LIFESTYLEThe People, Places and Thing’s We Love

The Naked Truth MagazineMini Mag|Lifestyle

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Before I tell you about the tips and uniqueexperiences I’ve encountered along my short butmeaningful road down the social media highway,let me first tell you a little about me. I am atwenty-one-year-old, African American male bornin Hayward, California about 30 miles north of SanFrancisco. I have wanted to be a screenwritersince I was ten years old. I guess you can say it’sbeen my calling from a very early age. I’ve beenfilmmaking for over six years and writing storiessince I was eight. After leaving high school, Ibegan my educational journey at ColumbiaCollege Chicago. During that time a film producerin Los Angeles and excellent professors atColumbia College became my mentors. Theseexperiences provided me the foundation for mygrowth as a screenwriter and fueled my desire togrow my network and share my unique perspectiveof the world.

This summer I started a campaign toexpand my social media network across multipleplatforms and to grow my network from 0-500followers. After five months of vigorous networking,I became the most viewed screenwriter onLinkedIn amassing 4900+ followers and ranked inthe top 1% percent amongst my industryconnections. My connections include film, fashion,music, graphic design, and high-tech industriesprofessionals. Through this process, I connectedto talent recruiters from studios like ABC, AmazonStudios, HBO, NBC, Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, andWarner Bros, as well as talent agencies such asCAA, IGM, and William Morris. I also have fiveindustry connections in every major film studio inAmerica. Through LinkedIn, I was able to connectwith executives, producers, and directors at theBBC Network and with multiple European andCanadian film production companies.

To achieve my goal I targeted twoprofessional networking platforms: LinkedIn and

Stage 32. Through theseawesome networkingplatforms, I launched afierce networkingcampaign that far exceeded my wildestexpectations. Today I have 4,967 LinkedInconnections and on Stage 32 I have 2,592entertainment industry connections—and growingevery day.

My Stage 32 campaign was hugelysuccessful in helping to create opportunities thatwould have taken me years to achieve. ThroughStage 32, I connected with the founder andexecutive director of Ghost Writers, Inc., where Ilanded a gig to become a ghostwriter for them,making me one of the youngest writers thecompany has ever hired. My connection withGhost Writers, Inc., lead to a connection with adiversity recruiter at Amazon Studios who hastaken tremendous interest in my work. She hasgiven me extremely important input on my shortscreenplay Connor and gave me great ideas forways to further develop it into a script for a featurelength film.

The secret to my success came to down to“C.U.R.E.” (Confidence, Uniqueness, Repetitionand Endeavor), a formula I created to drive thesuccess of my campaign.

1. ConfidenceTarget a social media platform in which you

have the most confidence. This will enable you toattract the type of followers most likely to supportyour future goals. “Lean in.” Driving a campaignto increase your professional networking presencein a big way will initially be time-consuming,nerve-racking, exhilarating and sometimes a crazyexperience. There are many unknowns that can

BBy Jason Titus

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impact the number of people that will respond toyour comments, posts, and shares. Theconfidence in which you communicate will attractnew followers and give your existing followers areason to continue to pay attention to you.

True belief in the content that you post, like,comment, and share will transform your presenceon the platforms that you target. Thisunderstanding has been vital to why millennialsattract huge followings.

2. UniquenessHighlight and embrace your uniqueness. Ignite

your curiosity by asking for feedback on ideas andsubjects in which you’re passionate. If you presentan idea, share a post or comment on content thatis unique, thought provoking, or just funny, you willincrease your viewers and followers. Don’t get mewrong; it can be difficult finding a unique set ofideas that will resonate and take flight as you growyour network, but that should be the challenge.Because sharing your uniqueness is worth theeffort and reward.

My uniqueness sadly comes from the fact thatI am among a small group of African Americanspursuing and actively working as screenwriters.This presents a unique opportunity to share ourview of the world while deepening the addeddifficulties of getting our stories told. Inviting adiversity of viewers and influencers into mynetwork has been invaluable to shaping mycultural perspective and worldview.

3. RepetitionThe third important aspect is repetition. If you

implement the C.U.R.E formula, you must betenacious and repetitive in your execution, byposting and sharing content at least three timesper week. Once the formula morphs into a routine,it will spark interest and help you increase yournetwork and viewership.

