Queercents

I scoured my Google Reader in search of less apocalyptic topics to discuss, but wow… methinks financial press editors are getting one helluva a high from reporting nonstop gloom and doom — time to lay off the pipe fellas!

Thankfully there’s always absurd news to distract us, and this “U.S. News and World Report” article (via MSN) hails the benefits cosmetic surgery will have on your career. In case you think the claim is bogus, here’s what some surgeons have to say about an emerging trend:

“In the corporate world, there’s a lot of emphasis on image, and image goes with self-confidence,” says Antonio Armani, a Beverly Hills, Calif., cosmetic surgeon who specializes in hair transplants. “I think a lot of people do invest money in improving their looks because they feel this is one way they can go up the corporate ladder.”

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reports that, among last year’s most prominent trends, about two-thirds of its members reported seeing men and women who requested cosmetic surgery because they wanted to remain competitive in the workplace.

And the article cites studies that report a disturbing truth most of us had confirmed in Psychology 101 classes — that the world loves beautiful people: Read the rest of this entry »

For most of the year I’ve been perplexed by the people grumbling about food inflation. My weekly grocery bill hasn’t seen much change, so what’s the problem I wondered. That was my thinking until yesterday when I paid $3.95 for fifteen ounces of orange juice. Hey, I was feeling rundown — I needed it for an on-the-go boost.

The AP reports, “Food prices are increasing faster than they’ve risen since 1990, at 4 percent in the U.S. last year, according to the Agriculture Department. Many staples are rising even faster, with white bread up 13 percent last year, bacon up 7 percent and peanut butter up 9 percent.

“There’s no sign of a slowdown. Food inflation is running at an annualized rate of 6.1 percent as of April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

So how are some shoppers coping? They’re buying Hormel Spam in record numbers. Read the rest of this entry »

As the Daily Mail reports, Jodie Foster and her partner of fifteen years, Cydney Bernard, recently ended their relationship. That made me wonder: will Cydney ask for alimony?

Sure, they weren’t married, but that didn’t stop Judy Nelson from suing Martina Navratilova for some type of alimony back in 1991 when their eight-year relationship ended, making both parties settle out of court.

I hope alimony is never something I have to think about in my own life, but with the advent of gay marriage here in California, people all around me are buzzing about future nuptials, and let’s face it: half of all marriages end in divorce. Perhaps alimony is something we need to consider, and maybe redefine for our own purposes. Read the rest of this entry »

Those are the words of my mayor, Gavin Newsom, who shared some vindicated words about yesterday’s California Supreme Court ruling that declared a ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. After all, he’s the guy that started a gay marriage frenzy here in San Francisco in 2004, and then saw those marriages ruled invalid months later.

It was a celebratory scene yesterday here in San Francisco. Homos everywhere were hands-up in joy, dancing in the street. See for yourself: click here.

Straight supporters were beaming with excitement too. One straight girl in my journalism class happily asked, “Do you think there’s a lot people getting engaged tonight? I wonder if there’s going to be a rush of June weddings.” [Maybe a mid-June rush: it will take at least 30 days for the ruling to go in effect. This SF Gate article has more info.]

Of course I was excited and grateful for the court’s decision, but at the same time I thought, OK, that’s just one more state that thinks I’m good enough to get married. You’re telling me I should be jumping up for joy because I’m being granted rights I already deserve? Read the rest of this entry »

Beginning February 17, 2009, full-power television stations are required to switch from analog to digital broadcasting per the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005.

You may need to purchase a digital converter box to receive network channels if:

1) you do not subscribe to cable or satellite programming
2) you have a television made before 2004 (Most televisions made before 2004 do not have a built-in digital tuner.)

To learn more about the digital broadcasting conversion, click here for the FAQ page at the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration site. (Do yourself a favor and expand all FAQ for faster reading.) Read the rest of this entry »

Chrysler’s latest incentive to reverse faltering car sales is fascinating. Car and Driver reports (via Yahoo!) that Chrysler will guarantee $2.99 gas to customers who purchase a new Dodge, Jeep or Chrysler vehicle from May 7 through June 12.

Here in San Francisco, the average cost of gasoline is $4.05 per gallon. (You can check prices for your location at MSN Autos.)

Sounds like an amazing deal for those of us in pricier metropolitan areas. However, looking at restrictions that apply and doing some number crunching makes this program look a bit… shrug inducing. Read the rest of this entry »

As I’m sailing toward finals week in school, I figured this is a good time to wrap up my Bliss Chronicles series. Soon I’ll have lots of time on my hands during the summer break to think about where my career is going. Heck, I’m already thinking about it now, even though I should be focused on finals.

I’ve found that it’s easy to get caught up in distracting thoughts of the future when you’re in the thick of a career transition. At least when I was an undergrad many years ago, my anxiety about life after college actually helped me focus on my schoolwork. Studying kept me from dreading about what I will do after graduation.

Now I’m older. All my friends are moving along in their careers; those annoying alumni reception newsletters I get in my inbox make me wonder how I’m doing compared to everyone else I graduated with; my mom and dad always find some way to communicate their worry that they failed me in life because I’m 30 and don’t have an official job. It’s easy to feel behind in these shoes.

However, I feel surprisingly patient and more in control of my career than ever before. What gives? Read the rest of this entry »

For this week’s News Bites, I’m doing a semi-rant on news, although, I’m not quite ranting about news because I’m mostly responding to the tech buzz Apple generates, a lot of which shows up in financial press blogs.

Screw it — I’ll just make this an open letter to Apple. Feel free to chime in.

Apple,

I cannot keep up with you. You spark more rumors than Miley Cyrus.

I need a new computer, and I’m not one of your customers who can afford to replace mine every time you update a model. But you keep updating your damn models every 6 months! When the hell should I buy my computer? Read the rest of this entry »

Before deciding to go back to school, I had to research what’s available and what I could afford. I was happy to find a certificate program at my local community college that would only cost me about $500 for each semester, including books and tuition.

Since both the program and price sounded great, I then had to figure out how I would pay for living expenses while I was in school. If I had to do this process all over again, I would have eaten the cost of talking to a financial advisor instead of enduring the messy and hectic process I endured.

I’ll skip forward past how the process worked for me because it’s a private matter with unique circumstances, and also, you need to examine the condition of your own current finances and tailor a personalized solution that will keep your finances healthy. Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to our new feature News Bites where we discuss money in the news: Be aghast, discuss, or just lurk. We don’t mind.

Here’s an item from the San Francisco Chronicle about a global rice shortage that may sour Costco and Sam’s Club shopping trips this weekend:

The worldwide rice crisis lapped over into the United States this week when Costco Wholesale and Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club, the two biggest warehouse retail chains, limited the amount of bulk imported rice customers can buy. Sam’s Club said the restriction is due to “recent supply and demand trends.”

Try not to complain. Apparently, the rice shortage caused rioting deaths in Cameron and hungry protesters in Haiti to boot their prime minister. Read the rest of this entry »