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Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:45:01 -0800

7 Ways to Make Your Turkey Delicious

Jacky Hayward | Chef's Blade — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:35:00 -0800

Make your turkey the most delicious ever this year!

When we say turkey, do you think stringy, dry white meat that makes you want to hurl? Well, we hear you. And we're here to change that. We've asked are chef friends, read through all our resources, and scanned the web for the best and latest in turkey tips to bring you seven ways to ensure your turkey actually tastes as good as it looks.

First Tip→

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Choose the Best Bird

A turkey used to just be a turkey. But these days, it's a bit more complicated. There's organic, free-range, natural, kosher, self-basted, heritage, and your traditional ol' "Broad Breasted White" also known as that turkey from the super market. Since you're not looking for a traditional turkey, let's rule out the last one as well as the self-basted varieties, which are just frozen turkeys that have had an ambiguous "flavored liquid" injected into them.

That leaves us with organic, free-range, natural, kosher, and heritage. Organic, free-range, and natural turkeys all taste similarly but are simply raised in slightly different manners. Heritage and kosher birds are the two outliers in terms of taste. Kosher birds undergo a salting process that's akin to brining, but eliminates the effort of your actually having to brine. Heritage turkeys are turkeys raised like your mother's mother used to raise them, as in pre-1920's style. So the birds have smaller breasts and have a richer flavor.

Second Tip→

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Brine for Better Meat

Brining is the process by which you place your uncooked turkey in a salt and water bath from anywhere between a few hours to overnight, depending on the type of salt you use and how much salt is in the bath. Before roasting your turkey, you must rinse your bird. Brining ensures even distribution of flavor and moisture throughout the turkey due to the length of time the bird soaks and the ability of salt to penetrate meat. You must, however, make sure not to brine Kosher turkeys as they have already been treated with salt; if you do, your turkey will be something along the lines of salt with a side of turkey. The other challenge with brining is finding the actual space in your fridge to do it; since it's going to have to be in the bath for a few hours at least, the turkey's temperature cannot dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Third Tip→

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Butter Your Bird

Butter makes everything better. No really. Buttering your bird is one of the easiest ways to moisten up your turkey. You can use unsalted butter, salted butter, or a butter mixture with herbs, lemon, or white wine as well. You should apply the butter mixture all over the surface of the uncooked turkey, including the bottom and underneath the wings and thighs. You may also rub the butter directly onto the meat, underneath the bird's skin. To do this, gently pull up the skin of the turkey and stuff as much butter as you can in between the meat and the skin before you rub the same mixture on the skin. Rubbing butter directly onto the turkey breasts will be particularly helpful in moistening as the butter will penetrate the meat as well as seal moisture in while cooking.

Fourth Tip→

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Inject Flavor, Literally

Worried about your turkey being dry and flavorless? Why not just inject flavor! Usually when you inject flavor, you use a tool that looks a lot like a plastic hypodermic needle but filled with fluids like olive oil, butter, or, for more subtle flavor, lemon or white wine. You insert the needle into the thighs and breasts, which allows the fluid to soak into the meat much more effectively than if you simply spread the liquids across the skin of the bird.

Fifth Tip→

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Cook Your Bird Upside Down

The first time I heard of this technique was when my mother cooked our Thanksgiving turkey for the first time; not knowing which was the "top", she cooked the bird upside down or breast side down, which we only realized when the bird came out and we had to turn the bird over to get to the white meat. What we discovered, however, was the best turkey we had ever eaten, albeit not the best looking turkey there ever was. While roasting the turkey the entire time breast-side isn't going to give you a perfectly crispy and golden turkey on the outside, try roasting it for the first half of the roasting period upside down and then the second half, right side up, to give the skin enough time to brown but also allow the juices to flow via gravity into the breast meat.

Sixth Tip→

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Glaze for a Tasty Finish

Glazes add an extra zing of flavor to your bird as well as crisp up the skin at the end, making your already beautiful bird look even better. Once the turkey is cooked, remove the bird and add the glaze over the turkey and then cook the bird for an additional 10 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the skin starts to brown. You can repeat this process one or two more times depending on how thick you would like the glaze to be.

Seventh Tip→

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Fry, Smoke, or Grill

Less traditional methods, frying, smoking, and grilling turkeys lock in moisture and flavor in ways that traditional roasting cannot. Plus diners and guests will certainly talk about your nontraditional cooking ways. Frying, smoking, and grilling however do require extra equipment that you may or may not have, so this is most certainly a plan-ahead option.

Photo by Cygnus921 via Creative Commons

Bonus Tip→

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Bonus: Don't Make a Turkey

So, we get it. This isn't exactly the best way to cook a turkey as it doesn't even involve a turkey. But really, just because it's Thanksgiving doesn't mean you have to make turkey, or even meat for that matter. There are plenty of fowl and other meats as well as meaty vegetables that make delicious and wonderful centerpieces. Think coq au vin or ham or pheasant or a vegetarian turducken. Really, the possibilities are endless.

Psychics Make a Fortune In a Bad Economy

Andrea Stone, USA Today — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:25:00 -0800

Valerie Morrison has less time for love these days. The Philadelphia psychic says clients who once obsessed about romantic prospects are too worried about their economic future.

Executives inquire about layoffs. Restaurateurs ask if people will still go out to eat. Homeowners want real estate tips.