My routine for success began by going ontoLinkedIn and searching and connecting withindividuals within the film industry and industriesconnected to it. I actively set a goal to connect with50-100 industry professionals per day, and I wouldendorse anyone of my connections if they askedme. I ended up usually endorsing 20-40 people aweek. I also share at least 5-7 posts which varyfrom job opportunities from talent recruiters toarticles written by my connections that I believewere fun, interesting, unique, and mostimportantly, positive.

4. EndeavorThe fourth and final aspect of creating a

successful networking campaign is to enjoy theendeavor. Striving hard for something that youdeeply care about is one the greatest thingsanyone could ever do. There are many peoplearound the world that never achieve their goalsand many more not put into a position to succeedbecause society/life dictates another plan for them.But if you are courageous enough not to careabout what the world puts in front of you, and youstrive hard to fulfill your dreams and goals, thenthe skies are the limit. So enjoy and appreciate theendeavor!

It has been a truly amazing experience growingmy social media network. I believe all humanbeings are connected, and we live in a digital erathat allows anyone to connect to anyone,anywhere. All we have to do is keep furiouslymoving forward. Using formulas like C.U.R.E canhelp you move from the point of complacency andapathy to creating a vibrant and active socialnetworking sphere of influence and influencers.

Thank you for reading, I hope my tips andexperiences encourage you to continue to keepmoving forward with what you love and help younetwork to connect with others that love to do thesame.

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There is only one thing for certain about this year’s presidential election. Come January, the WhiteHouse will be thrown into a conundrum about the position of the First Lady.

The role of First Lady is one we take for granted. We live in a patriarchal nation (that poses as anenlightened one) and, for two centuries everyone didn’t even bother to assume the candidates wouldbe straight married men, they just knew it. So, since straight men have to be married and have kids tobe valid human beings in this country (did I mention that we only pose at being enlightened?), we knewthat his wife would be the First Lady, the most important job in the country that gets no pay.

But when women finally said, “Enough, already!” we saw the rise of women governors, most of whomwere married, and whose husbands became—and this is an actual title—First Gentleman. The first FirstGentleman was James E. Ferguson, the husband of Texas governor Miriam A. Ferguson, who servedtwo separate terms in 1925-27, and 1933-35.

Let that sink in. Texas, the “everything is bigger” state, which espouses a brand of machismo that,if bottled, could probably outsell iPhones or even Chia Pets, had the first elected woman governor!And during the Depression, when we know a lot of men were already looking for work. Suck on that,Vermont!

But wait, there’s more, an incredible synchronicity, in fact. You see, James Ferguson was a governorof Texas before his wife served, but…he was impeached. That means if Hillary Clinton is electedpresident, both First Gentlemen at the gubernatorial and presidential levels will have formerly held thetitles their wives filled, and both were impeached. In Ferguson’s case, he was removed from office formisapplication of funds, and in Clinton’s case, he stayed in office despite a besmirched reputation andbefouled blue dress.

Of course, no such coincidence exists between Martha Washington and Donald Trump’s wife,Melania. Martha was born in Virginia and, as far as we know, she never posed for anyone semi-nakedin a captain’s hat, though if she did, I ambetting it was for Alexander Hamilton. Evenmore conversely, it was Martha who broughtthe money to her marriage, so in everycategory she and Melania seem to beopposites. Martha was far from perfect,though. She not only owned slaves, butbrought over one hundred of them into themarriage. There’s no argument that as FirstLadies go, that’s a pretty low low point.

The Marcum BlogAn ongoing section of open thought and intellectual ambition by writer& producer David Marcum.

Viva Michelle Obama!

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I am not one of those people who enjoysbashing Melania Trump. We all know who herhusband is, so hasn’t she suffered enough? Also,I’ve never had to work to become an Americancitizen as she did, and if posing for risqué picturesgave me the money to further that arduous process,then I’d probably have gone commando for Cosmofaster than you can say Scott Brown. Still, FirstLady is a role like that of your local chairperson ofUnited Way; seeing him or her naked wouldn’tlessen the impact of their work, but it woulddefinitely weird you out when you’re around themat the charity 5K race.

So, while Americans aren’t thrilled with theirchoices for president, I am going to posit that weshould be even less thrilled with the First Spousesituation. We can’t, or don’t want to conceiveMelania hosting a dinner for the Queen. Any queen,be it Elizabeth of England, Margarethe of Denmark,or Harvey Fierstein of Hairspray. And is Bill reallythe person we want giving a tour of Washington tothe President of Italy’s wife? Or anyone’s wife? Hewould give literal meaning to Carly Simon’s famousline about being “with some underground spy orthe wife of a close friend.”

