HATCH - escape the cubicle

March Madness Spreads to the Office

2007-03-12T06:01:00.000-05:00

College basketball's Selection Sunday spills over into Madness Monday at the office today. With the brackets set for the NCAA men's basketball tournament that officially begins Tuesday, the office bookie will spend the better part of this morning perfecting the prize payouts and printing out pages for all his co-workers to fill in. Is this legal? Moral? Ethical? And how can we get in?For anyone

The Taxman Cometh

2007-03-05T07:26:00.000-05:00

While life's two certainties may be death and taxes, quarterlife's two certainties are debt and taxes.This time of year, it's good to focus on both.Trouble is, that tax return you were banking on to wipe out your debt might not be the windfall you wished for. Why? Well, if you're a recent grad in any field aside from pharmaceuticals, you're most likely in one of the lowest tax brackets north of

Show Me the Money

2007-03-02T07:39:00.000-05:00

It's no secret that workers would love to know what their colleagues earn. Who's making more? Who's making less? How's her salary higher than mine when I've been here longer? Such questions boggle the minds of corporate workers. Others are more consumed by their market worth. Am I making enough money for the work I'm doing? What do workers in comparable positions at other companies earn? Thanks

We've Got Big Balls

2007-03-01T07:25:00.000-05:00

The newest trend in office seating is… giant balls? That's right, at companies from Google to BMW, professionals are abandoning their $2,000 leather thrones for posture-enhancing, bright-colored exercise balls. The irony is, it's often the Zen-seeking higher ups who choose the big balls (perhaps attempting to make up for shortcomings elsewhere), looking more and more childlike while sitting on a

Jumping to Entrepreneurial Conclusions

2007-02-28T06:30:00.000-05:00

Budding entrepreneurs walk a fine line. They aim to be the next Tom Anderson (everybody's first MySpace pal), but they often end up being Tom Smykowski (inventor of the Jump to Conclusions mat in Office Space). Unfortunately, there's no specific formula for entrepreneurs to jump to conclusions about whether their idea is going to be the next YouTube. But, thanks to Pamela Slim, there are some

The Big 29: The Oscar Goes To...

2007-02-27T06:49:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. Jennifer Hudson (25), actress/singer2. Mark Zuckerberg (22), Facebook founder3. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress4. Danica Patrick (24), Indy Racing driver5. Roger Federer (25), tennis player6. Kevin Rose (27), Digg, Revision3 founder7. America Ferrera (22), actress8. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder9. Ludacris (29), musician/actor10.

Snow Day!

2007-02-26T07:46:00.000-05:00

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night keeps postal workers from delivering the mail. Same goes for corporate workers. Rare is the snow day in the working world. Whereas the night before a major snowstorm kept anxious kids up late with pajamas inside out in hopes of waking to hear the radio or see the news crawl deliver the best news ever -- that school is closed -- the threat of snow

The Office: Cocktails

2007-02-23T06:39:00.000-05:00

Michael and Jan go public with their relationship during a party at their CFO's home. At the party, Jim meets Karen's ex. Meanwhile, the rest of the office decides to go to happy hour for drinks. [NBC, Season 3, Episode 3018, 2/22/07]Best lines:Michael: And now, Michael the Magic, will attempt to escape from extreme bondage.Michael: C'mon guys, early worm gets the worm.Jim: Another worm? Like,

Read This Book: My Reality Check Bounced!

2007-02-22T06:58:00.000-05:00

No, this isn't a book about Richard Hatch not claiming his earning off CBS's Survivor. Author Jason Ryan Dorsey's follow-up to his last work, Graduate to Your Perfect Job, provides advice for twentysomethings trying to jumpstart their careers. Peppered with real-life stories and motivating advice, Dorsey's latest book is a must read while on that hour-long train ride to work.Quarterlife Crisis

Rolling Rock's 'Man-Thong' at Work

2007-02-21T07:12:00.000-05:00

Rolling Rock Vice President of Marketing Ron Stablehorn sent a personal note and gift to the HATCH office the other day. We knew it was the shameless whoring of Rolling Rock's shock product the "man-thong," but we could not help but be intrigued. And we could not help but share this story (Yes, Ron, you win.)"Thongs in the workplace is fast becoming a trend for men in the United States," writes

The Big 29: Beyonce Illustrated

2007-02-20T18:47:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress2. Mark Zuckerberg (22), Facebook founder3. Danica Patrick (24), Indy Racing driver4. America Ferrera (22), actress5. Roger Federer (25), tennis player6. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder7. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders8. Ludacris (29), musician/actor9. Maria Sharapova (19),

