trouble was on the way, I thought I was in a good position because I had multiple talents and had worked for every operation there. If you're going to shrink your work force, you'd think you would keep people who can do multiple things."

Now what?

Charles' story is probably much like your own if you were laid off -- you were shocked, angry and bitter, and your confidence was shaken. But the worst thing you can do is blame yourself.

"Recognize that this period of layoffs is just another moment in time, having nothing to do with your essential value and meaning," Finney says.

Now that you've come to terms with your many emotions, what you need is a plan.

In her book, Finney teamed up with Bill Berman, Ph.D., a Connecticut-based corporate psychologist, to come up with steps to take toward getting hired.

(And no, tapping away on your laptop while you're stretched out on the sofa in your PJs doesn't count.)

1. Take some time to stop

Take a step back and figure out where you stand. Know how long you can afford to explore your possibilities and where you want to go next.

"The worst thing you can do when you get laid off is run right out and grab whatever you can," Berman says. "Step back and think about what you want to do, what you loved about the work you were doing before and how it matches with what you want to be doing one year, three years, five years from now."

2. Build your network list and start using it

Your network will be your biggest ally in your job search. Your friends, their friends and the friends of those people will surprise you when they show a genuine interest in helping you.

Berman suggests thinking broadly about whom you know and being upfront with them about your job search.

"Think back to the people you worked with five, 10, 15 years ago and don't e-mail them. There's no substitute for a phone call," he says.

3. Get dressed!

Now isn't the time to explore your quirky bohemian phase, unless it's the course you've decided to take for the next phase of your life, Finney says.

"Treat your job search project as you would a regular full-time job. Get out of the jammies and put on something you would wear to work at your old job," she says. "When you wear the uniform of your role, you stay in touch with that side of who you are. No one I can think of is in the market to hire Mr. Scratchy Pajama Bottoms."

4. Set regular working hours that match a conventional workday

Finney says that any self-employed person will tell you that choosing your own hours is both a joy and a curse. Sure, you don't have to work while everyone is, but that usually means that you won't be having fun when everyone else is, either.

"If you work nine to five on your job hunting assignment, then absolutely you can take weekends off," Berman says. "The reason why people work on weekends and at night on looking for a new job is because they screwed around all day."

5. Establish a structure against which you'll achieve and measure your goals

Identify specific ways you'll approach your job search by outlining how many tasks you'll do each day and what they are specifically. Make a list of the phone calls you'll make and the names you'll look up, Finney suggests.

"If you set a goal, you're going to be able to work toward that goal," Berman says. "Set very specific goals, make them things you think you can actually do, and then make them non-negotiable."

6. Dismiss the derailers

Undoubtedly, job searching is a pain in the rear. The process is lengthy, at best, and it's easy to get discouraged along the way. The feeling of panic that you have to have a job now! is a derailer, as are mean-spirited friends who undermine your confidence, well-meaning family who are concerned and your own ego, which tells you that if you were truly a good provider, you would have a job by now, Finney says.

"You might not be able to see them coming, but you can spot them for what they are," she says. "Shrug them off. Some people mean well, some people are just, well, mean. Either way, that's not your focus right now." ( msn.com )

READ MORE - Laid Off? Your 'Get Hired' Plan

What Makes You Different From the Other Job Seekers?

What Makes You Different From the Other Job Seekers?. You're special. Your mom and dad told you. Your Little League coach told you. You tell yourself in the mirror every morning.

Anyone who encounters you must recognize what a unique snowflake you are, right?

Maybe, but not necessarily. If you're looking for a job, don't assume the hiring manager is going to look at your cover letter and think, "This job candidate is The One." That could happen, but you should do all you can to make that realization occur.

In the interest of spreading the word about your unparalleled qualifications and stunning personality, we've compiled some questions you should ask yourself at each stage of the job-hunting process. Some of these questions can apply to each stage.

When writing the résumé

Q. What about my education sets me apart?

A. Although degrees are more common than they once were, not each one is created equal. Most programs have enough freedom built in to them to allow students to customize their courses. The combination of your major and minor or your courses can give you a background that no one else has.