"They ask me if this (recession) is going to turn around or become even worse," says Morrison, a seer since age 7, when she says she foresaw an aunt's death. "I say chicken pox gets worse before it gets better. Do not panic."

Anecdotal evidence indicates that psychics, astrologers, palm readers, Tarot card shufflers, numerologists and other paranormal specialists have become the rage as investment advisers and brokers appear clueless. After all, if the times aren't normal, why not try the paranormal?

"Men and women are calling psychics who never thought they would call a psychic," says Maryanne Fiedler, marketing director of Psychic Source, an online network of 165 clairvoyants who consult by phone. Many have lost jobs or retirement savings. Fiedler says her psychics don't give investment advice. "We're trying to ease their anxieties," she says, by offering "reassurance."

Thomas Kramer, a Baruch College marketing professor who studies consumer behavior, understands why some people afraid to look at their 401(k) might gaze into a crystal ball.

"In times of uncertainty or stress, people tend to rely on superstition or magic," he says. "They want to get a sense of control over what is happening in these uncertain economic times and reduce the levels of stress or induce hope."

Nina Melrose, 42, a Dallas soothsayer who reads palms and Tarot cards, advises clients on which stocks to buy, basing her picks "solely on my psychic ability." She declined to say how prescient she had been.

Next: A Psychic Speaks →

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Others steer clear of specifics. They offer common-sense advice — at rates up to $5.75 a minute — that some people wouldn't need a mind reader to provide.

Morrison, who charges $85 a half-hour, has increased her schedule from three days a week to five because of rising demand. She tells clients to buy gold and silver, sell their antiques and pass up new clothes. "Anything they can do where they can put cash in a safe," she says. "If we just hold tight, we're going to get through this."

Therese Baxter, a Psychic Source fortune-teller, says she tells callers to "be very conservative" about spending and suggests they "gain new skills for the new economy." She recommends job seekers look at government agencies such as Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency that deal with other troubles.

Baxter, 52, a third-generation psychic who has sold her "clairvoyant flashes" for half her life, says her line of work has "become much more acceptable and mainstream (because) a lot of mainstream things we were relying on have collapsed. … People are scared, uncertain, more willing to take more of a non-traditional approach to things."

Not everyone. Ann Johnson, a New York psychic, says business hasn't soared since Wall Street's collapse and neither has that of her spiritualist competitors. "I don't think people are spending their money to go to psychics," she says. "Right now what people are looking for is being able to just survive."

Jon Gosselin Does Not Need an Assistant

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:04:00 -0800

When crazypants Kate Major, who left her job at Star magazine to date reality “star” and father of eight Jon Gosselin, I thought she was completely making up her story that Jon offered to hire her as his personal assistant. However, it seems I owe Ms. Major an apology: in a lawsuit against Gosselin by TLC, the network that aired Jon and Kate Plus Eight and claims he violated his contract with them, one piece of evidence is a handwritten employment agreement between the two. In the document, Gosselin says he will pay Major the same amount of money she was making at her previous job to be his assistant. According to today’s New York Daily News:

The secret contract, dated July 28, 2009, reads: “I, Jon Gosselin, will employ Kate Major as a personal assistant,” pledging to give her “some but not all future accounts.”

Gosselin also wrote that “she will receive a percentage of accounts for payment based upon involvement.”

Major also promised in the newly revealed document, to “run any media inquiries past Jon Gosselin before doing any on-air or print work.” She likewise pledged to give Jon approval over questions and to exclude questions he nixed.

Major has been subpoenaed to testify in the case. This is getting good. I wonder if TLC will summon Michael Lohan as well?

Can't get enough? Check out more in our Celebs and Entertainment section!

Thanks to Save the Assistants!

Assistant Bloodbath at AP

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:26:00 -0800

Sad news from the Associated Press newsrooms around the country — Gawker is reporting that almost all of the company’s editorial assistants were let go in a round of mass layoffs yesterday. One tipster told them:

I was one of the editorial assistants let go. I was told it was a business decision to let go nearly all editorial assistants. Some in cities of regional desks will be reassigned to handle EA workload there.

That’s sad to hear — not only for the people who got laid off and lost their livelihoods, but for the remaining employees, who will probably have really intense combo jobs to deal with. And I’m willing to bet that the people with said combo jobs probably won’t be getting raises or title changes to compensate them for all the additional work they’re doing.

All in all, I feel sad for all those people — the employed and the unemployed. Save the editorial assistants!

Thanks to Save the Assistants!

Paradox of declining female happiness

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:59:06 -0800

Study: Calorie Count on Fast-Food Menus Gives Diners Pause

USA TODAY — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:52:00 -0800

WASHINGTON — People who used the calorie information available at fast-food chain restaurants in New York City bought 106 fewer calories' worth of food at lunch than those who didn't see or use the information, a study shows.

Researchers at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene set out to analyze the impact of the city's menu labeling law, which went into effect in March 2008 and required chain restaurants to post calories on menu boards.

The researchers surveyed more than 10,000 diners at 275 locations of the top fast-food and coffee-chain restaurants in the spring of 2007, and then more than 12,000 people again this spring. Customers disclosed their register receipts and completed brief questionnaires.

Among the findings reported here Monday at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society, a group of weight-loss researchers and professionals:

•15% of customers say they used the calorie information at lunch; 56% say they saw it.

•Those who used the information purchased an average of 754 calories' worth of food at lunch in 2009; those who didn't see or use the information bought 860 calories' worth of food.

