09/11

I try to reflect on 09/11 every year if i can, a day etched in our minds of those old or young enough to remember and as far as i am concerned this will stay in my mind and thoughts for the rest of my natural life.

What people went through is not worth thinking about, sitting on a 767 as it skimmed the top of skyscrapers as a passenger or crew member knowing what had already happened must have been horrific.
What about those poor people clinging onto the world trade centres outer concrete over 100 stories up as the heat, smoke and fire was forcing them out of the windows, and to make the decision to jump knowing it was guaranteed death is beyond thought.

We all complain about our friends, our colleagues and our jobs but i would not swap for what happened to those people so we should get to grips with what life throws at us and get on with it.

As the world mourns those souls lost on this day 10 years ago we are still able to shed a tear, find a quiet corner to reflect and watch those aircraft slam into the twin towers, pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania and wonder was it their time.

We should also not forget the 280,000 people killed in the Tsunami which always seems to go forgotten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSfYmBCzIOo&feature=related

We should have this here in UK!

Germany to ban employers from snooping on Facebook

27.08.10 @ 09:27

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BY VALENTINA POP

The German government has tabled a draft bill that would ban employers from profiling job applicants on social networks such as Facebook and prevent clandestine video surveillance at work.

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  Germany wants to ban employers from tracking their job applicants on Facebook (Franco Bouly)

Under the envisaged law, employers would still be able to run Internet searches on the names on the persons they want to hire, as long as the information is publicly accessible or present on professional websites, such as LinkedIn.

But becoming friends with the prospective employee or even hacking their Facebook account in order to get personal information will be illegal and punishable with a fine of up to €300,000.

The measure may be difficult to enforce, however, as the employee would have to prove that personal information landed in his hiring file.

Presented by interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, the draft bill also includes a ban on secret video surveillance at work, after a series of scandals with big companies spying on their employees.

Discount-supermarket chain Lidl, car manufacturer Daimler, as well as the state-owned railway operator Deutsche Bahn have been criticised in the media for having installed secret cameras at the cash-desks, in the fitting rooms and in toilets, and for having snooped on employee's emails and private accounts.

Installing video cameras will still be allowed, but not in restrooms and fitting rooms and only as long as the employees are informed.

The bill still has to be debated and approved by the country's parliament after summer. It is expected that some of its provisions will be watered down, as powerful employers' associations have already signalled their opposition.

The retailers' association HDE said some of the regulations go much too far, and outlawing clandestine video surveillance would be wrong. "Here we hope for changes in the government draft," HDE said in a press release.

Germany's data protection watchdog, Peter Schaar, applauded the government's effort, calling it long overdue.

It is "a substantial improvement on the status quo in dealing with employee's data," he said. Germany's privacy rules are among the strictest in Europe, as a consequence of the secret surveillance imposed by the government during the Nazi regime.

After an outrage in Germany sparked by its street imagery programme, Google introduced an online tool just for Germans where they can request in advance that their properties do not appear on Street View.

A criminal investigation has also been launched into Google's collection of unencrypted Wi-Fi data as part of Street View, which the company said was a mistake and has stopped.

What Future employers look for!

When faced with several equally qualified professionals, employers look for the possession of certain traits to help them make a selection. These traits go beyond intelligence and communication skills and into the qualities that indicate you will be a great person to have on the team. In no particular order, here are the eight traits employers are really looking for.

1. Comfortable confidence
Employers want to hire professionals who are comfortable with themselves. These professionals know who they are and what they want. They are confident, but never cocky. They are friendly, engaging and, as a result, a pleasure to be around.
2. Willingness to listen and learn
Employers obviously want to hire professionals who have the skills necessary to do the job. However, that doesn’t mean there will never be anything they need to learn. Know-it-alls are rarely appreciated. Humility (and humanity) often is.

3. Adaptability
In some fields, a job is changing and evolving day by day. Employers want to hire adaptable professionals who can change with it. This may mean someone who can follow directions one day and figure out his or her own direction the next. Or perhaps someone who can spend some days behind their desk and other days in the field, equally productive in both environments.

4. Flexibility
Employers want to hire professions who are flexible. Those who are stuck in their ways tend to be more difficult to work with than those who can go with the flow. Flexibility goes hand in hand with adaptability.

5. Self-reliance
Babies need not apply. Employers do not want to hire people who require handholding or constant praise in order to feel appreciated. They are looking for employees who can motivate themselves, figure out what needs to be done and then do it. Everyone appreciates a pat on the back from time to time, but it shouldn’t be required to do your job well.

6. Teamwork
You’ve heard it before, but there is no “I” in “TEAM.” Even those who are hired to fill individual positions may eventually find themselves working as part of a group. Employers are looking for those who can collaborate well with others, not behave like divas.

7. Dependability
Employers want to hire professionals who will be there to do the job every day. They do not want to waste their time with someone who is going to use all of his or her sick days, demand vacation time during the busy season, or abuse a flexible schedule.

8. Honesty
Once a liar, always a liar, or at least in the eyes of potential employers. It almost goes without saying, but if an employer discovers an “inaccuracy” or “exaggeration” on your resume (perhaps while conducting a reference check), you will quickly find yourself resuming your job search.

How do your qualities stack up against the list of traits employers are really looking for? An honest self-assessment will give you a good idea of what you need to work on. If you possess all eight traits, your chances of impressing during an interview and getting the job are very good.