JOBIU

 A short period of gorging on junk food has a more permanent effects on body size and the way it stores fat – even after the initial weight is lost, the study found. The gluttony changes fat mass – the percentage of fat in the body – for more than two years making it harder to keep weight off.

A team of researchers from Linkping University, Sweden, asked 18 individuals to stop exercising and eat excessively for four weeks – increasing their energy intake by an average of 70 percent. A separate control group ate and exercised as normal.

The binge eating group gained an average of one stone in body weight, which was mostly lost six months later.

However, one year on this group showed an increased fat mass compared to those who ate and exercised normally, the differences were even greater after two and a half years.

The study, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, concluded that it provides evidence that even a short period of excessive eating and a lack of exercise can potentially change an individual’s physiology, causing it to be harder to lose and keep off weight.

About 5,000 expectant Chinese mothers travel to the US to give birth every year, according to statistics, which arises dispute over birthright citizenship across US in recent days.

Well-heeled Chinese expectant mothers head to the US before delivery to get citizenships for their new babies. They are arranged by agencies for a three-month stay in one of three “baby care centers” in California – two months before the birth and a month after.

Besides rooms with cable TVs and a wireless Internet connection, Chinese-speaking doctors, there are even shopping and sightseeing trips. About 40 percent of those expectant mothers come from Shanghai, 30 percent from Beijing and the rest from Guangzhou and elsewhere.

The 14th amendment of American Constitution reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” However, the increase of “anchor babies” triggers debates. According to a poll this May, 49 percent of Americans are for birthright citizenship, while 46 percent against.

Critics of birthright citizenship assert that “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” must exclude illegal immigrants, and they expressed a desire to amend the 14th Amendment to discourage undocumented mothers from crossing borders to give birth to children. Others say they “need a new immigration policy” that complements American national security policy.　　

  The weakness question represents the most common and most stressful one posed during interviews. Yet in today’s weak job market, the wrong answer weakens your chances of winning employment.

Some people offer replies they mistakenly assume that bosses love, such as “I am a perfectionist.” That response will be used against you because you appear incapable of delegating, warns Joshua Ehrlich, dean of a master’s program in executive coaching sponsored by BeamPines Inc., a New York coaching firm and Middlesex University in London.

A careful game plan could help you cope with the shortcoming query in a way that highlights your fit for a desired position. Job seekers who field the question well demonstrate that they can “take initiative and improve themselves,” Mr. Morrow says.

The key? Thorough preparation. Career specialists suggest you take stock of your weaknesses, focusing on job-related ones that won’t impede your ability to perform your duties. Tony Santora, an executive vice president for Right Management, a major outplacement firm in Philadelphia, says an information-technology manager flubbed a 2007 interview by choosing a personal foible as his reply: “My true weakness is that I am a terrible cook.”

Rehearse your responses aloud, role play with a friend or videotape yourself — but don’t memorize your words. As you review the video, “look for aspects you would like to change so you can continue to get better as you practice,” says Peggy Klaus, a leadership coach in Berkeley, Calif.

The IT manager changed his tune after practice sessions with fellow job seekers and a counselor in Cincinnati for Right Management. He instead said he worked such long hours that he found it difficult to stay current with world events. So, he spent 30 minutes every evening catching up at home.

When the manager pursued an opportunity at a global drug maker, his revamped response “really resonated with the interviewer,” says Mr. Santora. The manufacturer hired the man.

It’s equally important that you consider an employer’s corporate culture. “While being interviewed by a start-up, you could say, ‘My weakness is I get bored by routine,’” says Ben Dattner, a New York industrial psychologist.

Ideally, your reply also should exclude the word “weakness” and cover your corrective steps. Dubbing your greatest fault a “window of opportunity” signals your improvement efforts should benefit the workplace, says Oscar Adler, a retired Maidenform Brands sales executive and author of the book, “Sell Yourself in Any Interview.” For instance, he suggests, a salesman might note that he sold more after strengthening his facility with numbers.

When an interviewer pops this nerve-wracking query, your body language counts as well. The wrong nonverbal cues undercut your credibility. Certain candidates hunch over, glance furtively around the room or wring their sweaty palms. “They sort of look like they’re being asked a question they can’t handle,” says Mr. Adler.

Maintaining eye contact, regular breathing and a broad smile impress employers that “you’re prepared for the weakness question,” says psychotherapist Pat Pearson, author of “Stop Self-Sabotage!”

For the same reason, you seem thoughtful if you pause before responding. But don’t wait too long. “If you’re going to take a minute,” Mr. Morrow cautions, “I’ve just identified your weakness.”

Angelina Jolie: A-list actress, fashion icon, humanitarian do-gooder. Add to that list waitress to six young children.

The Salt actress — who raises children Maddox, nine, Pax, six, Zahara, five, Shiloh, four, and two-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with partner Brad Pitt — enjoys preparing meals for her large family but admits juggling the requests of so many people can be tricky. 　Asked if she makes packed lunches for her children like other mothers she said: “Oh yeah, I love doing that. The problem with my packed lunches though is everybody is very, very outspoken about what they want, so it becomes – I often say, ‘I’m not a waitress.’ We go through so much food, and they’re still little, so I can imagine it’s going to get worse.”