•Those who saw and used the information consumed 152 fewer calories at hamburger chains and 73 fewer calories at sandwich chains compared with everyone else.

•At coffee shops, total calories purchased dropped from 260 in 2007 to 237 calories in 2009.

•The overall calories purchased decreased at nine chains between 2007 and 2009, including dropping significantly at McDonald's, Au Bon Pain, KFC and Starbucks.

•The calories from foods purchased at Subway increased significantly, possibly because diners were purchasing a special deal on 12-inch sandwiches.

"A growing number of consumers are using this information and making lower-calorie purchases," says Lynn Silver, assistant commissioner of NYC's Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control. "We know that behavior changes take time. We hope consumers increasingly use this information to make healthier choices and that companies will offer more healthful choices and more appropriate portion sizes."

The research was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and New York City.

Answers to the Turkey Quiz

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:23:00 -0800

AdminSecret created the What's Your Turkey IQ? quiz to help you learn more about Thanksgiving's most popular dish: The Turkey. We're providing the answers so you can learn from the quiz, but...

h4. Don't cheat! If you haven't taken the What's Your Turkey IQ quiz, go take it first.

See answers on the next page...

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1) 1. Deep-frying turkeys originated where?

San Francisco

The South-Correct Answer!

Turkey, the country

Hawaii

2) Approximately, how many turkeys are produced each year in the US?

10 Million

29 Million

165 Million
270 Million-Correct Answer

3) Which US statesman proposed the turkey as the official US bird, eventually loosing out to the bald eagle?

George W. Bush

George H. W. Bush

Benjamin Franklin-Correct Answer!

Franklin D. Roosevelt

4) Which color meat is preferred in the US?

White-Correct Answer!

Dark

5) What month is National Turkey Lover's Month?

January, to ring in the New Year

June, to introduce Summer-Correct Answer!

November, of course!

September, same as National Chicken Month

6) Which are methods used to cook turkeys?

The microwave method

The brine method

Aluminum foil wrapped method

Braised method
All of the above-Correct Answer!

7) The top five most popular ways to use turkey leftovers are:

Sandwich, soup/stew, stir fry, eaten plain as a side, and salad

Leftovers? I never have leftovers

Soup/stew, sandwich, stir fry, salad, and casserole-Correct Answer!

Casserole, eaten plain as a side, soup/stew, sandwich, and stir fry

8) When was Thanksgiving declared a national holiday?

1776, when our nation was founded

1863, to encourage unity during the Civil War-Correct Answer!

1945, to celebrate the end of WWII

9) Why does eating turkey make you drowsy?

Tryptophan enzymes-Correct Answer!

Eating too much of the bird

Badly cooked turkey

10) What percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving?

40 percent

65 percent

95 percent-Correct Answer!

80 percent

11) Which of the following methods to cook turkey is unsafe?

Grilling

Frying

Slow cooking-Correct Answer!

Roasting

12) The costume that "Big Bird" wears on "Sesame Street" is rumored to be made of turkey feathers.

True-Correct Answer!

False

13) What birds are used to make a Turducken?

Turkey and duck

Duck and chicken

Turkey, duck, and chicken-Correct Answer

A WHAT?

We hope you enjoyed the quiz and learned a lot about turkeys!

Bored and Unemployed? Try Jury Duty!

AdminSecret — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:33:00 -0800

The New York Post reports that you can now kill time while you're unemployed by helping your fellow citizens ... on a jury!

"People are calling up, saying, 'Look, I lost my job; now would be a good time for me to serve,' " said Vincent Homenick, chief clerk of the jury division for Manhattan. "Not that $40 will pay the bills, but it's something."

Homenick said he has gotten about 20 calls since May from folks asking if they could become jurors — far more than normal.

"The jury pool is also more diverse than normal right now," he said. "We're getting a lot of Wall Streeters and other professionals. It's not your typical jury of civil servants."

Of course, not everywhere allows you to volunteer, but it's definitely worth checking out if you've got time on your hands. And just think how all the people who have jobs will thank you for doing their jury service for them! AdminSecret thinks this is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Ever gotten jury duty? Ever gotten out of it? Join the discussion!

Your Guide to 50s Hipster Slang

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:24:24 -0800

There's More Than One Way to Make Turkey

Kathie Smith | The Blade, Toledo, Ohio — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:04:00 -0800

There are more ways to cook a turkey than just roasting. For people with small ovens or ovens that suddenly don't perform on a holiday, or for a special dinner, this should come as welcome news.

For those who just want to try something new for Thanksgiving dinner, it could be an adventure.

At my home, we've cooked whole chickens or turkey breasts on our grill but have never cooked a whole turkey. Our grill just isn't big enough for the bulky bird.

Liz Sofo, who gave cooking classes and food demonstrations this fall at Jacob's Garden, 4570 Sterns Rd. in Ottawa Lake, Mich., has been experimenting with the Big Green EGG grill, which Jacob's Garden sells (from $275 to $1,100). The egg-shaped charcoal grill has a ceramic interior and is said to be derived from an ancient clay cooker called a "kamado." The natural lump charcoal is lit with a natural fire starter or an electric lighter; no lighter fluid should be used. The design of the EGG draws air into the lower draft door, through the charcoal, and out of the damper top, which can be adjusted. The grill, which comes in five sizes, has smoker and grill capabilities as well as the ability to be used as an oven.

