Topics

China sex theme park demolished
Love Land
Love Land had been due to open in October

China's first sex theme park, aimed at improving both the sex education and the sex life of its visitors, has been torn down before it even opened.

The owners were "interested only in profiting from sensationalism," the China Daily reported one official said.

Due to open in Chongqing in October, Love Land was to have included displays of giant genitalia, naked bodies and an exhibition on the history of sex.

The park was set to offer workshops on sex technique and safe-sex methods.

But the plans left Chongqing officials red-faced, correspondents say.

The officials called the planned park "vulgar, ill-minded and misleading", said China Daily.

"Sex is a taboo subject in China but people really need to have more access to information about it," the park's manager, Lu Xiaoqing told the China Daily state newspaper before the park was demolished.

"We are building the park for the good of the public. I have found that the majority of people support my idea, but I have to pay attention and not make the park look vulgar and nasty."

Among the attractions had been a giant rotating statue of the lower part of a nearly naked woman.

Study finds tall people at top of wages ladder
AFP

   
Study finds tall people at top of wages ladder AFP/File - Tall people earn higher wages than their vertically-challenged ...
Sun May 17, 12:43 am ET

MELBOURNE (AFP) – Tall people earn higher wages than their vertically-challenged counterparts while being obese does not mean a slimmed-down pay packet, according to a new study in Australia.

The researchers found a strong link between wages and height, particularly for men, with each additional 10 centimetres (four inches) of height adding three percent to hourly wages.

The "height premium" was two percent per 10 centimetres for women, researchers from the University of Sydney and Canberra's Australian National University (ANU) found.

They calculated that every five centimetres (two inches) above the average height of 178 centimentres (5 feet 10 inches) boosted a male's wages by the equivalent of an extra year's experience in the labour force.

"This result holds constant across a number of other factors that also affect wages, such as age, race, family background, experience and education," said ANU professor Andrew Leigh.

The researchers, who examined health and income data from almost 20,000 Australians, also found that being overweight did not mean a lighter pay packet -- in contrast to previous studies.

"We were surprised to find that there seemed to be no wage penalty to being overweight or obese in the Australian labour market," Leigh said.

"This is in contrast with previous studies that used older data from the United States and Germany and found that people with higher (body mass index) earned lower wages."

He said one explanation may be that because fat Australians were now in the majority, they did not face discrimination in the workplace.

Spray for 'six times longer' sex
Couple
Premature ejaculation can be distressing for couples

A spray can help men with premature ejaculation problems prolong the length of time they have sex by six times.

Men who used the treatment five minutes before having intercourse extended their love-making from half a minute to almost four minutes, trials showed.

The spray, developed at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, contains local anaesthetics that numb the penis.

A British Journal of Urology International study says it could be available in the next couple of years.

Up to 40% of men experience premature ejaculation at some time in their lives, experts estimate.
   
It improved both sexual performance and sexual satisfaction
Lead researcher Professor Wallace Dinsmore

It is difficult to have an exact idea of the rate because there is still embarrassment about discussing sex lives and the definition of what constitutes a premature climax does vary.

For some 10 minutes in the sack may be enough, but for others intercourse lasting less than 20 minutes may be unsatisfactory.

In the study, the researchers looked at 300 men who regularly had difficulty lasting for more than a minute during love-making.

Most of the men had tried other treatments before, the most common being oral antidepressants.

Every time they had intercourse during the three-month study period, each couple measured the time to ejaculation with a stopwatch.

Sex delay

The men who tested the spray, called PSD502, were able to last 6.3 times longer on average.

In comparison, men who tested a "dummy" spray containing no drug lasted only 1.7 times longer.
   
There are treatments and training techniques that can help
Peter Baker of the Men's Health Forum

PSD502 helped 90% of the men enjoy sex for up to four minutes, where they had previously only lasted for seconds.

And there was minimal transfer of the spray to the partners, meaning the men did not have to use a condom for this reason alone.

Lead researcher Professor Wallace Dinsmore said: "Premature ejaculation can be a very distressing condition for men and can cause distress, frustration and make them avoid sexual intimacy.

"Our study shows that when the PSD502 spray was applied to the man's penis five minutes before intercourse it improved both sexual performance and sexual satisfaction, which are key factors in treating premature ejaculation."

Peter Baker of the Men's Health Forum said the findings were welcomed.

"Premature ejaculation is a very significant problem for lots of men that is hardly talked about and that needs to change.

"There are treatments and training techniques that can help. It is important that new treatments are looked at and that men are encouraged to seek help."

