You Might be a "Meanderthal" if --

CBN News ^ | MArch 7th, 2006

[laney]

I’ve heard a lot of terms over the years - “wandering generality,” etc. - but none that create the visual picture better than this. A “Meanderthal.” Can’t you just see a big lunk, head hung down, bumping into things and having no “fixed direction?” We could probably add more adjectives to the description.

So how would you describe a “Meanderthal?”

We all know what follows this line - You Might Be A Redneck if ---

There are hoof prints on your carpet You've ever barbecued Spam on the grill Your lifetime goal is to own a fireworks stand You've ever hit a deer with your car -- on purpose! In tough situations you ask yourself, 'What would Curly do?' Here’s your chance to let your creativity shine:

You might be a Meanderthal if ---

You’re still in a job you hated 3 years ago You’ve spent 2 months getting your resume “ready” You have a recurring dream with a great business idea but haven’t done anything Enter your contributions here

2. Too much work?

The vacations of U.S. workers are the shortest of any people in the industrialized world - only 8.1 days after one year on the job (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

The average worker in Europe enjoys four to six weeks of vacation a year. Even Chinese workers get three weeks off. According to a Boston College survey, 26 percent of Americans take no vacation at all.

What are we working for? And at what price? The medical toll of too much work and vanishing vacations has lead to worker’s comp costs soaring 20% this year (Forbes) and company medical plans going up 15% (Time). And beyond these statistics are the immeasurable devastation to our bodies and our families.

Joe Robinson is on a campaign “to amend the national labor laws so that our work practices reflect who we say we are—parents, citizens, and members of communities.” Robinson believes we simply cannot be good parents when we are working 60- hour weeks and taking no vacation. In Work To Live he lays out his plan to legislate a minimum paid-leave.

With computers, email, cell phones and faxes, it’s easy to be available for work 24/7 even if the company doesn’t require it. And we know that in our country it’s a badge of honor to be “too busy,” “slammed,” and “overloaded.” Make sure you’re making deposits of success in life areas other than work. How successful are you today physically, socially, in ongoing personal development, spiritually and in your family? If you’re bankrupt in those, a big bank account is meaningless.

[Job stress] 'is just as much a risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and cancer as other known carcinogens.' - Dr. Steven Lamm, New York University Mount Sinai Medical School, commentator on 'The View'

'A workaholic will die before an alcoholic.' - Diane Fassel, author, 'Working Ourselves to Death'

3. The Bridge Job

Baby Boomers are turning 60 at the rate of one every second. But as life spans lengthen, pensions blow up, and retirement boredom beckons, more American workers find it less desirable to drop from full-time work to full-time leisure in one quick move. Enter the “Bridge Job.” This is a term being used to describe part-time or even full-time jobs held for fewer then 10 years following lengthy careers.

According to a 2005 working paper from the Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, one-half to two-thirds of workers take on bridge jobs before fully retiring--one reason the number of workers 65 and up is expected to increase 117% by 2025. 'Why go from 100 m.p.h. to zero?' says Joseph Quinn, a Boston College economist and co-author of the paper. 'You wouldn't do that in your car. You'd do 70, then 50, then 20.'

Bridge Jobs can be advantageous for both the worker and the company. The worker continues to be productive and generate some income. The company gets the full value of work experience and knows the worker isn’t looking for long term employment or benefits.

4. iPod - Survey Says...

Last week I posed the question - “Should iPods be banned in the workplace?”

The feedback was immediate and covered every position imaginable. Here’s just a sampling --

I work in a huge cube-farm (about 200 on my floor), and have to 'plug my ears' to get any work done. My office gets so loud that I can't focus without my noise canceling headphones. In a world where so many people work in cubicles - you have no door to close when you want to remain focused and undisturbed. Earphones allow you to 'close your door' - now if we can just figure out an imaginary way to make the walls go all the way to the ceiling. Definitely ban iPods. They are robbing your department of productivity and connectivity. For those of us who are still stuck in a horrible job, I think that headphones serve as a wonderful means of getting through the day -- yet at the same time, if we continue to just 'get through the day', we may not be motivated to take the necessary steps in finding the work we love. In today's cubicle environment, headphones can help an employee concentrate better on his/her work, since the headphones block out distractions such as other people's conversations. Headphones also help create the illusion of privacy in an otherwise very un- private work environment. I think iPods should be banned from the workplace. Even in a boring job you need to be tuned in to what is going on around you. If an employer does not need your attention they could get a robot to do the job. If your job is so boring you need an i-pod to distract your mind, you need a new job. Get involved in your company. Make a difference. That will keep that mind entertained. Yes, iPods should be banned. They signal a sense of individuality and disrespect. The workplace best functions when everyone works as a team. Personal cell phones and iPods are two devices that definitely shouldn't be allowed at work. Why should an employer pay for personal entertainment in the workplace? Converting a bored employee to perform useful and satisfying work is management's responsibility. Here are some clear themes:

1. If you work in a cubicle world, the iPod is a good substitute for walls and privacy. 2. The iPod may limit real productivity – and if you can get by using one you may be in a job that could be done by a monkey. 3. You want the “right” to have them regardless!

Big Brother is Watching: We know the iPods are a growing issue in the workplace. And many companies are taking a tough stance on time spent on the Internet at work. The city of Pittsburgh is rolling out a policy that will eventually limit almost all of the city's 1,300 employees to 30 minutes a day on the Internet. Currently the policy applies to public works employees.

The restriction is handled through a Web-filtering program that tracks the amount of time employees spend online. Eighty- seven percent of employees surf non-work-related websites while at work, according to a survey by Vault.com. More than half engage in personal website surfing every day. USAToday

The main reason most employees are disengaged at work is because employers fail to communicate their business strategies, according to the survey of 336 organizations. Business & Legal Reports

[steelcurtain]

I have been nice to her in the past and it was not returned,

News to me.

I am out of a certain product I use right now for Peace and understanding.

It's only 2 p.m. in California. Surely the liquor stores are open!

[laney]

No sure I do not visit Liquor Stores if I want something I order Special delivery.

[SunkenCiv]

The Neandertal Enigma
by James Shreeve

Frayer's own reading of the record reveals a number of overlooked traits that clearly and specifically link the Neandertals to the Cro-Magnons. One such trait is the shape of the opening of the nerve canal in the lower jaw, a spot where dentists often give a pain-blocking injection. In many Neandertal, the upper portion of the opening is covered by a broad bony ridge, a curious feature also carried by a significant number of Cro-Magnons. But none of the alleged 'ancestors of us all' fossils from Africa have it, and it is extremely rare in modern people outside Europe." [pp 126-127]