Q. Do I care about all of this?

A. This résumé is about you, so you probably have more interest in it than the average employer, but if you're bored, everyone else will be, too. If your attempt to show how unique you are results in a dense list of your jobs and skills that make the page look like one huge block of text, you're probably not focusing enough. Keep details short, informative and, above all else, relevant. Your paper route in junior high doesn't matter if you're 25 and have a college degree.

Your GPA, awards and recognition are good examples of items that do set you apart. They won't land you the job by themselves, but they are additional assets that can differentiate you from the next résumé in the stack.

When writing your cover letter

Q. What's implied on the résumé but not explicitly stated?

A. Have someone else read your résumé and explain your strong points to you. If you don't hear something you were expecting, figure out why. You might think your extensive work history painted a clear picture for readers, but it might not. The cover letter is your chance to connect the dots and (eloquently) tell the hiring manger, "Hey, look what I have to offer!"

Maybe your internship with an employer was more involved and relevant to the position you're seeking than the résumé suggests. Go into details and prove why that experience matters to this job.

Q. Does this sound like me or like Janet Q. Jobseeker?

A. Professionalism is key in a cover letter, but so is your personality. Now is not the time to be a comedian, but if your cover letter could have been written by any other applicant and been about any other applicant, then it's not special. As a result, the employer won't think you're special.

If you have extensive knowledge of the industry, have a contact at the company or possess strong communication skills, don't be afraid to let it shine through.

When interviewing

Q. Would I hire me?

A. An interview is basically an extended, interactive form of this question. If you get an interview the employer thinks you fit the job requirements, but whether or not you're the perfect candidate is still in question. In addition to elaborating on your skills, only one thing can make or break you at this point: your personality.

Your personality is unique to you, so don't be scared to let it show. As with the cover letter, don't be so casual that you come off as unprofessional, but now is the time to show your sense of humor and your interpersonal communication skills. Fading into the background will only help you be forgotten.

Q. What is the one thing I want the hiring manager know about?

A. Hiring managers don't know you, so they're probably asking you the same questions they asked other candidates. If you want to prove that you're a three-dimensional person who exists beyond undergrad business courses, have an actual dialogue. A hiring manager doesn't need you to echo everything he or she already read about you.

The time you helped your group tackle a problem during a brainstorming session? The interesting marketing book you just read that has given you some new ideas? Let these facts out if they're relevant to the conversation.

Q. Why do I want to work here?

A. Interviewers often ask this question of candidates, and candidates have learned to come armed with a response. But do you know why you want to work there or do you just know what you want them to think?

Everyone wants to be hired so they can get a paycheck, add another line to their résumé and move up the chain. Do you want to transition into a new industry? Do you think you can bring a fresh perspective to the company (without sounding arrogant)? Does the position sound like the one you've been preparing for and you have the experience to show for it? You need to know the answer and believe it before you walk into the interview. ( msn.com )

READ MORE - What Makes You Different From the Other Job Seekers?

Job Search Advice Worth Ignoring

Job Search Advice Worth Ignoring. If you're looking for a job, chances are you're getting advice from a host of people -- your spouse, friends, former co-workers, maybe even your parents. Everyone means well, but not all of the tips you receive are valuable. In fact, some advice could even be harmful to your job search. How do you know which advice you should pay attention to and which you should ignore? Following are some words of wisdom you might not want to follow:

'You should ... blanket the market with résumés.'

Some people think you should send résumés to every job opening that interests you. The problem with this theory is that it assumes you are qualified for each of those positions, which may not be the case. If you apply to every job posting you see, whether you're qualified or not, you'll waste your time. Instead, identify positions that are a strong fit with your skills and experience, and research the employers to determine how you can meet their unique needs. By being selective and focusing your efforts on these roles only, then targeting your résumé to each opening, you give yourself a much better chance of finding the job you want.

'You should ... have a lot of contacts, even if they're not all close.'

When searching for employment, it pays to have as many contacts as possible. After all, the majority of jobs are still filled by word of mouth. But knowing someone won't do you much good on the job hunt if you don't know him or her very well. The people in the best position to aid in your search are those who understand the type of position you seek and the unique skills you can offer an employer. Armed with this knowledge, those in your network can keep an eye out for job leads that might fit your career goals and refer you to companies that are hiring. In addition, prospective employers may reach out to your contacts during the hiring process -- especially people who are linked to you through social networking Web sites. You want hiring managers to reach out to people who can speak knowledgeably about your professional abilities.

