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14 Ways Nannies Can Market Themselves
Tweet Share on Facebook December 15, 2008 Comment (7)Things haven't been looking so good for the affluent, especially the most powerful and wealthy investors who've incurred massive losses caused by Bernard Madoff's giant Ponzi scheme. And don't forget the flood of reports that Wall Street banks and other firms are eliminating tens of thousands of jobs. Last week, I wrote about how dual-career, upper-class couples who've been affected by the economic downturn are increasingly tightening their budgets and cutting back on household operating costs, which may include the nanny. U.S. News asked Stephanie Felzenberg, editor of the Best Nanny Newsletter, to share her best advice for nannies who want to market themselves and stand out from the pack:
1. Standout Résumé. The résumé remains the most important way for nanny candidates to market themselves. To stand out among a pile of others, caregivers should include a photo of themselves on their résumé. Including a photo playing or posing with children will help parents take notice. The résumé should be printed on high-quality paper. Nanny candidates should spell check and proofread the résumé to make sure the grammar is perfect and the meaning is clear.
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner Delayed Until 2010
Tweet Share on Facebook December 12, 2008 Comment (2)
Do you remember in Casino Royale when the evil Le Chiffre plots to blow up an airplane in Miami to cause an airline's stock to crash? Well, Boeing's recent announcement that it will delay deliveries of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner is by no means comparable with a terrorist plot, but it did send the airline's stock falling by 3.384 percent, to $40.27 a share, on the New York Stock Exchange yesterday. Shares of the company have ranged between $36.17 and $90.38 over the past 52 weeks.
Several companies have put in orders for the 787, but they will just have to wait. Again. For the fourth time. Boeing said yesterday that it's delaying the schedule for the Dreamliner program by six months because of the damaging strike by machinists and a slew of production problems.
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Laying Off the Nanny in Hard Times
Tweet Share on Facebook December 11, 2008 Comment (1)"Marlene has been a member of our family for the past 19 months," reads an urgent Craigslist posting from Brooklyn, N.Y. "I was recently laid off so we are looking for a new family for her." With the number of jobless claims jumping by 58,000 to a 26-year high of 573,000, according to Labor Department reports today, an increasing number of families are reining in spending by laying off the household help. It's a tough choice to make, especially if the nanny has become an integral member of the family. But the decision is also difficult for families who have to adjust their lifestyles; parents may not be used to doing their own dishes, shopping for groceries, or picking up the children from school.
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‘The Dark Knight’ on Blu-ray
Tweet Share on Facebook December 9, 2008 Comment (4)My fiancé purchased a Samsung LN52A650 last month for a pretty amazing deal at the ailing Circuit City, but we're still looking into a Blu-ray player to complement our massive LCD TV. (Prices are getting better and better.) We hope to snag one sooner rather than later because The Dark Knight DVD and Blu-ray Disc finally hit store shelves today!
Warner Home Video is expected to ship more than 1 million Dark Knight Blu-ray Discs to retailers today. This bests Iron Man, which sold more than 500,000 copies during its first week, according to Video Business. Growth in the action genre makes sense; these particular movies appeal to gamers, especially those who own Sony PS3 game consoles, which include a built-in Blu-ray player. It's also likely that some PS3 owners will make The Dark Knight their first Blu-ray purchase.
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Flying High With Flexjet Expert Guide Jet Card
Tweet Share on Facebook December 9, 2008 Comment (1)I just got back from a weekend trip to Florida, and although the air travel left me largely unscathed, I'm still dumbfounded by the extra fees for checking my luggage and in-flight beverages, the soiled napkin left in my seat pocket, and the uncomfortably cramped seats with barely any legroom. (Tight for me, but worse for the 6-foot-2 man to my right, knees crunched into his seat pocket, cursing his job for playing a "cruel joke" on him.)
If you have the means to upgrade—and I don't mean a mere bump to first class—a private jet may be your cup of tea. Better yet, take advantage of Bombardier Flexjet—which offers a turnkey program that allows individuals or companies to purchase a share in a Bombardier business jet at a fraction of the full ownership cost but with a twist.