Top Cities for Jobs

2007-02-19T06:51:00.000-05:00

Think you need to live in New York, San Fran or LA to get on the ideal career path? Think again. Forbes' list of the "Best U.S. Cities For Jobs" has mighty NYC way down at No. 75. "Usually, 22-year-olds flock to cosmopolitan cities like New York and San Francisco, assuming that's where they'll find the most opportunities for work (and, let's be honest, a social life)," writes Hannah Clark. "But

The Office: Business School

2007-02-16T06:28:00.000-05:00

Ryan invites Michael to be a guest speaker at his business school. Meanwhile, Dwight battles a bat that gets loose in the office while Pam invites co-workers to her first art show. [NBC, Season 3, Episode 3017, 2/15/07]Best lines:Ryan: If you bring your boss to class, it automatically bumps you up a full letter grade. So... I'd be stupid not to do it, right?Michael: A boss is like a teacher. And

Flowers in the Office

2007-02-15T06:56:00.000-05:00

We're trying to figure out what's worse: being painfully embarrassed at work upon receiving dozens of flowers, Valentine's Day balloons and a singing telegram or not receiving any deliveries from a significant other. Valentine's Day is not just a day to show a loved one true affection, it's a day to show his or her co-workers up by sending the most elaborate bouquet, the most helium-filled

The Big 29: In the Driver's Seat

2007-02-13T06:38:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. Danica Patrick (24), Indy Racing driver2. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress3. America Ferrera (22), actress4. Mark Zuckerberg (22), Facebook founder5. Roger Federer (25), tennis player6. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder7. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders8. Ludacris (29), musician/actor9. Maria Sharapova (19),

Jobster, Facebook Announce Partnership

2007-02-12T06:45:00.000-05:00

Milk and cereal. Peanut butter and jelly. Jobster and Facebook? The two sites announced a partnership that would make Jobster the "exclusive job search partner" of Facebook. Plans are in the works to "launch a career center" on social-networking site Facebook this spring. College students hoping to make it in the real world can only hope that Jobster provides some elaborate advice on creating

The Office: Phyllis' Wedding

2007-02-09T06:37:00.000-05:00

Phyllis regrets giving Michael an important job at her wedding after several embarrassing moments. Pam has flashbacks of her own wedding planning when she sees Phyllis' decorations. Meanwhile, Dwight is determined to catch wedding crashers. [NBC, Season 3, Episode 3016, 2/8/07] Best lines:Michael: Phyllis is getting married, and I am in the wedding party. She's asked me to push her father's

Employing Proper Body Language

2007-02-08T07:17:00.000-05:00

Most offices come standard with that one employee who makes everyone else look great. The bully. The loudmouth. The prankster. The slacker. The gossip queen. The one with no inner monologue. These are all professional folks clearly partaking in bad practices. But beyond these obvious soon-to-be casualties of downsizing, there are many more employees -- maybe even you -- who are doing subtle

The Big 29: Bootylicious

2007-02-06T21:27:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress2. America Ferrera (22), actress3. Danica Patrick (24), Indy Racing driver4. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders5. Roger Federer (25), tennis player6. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder7. Scarlett Johansson (22), actress8. Maria Sharapova (19), tennis player9. Mark Zuckerberg (22),

Super Bowl Monday: National Hangover Day

2007-02-05T07:25:00.000-05:00

Let the Super Bowl hangover begin. After an afternoon and evening when Americans consume more pizza, wings, nachos, guacamole, chips and beer than almost any other day of the year, it's no surprise that some will be a little too sick to head into work. After an evening of screaming at the TV, booing the Bears' Rex Grossman and laughing at one or two good Super Bowl commercials, it's no surprise

The Shadow Knows

2007-02-02T07:06:00.000-05:00

Happy Groundhog Day! Today we celebrate the fact that TV meteorologists are so bad at making extended weather forecasts that we prefer to rely on the prognostications of a small woodland creature, Punxsutawney Phil. But today we also celebrate Job Shadow Day, a day when high school and middle school students venture into corporate America's workplaces to shadow hard-working professionals at their

The Office: Ben Franklin

2007-02-02T06:57:00.000-05:00

Karen and Jim had recently hit a rough patch in their relationship. For five nights straight, they were ending their evenings with long conversations about their future. While at the office, Karen surprised Jim with a giant embrace and Pam looked on. [NBC, Season 3, Episode 3015, 2/1/07]Best lines:Michael: Number eight. Learn how to take off a woman's bra. You just twist your hand until …