Regardless of who gets elected and what kindof job he or she does, the role of First Spouse is ina state of flux. Therefore, I propose that we makearrangements to keep the woman who hasinhabited the role most beautifully in that position:Michelle Obama.

Everyone can make arguments for their favoriteFirst Lady but I will say with sincerity that Michelleis best of them all. She has all the qualities of theformer first ladies rolled into one. Like EleanorRoosevelt, she is an activist for thedisenfranchised; like Jacqueline Kennedy, sheglam's up like a Russian princess; like Pat Nixon,she knows how to weigh her words; like Betty Ford,she has a keen sense of humor that endears herto others; like Rosalyn Carter, she has a greatsense of ethics and fairness; like Nancy Reagan,her husband is her brand and she’s popular withthe Hollywood crowd; and like Laura Bush, sheknows when to speak up or forever hold her peace.

A sad truth for Michelle Obama, though, andour nation as a whole, is that she has never beengiven the breadth these other women were givenbecause she is black. All First Ladies have been

self-possessed and cautious with their words andactions, but Obama had to double down on suchbehavior. She has championed causes againstwhich there could be no decent opposition, suchas aiding the families of our soldiers and militaryveterans, and encouraging children to eat healthier.

Nonetheless, detractors of all things Obama,liberal, Democrat, or African American came atMichelle with mockery and derision, because theythink the action of helping those who serve ourcountry so well, or preparing our children forhealthy futures, flies in the face of Americanfreedom. The argument against Michelle’s causesseems to be that homeless veterans and obesechildren with heart conditions would be preferableto genuine advocacy from one of the world’s mostadmired and respected women, only because sheis one or all of the things they dislike.

That is exactly why Michelle Obama shouldremain First Lady in the next term. Among hermany gifts, her greatest talent is knowing how makethe First Couple’s opponents come out of hidingand into the clear light of reason, to be exposed forall they are. Like a Greek myth singing to oceansailors, she lures them in with her siren song, andthen they crash and break on the rocks below. Shetidies the world of all the useless personalities thatinhabit the inner beltway and right-wing media.

What’s even more perfect, the Obamas havealready stated they are staying in Washington tolet Malia finish school with her classmates. Michellewill need something to do, and she could continuebeing the proud, beautiful face of our nation.Naturally, she should get a salary since herhusband will no longer be President, so we couldsolve that problem through crowd funding. Wecould pool our resources and pay the woman whowon the heart of the world to continue greetingdignitaries and wowing guests at the White Houseand on trips abroad, but, more importantly, helpingus to avoid embarrassment.

Otherwise, our current First Spouse alternativeshave “international incident” written all over them,and even a bottle of Texas Machismo couldn’t wardoff those problems.

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“Just do it.”Whether you associate these words with the brandNike, or the more recent, “Motivational,” viral videoof actor Shia Labeouf screaming, it’s actually someof the best advice you’ll ever get when it comes todoing whatever it is that you want to do, and thatincludes getting fit.

When I was a little kid, I was a tomboy, playingsoftball, soccer, swimming, even doing karate,whenever I could. Something changed, however,when I was 10-years-old, and my parents anddoctors noticed something was little off. I hadtrigger finger in my right index finger, which wasno big deal, but a bigger difference between otherkids and me was that I was doing pushups on thefingers of my left hand, instead of my palm. Myparents and karate instructors noticed it, and thenmy pediatrician sent me to the doctors at TheUniversity of Michigan in Ann Arbor to have a lookat me.

I walked for the doctors, down hallways, arounda room, for what, as 10-year-old, seemed likeforever. They tested my reflexes and even scrapedthe bottoms of my feet with a pair of keys. I had noidea what was going on, what they were lookingfor, or why it was taking so long. I remembergetting a lot of MRIs that year, on my brain, neck,wrist, and hand. In the end, they diagnosed mewith very mild cerebral palsy.

At that age, I didn’t understand my life wellenough to look back with confidence and think,“This has never affected me before and doesn’tneed to affect me now.” And while I kept playing

softball, changes were made in karate.Considering that it might hurt me, I had to do extrasit-ups and crunches instead of pushups, whichmy doctor recommended I stop. I noticed, andprobably hyper-focused on the slightly odd gait Ihave, favoring one leg that I probably neverwould’ve thought about had I not being diagnosed.I never tried to hide it, and talked about it wheneverI wanted, even though I suppose it sometimesmade me feel a bit different and alienated from mypeers.

