Can someone help me with this?

If you have standard size art, you can find a huge variety of frames on Amazon.com. The prices are pretty reasonable, especially compared to custom frames. If you have odd sizes, you can buy matting and cut it yourself to fit into a standard frames.

 

I'm currently at a bit of a career and life crossroads and, with no concrete commitments at home aside from a job I don't care about, I've decided it's time I seriously look at pursuing what's been a goal of mine for the last five years - to give living and working in the US a real shot. I've just turned 27 and I'm afraid that if I don't do it now, I might never get the chance.

I know the situation with regards to visas, sponsorship etc coming from Australia to the US, so it's basically down to me to find suitable jobs and apply for them. Unfortunately, apart from Google I don't know quite the best way to start.

I've got a Bachelor of Journalism and I've been in news and sport writing and online production for five and a half years. Can anyone throw me a bone with regards to where I should look for jobs in the journalism/PR/media writing sectors? Are there specific websites that cater to job postings in these industries? I know journalismjobs.com off the top of my head.

Thanks!

 

Thanks man. That form is actually part of the process, but I have to have a job offer before I fill out the petition for a work visa. Therein lies the problem. I've cast a pretty wide net so far with regards to where I'm applying - frankly I can't afford to be picky about where I live or work at this stage. But there seems to be plenty of stuff around which is encouraging.

On the applications note, someone might be able to answer this too - how much (if any) emphasis should I give, or how much mention should I make, about requiring sponsorship in a cover letter when I apply? Or would any reasonable employer understand that yes, if the Aussie is the right guy for the job then there will be a need to go through the sponsorship process?

I just don't want to impress some potential employer only for them to retract their interest by "surprising them" with "hey, I actually need you to fill out the visa paperwork..."

 

I'm hoping to enlist the aid of the more literary among us. I'm looking for either a short story or novella that demonstrates the difficulty one would face when, after having been given everything, suddenly doesn't and has to learn the lesson that you can't always get what you want. Please pm any suggestions. Thanks!

 

Anyone have a youtube link for the Felix Baumgartner jump? The one I found was busted and searching through a bunch of bullshit has produced nothing.

 

edit: moved to another thread

 

I'm looking for an espresso machine - probably looking to spend around $300 as an absolute max. I know that quality can probably vary greatly in this price bracket, so any advice would be appreciated. Last machine I cheaped out on and it flaked metal into the coffee. Not cool.

 

I am doing some remodeling in my house and I am wondering if there is any way I can tell if some of this stuff I'm tearing down contains asbestos. This house is pretty old but I am guessing the stuff I am pulling off the walls was put up in the '70s. It's plaster over thin strips of wood[forgot what they're called], then on top of that there's some fiberglass type stuff that is brown and is about 18" by 2' rectangle pieces. Then on top of that is paneling. I am stripping it down to just the 2x4s and concrete walls.

 

Or, you could just go with a stovetop moka pot, aka, machinetta and save yourself about $250.

 

Are you wondering because you are doing it yourself and want to know if you're in any danger during the removal? (You're not.) Or are you wondering because you're doing it professionally, and want to know if that's going to add to the contractor's cost to "deal" with asbestos?

Yes, there is "any way." There are tests that can be done on the material. Depending on where you live, if you're getting official tests, you may need an accredited laboratory. If you want to get into it, you can call your local city/county zoning or permitting office, and ask them what the local codes may require.

But, most likely, none of that is necessary. Asbestos "is bad" because of associated risks of lung cancer or mesothelioma, and you probably see attorneys who advertise on how to get money if you've got meso. But, the only people who have their health impacted by exposure to asbestos are: a) people around it ALL THE TIME, i.e. prolonged exposure for several years AND, b) people exposed to friable material, i.e. the asbestos material is getting smashed and broken into dusty particles. You won't get lung cancer or meso from one demo job in your home.

 

Have one; my stovetop is a piece of shit and doesn't even get hot enough to make it work properly. Its a pain in the ass. I do also notice the difference in taste between mokaspresso and fully pressurized espresso [I'll go back to my hipster fag corner now]

 

I brought some samples to get tested. Not only am I worried about it because I am demoing it but I also live here and in a few years I will be renting this house out to others.

 

It is called lap and plaster i believe. Only thing that i know how to tell if it is asbestos is old jiprock mud. Generally old jiprock mud that has asbestos in it is grey and not white.

 

Anyone had Lasik done? It's cheap here and unusually well recommended. My eyes are not bad, my prescription is mild and I've only had glasses for 2 years. Worth the $1500 or so, or is it still risky?

 

I work with a guy that went blind in one eye when the laser machine broke during his procedure. I probably know 20 people that have got it and have no issues. But still, the one blind guy I know will keep me knee deep in contacts until I die.

 

I know a few who've had it, my wife included, and no problems. I was told I'll probably need cataract surgery a few years down the line and they could do it all in one shot, so for now I'm content with glasses.

 

Also, you should take into account your age, how functional you are WITHOUT corrective lenses, and how your eyesight impacts your job / career. I have very close family members and a number of friends that have had it done. My sister did not have great success - she battles dry eyes, had two follow-up procedures, and deals with "halos" at night; but, I have another family member who has had wonderful success, and had it done about 15 years ago.

But, all of the people I know that think it was worth / got good results have a major difference from you - there eyes were "that bad." If they're really not that bad - remember that if you have your eyes corrected for distance, you will be using reading glasses much sooner. So, if you're doing it now to eliminate corrective lenses now, you'll be wearing corrective lenses again when you're 40.

The reason I say this, is because I chose to NOT have it done about 15 years, and I am very thankful. If I were a professional athlete, and all my vision-related earning years were before I was 35, I would have done it. I'm not. I sit at a computer a good bit, review documents and read. I wear contacts still, and if I had had lasik, I would be wearing reading glasses right now. (I just turned 44.) Basically, I have been able to hold off on the reading glasses, because I don't wear the full strength distance correction I need in my left eye. I keep my right eye (dominant) for distance (driving, shooting, watching live sports, etc) and my left eye takes over for close work.

The fact that your brain is able to switch back and forth is cool. And, they can do this similarly with lasik, in correcting only one eye. But, I can try 5 or 6 sample contacts to get it right as I age - that's a benefit you won't have with lasik. (Also, much of my correction is for my astigmatism, not power, so that factors in, too. I wear toric lenses that correct some astigmatism, but not as good as glasses.)

Anyway, bottom line: if you are under 25, and you wear thick Coke bottle glasses, go have the lasik. The trade off now, even moving to readers sooner, will be worth it. If you're over 30 and/or your correction is minor, I wouldn't do it. You will end up wearing reading glasses sooner, and unless you plan on retiring at 45, you'll be working as many years with reading glasses as you did without them.

Note: This is totally anecdotal, and hopefully brings up some questions you can ask your doctor. I just wanted to give you the perspective from someone older than 40.