50 Jobs That Are Better Than Yours

2007-02-01T06:32:00.000-05:00

Perhaps you've already created a list of 50 jobs that are better than your current one. Perhaps you've come up with a much longer list than that. Or, perhaps you're one of the lucky ones with a sweet job that made its way onto this list.CareerBuilder's list doesn't necessarily go by the allure of the job title or the coolness of the work being performed. This list is comprised of "high-wage,

Covert Tactics Needed on the Job Hunt

2007-01-31T07:14:00.000-05:00

How can you find a new job without jeopardizing your current job? Even if you loathe your boss, hate your commute or can't pay the bills on account of your current salary, you still gotta love that you've got steady work. It beats unemployment checks. Sometimes. But you're ready to get out there on the job hunt. Trick is, you've gotta be sly like a ninja so your current employer doesn't find out

Have You Seen Me? Danny Pintauro

2007-01-31T07:03:00.000-05:00

Bowl-headed, buck-toothed Danny Pintauro played young mama's boy Jonathan on Who's The Boss? A mini heartthrob in the making, he won over the hearts of his TV family -- mom Angela(r), grandma Mona, housekeeper Tony and sister-by-housekeeper's-living-situation Samantha. And with his image splashed on the likes of Tiger Beat magazine, he also won over the hearts of pre-teen girls. But this little

The Big 29: Net Worth

2007-01-30T06:22:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. America Ferrera (22), actress2. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress3. Roger Federer (25), tennis player4. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders5. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder6. Scarlett Johansson (22), actress7. Danica Patrick (24), Indy Racing driver8. Maria Sharapova (19), tennis player9. Mark Zuckerberg (22),

What's Your Dream Job?

2007-01-29T07:23:00.000-05:00

Is there such a thing as a dream job? When we were kids we dreamed about playing centerfield for a Major League Baseball team, skating to Olympic gold, flying to the moon, being a supermodel, quarterbacking the winning drive in the Super Bowl, rockin' in the free world, winning an Oscar, saving the rainforests or instilling world peace. Delusions of grandeur aside, some have discovered their

Don't Blow the Interview

2007-01-26T06:58:00.000-05:00

Careerbuilder offers up five tips to improve your chances on an interview. These include getting to the interview on time, dressing one level above the company's dress code policy, researching the company, avoiding rambling, and controlling body language.Additional tips from HATCH include brushing your teeth thoroughly, wearing deodorant, avoiding spicy food before the interview, avoiding talking

The Company Did What?!

2007-01-25T06:47:00.000-05:00

Check out these classy moves by some industry leaders:Northwest Airlines lays off thousands of employees, issuing them a handy guide of "101 Ways to Save Money," including Dumpster diving.RadioShack fires 400 workers through email: "The work force reduction notification is currently in progress. Unfortunately your position is one that has been eliminated."Cablevision admits to granting stock

Sick and Fired

2007-01-24T07:20:00.000-05:00

Career-driven employees just can't afford to be sick these daysIf you want to hold a steady job, you can't afford to be sick. If you want to climb the corporate ladder, you can't afford to be sick. And if you don't have good health coverage, you certainly can't afford to be sick.In these demanding, competitive, capitalistic waters that we're all treading, a perfect attendance record is one of the

Have You Seen Me? Keshia Knight Pulliam

2007-01-24T06:49:00.000-05:00

One of the funniest sitcom kids of the '80s, Keshia Knight Pulliam (as Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show) won over the hearts of TV audiences with her innocent smiling, baritone singing and, of course, the word, "Bud." But after Cosby, Pulliam traded acting for studying, attending Spelman College and disappearing from our radars (unless we were watching Nick at Nite). Pulliam proved her bachelor's

The Big 29: All America

2007-01-23T06:46:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. America Ferrera (22), actress2. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders3. Maria Sharapova (19), tennis player4. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress5. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder6. Scarlett Johansson (22), actress7. Mark Zuckerberg (22), Facebook founder8. Danica Patrick (24), Indy Racing

Slacking on the Job

2007-01-22T07:41:00.000-05:00

Many workers are finding it harder to find things to occupy their time at the office ... you know, besides actual work. That's because employers are continuing to install technology to prevent slackers and procrastinators from doing what they were never paid to be doing in the first place. Previous reasons for denying employees access to certain web sites, tracking their typing, even using

So, What's the Big Idea?