When establishing new relationships, go out of your way to make sure they will last. That means continually following up with those you've met -- by sending them articles of interest, for example, or meeting them for coffee on occasion -- and offering to help them first before you ask for assistance yourself.

'You should ... focus all of your efforts online.'

The Internet is a valuable tool for job seekers. Along with the aforementioned social networking sites, job boards, company Web sites and industry-related forums can also play a part in your search. But the Internet shouldn't be your only avenue for finding employment. In fact, one of the most effective ways to hear of opportunities -- and potentially land a new position -- is through face-to-face networking. So instead of putting all of your job search eggs into just one basket, attend trade shows, job fairs and conferences. And don't forget industry print publications, which can be good sources for job leads that you won't find online.

'You should ... skip the cover letter when applying online.'

Many people think that a cover letter is unnecessary when submitting a résumé online, whether by e-mail or through a Web site. This is a mistake, for a few reasons. First, because the cover letter is the initial document a hiring manager sees, it's your chance to make a strong impression. Second, the ability to express yourself well with the written word is a highly sought-after skill, something your cover letter can demonstrate. Third, if your résumé has something a hiring manager might question, such as a gap in employment, a cover letter is where you can provide clarification. And finally, executives understand a cover letter's worth. According to a Robert Half survey, 86 percent of executives polled said cover letters are valuable when evaluating prospective job candidates. Remember, your cover letter doesn't have to be a separate attachment; it can be the e-mail message itself.

You should always appreciate the job search advice that people give you, but take the suggestions with a grain of salt. Remember, you're the one looking for a job, so you need to be selective and apply the advice that works best for you. ( msn.com )

READ MORE - Job Search Advice Worth Ignoring

Time for Extreme Makeover?

Time for Extreme Makeover?. Forget the flip-flops -- in a tough economy, sloppy grooming won't cut it. Stephen Staffieri of New York always considered himself pretty stylish, but he started to wonder about his look after several job interviews led nowhere.

Out of work since he was laid off in August from his job as a campus recruiter for JPMorgan, Staffieri, 28, knew he had the credentials to find another position in human resources. But something seemed to be holding him back.

He sought advice from David A. McKnight, an image consultant he met through a mutual friend. Staffieri's appearance is now more polished -- and his confidence level has exploded.

Sloppy attire and a lack of grooming are just not going to cut it in this economy, human resource managers say, no matter what the industry. So you may have to turn up the style-o-meter. Hiring managers already are noticing that a growing number of job seekers seem to be dressing for success.

Staffieri's image tweaks included tailoring his suit so it fit properly; getting rid of the cloth messenger bag he slung over his shoulder and replacing it with a briefcase; exchanging his comfortable shoes for a shiny, leather pair; and combing his hair to the side instead of the middle to mask his receding hairline.

"I feel like a million dollars," he said, adding that he's now doing better in interviews.

Many employers around the country are inundated with qualified and overqualified applicants for every job they need to fill, which means they can be pickier than ever. And I don't mean just choosy when it comes to job qualifications.

"They have to stand out from the rest, in the right way," said Chris Cappas, vice president of employment and training for Harrah's Las Vegas region. That means no halter tops or flip-flops, even if you're just coming in to fill out an application. "The competition is fierce."

Appearance can separate you from the pack, said John Haynes, human resource director for Johnson Controls Inc. in Capital Heights, Md. "It can (even) help you lose an opportunity if you don't present well."

Fierce competition

Miller Canning learned that lesson after she was laid off from her job doing Web strategy for a homebuilder 18 months ago. For the first time in her technology career, she had trouble finding a new gig.

"I was stunned I wasn't getting any offers," she recalled. "My resume is robust."

Canning, 51, who lived in Washington and recently relocated to Charlotte, N.C., looked in the mirror.

She had been letting her hair go gray and was used to the casual dress in the technology industry. In interviews, she usually wore casual trousers and a shirt, sometimes a denim jacket.

She decided it was time for an image overhaul. She dyed her hair, bought a killer brown wrap dress and beefed up her accessories.

Her reinvented look paid off. She landed a job in e-commerce with home improvement company Lowe's and started work on April 13.

"Competition is just so fierce right now," she said. "You need any edge that you can get."