Despite taking a large amount of time to organise her large family, the brunette beauty insists she thrives on the “chaos” of her home life.

She added in an interview on UK TV show GMTV: “I feel like I was kind of looking for purpose when I was younger and I always wanted something wild and something just full of — I just wanted my life to be very full. And now my life is so full and so loud and so full of chaos in my house — and the most beautiful chaos with these lovely little people.”

The 35-year-old star also spoke about the way she and Brad seek out “special time” with one another if they feel their schedules have grown too overwhelming.

She said: “If anything, we only go through periods where we’re working too much and we kind of say, ‘Honey one of us is working too much and we haven’t seen each other, we haven’t spent enough special time’. And we just, as soon as we identify it we just know we have to find some special time and then we reconnect.”

Working women who thought they might live to see Britain’s pay gap finally shorten will have to hold out for another 57 years, according to a research published on August 19.

Forty years after the Equal Pay Act was passed, the study showed that the gender pay gap remains stubborn and that male and female managers will not be paid the same until 2067.

Women’s salaries increased by 2.8 percent over the past 12 months, compared with 2.3 percent for men. The average UK salary for a male manager is currently ￡10,031 (＄15,615) more than that of a female manager, the researvh of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) showed. Its findings interviewed more than 43,000 employees in 197 organizations.

Britain has one of the worst gender gaps in Europe. Women in the UK are paid 79 percent of male rates, while across the 27 countries of the European Union the figure is 82 percent, according to a report earlier this year from Eurobarometer.

The findings will intensify calls from campaigners for the new government to do more to ensure equal pay in the UK.

Starting at a new workplace can be stressful for anyone, whether you have years of experience or are just beginning your career. Here are a few expert tips on how to navigate the first 30 days on your new job:

1.      Be the Early Bird　　

This sounds pretty banal but you’d be surprised how often people fail to heed this standard advice.

Reaching the office early for the first few weeks gives you more time to complete all the extra formalities required by the human resources and payroll departments. It will give you more time to explore and absorb your new surroundings.

Arriving early also gives you time to network. And of course it helps impress the new boss by showing your eagerness to work.

2. Ask Questions

If you need help with something, don’t hesitate to ask people around you.

It shows your managers that you are interested in learning about your new job and company. More importantly, the answers will help you adapt to your new surroundings quickly. But, don’t forget social and professional etiquette.

Don’t ask personal questions in the initial days. Try to limit yourself to general or work-related questions.

3. Watch Your Body Language

Your actions can give away a lot more than you think. Slouching, frowning, folding your hands, rocking back-and-forth in your chair or shaking your leg constantly, are some gestures that might give the impression that you are nervous, not confident or are too casual about your job.

4. Be a Listener

In the initial days, listen more and talk less. When you talk more, you might unintentionally speak out of turn which might be perceived in a wrong way. Listening and observing can help you learn more about your peers and managers and their way of doing things. You might even overhear some office gossip, but try not to get sucked into office politics.

5. Arrive Ready to Learn

Change is always difficult, but if you’re joining a new organization, come prepared to soak up a new culture, different ways of doing things and take on new responsibilities.

Try not to say things like “In my old job I used to do this”. That could make you seem too aggressive or even annoying.

6. Don’t Rush to Shake Things Up

If you are joining as a manager, don’t be in a hurry to make your mark.

We normally see people come in and make a quick assessment of what is happening, and start making changes quickly.

That’s not a good idea because it can cause friction with your new team and lead to resistance.

Instead, take your time passing judgment and consider introducing your way of doing things slowly while you communicate with your team as often as possible.

7. Adapt to Your New Company’s Values

One should understand the mission of the company, its core values, and align one’s goals and aspirations respectively. This is especially true for people at mid- to senior-level positions, who might be too entrenched in their previous company’s cultures.

It might help to devote some time to go through the “About Us” section on the company’s Web site.

　8. Join the Club

Many companies organize events or games for their employees to encourage informal interaction.

That’s your opportunity to get out there and blend in with the crowd. So if there’s a quiz or a football game being held by your new company, consider participating.

9. Network, Network, Network

Don’t wait for company events to make friends and meet peers. Introduce yourself over a cup of tea or lunch in the cafeteria or even around the water-cooler. Exchange greetings and ask for advice. People will be flattered that you have reached out.

When possible, also reach out to people outside your department. Down the road, they could be your eyes and ears to what’s happening in other parts of the company, and who knows, you might want to work in a different department at some point. Also, don’t forget to build good relationships with senior people around you.

10. Manage your Manager

Let’s face it, getting off on the right note with your boss can help make or break your job. Try to develop a strong professional bond as early as possible.

Get clarity regarding your role and the expectations from you. Discuss the”do’s and don’ts” of your job, which could include basic things like what time you are expected at work, and how often you have to update your manager on your progress.