When, like the other girls I’d played softball withgrowing up, we moved on from Little League andtried out for our middle school team, I was excited.I played, “All-Star,” every year, shortstop, and wasconfident in my try-out. I remember hitting the ballfrom one end of the gym to the other, and beingsure I’d make the cut, but I didn’t. And I tried tothink where I’d screwed up, and all my family andI could think was that there was one differencebetween Little League and the school: I’d filled outa green medical emergency card and mine read,“Mild cerebral palsy.” I didn’t make the team in highschool either, and over the years, I let sports go,and I let myself go.

I gained weight because I was feeling sorry formyself. It’s no excuse at all. We have one body,and it’s ours to treat with respect. I have no one toblame but myself for the years that I was lazy anddidn’t eat right. Through high school and myundergraduate degree, I focused on academics,but not at all on health and fitness. I studied film,read a lot of books, and watched a lot of movies.I also ate a lot. Monday nights were pizza night,

JUST DO IT.By Ashley Dionne

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and I, standing only four feet, 11 inches tall, would eat an entire pizza by myself.

My life started to change when I was diagnosed with food allergies. I had to make healthier foodchoices, and I completely transformed when I started working out too. For years I tried fad diets, workedout for a while, and then quit. I was forced to make changes, but I realized that the hardest part wasstarting. Changing habits is different, scary, and it forces you to leave your comfort zone. But to getbetter at anything, you have to change. I topped out at 168lbs, and now weigh 98lbs, because I eathealthily and exercise daily. You can’t do what you’ve always done and expect different results.

This is why it pisses me off so much that people are using the “Body Positive Movement,” to promoteaccepting an unhealthy weight, or worse, to tell people they should be proud to gain as much as possible.Don’t get me wrong, fads built on bad information, things like telling people never to eat carbs, thingsthat aren’t sustainable, and harmful supplements that will make the body revert as soon as you stoptaking them aren’t any better. However, what is really scary about “Body Positive,” is that it seems likeit’s gone beyond the potential to stick. It’s sticking, and I can guess why. People are looking to womenlike Tess Holliday, not for inspiration, but for something I know from experience everyone who is out ofshape wants: An excuse not to change.

If you really don’t want to change, don’t have kids you’re raising to adopt unhealthy habits. If you’rehappy the way you are, even when “Fat shamed,” by all means, do whatever the hell you want. But ifit hurts your feelings when someone calls you a name, or if you worry about what people are whispering

Visit Ashley’s Blog below at Freedom & Fitness. Alsocheck out her youtube video below about Body Positive.

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GOTTA HAVE

with Mike Conrad

With the highly anticipated launch of the iPhone7 and Galaxy Note, one would think those werethe only phones on the planet. Let me say, I amhonestly glad I didn’t recommend the Galaxy Noteover the past few weeks! I recently took a look at

the Motorola Moto Z Droid. Now, most peopledon’t remember when cell phones first came out,Motorola was the phone to have! Then again, theywere pretty much the only manufacturers in thecell phone game.

Being around for that long, one learns a thingor two about technology. The coolest thing thatmakes the Moto Z Droid a Gotta Have Gadget issimply the Moto Mods. Short for modular, the MotoMods easily attach to the Z Droid to make this

phone even more powerful! If you like music,attach the JBL SoundBoost Moto Mod, turning yourcell phone into a powerful stereo system. Needmore power? Simply attach the TUMI WirelessCharging Power Pack Moto Mod, giving you anadditional 22 hours of power! Want to share videoswith your friends? Attach the Insta-Share ProjectorMoto Mod, turning any flat surface into a 70”screen.

For someone who was stuck at a birthday partyduring week two of Monday Night Football, I canpersonally tell you the NFL Mobile app fromVerizon and projector was a hit on this phone. Asfar as the phone itself, the version I tested, backedby the power of Verizon Wireless, had all the powerand speed I look for in a phone. Some of thefeatures that make this phone a stand-out includethe ability to get 8 hours of battery life in only 15minutes of charging, its ultra thin design, and theincredibly sharp pictures produced by the laserfocus camera with optical stabilization. For all thetechnical specs, visithttps://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-z-droid-edition.