2007-01-19T06:52:00.000-05:00

Are you that guy who's always got the next great idea for your company? Or the gal who told co-workers -- but not the boss -- about a killer idea months ago only to see a competitor beat your employer to the punch?If so, it's safe to say you're probably not a kiss-ass, and you're also probably not the type who had to have the most gold stars in grade school. But, you are the type of employee

The Office: The Return

2007-01-19T06:49:00.000-05:00

Since Dwight’s departure, Andy had been clinging to Michael. Andy’s antics had been wearing very thin on his co-workers. In fact, Andy left Jim actually wishing Dwight would come back.[NBC, Season 3, Episode 3013, 1/18/07]Best lines:Jim: I miss Dwight. Congratulations, universe. You win. Dwight: For your convenience, I've broken it down into three parts — professional resume, athletic and special

Toys in the Office

2007-01-18T06:10:00.000-05:00

While we enjoyed CareerBuilder's list of favorite desk doodads like the Anger Management Doll and the Mini Executives, we prefer the following must-have cubicle accessories: - Staples "Easy" button (hey, it might work)- red Swingline stapler- assorted Pez dispensers (with or without candy)- giant rubberband ball- Barrel of Monkeys (what's more fun?)- Rubik's Cube (much more challenging than

Career Advice from Ugly Betty

2007-01-18T05:56:00.000-05:00

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." --Eleanor RooseveltBetty Suarez's words to live by adorn her online resume. If they can land Betty a dream job at a premiere fashion magazine in NYC, then you better heed them. But the former first lady's words aren't the only ones to live by. Betty offers some of her own nuggets of career advice, too, such as making friends

American Idol Rejects

2007-01-17T06:52:00.000-05:00

They're baaaaack!!! The new season of American Idol kicked off last night, and once again, the lines to audition were riddled with dreamers. Some talented individuals knew they had the stuff to be the next Carrie Underwood or Fantasia. Other fools dared to be the next William Hung. And they failed miserably. And then there were those many clueless souls who filled the audition rooms with

Know When to Walk Away

2007-01-17T06:51:00.000-05:00

The "Sunday Night Blues," that case of the Mondays, daydreaming about Friday. If these are all in a day's work, then it might be time to work out a plan to change jobs or shift career paths. Check out these ten tell-tale signs that say it's time to start searching the online job sites. [Yahoo! HotJobs Job-Change Checklist]

Have You Seen Me? Leaf Phoenix

2007-01-17T06:48:00.000-05:00

The gruff-voiced boy from kids-turned-heroes films SpaceCamp and Russkies emerged as a more troubled teen in Parenthood, only to disappear when puberty fully set in. But this sibling of River Phoenix never actually disappeared. Instead, he found his original identity, not with an earthy name like his siblings, but with his birthname. You know him as Joaquin, the 32-year-old multi-Oscar-nominated

The Big 29: America Rules!

2007-01-16T00:08:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30: 1. America Ferrera (22), actress2. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders3. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress4. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder5. Maria Sharapova (19), tennis player 6. Scarlett Johansson (22), actress7. Mark Zuckerberg (22), Facebook founder8

Taking a Day for MLK

2007-01-15T15:50:00.000-05:00

For many, today is a day off from that 9-to-5 office job. And for many, today will be spent sleeping late, recovering from yesterday's football or 24 watching, and running errands like catching up on shopping or holiday gift returns. Nowadays, the day off is celebrated as a respite from work; but the celebration of MLK's life, accomplishments and passion is often overlooked. Just like with

Fired: Apprentice's Carey Not Suitable for the Boardroom

2007-01-15T15:36:00.000-05:00

It takes balls to design a tight pink, we-wear-short-shorts-length bathing suit for guys. It takes bigger balls to wear them on a runway and on TV. Yet despite Carey's ballsy move as project manager on episode two of The Apprentice, the Donald fired him after a lengthy boardroom discussion. A fashionable decision by Trump; this fashion victim was not suitable for primetime. [The Apprentice]

The Office: Traveling Salesmen

2007-01-12T07:58:00.000-05:00

Michael decided to send his employees out into the field for sales calls. He paired himself up with Andy. He let the veterans choose who they wanted their partners to be. Phyllis chose Karen, Stanley chose Ryan and that left Jim and Dwight paired together. This wasn’t the first time Dwight and Jim had done sales calls together. [NBC, Season 3, Episode 3012, 1/11/07]Best lines:Ryan: I'm very

Google: A Utopian Workplace?