Apply these principles and within no time you would have made a place for yourself in the organization.

Forget about wearing high definition contact lenses or getting laser surgery. That’s old, stale news. Medicine has made significant advances in the field of ocular science. One of the most startling discoveries in recent times has actually negated whatever was believed about 20:20 vision all this time.
For example, we always thought that as we age, our vision will keep deteriorating. Plus our lifestyles are such that we keep subjecting our eyes to great torture in the form of radiation from TVs, computers, e-book readers, cellular phones and so on. Now, it seems that our vision doesn’t need to deteriorate as rapidly as we age. In fact, we can actually improve our vision and our eye sight at any age.
This doesn’t involve complicated surgeries, laser treatments, or medicines. There are simple exercises that can help improve your vision, even in advanced years. You will notice that some of these exercises might be familiar to you, but now recently studies have proven, without a shadow of doubt, that these exercises can actually reverse the ageing process.
Dump Your Spectacles
New studies have proved that spectacles actually make your eyes weak and dependant on them. Haven’t you noticed that you require stronger glasses every time you visit the optician? Don’t blame it on old age, blame your spectacles. Wear them as little as possible and focus on making your vision stronger. So, what are the different types of exercises that can you do?

 Refocus Your Eyes
Every 30 minutes, look away from your e-book or computer or TV. Focus in the far horizon for at least 30 seconds. This exercises your optic nerve and makes your vision better as your eyes then start becoming used to focussing on things that are far away without the help of your spectacles.
Exercise the Optic Nerve
Without moving your head, look to the far right and then slowly move your eyeballs to the far left. Do this ten times. Next, look upwards without turning your head and then look downwards in the direction of your toes. This is a yoga exercise that will improve your vision over a period of time. Don’t expect instantaneous results, though. We have subjected our eyes to great pain and a lot of stress over a number of years. To eliminate the ravages, we need to be patient, but consistent.
Relax the Eyes
Palming is a method by which you rub your palms and create some heat. Then, cup your palms over your eyes in such a way that no light can enter between your fingers. Try to see “velvet”. While this is has been practised in countries like India for centuries, recent studies have shown that seeing “velvet” for a few minutes relaxes the eye muscles considerably. A few seconds of seeing “velvet” gives them as much as rest as a few hours of sleep.
Watch your Diet
Avoid sugary food as it interferes with perfect vision. Also, new studies have shown that carrots won’t improve your vision as much as you would like to believe. That was just a rumour started during World War II to confuse the Germans. No doubt, carrots are good for you but they won’t help your vision as much as other foods will, such as Bilberry extracts.

Birth order within familndies has long sparked sibling rivalry, but it might also impact the child’s personality a intelligence, a new study suggests. First-borns are typically smarter, while younger siblings get better grades and are more outgoing, the researchers say.

In the current study, Frank Tiffany L., a doctoral candidate at Adelphi University in Long Island, and her colleagues surveyed 90 pairs of siblings in high school. Subjects were asked to report their grades and rank themselves as compared with their siblings on intelligence, work ethic and academic performance. The researchers also obtained academic tests scores and grades to verify the students’ own reports.

First-borns received higher tests scores, in math and verbal ability, while later born children had better grade point averages in English and math

In a second experiment researchers looked at differences in personality between 76 pairs of siblings in high school. Subjects rated themselves on a series of statements designed to assess personality.

Later born siblings were found to be more extroverted (sociable, outgoing), sentimental, forgiving and open to new experiences than their older siblings. First-borns were found to be more perfectionistic than their younger siblings.

First-borns might score higher on measures of intelligence, because, at some point in their lives, they were only children who were the sole recipients of their parents’ attention. Younger siblings might earn better grades, because they received mentoring from first-borns who already had to tackle certain subjects, the researchers say. Also, later born children might feel extra pressure to be competitive, and might try to out-do their older siblings in the hopes of gaining extra attention from parents.

  Staying in bed on the weekend might not be enough to make up for a weeks’ worth of sleep deprivation, a new study suggests.

 In the study, after five days with only four hours of sleep, a 10-hour doze did remedy some of the ill effects of chronic sleep restriction. However, even after an extended snooze, participants still experienced lapses of attention and delayed reaction times.

 Staying in bed on the weekend might not be enough to make up for a weeks’ worth of sleep deprivation, a new study suggests.

 In the study, after five days with only four hours of sleep, a 10-hour doze did remedy some of the ill effects of chronic sleep restriction. However, even after an extended snooze, participants still experienced lapses of attention and delayed reaction times.

Getting dressed for the office doesn’t mean leaving your personal style behind. Find out which looks give you a polished, professional look and which fashions can be a career killer.

Your goal to getting dressed for work is to project a professional, competent image, regardless of your employement level or career path.

The styles, colors, lengths and fit of your fashion choices will speak volumes about your ability to do your job. If you are concerned about your career, you’ll be more concerned with looking professional than looking cute or trendy.

In general, the more distracting a piece of clothing or jewelry is, the less appropriate it is for office wear.