Paula Hall, a counsellor for Relate, said: "This might particularly help men who have problems with premature ejaculation related to anxiety.

"It could help build their confidence, although the root cause of the anxiety would still need addressing."

This is a very serious and selfish act to sign yourself up, make sure you discuss it and let it be known to family members your wishes.

http://www.organdonation.ie/donate




Here is a story about a family who had to make a tough decision at a difficult time

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/7985692.stm

'Three Stooges' coming together at MGM
Wed Mar 25, 2009, 02:54 PM ET • Source: Hollywood Reporter
$image_alt
(WireImage.com/Sony Pictures)

Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk.

MGM and the Farrelly brothers are finally slapping together their high-profile cast for "The Three Stooges," a comedy project the filmmakers have been developing for years. Sean Penn is set to play Larry, and Jim Carrey is in negotiations to play Curly. Benicio del Toro is a rumored possibility for the brothers' taciturn leader, Moe.

The studio is looking to start production in the fall for a 2010 release slot.

The project was originally set up at Columbia, which produced the 1930s Stooges shorts. C3 Entertainment Inc., which holds the licensing rights to the Stooges brand, then sold the feature rights to Warner Bros. in 2001 for the Farrellys to write and produce the movie. Eventually, Warner Bros. let the rights lapse and MGM's Mary Parent scooped them up along with the Farrellys' continuing participation.

Peter and Bobby Farrelly wrote the script, which Bobby has referenced as "Dumb, Dumber & Dumbest," and will produce with Bradley Thomas and Charlie Wessler. Earl and Robert Benjamin of C3 will executive produce.

The film is not a biopic but a fictional treatment that maintains the Stooges' gleeful slap schtick updated for a modern milieu.

Originally constructed as four separate shorts, the feature screenplay has since been streamlined into a single narrative. Included in the story line is an opening that shows the Stooges as kids in an orphanage, a device that will require some "Benjamin Button"-style visual trickery to place the adult actors' heads on child actors' bodies.

The Stooges maintain remarkably global brand recognition, and their shorts, films and cartoons are still broadcast in 30 countries. The Farrelly brothers' latest comedy "The Heartbreak Kid" grossed $124 million worldwide.

Penn is repped by CAA, Carrey by CAA and the Miller Co.

Mango: weight loss wonder fruit?

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Diet aid ... an extract from the African mango may inhibit body fat production.

Diet aid ... an extract from the African mango may inhibit body fat production.

March 24, 2009 - 11:17AM

An extract derived from a West African fruit may help overweight people shed pounds and lower their cholesterol, a new study suggests.

The extract comes from Irvingia gabonensis, also known as African mango, a fruit commonly eaten in West Africa. Lab research has shown that extracts from the plant's seed may inhibit body fat production, through effects on certain genes and enzymes that regulate metabolism.

For the current study, researchers at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon randomly assigned 102 overweight adults to take either the plant extract or a placebo twice a day for 10 weeks. The study participants did not follow any special diet and were told to maintain their normal exercise levels.

By the end of the study, the extract group had lost a significant amount of weight - an average of roughly 12.5 kilograms - while the placebo group showed almost no change.

At the same time, they showed declines in "bad" LDL cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Dr. Julius E. Oben and his colleagues report the findings in the online journal Lipids in Health and Disease. The Fairfield, California-based Gateway Health Alliances, Inc. supplied the Irvingia gabonensis extract and partially funded the research.

The study is the first well-controlled clinical trial of the extract's effectiveness as a weight-loss aid, the researchers note. But the findings, they write, suggest that Irvingia gabonensis could offer a "useful tool" for battling the growing worldwide problem of obesity and its related ills.

A few patients on the extract reported side effects, including headaches, sleep problems and gas, but the rates were similar in the placebo group.

The findings, Oben's team concludes, should "provide impetus for much larger clinical studies."

Reuters



12.5 KG/27.5 lbs lost in two weeks by just eating a fruit extract, sounds a little too good.

On Africa trip, pope says condoms won't solve AIDS

   

By VICTOR L. SIMPSON, Associated Press Writer Victor L. Simpson, Associated Press Writer – 47 mins ago
Pope says condoms won't solve AIDS Play Video AP  – Pope says condoms won't solve AIDS.   



YAOUNDE, Cameroon – Pope Benedict XVI said condoms are not the answer to the AIDS epidemic in Africa and can make the problem worse, setting off criticism Tuesday as he began a weeklong trip to the continent where some 22 million people are living with HIV.