2007-01-12T07:01:00.000-05:00

Google's got it good. And so do Googlers, the company's employees. Recently placed atop Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For 2007 list, Google offers its employees unparalleled amenities, benefits, freedom, and respect. What other company provides free washers and dryers -- and detergent -- for its employees to do laundry at work? Or a car wash? Or a barber shop? Or gourmet food? Or pool and

Will Work For Food

2007-01-11T22:44:00.000-05:00

Television writing continues to suck for the most part. More and more movies are remakes of classics or classic TV Land shows. Can anyone write anymore? Perhaps it's time to team up clever, recently laid off twentysomethings and thirtysomethings with some big-shot producers. Some of these unemployed souls sure are writing gems. Seems necessity is the mother of invention, and with these folks in

Seeking Fame and Fortune at Any Cost

2007-01-11T06:15:00.000-05:00

From USA Today: "'When you open a celebrity magazine, it's all about the money and being rich and famous,' says 22-year-old Cameron Johnson of Blacksburg, Va. 'The TV shows we watch -- anything from The Apprentice where the intro to the show is the 'money song' -- to Us Weekly magazine where you see all the celebrities and their $6 million homes. We see reality TV shows with Jessica and Nick

Read This Book: Apathy and Other Small Victories

2007-01-10T20:30:00.000-05:00

I was stealing salt shakers again. Ten, sometimes twelve a night, shoving them in my pockets, hiding them up my sleeves, smuggling them out of bars and diners and anywhere else I could find them. In the morning, wherever I woke up, I was always covered in salt. I was cured meat. I had become beef jerky. Even as a small, small child, I knew it would one day come to this. So opens Paul Neilan's

Have You Seen Me? Jeremy Miller

2007-01-10T06:55:00.000-05:00

Growing Pains' Ben Seaver is now 30, married, and ... doing commercials for McDonald's? The little rascal who idolized his troublemaker big brother Mike (Kirk Cameron) disappeared into child star oblivion only to re-emerge recently in a wannabe hip spot for the fast food giant. Miller's ability to stay on the good side of the law kept him out of the limelight and off the celebrity radar. With

Q&A: Larissa Jaye (Part 1)

2007-01-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

Singer/songwriter's six-year journey from kindergarten teacher to folk-pop artistBy T.J. DeGroatHATCH Senior WriterIt took a long time for New York City singer/songwriter Larissa Jaye to finish her first CD. A very long time. But the New Jersey native's fans will agree that the wait was worth it.Jaye's CD, New Leaves Over, is packed with infectious folk-pop tunes that cover the full range of

The Big 29: Tubers Still On Top

2007-01-09T06:39:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders2. Maria Sharapova (19), tennis player3. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder4. America Ferrera (22), actress5. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress6. Scarlett Johansson (22), actress7. Mark Zuckerberg (22), Facebook founder8. Danica Patrick (24), Indy Racing driver9. LaDainian Tomlinson (

Best Companies To Work For

2007-01-08T18:51:00.000-05:00

Fortune released its list of "100 Best Companies to Work For 2007." Google tops the list, followed by Genentech, Wegmans Food Markets, Container Store and Whole Foods Market. Surprisingly, Dunder-Mifflin did not make the cut. [Fortune]

It's a Smurf World, After All

2007-01-08T06:48:00.000-05:00

Everyone's favorite little blue creatures enter the real worldSeems there was a smurf for every smurfin' emotion one could smurf of. Whether they were created smurfy or smurfy, smurfy or smurfy, those little blue rascals from the '80s serve as a perfect allegory for contemporary twentysomethings. Here's how they turned out:Brainy. He graduated magna cum laude from some smurfy Ivy League school

Fired: Apprentice LA's First Victim

2007-01-08T06:41:00.000-05:00

The Donald rang in the new year and the new season of The Apprentice with a new setting (Los Angeles), a new sidekick (daughter Ivanka) and the same old sharp eye for would-be employees. Trump wasted no time in firing the first candidate on the season opener. Attorney and professor Martin, dubbed "The Philosopher" of the group, will have plenty of time to ponder why he got the boot. [The

Time's A-Wastin'

2007-01-05T06:26:00.001-05:00

Want to know why American jobs are being outsourced to India and South America? "According to a survey by America Online and Salary.com, the average worker admits to frittering away 2.09 hours per 8-hour workday, not including lunch and scheduled break-time." The biggest distraction? The Interweb. "44.7% of the more than 10,000 people polled cited web surfing as their #1 distraction at work.