I know, it's disheartening to hear that you won't be judged solely on experience and background but also by the way you look.

Unfortunately, that's just part of human nature, and the tough economy is only making image more important, said David Sarwer, associate professor of psychology for the Center for Human Appearance at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

"For hiring managers, it's clearly a buyer's market," he said. "They can be more selective ... not only hold out for the most qualified but the person who's the most physically attractive."

That doesn't mean you have to take drastic measures to improve your appearance. With so much hype about plastic surgery and job seeking lately, the reality is that the number of people choosing to go under the knife is actually on the decline.

What hiring managers say they are looking for is not someone who has skin that's as taut as a piano string but someone who looks put together and professional.

Job seekers may even want to consider dropping a few pounds.

Weight Watchers has seen an influx of unemployed people signing up recently, said Aransas Thomas, who leads classes in New York.

"I see people coming in who are feeling crummy about themselves because they're out of work, and most have a reduction in confidence," she added.

The key, she said, is feeling better about you -- both internally and externally.

Sadly, bias against overweight people is a reality in the workplace.

"It appears being overweight can work against you, particularly women. Being obese works against both men and women," said Patricia Roehling, professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland, Mich., who has studied the impact of weight among managers in corporate America.

Alas, there are no federal laws and few state laws that protect individuals who are discriminated against based on their weight or their lack of attractiveness.

And attractiveness is subjective, said David Grinberg, a spokesman for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. "Some hiring officials may interpret such a directive to mean targeting or excluding workers based on traits related to race, national origin, religion, gender, age or because someone has a disability." Which is, of course, illegal discrimination.

Reinventing your look

Looking fit also seems to be a selling point. Bob S., 47, a former Google manager from Saratoga, Calif., has been looking for an IT management job since June. To help in his job search, he dropped 35 pounds, thanks to bicycling; colored his hair; started wearing contacts to interviews; and now keeps his eyebrows trimmed. (He did not want his full name used for fear of affecting his job search.)

"All these feel vain, but maybe they'll help," he said.

It's not easy for everyone to update their look or lose weight on their own. You may want to enlist the help of a fitness trainer, a stylish friend or even invest some money on a style consultant.

McKnight, who helped revamp Staffieri's image, has gotten so much interest from unemployed New Yorkers that he started a new service for the jobless. He offers a $300, three-hour makeover package, compared to the $150 an hour he usually charges.

For those who want to go it alone, Dallas-based image consultant Kimberly Bohanon offers some simple style tips to help spruce up your look:

• If you haven't updated your wardrobe in several years, invest in some new clothes. Buy quality pieces that are interchangeable.
• Your clothing should fit you well. If you are successful at finding ready-to-wear items off the rack, count yourself lucky. Often, minor alterations are needed in order to achieve optimum fit.
• Well-manicured hands and regularly trimmed hair are a must. If you haven't updated your hairstyle in many years, it's time to consider making some changes.
• Wrinkled or stained clothing look highly unprofessional.
• For many, shoes are a go-to accessory that add class and give insight to one's personality.

Oh, the shoes. They can mean more than you think.

Dawn Gum, managing partner at Interior Architecture & Design in Research Triangle Park, N.C., recalls interviewing an entry-level applicant who had a great portfolio. She also had on a great pair of pea-green pumps with brown leather detailing.

"She got the job, and we've joked with her ever since that we hired her because of her shoes," she said.( msn.com )

READ MORE - Time for Extreme Makeover?

It's Been 10 Years Since My Last Job Search

It's Been 10 Years Since My Last Job Search... What do I do? ... It's been 26 years since Rick Hingst, 54, has looked for work. Kama Linden, 39, hasn't job hunted for 10 years. And Diana Macfee, 40, has been out of the work force for 12 years.

Now they are joining the millions of people looking for work after a several-year hiatus.

For such reasons as getting laid off, working after retirement or returning to work after a period of stay-at-home parenting, those who have been absent from the job search for a long time are finding themselves running into a problem: The process has changed.

"Many people who are jumping back into the job market, especially after they have taken a hiatus, need to get clarity on their core value propositions, who they are as leaders and how they can best convey this through their résumés and in a job interview," says Greg Selker, president and CEO of Selker Leadership, an executive search and leadership consulting company.

Easier said than done.

