Careers headed for the trash pile

Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

"Economists believe that many of the jobs lost in the 'great recession' will be coming back. Construction and high finance positions that were temporarily slashed, for example, are expected to steadily return. Regardless of the economic dip, however, several career paths have been declining for years due to larger structural changes in the economy. These dying occupations are headed for the trash pile.

'The kinds of jobs that are disappearing are the jobs that pay really well [for] relatively unskilled workers,' says Harry Holzer, Ph.D., Georgetown University economist and co-author of 'Where Are All The Good Jobs Going.' He lists manufacturing jobs as a leading example, saying that well-paid assembly jobs that require modest training and only a high school diploma or less are a thing of the past.

So where did all the good jobs go? 'The combination of technological advancement and off-shoring has shrunk these jobs,' says Holzer.

Technology has certainly put postal service mail sorters on the chopping block. After losing almost 57,000 jobs between 2004 and 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects a further 30% decline in this occupation by 2018.

According to jobs researcher and author of '2011 Career Plan,' Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., this occupation has seen some erosion from increased communication via phone, e-mail and cloud computing. Yet the chief reason for the decline, Shatkin says, is that mail sorting has become mostly automated, and robots are replacing people.

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NOW Available On DVD!

ANIMOTO: How to Create a Video Masterpiece
From Average Joe to Spielberg in Minutes

By Ryan Yee of NerdBoyTV

ON SALE NOW: CLICK here to purchase

Digital photography is booming. Everyone has the capability of taking instant, stunningly beautiful pictures with today's technology. But after you fill an external hard drive with tons of digital photos, what then?

Enter ANIMOTO, a fantastic web application that quickly transforms your photo memories into an amazing and professional video. ANIMOTO was created by techies and film/video producers who wanted a user-friendly program that takes photo images, videoclips, and music and renders them into a video production with the same sophistication of a seasoned director or film editor.

Forget the cheesy transitions that come with many consumer video software on the market—ANIMOTO will definitely make you look like a pro!

In this video tutorial, Ryan Yee of NerdBoyTV shows you how to use ANIMOTO to quickly transform pictures, videoclips, and music into a stunning movie masterpiece in minutes that you could then download, burn to DVD, or share on Facebook.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Ryan Yee is the host of NerdBoyTV, a video podcast focusing on consumer technology that's syndicated on both iTunes and YouTube since 2007. He has over 20 years experience as a trainer, instructional designer, and writer and has consulted with many Fortune 500 companies in California. Not surprisingly, Ryan is also on all social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, and YouTube.

Bedup – a bed that lifts up into the ceiling

Bedup

"Having a sofa that converts into bunk beds is fine for guests, but what about saving space in the master bedroom?

As the name implies, Bedup simply lifts up into the ceiling and out of the way, leaving you space to use your bedroom as an office or gym during the day.

It’s kind of like an old Murphy bed, but more high tech and less like something you would find in an old, seedy apartment, resulting in an inevitably painful sitcom-esque situation. Bedup

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“Trick” Functions As Bookshelf, Table and Chairs

“Trick” Functions As Bookshelf, Table and Chairs: "“Trick”, designed by Sakura Adachi for Campeggi, is a bookcase which transforms into a console table with two chairs. “When both sides of the bookcase are moved from the original positions, they function as chairs. What remains in the centre works as a table. The console can be used for dining as well as for writing, reading and working on your computer. It is multi-purpose furniture which offers a space saving solution and fulfills your everyday activities in small environment.”

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

6 mistakes men make on Valentine's Day

6 mistakes men make on Valentine's Day on Shine

"Memo to men: Valentine’s Day is on February 14. In years past, Yahoo.com has noticed a spike in men searching for an answer to the question: “When is Valentine's Day?” as the day fast approaches. Of all the holidays on the yearly calendar, the one designated for romance never fails to trip guys up. Blame mixed messages: While retailers consider the holiday worthy of diamonds, many women take the stance that it's no big deal.

Don’t fall for any of it. Valentines Day is when a guy’s affection, compatibility, and commitment are put to the test. Forgetting the day is just the first mistake to avoid. There are six other common mistakes men make on February 14. Here's a cheat sheet.