Benedict's first statement on an issue that has divided even Catholic clergy working with AIDS patients came hours before he arrived in Cameroon's capital — greeted by thousands of flag-waving faithful who stood shoulder-to-shoulder in red dirt fields and jammed downtown streets for a glimpse of the pontiff's motorcade.

In his four years as pope, Benedict had never directly addressed condom use, although his position is not new. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, often said that sexual abstinence — not condoms — was the best way to prevent the spread of the disease.

Benedict also said the Roman Catholic Church was at the forefront of the battle against AIDS.

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane heading to Yaounde. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

The pope said a responsible and moral attitude toward sex would help fight the disease, as he answered questions submitted in advance by reporters traveling on the plane. His response was presumably also prepared in advance.

The Catholic Church rejects the use of condoms as part of its overall teaching against artificial contraception. Senior Vatican officials have advocated fidelity in marriage and abstinence from premarital sex as key weapons in the fight against AIDS.

The late Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo made headlines in 2003 for saying that condoms may help spread AIDS through a false sense of security, claiming they weren't effective in blocking transmission of the virus. The cardinal, who died last year, headed the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family.

Three-quarters of all AIDS deaths worldwide in 2007 were in sub-Saharan Africa, where some 22 million people are infected with HIV — accounting for two-thirds of the world's infections, according to UNAIDS.

Rebecca Hodes with the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa said if the pope is serious about preventing HIV infections, he should focus on promoting wide access to condoms and spreading information on how to use them.

"Instead, his opposition to condoms conveys that religious dogma is more important to him than the lives of Africans," said Hodes, head of policy, communication and research for the group.

Hodes said the pope was right that condoms are not the sole solution to Africa's AIDS epidemic, but added they are one of the very few proven measures to prevent HIV infections.

Even some priests and nuns working with those infected with the AIDS virus question the church's opposition to condoms amid the pandemic ravaging Africa. Ordinary Africans do as well.

"Talking about the nonuse of condoms is out of place. We need condoms to protect ourselves against diseases and AIDS," teacher Narcisse Takou said in Yaounde.

Stanley Obale Okpu, a civil servant working in the ministry of urban development in Cameroon, said: "What the pope says is an ideal for the Catholic church. But he needs to look at the realities on the ground. One should be aware of these realities. In the case of Cameroon — and Africa as a whole — condoms are very necessary ... You need condoms to prevent AIDS and birth control."

A crowd of photographers and cameras flashed as the 81-year-old pontiff stepped off the plane into the steaming 88-degree heat, with humidity levels measuring a wilting 90 percent.

It was the first stop on a weeklong pilgrimage that will also take Benedict to Angola as he seeks to draw international attention to Africa's problems of famine, poverty and armed conflict.

The pope was greeted by Cameroon's President Paul Biya, who has ruled since 1982 and whose government has been accused by Amnesty International of abuses in crushing political opponents.

The pope made no specific reference to the situation in Cameroon, but he did say in general remarks on Africa that "a Christian can never remain silent" in the face of violence, poverty, hunger, corruption or abuse of power.

"The saving message of the Gospel needs to be proclaimed loud and clear so that the light of Christ can shine into the darkness of people's lives," Benedict said as the president and other political leaders looked on.

Africa is the fastest-growing region for the Catholic church, though it competes with Islam and evangelical churches.

The pope said Tuesday he intends to make an appeal for "international solidarity" for Africa in the face of the global economic downturn. He said while the church does not propose specific economic solutions, it can give "spiritual and moral" suggestions.

He described the current crisis as the result of "a deficit of ethics in economic structures."

"It is here that the church can make a contribution," he said.

On the plane, Benedict also dismissed the notion that he was facing increasing opposition and isolation within the church, particularly after an outreach to ultraconservatives that led to his lifting the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying bishop.

"The myth of my solitude makes me laugh," the pope said, adding that he has a network of friends and aides whom he sees every day.

Pakistan rape victim gets married



Ms Mai has become known around the world for her campaigning

A Pakistani gang rape victim who won international acclaim as a campaigner for women's rights has married.

Mukhtar Mai was raped by four men in her village as a punishment after her 12-year-old brother was accused of adultery in 2002.

She ignored taboos about her ordeal and fought to have her attackers convicted.

Since then Mukhtar Mai has become a champion for women's rights in her country and an internationally- recognised figure.

Six men arrested and sentenced to death in connection with the gang rape are still in custody pending a retrial.