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Luxury Retailers Attract Customers With Rare Discounts
Tweet Share on Facebook December 8, 2008 Comment (7)When a luxury retailer cuts prices too steeply, it threatens its brand's image of luxury and exclusivity. But with global luxury goods sales expected to decline by 3 percent to 7 percent in 2009, according to a recent Bain & Co. study, it's no wonder luxury retailers are being forced into a corner. They're slashing prices so severely that they end up looking like discount outlets.
Slate's Daniel Gross took a walk down Fifth Avenue and saw the carnage for himself. In his excellent column, Gross ruminates on the desperate holiday shopping season and is baffled by Bergdorf Goodman's lowbrow sales technique:
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Si Newhouse Denies Anna Wintour Retirement Rumor
Tweet Share on Facebook December 3, 2008 CommentLife imitates art (à la The Devil Wears Prada) where delicious rumors run amok about the gilded age of Vogue editor Anna Wintour drawing to a close, and a chic, French counterpart taking the reins. With Men's Vogue scaling back to two issues per year, Teen Vogue's advertising pages—a key indicator of a magazine's health—down 10.2 percent, Vogue's 9.6 percent decline in its advertising pages, and the annual supplement Fashion Rocks on hiatus until 2009, it's no wonder there's been hot speculation about Wintour being forced out. The economic downturn and Wintour's $2 million annual salary could also be added to the checklist of items working against the iconic editor. And to pour salt on fresh wounds, Condé Nast chairman Si Newhouse reportedly met with French Vogue editor Corine Roitfeld to discuss the final details of her move to New York. All told, Condé Nast chairman Si Newhouse has blown off the speculation, saying "this is the silliest rumor I ever heard and there is no truth to it" to the WSJ. A spokesperson from Condé Nast confirmed with U.S. News that there are no changes to Ms. Roitfeld's role.
Vogue isn't the only magazine to suffer from the economic crisis. WWD reports double-digit drops through 2008 for many of the Condé Nast magazines: "Other Condé Nast titles hit by double-digit declines included Glamour (down 12.4 percent); W (12.7 percent), Lucky (11.3), Teen Vogue (10.2) and GQ (11.5)."
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Nakheel Cuts 500 Jobs, a Sign of the Times
Tweet Share on Facebook December 2, 2008 Comment (5)
Even in the midst of the global economy's current frailty, international hotelier Sol Kerzner couldn't help himself. Late last month, Kerzner, along with Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairmen of Dubai real estate development company Nakheel, threw a three-day, multimillion-dollar gala to coincide with the opening of the Atlantis Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The opulent celebration was chock-full of heavy-hitting celebrities including Michael Jordan, Quincy Jones, Robert De Niro, and Charlize Theron. It included a spectacular lighting and pyrotechnics display as well as a private performance by singer Kylie Minogue. To top it off, renowned chefs such as Nobu Matsushisa and Michel Rostang prepared signature dishes for the 2,000 guests.
Such extravagance, however, doesn't match the recent news that Nakheel cut 500 jobs and scaled back some of its projects. Government-controlled Nakheel said in a statement that the 15 percent reduction in its global workforce is a result of the global financial crisis: "We have the responsibility to adjust our short-term business plans to accommodate the current global environment. The redundancies are indeed regrettable, but a necessity dictated by operational requirements which are in turn dependent on demand."
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Cyber-Monday: Deals on Luxury Goods
Tweet Share on Facebook December 1, 2008 Comment (5)If you're like me, you avoided the out-of-control mob of feverish shoppers at retailers on Black Friday. You may have decided to wait for discounts today, otherwise known as Cyber-Monday, the unofficial kickoff to the online retail season. You may be shopping from the comfort of your own home or "taking a break" at work; either way, online retailers see today as yet another opportunity to attract consumers with more promotions.
When you think of great deals, retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, and Best Buy may come to mind. But deep discounts abound on luxury goods, and you can save as much as 40 to 70 percent on men's and women's designer apparel, shoes, and handbags from the likes of luxury retailers Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
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