John Tesh’s KJOY Blog

The unemployment rate is staggering these days. According to the Labor Department, it’s at a 26-year high. However, there is a ray of light shining from one unexpected source: the federal government. Here’s the story from ABC News- NOW.

Partnership for Public Service is a non-profit group in Washington that promotes government employment. They say there are several reasons for the upswing in federal job opportunities: Everything from natural turnover cycles, to a demand in areas such as homeland security and veterans affairs. Over the next two years, the government will need to hire 273,000 new workers for “mission critical” jobs - that need to be filled. The jobs will be scattered all over, from Washington DC to Oregon, even to Japan. So, what types of jobs are we talking about?

• Topping the list is medical and public health. An estimated 54,000 positions will become available. They include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical technicians and more. Right now they’re looking to hire a “Chief of Orthopedics” at the Veterans Health Administration in Oregon. The salary? Up to $275,000 annually.
• Also, 52,000 jobs in security and protection will be filled by 2012. These include airport screeners and police and corrections officers. The Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department will be the two biggest employers in this area.
• A field that’s closely related - compliance and enforcement – will be filling more than 31,000 jobs over the next three years. These include criminal investigators, border patrol agents and immigration enforcers. Again, the Department of Homeland Security tops the list of employers. A sample job? They’re currently looking to hire a “criminal research specialist” for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Washington, D.C. That job pays $113,000 a year.

For details on these and more, check out USAjobs.gov.

Come closer…closer…I’ve got a secret.  Well, that’s not good, is it? Most of us were raised thinking secrets were bad things - but not always. Sometimes it’s a good idea to play your cards close to your chest. Here are three things to consider before spilling your guts, courtesy of MSN

• Everyone doesn’t need to know everything. Dr. Patricia Farrell is a psychologist in New Jersey and author of How to Be Your Own Therapist. She says it’s healthy to share information – but make sure you do it with the appropriate people. So, if you had a fight with your spouse, you don’t have to give your boss the same details you give your best friend.
• Your past is not an open book - especially when it comes to former relationships. Dishing about old flames may feel like “bonding” to you, but it can make your new love feel insecure – and that’s particularly true for men. According to Julian Hertzog, who teaches psychology at William Woods University in Missouri, several studies show that the male ego is more fragile than most guys let on. So, the less said about the Ex, the better.
• When it comes to your kids and secrets, you don’t have to tell all, but never tell a lie. Michelle Borba is an educational psychologist and the author of Don’t Give Me That Attitude. She says that parents should keep secrets when it’s in their child’s best interest, and those interests change with age. So, a couple who’s divorcing would share more information with their teen than they would with a toddler. Borba also points out that keeping information to yourself is different from telling a lie. She suggests that if your kid asks a question that puts you on the spot, answer with something like, “I’m sorry. I don’t feel comfortable talking about that right now. Let’s get back to that later.” Then think of how you want to respond in an age-appropriate way.

If, still, the very idea of “secrets” makes you uncomfortable, that’s okay! Another way to look at it really can become an issue of vocabulary.  Do you respect your own privacy? See? That’s not a bad thing at all.

Did you know that there’s an easy way to tell if a pickle is fresh? According to Pickle Packers International, the crunch of a fresh pickle should be audible from 10 steps away.

If you have a bumper sticker that reads, “Procrastination king” or “Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow,” listen up! Most psychologists agree that procrastination is a form of self-sabotage that hurts every aspect of our lives. So here’s how to break the habit,courtesy of Yahoo Health:

• Find out how your procrastination affects others. Julie Morgenstern is the author of Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life. She says that people who perpetually delay things don’t realize the impact their choices have on other people. It takes a little courage, but Morgenstern suggests asking other people how your behavior affects them. The answers may sting a little, but you’ll be motivated to get done on time.
• Beware of “busywork.” Alyce Cornyn-Selby is the author of The Procrastinator’s Success Kit. She says that we use trivial tasks to postpone more important ones. Her advice? Make a list of everything you do for a week. Anything that happens more than twice a day, like checking email or updating your Facebook status, is busywork. Then, make a schedule and stick to it. You might decide to check email once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Or, reward yourself with a visit to Facebook when you complete an important project.
• Stop lying to yourself. According to Psychology Today editor Hara Estroff Marano, procrastinators delude themselves with thoughts such as “I’ll feel more like doing this tomorrow,” or “I work best under pressure.” She says it’s important to acknowledge that - in fact - you won’t feel like doing it tomorrow and that good work is rarely done at the last minute.

Leaves are falling, school bells are ringing,and nerds everywhere are choosing their roster for Fantasy Football leagues! It’s that time of year when 30 million people across the U.S. and Canada indulge in fantasy football- it’s become hotter than ever! You would think that the recession would have had an impact on people spending $70 a pop to play a make-believe game – and it has – but not how you might think.