Ms. Sofo prepared a 14.5 pound turkey by brining it. She estimated cooking time would be 11 minutes per pound. "I love cooking in it," she said, using a mid-size grill.

"I put the turkey on a rack on a ceramic stone to make it like a convection oven with air-flow and I used a drip pan with chicken stock," she added. She also cooked redskin potatoes rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and rosemary and placed whole and halved onions inside and outside the turkey. She covered the wings and back of the bird with foil to keep them from getting too dark, then she closed the lid.

When brining, do not use a self-basting turkey; it has added salt and you will end up with a dry, salty turkey, Ms. Sofo advises. While brining, refrigerate the turkey either in your refrigerator or in a cooler packed with ice. The temperature of the turkey must stay at 40 degrees or below. If the brine is heated, allow time to cool completely before putting the turkey into it. Immerse the entire turkey in the brine. A brined turkey takes less time to cook than one that is not brined, she says.

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To roast the turkey in the EGG, keep the temperature at 350 degrees. When not brining, a handful of pecan chips can add a little smoke flavor. Or a dry barbecue rub can be used over the skin before it is roasted.

There are other methods that will help free up the oven for vegetables, potatoes, and pies.

Masterbuilt launched the Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer. "It is a safe alternative to deep-frying," says Mary Clingman, Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Director. Not only is there no need for propane because of the electric source, the fryer is to be used indoors. It can fry turkeys up to 14 pounds. Safety features include a thermostat temperature control that prevents overheating as well as a digital timer that helps cook the turkey just right. There is a folding lid with window and a grease filter in the bread machine-shaped roaster. It uses one-third less oil than conventional turkey fryers that are used outdoors.

The Butterball Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer is used on the countertop in the kitchen or a closed-in porch, patio, or garage. The turkey can be lifted in as you would in a roaster. Like any large amount of heated oil, safety precautions must be used. Ms. Clingman estimates the turkey cooks 3 to 4 minutes per pound. The oil must be preheated to 400 degrees, about 45 minutes before the turkey is placed in the fryer. "You can smell turkey as it cooks," she said.

Locally, the Butterball Turkey Fryer has been available at Kroger and Bass Pro Shop, with prices ranging from $88 to $119. For deep-frying recipes, visit Butterball.com.

You can also cook turkey in a pressure cooker such as the Kuhn Rikon family-style model. The 12-quart Duromatic Family Style Pressure Cooker (about $450), the largest pressure cooker in Kuhn Rikon's Swiss-made line, can cook a 17 to 20-pound turkey in 66 percent less time than in the oven. The spices used on the turkey give the color as compared to the crispness and golden color from oven roasting.

According to information from the company, it takes 1 1/2 hours to cook an 18-pound turkey. Once cooking is complete and the pressure in the cooker naturally subside, the turkey can be removed and gravy can be easily made in the pan from the drippings. Let the turkey stand about 15 minutes before carving.

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Back to the Oven

Whether you grill, fry, pressure cook, or roast the turkey, if you are using a frozen turkey make sure you thaw it in a safe and timely manner: for every four pounds of turkey, allow at least one day of thawing in the refrigerator. If you are short on time, submerge it in cold water. Do not thaw a turkey at room temperature. Rinse it out and let it drain and pat dry before putting it in the roasting pan.

When roasting a turkey, use the open pan roasting method to create a tender, juicy and golden brown turkey. A 10 to 18-pound turkey should cook in 3 3/4 to 4 1/2 hours while a 22 to 24 pound turkey will take 5 to 5 1/2 hours. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. Temperatures should reach 180 degrees in the thigh.

Roasting a turkey can be as easy as salting it or using a favorite spice rub.

Here's a new twist with Roast Turkey with Stout-Maple Glaze. The glaze is made with a chocolaty stout beer with butter, maple syrup, apricot preserves, mustard, garlic and a sprig of rosemary. The turkey is basted with another cup of beer with the glaze added in the final hour of cooking time.

More in Organization:

Organize Your Piles of Paperwork

Handling a Disorganized Boss

Calendar in Chief: Schedule like the President

How I Got a Grip on My Workweek

...and more in our Organization section!

Kathie Smith is The Blade's food editor.

Contact her at: food@theblade.com or 419-724-6155.

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One of the Most Ridiculous Assistant Job Postings Ever

AdminSecret — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:38:00 -0800

We're sure you've seen a lot of preposterous job postings in your job search, especially in the Administrative Assistant field, but this ad for a Legal Assistant beats everything we've ever seen.

Oh, we're sorry, that's Legal Assistant/Nanny.

Yes, a top law school posted — highlighted, even — an ad for a job that could be done by a competent high school sophomore. Here's the ad:

"Description: I am a busy immigration attorney and new mother in need of an assistant to function as a part-time legal assistant and nanny. Duties include answering and returning phone calls; scheduling appointments; filing and other general office assistance, including preparing copies, faxes, and mailings; running errands; and helping to care for a four-month-old infant. The position begins January 4, 2010. Required work hours are four hours every morning Monday - Friday.

College degree and excellent verbal and written communication skills required. Must be well-organized, reliable, and detail-oriented. Must be proficient in Microsoft Office applications and have reliable transportation and a cell phone. Experience with immigration case management software a plus."

If you're actually interested, you can click here, but we wouldn't recommend it.