Welcome to “Gotta Have Gadget.” My name is Mike Conrad, and I have beenreviewing products for the past 10 years. Pretty much everything to me is agadget; however, not every gadget is a Gotta Have Gadget!

Moto Z Droid

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While we are on the topic of cell phones, how doyou move your pictures from your phone to yourdesktop? I can’t tell you how many times a monthI get an email asking if one can recover deletedphotos from thier phone! Well, Picture KeeperConnect makes it incredibly easy to transfer yourpictures, videos, and even contacts from yourphone to your computer. Simply download theapp, plug-in Picture Keeper Plus, and it will do allthe work for you. The Picture Keeper Connect hasa phone jack on one end and a USB on the other,making it easy to connect to both your phone andcomputer. Being a gadget guy, I had over 2000files on my phone that needed to be transferred.After one transfer, I was sold! The total time forthe backup was about 45 minutes. The one thingI would really like to see is having the opportunityto select folders to backup. However, in the shortamount of time it took, backing-up everything isOK.

You do have the option to select to back-up photos,videos, contacts, or full back-up. If you want tosee specifics or videos on how the Picture Keeperworks, visit http://picturekeeper.com/.

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By James Potter

Just like The Babe famously did, I am going to hita homerun on the next pitch…The United States has by far the largest economyin the world; it is both the largest importer andconsumer of products in the world. So, tell me,who is going to “bite the hand that feeds” when itcomes to our national debt – in proximity to $20Trillion USD. Yeahhhhhh, exactly…

As it lies within our current situation with China,, the depreciation associated with

converting currencies (US Dollars to ChineseYuan) could perhaps be the largest issue facingthe payback. When the US purchases goods from

China there is more demand on the yuan thenthere is on the dollar, and vice versa. Do you seewhy this would be problematic and is such animportant topic in the repayment of our nationaldebt? It also goes the same way for Japan (yen),as well as Saudi Arabia (riyal) – to which ourexact amount of debt is mysteriously—andperhaps strategically—unknown or released to thegeneral public.

While it currently comprises approximately one-fourth of our national debt, the $5 Trillion-ishUSD in treasuries are absolutely worthless if theycannot be converted into yuan, yen, and riyal.This is in direct relation to, and spawning from,the aforementioned cataclysm.

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Our largest creditors are buying more and morereal estate within high-growth zones throughoutthe United States. This, in turn, will hold us, evenmore, hostage of ever repaying our debt to therespective countries (and vice versa, if you takeinto consideration the current stalemate due tothe currency conversion catastrophe – which noone foresees any kind of breakthrough ANYTIMEsoon).

This is one tactic that we have seen our creditorsdeploy to try and close in on payback. This canbe seen within developing areas, economically-booming regions and—perhaps the best example—offshored locations and corporations. How willthis ultimately swing things in favor of ourcreditors? This might be the biggest catch 22 Ihave ever seen…

Take China into consideration. Nearly 2 trillionUSD is owed to this leading manufacturing-basedeconomy. China is bar none the world’s leadingaluminum producer; it has 37 of the 50 highest-cost aluminum smelters in the world (Forbes) andconsumes in the proximity of 80 metric tons ofbauxite per year. China sells aluminum as “coffeecups” and “common parts”—that are easily createdby mass-producing machines and automaticwelders—to the United States and othercompanies to exempt export subsidiaries. Whydo they do this? Because they can manipulateand screw the US per policy by EXEMPTING theimport/export tax. Wow, that is really smart of us,huh? Is this more of a smart tactic on their end oran idiotic one on ours? It sounds pretty brilliantbut yet conniving at the same time. This has gotto end, and electing another Democraticpresident who has ZERO knowledge of this and,in turn, only increasing taxation, even more, is aRECIPE FOR DIASTER. With that being said,let’s take a further look into the currentrelationship between China and us.

Then there is the root of all the aforementioned –manufacturing. Our foreign trade policy withthese nations basically allows us to import itemsfor free from foreign nations. To be exact, thismight just be the biggest factor in “infuriating,”so-to-speak, the Chinese, Japanese and other“creditors.”This is what China used to do before signing anagreement with the United States to eradicateexport subsidies (after complaint to the WorldTrade Organization):

1. Bauxite, the iron ore from which aluminumis derived, is mined and mass delivered toa certain smelter for processing intoalumina/aluminum.