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

13 Things Your Mail Carrier Won’t Tell You

13 Things Your Mail Carrier Won’t Tell You - Manage Your Life on Shine

"1. Maybe your dog won’t bite you. But in 2009, 2,863 of us were bitten, an average of nine bites per delivery day. That’s why I wince when your Doberman comes flying out the door.

2. Remember this on Valentine’s Day: It takes our machines longer to read addresses on red envelopes (especially if they’re written in colored ink).

3. Why stand in line? At usps.com, you can buy stamps, place a hold on your mail, change your address, and apply for passports. We even offer free package pickup and free flat-rate envelopes and boxes, all delivered right to your doorstep.

4. Media Mail is a bargain, but most of you don’t know to ask for it. Sending ten pounds of books from New York City to San Francisco through Media Mail costs $5.89, compared with $16.77 for Parcel Post. Besides books, use it to send manuscripts, DVDs, and CDs; just don’t include anything else in the package.

5. We don’t get a penny of your tax dollars. Really. The sale of postage, products, and services at our 36,000 retail locations, and on our website, covers all of the post office's operating expenses.

6. UPS and FedEx charge you $10 or more for messing up an address. Us? Not a cent.

7. Paychecks, personal cards, letters—anything that looks like good news—I put those on top. Utility and credit card bills? They go under everything else.

8. Sorry if I seem like I’m in a hurry, but I’m under the gun: Our supervisors tell us when to leave, how many pieces of mail to deliver, and when we should aim to be back. Then some of us scan bar codes in mailboxes along our route so they can monitor our progress.

9. Yes, we do have to buy our own stamps, but a lot of us carry them for customers who need them. If we don’t charge you, that’s because we like you.

10. Use a ballpoint pen. Ink from those felt tips runs in the rain.

11. Please dress properly when you come to the door. A towel wrapped around you doesn’t cut it. And we definitely don’t want to see you in your underwear!

12. We serve 150 million addresses six days a week, so we’re often in the right place at the right time. We pull people out of burning cars, catch burglars in the act, and call 911 to report traffic accidents, dead bodies, and more.

13. Most of us don’t mind if you pull up to our trucks while we’re delivering and ask for your mail a little early. But please get out of your car and come get it. Don’t just put your hand out your window and wait for me to bring it to you.

- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Smartphone fees ready to spike?

Courtesy of MSNBC.com

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video: DeSean Jackson's emotional, surprise visit with bully victim

The 13-year-old boy who was bullied and beat up by a "wolf pack" of teenagers in Pennsylvania last month received a surprise visit from his favorite football player on live television.



Nadin Khoury was walking home from school on Jan. 11 when he was randomly accosted by seven teens who attacked him for 30 minutes. The incident was filmed by one of the assailants, which helped propel the sickening incident into the national spotlight.

On Thursday, a resilient Khoury appeared with his family on "The View" to discuss the incident and bullying in general. Near the end of the segment, he was surprised by Philadelphia Eagles players DeSean Jackson(notes), Todd Herremans and Jamaal Jackson(notes).

Refreshingly Unhip: SF's Top 5 Cheese Slices

Refreshingly Unhip: SF's Top 5 Cheese Slices | Chinatown - Yahoo! Local: "In the frenzy over blistered Neapolitan pizzas made with tomatoes blessed by a Catholic priest and quadruple zero flour, the appreciation for a plain ole cheese slice is in threat of extinction. Not to mention, when the urge strikes for a slice of hot, greasy goodness, waiting for a table at Delfina Pizzeria just won't cut it. A slice has to be fast, cheap, and in our control. (And preferably near a good dive bar.)

So who's got the best? After tasting my way through the city, I picked Tony’s Napoletana. It satisfies all cheese pizza requirements: Oozy mozzarella, tangy tomato sauce, a flavorful, chewy crust and a forbidden—yet delicious—trickle of grease. Very close runner-up: Arinell’s. Classic fold-and-go slices that hit the spot every time. Plus, pizza just tastes better with punk rock.

- Sent using Google Toolbar"