The Luckiest Receptionist Ever

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:21:00 -0800

I’ve had several receptionist jobs before, including one in college where I worked the front desk at the campus art museum (it was awesome, actually). But I’m pretty sure my experience was not as great as Cathy Naso’s. Naso got the chance to interview Andy Warhol when she was just a high school student in Brooklyn - that meeting led to her being hired on as one of the receptionists in his Factory after graduation. As a token of appreciation, Warhol gave her one of his paintings, a self-portrait. After holding onto it for more than forty years, Naso finally sold it at a Sotheby’s auction last weekend. The painting, which had been expected to sell in the $1 million range, sold for $6.1 million.

Man… I think the best thing a boss ever gave me when I had a receptionist job was a day off.

Thanks to Save the Assistants!

Can't get enough? Check out more in our Celebs and Entertainment section!

Cocoa Krispies No Longer Prevent Swine Flu

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:28:11 -0800

Boss Tries to Have Employee Killed

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:36:00 -0800

Workplace harassment is no laughing matter. A current lawsuit going on in London absolutely made my blood boil:

"Jordan Wimmer, a 29-year-old financier who earned more than $1 million (Cdn) last year, is in the midst of $7 million suit against Mark Lowe. Lowe, 59, is the principal at hedge fund Nomos Capital and a legend in London investment circles. He owns a castle in France and has a reported $200-million fortune.

Testifying in front of a London employment tribunal this week, Wimmer accused Lowe of peppering her with sexual innuendo, making her watch lap dances and forcing her to share office space with prostitutes he passed off as relatives."

Let’s read that last sentence one more time, shall we? Forcing her to share office space with prostitutes he passed off as relatives. OK, there are so many weird things about that sentence. First of all, why would the prostitutes need offices? If they were, uh, working as prostitutes then they probably would have needed bedrooms, not offices. If they were doing their work in the office, then did Ms. Wimmer have to watch them have sex? That is some messed up stuff right there.

"Wimmer said the poisonous atmosphere ruined her health. She told the tribunal that she was speaking slowly because of medication she was taking for depression. She claims to suffer from bulimia and anxiety as a result of working at Nomos."

I don’t know either of these people personally and had never heard of them before reading this article. That said, I almost always believe an underling over a boss, because it’s much harder for an underling to get away with lying in a corporate environment. This is one lawsuit I will definitely be following.

Power Dressing: Back in Full Force

Lisa Armstrong | The Times — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:20:00 -0800

I know everyone's a bit cross with the Bank of England just now, what with the economy being a quivering wreck and everything. But I'm going to stick my neck out and say that the “leaked” memo from a seminar held by an image consultancy firm that the Bank hired to advise its female employees on how to dress for success didn't deserve quite such loud snorts of derision, nor the inevitable accusations of sexism meted out to it this week.

Granted, some of the advice was a bit weird. On what planet and in which century was it decreed that, when brainstorming with fellow brokers, hedge-funders and other former masters of the universe, shoes and skirt must be the same colour? Other golden nuggets veered into blindingly obvious territory. The stuff about not turning up for world-important meetings wearing an ankle chain or white stilettos probably didn't need stating. It's just a shame they didn't try to teach the men a few sartorial lessons because, despite earning buckets over the past decade, most of them resoundingly failed to look the part.

At least the Bank of England has recognised a truth often overlooked by really clever people, which is this: *what you wear matters*. In a recession it really, really matters. Whereas a five-year-old would once have had difficulty in not finding a job, now there are going to be 750 wildly overqualified candidates competing for everything. We'll all need whatever ammo we can get hold of.

And so, more than 40 years after Edith Head, the scary, Oscar-winning Hollywood costume designer wrote _How to Dress for Success_, 34 years after John T. Molloy penned the much bossier-sounding _Dress for Success_ and at least a decade after we all stopped dressing for success on the ground that it sounded ridiculous and outmoded, like something that all the secretaries on _Mad Men_ might do, Dressing For Success appears to be making a comeback. And where Dressing For Success lurks, can that other much-derided 1980s term, Power Dressing, be far behind, and not in an ironic or sexist way?

Next: Getting Serious →

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Moira Benigson, managing partner of the MBS Group, an executive search company, believes that in the coming months people will be making much more effort to project a serious image: “Dress-down Fridays are rapidly becoming a quaint memory. Everybody is taking everything much more seriously.

For women the stakes are somehow even higher in that they have to look fabulous to go to work. In a very conventional office that means going for safety — black, brown — although I don't think they should go as far as reverting to briefcases. In the next six months we'll see far fewer lax standards being applied — and part of it will be how you look: shirt pressed, hair done, nails manicured. Any cutbacks in grooming are false economies. I know Susie Orbach might disagree, but then Susie Orbach always looks good.”

Simultaneously — and for those whose entire belief system is based on the notion that designers are irrevocably and hopelessly out of touch with reality, this could be a blow — this week new collections are filtering into the stores featuring such classic dress-for-success items as tailored jackets, tailored trousers, tailored dresses ... tailored everything, really.

Yes. Tailoring, a noble skill that was horrifically maimed and almost left for dead in the travesty that was the 1980s, then, worse still, consigned to the wardrobes of Virgin Atlantic cabin crew and Joan Collins, is undergoing a revival. I'm not talking only about such stalwarts as Armani, who have always done tailoring, or just those groovy designers such as Alexander McQueen, Antonio Berardi and Stella McCartney, who, from the start of their careers, distilled what they learnt on Savile Row and served it up to women who often wore it out of compulsion to be seen as fashionable rather than businesslike. Almost all designers are on the case.

