When the Going Gets Tough, Some People Lay Off the Nanny - WSJ.com

Hired to be the nanny of twin 3-month-olds, she stayed with the family after the girls started school. She transitioned from pushing strollers to shopping for groceries and ferrying the family’s golden retrievers to grooming appointments. Her employers, she explains, “have busy lives” that include volunteering at school, going to the gym, visiting the chiropractor and getting various beauty treatments, like facials, manicures and pedicures.
Later this month, however, this household chief operating officer will fall victim to downsizing. She says her employers tearfully informed her that her $1,000-a-week position is being eliminated. “They told me they had to cut expenses 75%,” says Ms. Jacobo, whose employer declined to be interviewed. “I am heartbroken.”

The weak economy is wiping out a symbol of the wealth boom: the megananny and other high-end help.

Posted: December 13th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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Yahoo Layoffs Wednesday (YHOO)

If has been so long since Yahoo announced its mass layoffs, we had almost forgotten about them. The word after Q3 was that they would happen before the holidays, so as to help Yahoo avoid being blasted for Scrooge-like timing. As far as we know, however, they haven’t happened yet.

In mid-November, Kara Swisher reported that the bloodletting would take place on December 10, this coming Wednesday. A reader hears the same:

The next big round of layoffs at Yahoo occurs on Wednesday. A good buddy of mine who works there said word came down from his boss that the next 1200 to 2000 will be let go on Wednesday.

Posted: December 8th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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10 Tips For Negotiating A Big, Fat Severance Deal

# Do not sign anything right away. After breaking the bad news, the HR rep will try make you sign a release within two hours. Don’t. If you’re being cut as a part of a general layoff, you have at least three weeks to sign your severance package agreement, which is really an agreement to not sue the company. If you did sign it — and if you’re older than 40 –you can revoke your signature within a week.
# No severance package is take it or leave it. Negotiate. Your employer expects you to. The most important thing to them is that you do not sue and go away without controversy. They can’t take away a severance package once they’ve already offered it.
# Do not, however, negotiate while you’re still in shock. Go home. Eat dinner. Weep. Then come back and make them pay you more to go quietly.
# Find out how many others are being cut from your particular office. If it’s 50 or more, the WARN act requires your employer give you 60 days notice (or at least 60 days pay).
# Make sure they offer continued health benefits. Federal law requires 18 months of continued coverage via COBRA. Sometimes you can make them pay for some of it.
# Make sure you’re getting the bonus you earned last year.
# In fact, make sure you’re getting paid for all your accrued benefits, such as sick days or vacation time.
# Ask for outplacement services — or money to pay for them.
# Make sure your severance package is commensurate with your tenure. You should get more than the people who worked for you and peers who have been at the company for less time.
# Get advice from a professional, not just a blog post.

Posted: December 8th, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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We watched the animated Beowulf story last night. It was interesting and somewhat entertaining, though the story lacked in some areas. After reading the short summary of it, I guess it makes sense. They had to made a whole movie out of this simple story.

Beowulf - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The main protagonist, whose name is Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hroðgar, the king of the Danes, whose great hall, Heorot is plagued by the monster Grendel. Beowulf kills both Grendel and Grendel’s mother, the latter with the help of a magical sword, which he uses when his own sword Hrunting is rendered powerless.

Later in his life, Beowulf is himself king of the Geats, and finds his realm terrorized by a dragon whose treasure had been stolen from his hoard in a burial mound. He attacked the dragon with his thegns, but they did not succeed. Beowulf decided to follow the dragon into its lair, at Earnanæs, but only his young Swedish relative Wiglaf dared join him. Beowulf finally slays the dragon, but is mortally wounded. He is buried in a barrow by the sea.

Posted: December 1st, 2008 under Uncategorized.
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