Ms Mai had said she was not sure she would ever marry, but on Sunday wed police constable Nasir Abbas Gabol in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

Since being raped she has also written a best-selling autobiography and opened a school and a chain of women's crisis centres in Pakistan.

Mukhtar Mai won widespread international support when she spoke out after being raped - allegedly on the order of a village council.

In 2005, she was honoured as Woman of the Year by Glamour magazine in a ceremony in Washington.

The award praised Ms Mai for "her incredible courage and optimism in the face of terrible violence".

Critics of Pakistan's judicial system and social systems say the Mukhtar Mai case is an example of appalling treatment often handed out to women, particularly in feudal, rural areas.

Her rape was allegedly ordered by a village council as a punishment for a misdemeanour blamed on her brother.

      Save Jobs - Stop Tax Hikes!       
      
      Save Jobs - Stop Tax Hikes!       
      Save Jobs - Stop Tax Hikes!       
      


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Diageo North America

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This gives a whole new meaning to being Laid -Off





Women who pay for sex

By Hannah Barnes
BBC Radio 5 Live

Escort
It's not known how many women use male escorts
It's not just men who pay prostitutes to sleep with them. For some women, paying for sex is more convenient than cruising bars and clubs trying to find men.

"They don't want to be found out. They want to do something private - it's their own world, a part of their life that they want to be secret."

Nicole runs a high-class escort agency in the West Midlands, whose clients include women as well as men. Her male escorts host "in-calls" for female clients at a large country cottage, three quarters of a mile away from the nearest town. The exterior gives no clue as to what goes on inside and instead looks more like a French chalet.

Male escorts know that some of their clients aren't single. One says some women don't think paying for sex is cheating, in the same way that having an affair would be.
   
For women who are attached, the risks of going to a bar or a public place to meet a man are often seen as too high, and so having a discreet hide-away can be crucial.

"They need to be coming to somewhere where they won't be seen by somebody passing who knows them or a neighbour," Nicole says.

When Catarina took the decision to see an escort, she was petrified.

"I didn't think I'd ever want to see an escort. I always thought it was other people who did that kind of thing - not somebody like myself."

But she is just one of an unknown number of women in the UK who are willing to pay for sex. Born with a disability, sex had always been painful and uncomfortable for Catarina. Her ex-boyfriends had made her feel guilty about not being able to enjoy sex, and left her confidence at rock bottom.

Superman role-play

Andrew changed that. After just one session, Catarina says she felt "high as a kite".

"I was able to have sex that was completely pain-free. My self-esteem grew. My confidence grew. If it wasn't for Andrew I wouldn't be where I am today. I wouldn't be as confident as I am, as sexually aware as I am. I think I grew up as well."
Inside of escort agency
The inside of the agency looks like a normal house

It's not just women who have a disability or partners at home that are choosing to pay for sex, rather than cruising night clubs or bars for male company.

Catarina's escort, Andrew Rosetta, has written a book about his 10-year career called Whatever She Wants and he says women come to him for the chance to be selfish.

Sitting in his plush flat in London's West End, which he owns outright thanks to his sex work, he recalls a solicitor who used to be a regular client.

"She's very articulate, bright - she's a partner in her firm. But after session three she told me this guilty secret: that she'd really like to take advantage of Superman.

"I would arrive at her house in a suit. I'd go along in glasses; underneath my suit is a Superman outfit and we would go through this role-play.

"She would at one point bring out a green rock on a chain which was kryptonite - that makes Superman begin to lose his power. And of course when Superman loses his power, he's available to be taken advantage of."
   
Daniel the escort
It's no more seedy than somebody going out to a bar, getting a bit drunk and then ending up going home with a complete stranger
Escort Daniel

Male escorts say women choose to pay for sex for all types of reasons - to gain sexual confidence, to experiment and some are busy business women who just don't have the time to meet men.

Daniel has been working part-time as an escort in London for the last year, lured by the prospect of making some extra cash in the economic downturn. He was educated at one of the city's best private schools, and like Andrew is highly articulate.

"It's no more seedy than somebody going out to a bar, getting a bit drunk and then ending up going home with a complete stranger. What's the difference? With what I do, you know what you're getting, there's no illusion. You pay your money. You get what you get. You meet some guy at the bar, you don't know what you get - he could be anyone."

So how much do these services cost? In London the top straight male escorts charge at least £100 per hour - often more.

But Nicole says that in the West Midlands, the men on her books offer rates of around £60 because of a shortage of work at the moment. In this economic climate, times are tough, even for the male escort.