Working Class Hero?

2007-01-04T18:02:00.000-05:00

Hospital humor prevails when Zach Braff adorns the small screen in Scrubs. But will his skills shine on the big screen in a white-collar comedic performance? The early indication is that the upcoming film Fast Track will aim to rival the cubicle culture comedy of The Office and Office Space. The setup from Variety: "A bun in the oven forces man-child chef Zach Braff to leave New York and get a

Celebrity Resume: Dustin Diamond

2007-01-04T07:12:00.000-05:00

Zack and Slater have got nothing on Samuel "Screech" Powers. Dustin Diamond revealed more than just his powers with the ladies and a video camera recently. Thanks to a scorching new resume, Screech can kiss his days of reality TV, amateur adult film, and begging to save his house goodbye. Yup, he's destined for a lifetime achievement Moonman from MTV.

Have You Seen My Disinfecting Wipes?

2007-01-03T19:01:00.000-05:00

Stress sickens workers. Sniffling co-workers sicken colleagues. Old food left in the fridge may sicken a risk-taking fellow employee. But a desk? What harm can it cause other than not being ergonomically sufficient? Apparently, quite a bit. According to CNN, "a study by the University of Arizona in 2002 found the typical worker's desk has hundreds of times more bacteria per square inch than an

Have You Seen Me? Jodie Sweetin

2007-01-03T06:25:00.000-05:00

Full House's Stephanie Tanner is a 24-year-old recovered meth addict who's hosting Fuse TV's Pants-Off Dance-Off. Such great luck didn't strike her hockey player-marrying (Candace Cameron Bure) and billion-dollar empire-running (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) fictional siblings. How rude! [Jodie Sweetin on Pants-Off]

Almost Famous

2007-01-03T06:15:00.000-05:00

Don't fret about that dead-end job just yet. After all, Jon Stewart was a busboy, Alec Baldwin was a bouncer and Kanye West worked at the Gap. Hardly fame-worthy jobs, and now their celebrity has propelled them to the top of the list of people who speak out against George W. How did we know about these outspoken liberals' former roles? Thanks to hardlyFamous.com, we're learning a lot about how

The Big 29: YouTube Guys Crack Top Spot

2007-01-02T06:44:00.000-05:00

This week's most intriguing people under 30:1. Steve Chen and Chad Hurley (28, 29), YouTube founders2. Maria Sharapova (19), tennis player3. Shaun White (20), snowboarder/skateboarder4. Scarlett Johansson (22), actress5. Mark Zuckerberg (22), Facebook founder6. America Ferrera (22), actress7. Beyonce Knowles (25), musician/actress8. Emily Blunt (23), actress9. Reggie Bush (21), NFL running back10

Corporate Survivor

2007-01-01T08:06:00.000-05:00

Impending layoffs make for great reality TVWhat happens when people stop being polite and start getting real? Just take a job in corporate America and you'll find out real quickly.That's because in the real real world, the working life isn't as glamorous as sharing an uber-posh pad with seven strangers/co-workers bickering over who gets to go in the hot tub. The real working world is sharing a

Three-Ring Office

2007-01-01T07:49:00.000-05:00

Flickering, purple-blue fluorescent lights hum above cookie-cutter gray, padded partitions separating barely motivated worker clones. Sound like your mega-office? Too bad you aren't working at Google, where the circus atmosphere is reminiscent of Bart Simpson's vision of the Mad Magazine offices. From the New York Times: "On a Thursday afternoon before the holidays, the game room at Google’s new

Read This Book: Delaying the Real World

2006-12-29T20:30:00.000-05:00

This isn't a suggestion to TiVo your favorite hot tub scenes from MTV's cornerstone reality show. This is a book that ventures into the world of post-college adventure beyond the corporate jungle. "In this one-of-a-kind guide, author Colleen Kinder scouts out experiences that will not only satisfy your free spirit but also pay the bills, make the world a better place, and maybe even catapult you

Up All Night, Sleep All Day

2006-12-29T12:09:00.000-05:00

"Up all night, sleep all day…" The lyric from '80s hair metal band Slaughter was more likely a reference to the rock star lifestyle than the job-induced stress of a one-beer-at-happy-hour-swillin' corporate drone. Nevertheless, the lyric warrants closer analysis of a growing trend. More and more young office workers come home at night stressing about all things work. Workload, salary, benefits,