Next: Angles and Ruffles →

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Phillip Lim, the go-to American for women seeking affordable, accessible designerwear, softened his tailored angles with ruffles. Luella Bartley's collection was stuffed with colourful little Chanel-esque jackets. In his two collections (for his own label and Louis Vuitton) Marc Jacobs also seems to have discovered a viable alternative to the heavily embellished it-bag and the ornately insane it-shoe — the heavily embellished, ornately insane jacket.

No one is calling it an it-jacket, for obvious reasons (it-anythings are very last economic cycle). But Vogue has dubbed it the trophy jacket. So it's OK, Houston, we have a tagline.

Actually, it's more than OK. These jackets are highly desirable and just the thing, possibly, to get us back into the shops. And no, they're not like the ones you wore in 1994: they are soft and malleable and made from high-tech, stretchy fabrics with unpronounceable names. They have tiny shoulder pads that won't get stuck in the Tube doors, which is handy, since we've all cut down on taxis.

And they are versatile: dress them up, dress them down, wear them with a dress and biker boots à la Sienna Miller or Fiona Bruce (see how versatile this new tailoring is). If you're a fashionista or simply wondering how to raise money for Red Nose Day, you could pair them with this season's nappy trousers.

Which brings us neatly to tailored trouser shapes — pleated, darted, high-waisted — because they are rather tempting, too, though possibly not the nappy ones. Pencil skirts are another crowd-pleaser, and these may well be like the ones you wore in 1994 — and 2004, and 2006, etc, pencil skirts being a bit of a perennial and there being only so many things you can do with one, design-wise.

Next: Tailoring Is Back →

[page]

Of course tailoring is back. As Antonio Berardi, who came to the fore in the last recession when small British designers had nothing to lose, points out, women's suiting first took off in the 1930s: “I started in 1995, in a London that threw caution and tradition to the wind. It was a time of change, where fabric and silhouettes were as anti-conformist as they could be. We repudiated the classic suit, looking to make a statement. A young, fertile imagination can play havoc with tradition.”

These days, Berardi reckons, designers are more in tune with their customers' needs. In other words, a fashionable, tailored outfit need not incorporate a waistband positioned somewhere round the crotch. Berardi even thinks that tailoring is returning to its Savile Row roots: “That makes it a long-term investment. A trouser suit, jeans, a well-cut coat, sweater and shirt are a good basis for any wardrobe.”

If you invest the time and money required to secure well-executed tailoring, it is flattering, functional and an all-round excellent proposition. This said, unless you are a glamorous, 6-foot supermodel married to the French President, wearing a full-on matching tailored suit seems inadvisable, as it tends to lend most women a bus-conductorly air, especially if it's cheap: fine if you have a thing for Kate Winslet in The Reader but not necessarily what most of us mean when we refer to power dressing.

It's undoubtedly to women's advantage that designers have applied themselves to more grown-up, tailored investment clothes, because it means that what has often been frumpy is now colourful and refreshed. It also means that women can look businesslike and come across as fashionable, which always adds edge.

Sometimes, however, a powerful outfit isn't necessarily a tailored one. After all, powerful women existed before shoulder pads. Seriousness comes in many guises.

Next: It's Your Choice →

[page]

In practice there are two kinds of power dressing: the kind deployed by women who are expected to dress in a specific way — newsreaders, barristers, women working at some financial institutions — who invariably resort to a degree of tailoring. Then there is the vast majority of women whose lives require far less proscribed dressing but who still want to take things up a notch.

The past few years have not provided an abundance of solutions, as we have been somewhat preoccupied with celebrities and WAGs. But there have been a few shining role models:

• Tamara Mellon working a simple, perfectly cut cardigan with a belt, bag, killer heels and murderous hair outside court

• Anna Wintour proving that a Fifties full skirt and impeccable knitwear can also exude power

• Marigay McKee, the Harrods fashion supremo, or Aliona Doletskaya, Editor of Russian Vogue, making a good argument for trousers, immaculate shirts and coats

• practically any French female politician.

Then there are the women — from >Michelle Obama> to all those actresses wanting to be taken seriously — who have discovered the discreet forcefulness of a fitted Roland Mouret (or Mouret-esque) dress and coat.

One fabulous, carefully chosen item, be it a chic knitted jacket or a bespoke silk shirt from Kate Starkey (who knows how to cut them so that they fit perfectly and stay tucked in, at which point they become much more than just shirts) can confer the required aura of authority and glamour without looking corporate. If it's just one piece, though, best make it something worn above desk level, otherwise it's a bit of a waste. Actually, better make it two good pieces because a beautiful, discreetly distinctive bag is also a sensible idea.

Anya Hindmarch's Ebury is top of the wish-list but Jaeger, Furla, John Lewis and L.K. Bennett all offer good-looking, affordable options. Shoes had better be pristine, too: patent is eye-catching without being flashy and is also low-maintenance (Russell & Bromley is generally a reliable source). And don't forget that the right colour — that's one that suits you, by the way, not necessarily the one dominating every magazine you pick up — can be highly effective.

So, modern power dressing shouldn't require you to jettison your individuality or — heaven forbid — to ape men. As Edith Head wrote:

“Be yourself, but a better, nicer, more appealing self ... and don't overdo it. You can dress too expensively for some jobs.”