Some of the names of people interviewed for this article have been changed to protect their identity

Has anyone used this?

It is shown nonstop on infomercials here stateside so I don't know if its made its way to Ireland yet.

Looks like it works every part of the body and increases cardio as well.


http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/p90x.do?code=P90XDOTCOM

With all the gizmos, doo-hickeys and widgets there has to be something to plug into your computer to make free International Calls.

Anyone know of something?

This topic is were you can nominate poster of the year General Discussion.


You can nominate any poster who starts a new topic, adds relevance to a topic or you just someone you feel who should be nominated.
l

Early Candidates


Give Her Dixie- A man who not only talks the talk but walks the walk  - Tyrone to Gaza

Ziggysego- A man who has the utmost respect for every lady poster and isn't afraid to hit on them

Oneil - has a comment readily available for any topic.

Muppet- has a comment readily available for any topic.

Puckoon- for a younger lad he has a level head.

Hardstation- wit never escapes him and he is only second to ziggy on # of posts.

Pintsofguiness- if you thought your day was bad read one of his posts and you will feel better about yourself

The Real Laoislad- sure who doesn't want the life of a bachelor and still have a significant other

AZOffaly- is there a sport worldwide this gent does not know about?

Who ever started the " unlady like " topic-its gone but not forgotten

T Fearon- a man who is most humble and never feels the need to gloat about winning a contest 



Add to the list and the 2nd to last week of December 09 we will have a poll of the top ten to determine the Poster of the Year.

I still don't understand how the X-Games are a sport, and now an unnecessary death.




Freestyle motocross rider Jeremy Lusk dies

By MARIANELA JIMENEZ, Associated Press Writer 2 hours, 47 minutes ago

   

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP)—Jeremy Lusk, an American freestyle motocross rider, died of head injuries Tuesday after crashing while trying to land a backflip in competition. He was 24.

Jorge Ramirez, chief of the intensive care unit at Calderon Hospital, said Lusk suffered severe brain damage and a possible spinal cord injury.

Lusk won a gold medal at the 2008 X Games. He was injured Saturday night when he failed to complete a full rotation while attempting a Hart Attack backflip and slammed headfirst into the dirt. Lusk crashed in almost identical fashion in the freestyle semifinals at the 2007 X Games but was not hurt.

He had a successful 2008 season, winning Freestyle gold at the X Games and silver in Best Trick when he landed the first double-grab Hart Attack backflip. He won a bronze helmet in Freestyle at the Moto X World Championships in his hometown of San Diego.

"Jeremy motivated me to be a better person, he was my best friend," said Brian Deegan, the founder of Lusk's riding group Metal Mulisha. "One day, we will all be reunited and will ride together again."

Chris Stiepock, the vice president and general manager of the X Games franchise, said Lusk "had emerged as one of the world's best freestyle moto riders."

"He was a tremendous athlete and competitor and represented the sport of freestyle motocross very well," Stiepock said.

Ramirez said Lusk died with his parents and his wife, Lauren, at his side.

"He was in a medicine-induced coma as a protective measure, and the medicine was being reduced to see how his body responded," he said. "That didn't mean he was going to wake up. He was in shock and that got worse last night, until he stopped responding and entered into cardiac and respiratory failure."

Lusk lived in Temecula, Calif.

A trust has been set up in his memory, and donations can be made through the Athlete Recovery Fund, www.athleterecoveryfund.com.
Updated 2 hours, 47 minutes ago

First act U2, was a new song - the music overpowered the lyrics and it was crap overall.

1st presenter Whitney Houston, a crack whore in makeup and a shiny dress could have done the job - oh wait, a crack whore was up there. What a waste of talent and a life. 

I am turning it off.

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the service/treatment they are provided and the actual financial cost to you?


Just watched the Michael Moore movie "Sicko" ( I know a few dislike him) and have to admit that I am ashamed of the health care treatment in the states on a whole. There are great doctors, medical centers, nurses, cutting edge treatments and such. But if you don't have medical insurance you are f#@cked. I see how the drug companies & insurance companies lobby for ridiculous profits and I know the are a companies looking to make profits but when you see an inhaler that cost 120.00 in the US and .50 in Cuba it makes you a little crazy .

France really opened my eyes with their health system and work schedule. A full year off for the woman after her baby with pay, a lady who comes to the house to help out with the newborn and then 1.00 a day child day care. The one guy went through Chemo treatment then was given 4-6 months off after to rest with full pay.  A work week of 35 hours with at least 5 weeks vacation even if a part time worker.