Times, they are a-changin'

Let's be honest -- job searching is not what it was 10, 15 or even two years ago. Despite what's going on in the economy, job seekers are bombarded with changes in technology, social networking sites, virtual career fairs, advice blogs and more.

The Internet has indeed added a whole new dimension to the job search for Hingst, who accepted an early retirement offer in November 2008 after 24 years of service. But, he says he doesn't know if it's necessarily better.

"It is a handy tool for doing research on companies, careers and seeing what jobs are available out there, but it can also eat up a lot of your time and yield no results," he says.

He says he likes that the Internet allows him to reconnect and network with people on social networking sites such as LinkedIn.

Macfee, who's returning to work after staying home to raise her daughter for the past 11 years, agrees that online networking has made her job search more productive and -- gasp! -- more enjoyable.

"Today, job seekers have an amazing support tool [through] online networks. [They] can research or [ask questions about] a company through various social media tools and determine if the company is a right fit before submitting a résumé or engaging in a string of interviews," Macfee says. "Job seekers, recruiters and industry professionals can easily connect through social media and offer resources to one another, leads and tips."

Ultimate challenge

Though changes in the job search over the years have given workers some advantages, they have also posed several challenges.

After learning that the fitness company she works for is cutting the classes she instructs, Linden has applied for numerous jobs in her field. Her search has come up short, as she's found that all the relevant jobs require more schooling and loans that she just doesn't want to take out.

Hingst finds that getting through to actual people in the company is the biggest challenge he's facing. Additionally, he says it's maddening not hearing anything back from employers as to why he wasn't hired.

"It is frustrating when you apply for a position and you receive no feedback as to why you were rejected," he says. "Was I overqualified ... or did they just not like the font style on my résumé?"

Markell Steele, career counselor with Futures in Motion, says that a common problem she sees among out-of-practice job seekers is their lack of focus and the tendency to keep their options wide open.

"They don't want to limit themselves and think that by being open to anything they will catch the most opportunities. They also think this will show them to be open-minded and flexible," she says. "Rather than demonstrating their expertise and breadth of knowledge, they demonstrate that they know a lot about a little."

Eric Barron, president of Eric Barron Live, says a pattern he's seen among rusty job seekers is how poorly they are able to clearly articulate how the new company will benefit by hiring them.

"They need to pay less attention to the details on their résumés and focus more on making a connection with the person doing the hiring," he says, adding that the hiring manager "must be able to get to know you and the personality strengths you bring to the position."

"Remember, human beings are still doing the hiring, where emotions can play a major role. Those that take the time to bring their qualifications and personality to life will have a clear advantage."

If your job seeking skills are a little out of practice, follow these tips from the experts to find your footing in your next search:

1. Get focused

It's a new world out there and you need to get organized. Start by conducting a personal career inventory, Steele suggests. Analyze your abilities and pay attention to transferable skills, current interests, personality traits and key accomplishments.

When his job search yielded no results, Hingst took stock of everything he's done throughout his career, his accomplishments and abilities. He put together a PowerPoint presentation to help develop his résumé and ended up with another way to sell himself by posting the presentation online.

2. Get organized

Information overload calls for you to get organized. You need to stay focused and pursue what works, says Steve Davies, president of PerfectJob Software. He suggests recording your job search: For each saved piece of information, record what job, person, company or task it is for and why it's important. Additionally, you should track what works, checking which résumés, job sources and referrals result in interviews. Finally, set time limits, he says. Social sites are great for research but can absorb the day.

3. Be flexible

Be open to new opportunities, even if the job title, salary and benefits may not be exactly what you hoped for, says Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of "Job Hunting for Dummies, 2^nd Edition." "Once you get your foot in the door, you will have a chance to prove yourself."

4. Work with a professional

"Staffing professionals can be your eyes and ears in the job market," Messmer says. "Recruiters also provide useful feedback on your résumé and interview skills, and help you locate full time and temporary jobs."

5. Get connected

The Internet has changed the job search and created many opportunities for job seekers to showcase their expertise, Steele says. Employers also have easier access to qualified candidates.

"Increasingly, recruiters are using tools such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to identify candidates. If you're serious about your job search, you need to set up complete, professional profiles and get connected to opportunities." ( msn.com )

READ MORE - It's Been 10 Years Since My Last Job Search