Sometimes power dressing can even seem counterintuitive to a company outsider. Last week, for instance, Moira Benigson interviewed a candidate for a senior position in the arts world who turned up in jeans and a cashmere jumper: “It didn't detract from what she was saying in the least. In fact, she looked terrific. But you'd better believe they were fabulous jeans and cashmere.”

Find the Nearest Flu Shots with Google Maps

AdminSecret — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:04:00 -0800

Concerned about the flu? Want a way to find out quickly (and easily!) the nearest place to get a flu shot?

Worry no more! Google just started a new service that uses Google Maps to locate flu shot availability in your neighborhood: google.com/flushot.

But be careful: Google tells us that, "this project is just beginning and we have not yet received information about flu shot clinics for many locations. In addition, many locations that are shown are currently out of stock. We launched this service now in order to help disseminate information about locations where vaccines are available, and also to make more vaccine providers aware of the project so that they can contribute."

So always make sure to double-check if the vaccine is actually available and if you are eligible before you go.

Stay healthy, admins!

The House, Senate Health Care Bills in Detail

Associated Press | AP Online — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:53:00 -0800

WASHINGTON - A comparison of the health care bills before Congress.

The Democratic-controlled House passed its legislation on a 220-215 vote Saturday night. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is finalizing legislation merging the work of two committees and making other changes. The Senate Democrats' bill has not yet been made public, so some specifics are unknown.

---

The House Bill (Affordable Health Care for America Act):

WHO'S COVERED: About 96 percent of legal residents under age 65 — compared with 83 percent now. About one-third of the remaining 18 million people under age 65 left uninsured would be illegal immigrants.

COST: The Congressional Budget Office says the bill's cost of expanding insurance coverage over 10 years is $1.055 trillion. The net cost is $894 billion, factoring in penalties on individuals and employers who don't comply with new requirements. That's under President Barack Obama's $900 billion goal. However, those figures leave out a variety of new costs in the bill, including increased prescription drug coverage for seniors under Medicare, so the measure may be around $1.2 trillion.

HOW IT'S PAID FOR: $460 billion over the next decade from new income taxes on single people making more than $500,000 a year and couples making more than $1 million. The original House bill taxed individuals making $280,000 a year and couples making more than $350,000, but the threshold was increased in response to lawmakers' concerns that the taxes would hit too many people and small businesses.

There are also more than $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid; a new $20 billion fee on medical device makers; $13 billion from limiting contributions to flexible spending accounts; sizable penalties paid by individuals and employers who don't obtain coverage; and a mix of other corporate taxes and fees.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS: Individuals must have insurance, enforced through a tax penalty of 2.5 percent of income. People can apply for hardship waivers if coverage is unaffordable.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYERS: Employers must provide insurance to their employees or pay a penalty of 8 percent of payroll. Companies with payrolls under $500,000 annually are exempt — a change from the original $250,000 level to accommodate concerns of moderate Democrats - and the penalty is phased in for companies with payrolls between $500,000 and $750,000.

Small businesses -—those with 10 or fewer workers — get tax credits to help them provide coverage.

SUBSIDIES: Individuals and families with annual income up to 400 percent of poverty level, or $88,000 for a family of four, would get sliding-scale subsidies to help them buy coverage. The subsidies would begin in 2013.

[page]

HOW YOU CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE: Beginning in 2013 through a new Health Insurance Exchange open to individuals and, initially, small employers. It could be expanded to large employers over time. States could opt to operate their own exchanges in place of the national exchange if they follow federal rules.

BENEFITS PACKAGE: A committee would recommend a so-called essential benefits package including preventive services. Out-of pocket costs would be capped. The new benefit package would be the basic benefit package offered in the exchange.

INSURANCE INDUSTRY RESTRICTIONS: No denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions. No higher premiums allowed for pre-existing conditions or gender. Limits on higher premiums based on age.

GOVERNMENT-RUN PLAN: A new public plan available through the insurance exchanges would be set up and run by the secretary of Health and Human Services. Democrats originally designed the plan to pay Medicare rates plus 5 percent to doctors. But the final version - preferred by moderate lawmakers - would let the HHS secretary negotiate rates with providers.

CHANGES TO MEDICAID: The federal-state insurance program for the poor would be expanded to cover all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $33,075 per year for a family of four. The federal government would pick up the full cost of the expansion in 2013 and 2014; thereafter the federal government would pay 91 percent and states would pay 9 percent.

DRUGS: Grants 12 years of market protection to high-tech drugs used to combat cancer, Parkinson's and other deadly diseases. Phases out the gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage by 2019. Requires the HHS secretary to negotiate drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries.

ANTITRUST: Would strip the health insurance industry of a long-standing exemption from antitrust laws covering market allocation, price fixing and bid rigging. The bill also would give the Federal Trade Commission authority to look into the health insurance industry at its own initiative.

---

The Senate Democratic Bill:

WHO'S COVERED: The Senate Finance version covered an estimated 94 percent of Americans. Illegal immigrants would not receive government benefits.

COST: Senate leaders aim to keep it under $900 billion over 10 years.

HOW IT'S PAID FOR: Fees on insurance companies, drug makers, medical device manufacturers. Tax levied on insurance companies, equal to 40 percent of total premiums paid on insurance plans costing more than $8,000 annually for individuals and $21,000 for families. But that number may rise to $23,000. Retirees over age 55 and people in high-risk professions may be allowed to have somewhat more valuable plans before they're taxed. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. A fee on employers whose workers receive government subsidies to help them pay premiums. Fines on people who fail to purchase coverage.