2. The then aluminum is poured into formedcontainers known as “pig molds.”

3. Upon solidification, the masses nowtermed as “slabs” are joined by simplywelding a few areas together.

4. The Chinese now consider this a finishedproduct and term the goods as “deep-pro-cessed extrusions.”

5. China sells “deep-processed extrusions” to[the United States] as an export-subsidizedproduct.

This is what happens once the United Statesimports this type of “finished product”:

1. The slabs delivered to a casthouse forprocessing into what is really “finishedproduct”.

2. The slabs are placed in the main furnacein a certain factory/plant for melting andthen are transported to several holdingfurnaces via a launder/trough.

3. The aluminum must then be DEGASSEDin the trough to remove—among other con-stituents—the Hydrogen that was inadver-tently both contained in the before

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“finished product” and also added backinto the aluminum when melted.

a. Therefore, we are yet again havingto eatmanufacturing/labor/processingcosts by degassing the aluminum –which also involves consumablessuch as electricity, inert gas, chlo-rine, plant air and other requiredplumbing.

4. The aluminum is then cast into whichevershape that the factory manufactures (in-gots, bars, sheet, plate, and etcetera).

With this agreeance to eradicate exportsubsidizing, should this not then obligate theChinese to write-off a calculated portion of thisrelative debt incurred by the US? This is total andcomplete BS if not.

How can debt still be held true on thecompromise of a tactic that the Chinese used toscrew over the United States for over a hundredyears? I mean c’mon people; this is not somethingthat changed in the world or “evolved”; it was a

manipulative money smuggling operation by themanufacturing giant that exploited the naivetyand carelessness of numerous politicians andgovernment officials.With that being said, remember that this is justONE of the germane industries and “products” …

In retrospect, I truly believe that the root cause ofall problems begins with manufacturing; thissector is the feeder of importation andexportation, as well as the generator for thecurrency exchange catastrophe. Manufacturing isthe industry in which I both work in and have apassion for, though a considerable amount ofsteps have been taken in counteraction thus far,many SMARTER steps need commencement tofigure out how to unravel the root cause of theUS national debt overload.

James Potter is a passionate American writer, engineer and visionary leader. He isa lifer Georgian to date and holds a degree in mechanical engineering from GeorgiaSouthern University. James has extensive experience in global manufacturingthroughout the Aerospace, HVAC and Electrical Distribution industries. He is alsoa scratch golfer, exercise enthusiast and fanatical traveler. In addition to becomingan executive leader, one of James’ ultimate goals is to design and manage his owngolf course.

PotterProfessionals.com

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Fear, anxiety, joy, anticipation,excitement, sorrow and satisfactionare some of the many emotions menand women at arms feel as theytake to the field of battle. As thesefeelings are shared by many jobseekers as well (albeit at a differentorder of magnitude), using a

military analogy is appropriate when taking on thesignificant challenge of an effective job searcheffort.

If you are looking for work or thinking about acareer change, careful thought and deliberateactions are necessary to ensure success. Luck, bydefinition, does not lead to consistent results. Justas leaders carefully plan their moves in battle, youmust take the time to analyze information anddevelop a plan of attack. Listed below are criticalsteps which must be taken in order to becomevictorious!

Strategize Your Attack (Carefullyplan your job search approach)

An effective job search effort takes time andplanning. A methodical and organized approach togathering viable job leads, strategizing applicationmethods and researching positions and companiesis an excellent way to kick off your job seekingactivities. Beware of the fact that some job

How To Be VictoriousIn Your Job SearchBy Adam Zajac | Guest Contributor

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seekers get overly caught up in the details andbecome overwhelmed, so keep in mind GeneralGeorge S. Patton’s advice, “A good plan violentlyexecuted now is better than a perfect planexecuted next week."

Ready Your Weapons (Developexcellent Résumés and LinkedInProfiles)

Having an exquisitely crafted and appropriatelytargeted résumé, a well worded cover letter, anda complimentary LinkedIn profile is crucial intoday’s job search environment. Gone are thedays when a simple résumé, faxed or emailed toa company, landed results. In the age of ApplicantTracking Systems (ATS), multiple layers ofscreening personnel, and hiring managers withlittle time on their hands, you must grab theemployer’s attention and make every word count.If you are not well versed in current trends andmethodologies, you may want to seek assistancefrom a Professional Résumé Writer or CareerDevelopment Expert.