No wonder people on a whole live longer in Europe with less stress in the medical system and a easier work schedule. I know some of you put in a long week of 50+ hours but with the holiday schedule it makes up for it.

It just seems strange that I am going into the health care field, nursing, and I feel such disdain for part of the system that couldn't give a sh@t for patients. I just hope I provide a difference for someone who otherwise would get screwed by big corporation greed and profit.

End of rant

The education/schooling thread has me thinking about future jobs which will be unique compared to today's job market.



The first is the Nanotechnology field, the more I hear about this field the more possibilities of its uses are incredibly.


The next would be alternative energy/green energy to power, heat or cool. Again the opportunities are endless.


Any other suggestions or care to expand on the two above?

Try it again


These were my Favs.

The first one won two guys $1 Million for their ad (they were regular guys who submitted their idea to Doritos for a chance to make a commercial).


http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4408831/11823450



http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4408897


http://www.spike.com/video/castrol/3104795


Because both went bankrupt before the down turn
http://www.spike.com/video/cash-for-gold-feat/3104879



http://www.spike.com/video/bridgestone-jump/3104867



For RLL and Ziggy
http://www.spike.com/video/pepsi-mcgruber/3104883



http://www.spike.com/video/dennys-serious/3104868


http://www.spike.com/video/monstercom-moose/3104819

Recession-Proof Jobs in 2008
by Larry Buhl, for Yahoo! HotJobs

    *
   
A steady stream of discouraging economic news is bringing with it talk of the dreaded "R" word. Economists at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley say the U.S. is heading for its first-blown recession in 16 years, and a recent CNN poll found that 57 percent of the public believe the U.S. is in a recession already, with the economy topping the list of voter's worries.

A recession could hit some job-seekers hard. "A lot of people won't have the luxury of going for their first choice in a down economy," said Sophia Koropeckyj, an economist at Moody's Economy.com.

However, many employment sectors are expected to remain strong despite a possible recession, and job-seekers may have more success if they focus on recession-proof professions.

The Bright Spots

John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, told Yahoo! HotJobs that careers in the following fields may offer a good chance of weathering a storm this year.

* Education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has historically shown teaching to be relatively recession-proof. But demographics are important: High-growth areas like the Sun Belt offer much better prospects than the Rust Belt.

* Energy. "This is a major issue for the global economy, and jobs related to oil and gas, alternative energy and even nuclear are likely to see strong growth," Challenger said.

* Health care. Almost half the 30 fastest growing occupations are concentrated in health services -- including medical assistants, physical therapists, physician assistants, home health aides, and medical records and health information technicians -- according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

* International business. "If you have a strong knowledge of other cultures, and an ability to work in another country, you'll find plenty of opportunities," according to John Challenger. "If you're first generation Chinese, with business skills and Chinese language skills, you're in good shape.

* Environmental sector. There is a huge and growing industry geared to combat global warming. "Not only will professionals with skills in sustainability issues be in demand through the end of the decade, we are likely to shortages of professionals with 'green' skills," said Rona Fried, president of sustainablebusiness.com, a networking service for sustainable businesses.

* Security. "Crime doesn't stop during a recession, and police officers, port security specialists and international security experts will continue to be in demand," Challenger emphasized.

Other Sectors Feel the Slump

Koropeckyj and other economists agree that many troubled industries will feel the pain from the deflating housing bubble.

"The housing slump will touch anything related to housing, from real estate to investment banks, to engineering and architecture," Koropeckyj said. Though public sector jobs grew at a fast clip in the last five years, state and local government jobs are likely to slow as home values, and, consequently, tax revenues, sink.

The housing slump could even extend to industries dependent on discretionary spending, like restaurants and retail, she indicated. Manufacturing, too, long in dire need of an upswing, is likely to keep waiting for one through 2008, Koropeckyj said.


I will add....

Auto Mechanics  -  who can afford a new car?
Home Remodeling - people will keep up their houses better since they can't sell/buy
Bars/Pubs   - more people drinking due to depression
Discount stores  - cheaper = affordable
Shoe repair  - heard on the news people can't find enough shoe repair stores
Recycle Centers  - money for bottles/cans/paper


Please add your ideas for others to look for opportunities

For all you conspiracy nuts out there.

The world is suppose to end in 2012



According to Nostradamus the world will end in 2012     www.nostradamus2012.com

The Mayan calender ends December 21st 2012              www.survive2012.com

Solar Eclipse puts the planet in deep freeze                   www.skeptoid.com/episodes/4093