[page]

REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS:Almost everyone must get coverage through an employer, on their own or through a government plan. Exemptions for economic hardship. The Senate Finance Committee version required individuals and families to buy coverage as long as it cost no more than 8 percent of their income. Those who are obligated to buy coverage and refuse would face a fine of perhaps $100 in the first year of the program, likely to increase over time.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYERS: Not required to offer coverage, but companies with more than 50 full-time workers would pay a fee as high as $750 multiplied by the total size of the work force if the government ends up subsidizing employees' coverage.

SUBSIDIES: Tax credits for individuals and families likely making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, which computes to $88,200 for a family of four. Tax credits for small employers.

BENEFITS PACKAGE: All plans sold to individuals and small businesses would have to cover basic benefits. The government would set four levels of coverage: Under legislation passed by the Senate Finance Committee the least generous would pay an estimated 65 percent of health care costs per year; the most generous would cover an estimated 90 percent. Those numbers could change.

INSURANCE INDUSTRY RESTRICTIONS: No denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions. No higher premiums allowed for pre-existing conditions or gender. Limits on higher premiums based on age and family size.

GOVERNMENT-RUN PLAN: Reid proposed a new federal insurance plan this week with payment rates to providers negotiated by the health and human services secretary. Unlike the House bill, states could opt out of the plan. It's not clear the proposal commands enough votes to survive, and it could be replaced by a standby system pushed by moderates that would not go into effect until it was clear individual states were experiencing a lack of competition among private companies. The bill also would create nonprofit, member-owned co-ops to compete with private insurers.

HOW YOU CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE: Self-employed people, uninsured individuals and small businesses could pick a plan offered through new state-based purchasing pools. Employees would be generally encouraged to keep their work-provided coverage.

DRUGS: Grants 12 years of market protection to high-tech drugs used to combat cancer, Parkinson's and other deadly diseases. Drug companies contribute $80 billion over 10 years with the majority of the money used to limit the prescription coverage gap in Medicare.

CHANGES TO MEDICAID: Income eligibility levels likely to be standardized to 133 percent of poverty, which is $29,327 a year for a family of four, for all parents, children and pregnant women. States could negotiate with insurers to arrange coverage for people with incomes slightly higher than the cutoff for Medicaid.

ANTITRUST: Amendment expected to be offered on the Senate floor to strip the health insurance industry of its antitrust exemption.
_©2009 Yellowbrix, Inc._

Japan vs. Office Assistants

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:16:00 -0800

In my many office experiences, I’ve done everything from group yoga classes to company-wide ropes courses, all in the name of “bonding” or “boosting morale.” As lame as both those things were, they were the company’s idea and not something mandated by the government. Now, though, there is a new law in Japan regulating how much people can weigh and how big their waists can be. Additionally, companies are expected to keep their employees slim — and fire the ones who don’t make the cut.

"Under Japan’s health care coverage, companies administer check-ups to employees once a year. Those who fail to meet the waistline requirement must undergo counseling. If companies do not reduce the number of overweight employees by 10 percent by 2012 and 25 percent by 2015, they could be required to pay more money into a health care program for the elderly. An estimated 56 million Japanese will have their waists measured this year."

Perhaps more astounding, even before Japanese lawmakers set the waistline limits last year, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) amended its recommended guidelines for the Japanese. The new IDF standard is 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) for men and 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) for women. But the Japanese government has yet to modify its limits.

If they tried to pull this stuff in America, I feel like people would riot. My obsession with sour straws should be no one’s issue but mine.

Thanks to Save the Assistants!

The History of Advertising of "Feminine Products"

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:33:01 -0800

adminsecret

Netflix for ... Designer Dresses?

7 Ways to Make Your Turkey Delicious

Choose the Best Bird

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Butter Your Bird

Inject Flavor, Literally

Cook Your Bird Upside Down

Glaze for a Tasty Finish

Fry, Smoke, or Grill

Bonus: Don't Make a Turkey

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Paradox of declining female happiness

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Bored and Unemployed? Try Jury Duty!

Ever gotten jury duty? Ever gotten out of it? Join the discussion!

Your Guide to 50s Hipster Slang

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Back to the Oven

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Cocoa Krispies No Longer Prevent Swine Flu

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Power Dressing: Back in Full Force

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Find the Nearest Flu Shots with Google Maps

The House, Senate Health Care Bills in Detail

The House Bill (Affordable Health Care for America Act):

The Senate Democratic Bill:

Related Reads: 25 Best U.S. Vacation Cities On the Cheap 5 Money Mistakes Smart People Make 4 Things That May Trigger Your Spending Save Unexpectedly on Your Groceries

Japan vs. Office Assistants

The History of Advertising of "Feminine Products"

More in Organization:

Organize Your Piles of Paperwork

Handling a Disorganized Boss

Calendar in Chief: Schedule like the President

How I Got a Grip on My Workweek

...and more in our Organization section!

Related Reads:

What Professionals Should Never (Ever!) Wear

The Power of a Polished Appearance

...and more in our Style + Beauty section!

Related Reads:

25 Best U.S. Vacation Cities On the Cheap

5 Money Mistakes Smart People Make

4 Things That May Trigger Your Spending

Save Unexpectedly on Your Groceries