Mobilize Your Troops (Networkand seek assistance from experts)

Just as strong alliances can be crucial to thesuccess of a military operation, networking anddeveloping your support system can be a decidingfactor when seeking employment. Let yourfriends know that you are looking for a job andask them for assistance, contact communityorganizations that provide employmentassistance, seek out help from professionalrecruiters and career development firms, andnetwork using LinkedIn and other forms of socialmedia. Networking does not come naturally toeveryone, but traditional and electronic methodshave never been more important to becoming asuccessful Job Search Warrior.

Conduct Reconnaissance(Research your targets)

Many job seekers today complain of howimpersonal finding a job can be. While this is true

in some respects, there are still ways to directlycontact hiring managers. Rather than viewingwebsites, social media platforms and job boardsas an intimidating barrier, use them to youradvantage. Some relatively quick research canproduce excellent results (including directcontact information) for a prospective employer.When all else fails, call the company and ask tospeak with the hiring manager. You might besurprised how often this still works.

Strike with Overwhelming Force(Use multiple approaches whenapplying)

Shock and awe is more than just an effectivemilitary tactic. A coordinated, multi-pronged jobsearch approach is much more likely to yieldresults than a singular application method. It iseasy to apply online for a position and then moveon to the next lead. For the best outcomes, useyour full arsenal. Apply directly to the companyand submit your information through third partyjob listing sites. Send your résumé and coverletter to the hiring manager directly as well.Network and connect with the company’s staffvia LinkedIn. Call the company’s human resourcesdepartment. If the job is worth applying to, it isworth doing so using all the tools at your disposal.

Spread Propaganda (Presentyourself in a positive and visiblemanner)

Many job seekers are timid about self-promotionwhen they begin a job search. It is time to getover that! While you do not want to come off asarrogant, self-confidence routinely ranks in thetop 5 attributes employers consider whenchoosing a candidate. Make sure your résumé andLinkedIn profile appropriately sell the product.In this case, the product is you! As a balanced andconfident presentation is an art form, consultingProfessional Résumé Writers and Career Coachescan provide a significant advantage.

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Assess Your Tactics (Analyze yourapproach and adjust if necessary)

Chess Grandmaster Max Euwe once stated,“Strategy requires thought, tactics requireobservation.” A careful analysis of the successesand failures of your job search activities is criticalto producing desired outcomes. By observingtrends, learning from mistakes and makingappropriate adjustments, you have a much betterchance of landing interviews and job offers in thefuture.

Press the Attack (Follow up onall active leads)

While no hiring manager wants to receive 10phone calls from you within a week, appropriateand measured follow up is key. Vary yourapproach between emails, phone calls and socialmedia messages. Appropriately space out yourcontacts but strike while the iron is hot! The bestqualifications in the world will do you no good ifthe job has been filled before you are able tomake them known to an employer.

Negotiate Terms (Expertlynavigate the interview process)

The interview is the crescendo of the job searchbattle. While some relish the opportunity, manyjob seekers break in to a cold sweat at thethought of meeting with an employer face-to-face. As is the case in all aspects of job search,preparation is crucial. Have confidence inknowing you have made it through the gauntletof screening mechanisms, but take everyopportunity to research the position and thecompany. Formulate customized answers toquestions you may be asked. Practice youranswers aloud but do not memorize word for word(you may come off as insincere). Have a trustedconfidant rehearse with you in a mock interviewsetting. Pay attention to your mannerisms andappearance. Then, just when you think you willgo crazy with all of the preparation, relax. Keepin mind that interviewing is a skill, and skills canbe developed with practice. If you fail at one,learn from it when preparing for the nextopportunity.

Declare Victory! (Take pride inyour new job!)

Many of us know the joy and excitement that cancome from an excellent job offer. Employmentcan shape our lives and bring fulfillment in manyways beyond a paycheck. Seize the opportunityto take the next step in your professional life andgo forth boldly!

Adam Zajac is the Chief Résumé and LinkedIn Profile Writer andSenior Career Development Specialist for Vocamotive, Inc. Asa vocational rehabilitation and career placement professionalfor the last 10 years, he has successfully assisted thousands ofjob seekers and career changers throughout the United States.

Expert Résumé and LinkedIn Profile Writer | Career Development,Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Strategist

Adam Zajac

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/become-job-search-warrior-adam-Original Article Here:

LIFESTYLE

101

Sailing is a sport that, while onlythe details have changed in the last4,000 years, remains an endlesslabyrinth of nuances learned only byexperience. And when I say experience,I think I mean mistakes. Mistakes thatare one moment irrelevant andunnoticed; life-threatening the next.That is what both thrills and frightensme about sailing.