According to Time magazine, Fantasy Football is hotter than ever! It’s an $800 million industry in which participants select real professional football players to compile their fake teams and bet real money against other people as to who will win. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, there’s been a 54% increase in participants in the last two years! Despite the gloomy financial times, leagues are increasing their fees and their cash prizes. Is this type of fantasy life healthy for us? Psychologically, yes. The biggest reason it’s so popular right now is because it offers a much-needed social escape during tough times. If your job situation is getting you down, draft day with your friends can lift you up. However, it’s not so healthy for the workplace. Fantasy football drains $9 billion out of workplace productivity each year.

It is healthy for the economy though. Fantasy-related cottage industries have sprung up, like trophy businesses. Fantasy Football trophy sales are up 50%. There are even lawyers who will help you settle Fantasy Football disputes – like fantasyDispute.com, and insurance companies, like FantasySportsInsurance.com, in case you lose! Shockingly, it’s even made its way into our educational system! Thousands of teachers are using a workbook called Fantasy Football and Mathematics – which has students create teams and compute points using concepts like decimals, fractions, and negative integers. It’s working. According to research by the University of Mississippi, teachers using that workbook report that their students have higher grades and more enthusiasm for math!

So the next time somebody scoffs at your interest in Fantasy Football, tell them you’re not only helping the economy, you’re improving your mental health and educating children!

Here’s how to give your brain a workout to think sharper, courtesy of Prevention magazine.

• Challenge your balance. Research shows a link between toning your muscles and toning your brain. In a Canadian study, people who lifted weights WHILE doing balance exercises – like simultaneously raising their right arm and left leg – improved their decision-making abilities by 13%. Dr. John Martin, a neuroscientist at Columbia University, says that balance movements engage multiple parts of the brain, forcing your mind to work harder.
• Toss a ball while walking. German researchers found that kids who bounced a ball while walking, or simply tossed it between their hands - for just 10 minutes a day - increased their attention and concentration on tests. The researchers say you don’t have to be a kid to benefit. Tossing a ball primes anyone’s brain to focus better.
• Take a nature walk. Experts at the University of Michigan found that memory and attention improved by 20% when people walked in a park, rather than in an urban environment. Why? According to study co-author Marc Berman, natural settings have a restful effect, allowing the brain to better process information. However, busy surroundings — noisy traffic, colorful billboards, and loud groups of people — fight for your attention, and distract you. The idea is to be in a quiet area so you can focus, making you better able to tackle that to-do list.
• Work in a little speed. A recent study found that people who did three-minute sprints memorized new words 20% faster afterward than those who skipped the run. Why? Cardio increases blood flow, which triggers growth in the area of the hippocampus responsible for memory and verbal learning. Also, a study from the University of Pittsburgh found that the most aerobically fit people had a 7% larger hippocampus than their sofa-sitting peers. Experts believe that a small hippocampus may be to blame for forgetting appointments or names.

Oooh…making it to the role of “centaurian”…I like it!

Prevention magazine came up with a list of signs you may be well on your way to living to be 100. For example:

• Are you the life of the party? Good news! Research has found that extroverts, who don’t get stressed-out easily, are about half-as-likely to suffer from dementia. It all boils down to the stress hormone cortisol, because if you come unglued easily, or can’t roll with the punches, it can actually damage your brain cells and how they communicate with each other. However, if you’re not an easy-going extrovert, you can cut your cortisol levels naturally through meditation, taking a nap or sipping black tea. As simple as that sounds, all those remedies are backed by science and work.
• Another sign you’ll live long and prosper – you’re a runner. People who run five hours a week not only live longer, they function better physically and cognitively as they age. Runners are less likely to get heart disease, cancer, neurological disorders and infections. The best part - running is free.  |
• You’ll also see your 100th birthday if you like raspberries in your oatmeal. Why? It’s all about the fiber. It reduces bad cholesterol, increases weight loss and you can reduce your risk of developing coronary problems. The average person gets about 17 grams of fiber a day – but if you add 10 extra grams a day, you’ll reduce your risk of heart disease by 17%. What does 10 grams look like? A cup of oatmeal with a cup of raspberries, a half cup of bran cereal, or a half cup of lentils or black beans.
• Facebook friends are in luck. Keeping up with technology like Facebook, Twitter and Skype keeps your brain cells young and healthy. According to a poll of centenarians, many of them send emails, Google old friends, and even date online. That not only keeps them mentally fit, it helps them stay current and connected to friends and family.
• One last sign that you’ll live to 100: You had a baby later in life. Women who naturally conceive after the age of 44 are about 15% less likely to die prematurely. Why? Because it’s a sign that you have healthy genes.