Of course, I’m no expert. The sum totalof my experience was maybe 200 hourslogged out west with a non-profit calledBluewater Foundation. They take innercity youth sailing in the San Franciscobay, and their mission is to get peoplesailing who otherwise would not beable to- not just the groups of children,whom absolutely love it- the staff aswell. Volunteering with them is how Iwas able to fall in love with sailing. Iused to invite my roommate down thehall every week but he always hadsomething going on. But perhaps a seedwas planted in young Alex Black. Laterhe moved to Long Beach and joined ayacht racing team. And invited me outfor the Santa Barbara to King Harborrace the last weekend of July. Ofcourse! Unfortunately, three daysbefore my flight I severed my Achillestendon training for stunts in a parkour

gym in Miami. Well, I picked up anankle brace and some crutches- surgerycould wait- there was no way I wasmissing this race.

The captain of the O’DAY 39 had beendescribed to me beforehand as aunicorn, which I didn’t understand untilI met him and saw the huge horncoming out of his head- that’s a sailor’sjoke- just kidding, it’s hardly even ajoke. Mike Price seemed perfectlynormal to me. He was a nice guy, ayoung guy- younger than me by a fewyears- though at least a foot taller; builtlike a quarterback. He made highquality sails and repairs for UllmanSails, and the night before shipping outfor the delivery most of the crew metthere and we examined, banded, andpacked all spinnakers like live ammointo their bags for instantaneous deployduring the race. I did not fullyunderstand how they would changesails under way but was eager to findout. These boys were the youngest teamin the LBYC and they took great pridein that. They were professionals. YoungMasters.

Stepping into the boat on race day, alayman, I felt apprehensive. For eventied up in its slip and slumber, wavering

slightly with the rising tide, the boatwas a monster. Or, it was our horse, aswe chased down a monster. As my footleft the solid earth I knew I was in foradventure, danger, and the possibleattainment of greatness.

Rigging up the boat that morningseemed very complicated to me. Thereare no ropes on a boat, only lines,sheets, halyards, main sheets and jibsheets, foreguys, afterguys, on and on,on wenches and grinders, cleats, cams,cars, leech, luff… get a clew. There wasa lot of commotion. “Dude, you’reoutside the lifelines.” Reroute. “Yougotta be outside the shrouds, under theafterguy.” “Through the cars, but overthe spinnaker halyard.” They routedand rerouted, meanwhile others hoistedMike in a rock climbing harness to thetop of the mast to attach an LED lightto the windex. It was an anticipated 30hour race for our fleet.

The swarm and frenzy of sailboatsbefore a yacht race is true spectacle,boats like atoms weaving concentriccircles within a confined space. Theyhave timed horns, designating differentheats and fleets, 5 minutes till, twominutes till, one minute till, go time!All these synced watches, and boats

Pumping SwellsIgnite Chaos

By Eric Newcombe

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circling in such a way that when yourstarting horn is blown, you cross thestart pin, not a second sooner or asecond later. “8 boat lengths to the pin!”“30 seconds to start!” It’s tense. Weblew through the starting line head tohead with their heaviest contender, andremained side by side for 40 minutes.Then we made trees on ‘em. ‘Makingtrees’ comes from eyeballing howyou’re doing speedwise compared toanother boat. I guess it didn’t makesense here, because you use it when youcan’t tell, but now it is such a figure ofspeech for pulling ahead, that it doesmake sense. Does that make sense? Iftrees are passing in front of the boat,you’re taking them. If trees are passingbehind their boat, they’re taking you.So they all say, “Making trees.” AndAlex, who had coined the term “Makingtrees like an Indonesian Teak Farm,”finally found fertile soil, cause Z-danceand Stephan, engineers who came withMike’s English friend Bas, loved it andit became the official phrase of the race.And we did. Make trees like anIndonesian teak farm. We buried them.We crushed all day, peeling andblowing up spinnakers, Mike pointed,“See how our spinnakers all have thesame design? That’s so other boats havea hard time seeing what size or shapewe’re using, as we pull further andfurther ahead of them.” Code zero, A2,A3, peeling and pulling. Guerillaracing. Mike called commands from thehelm, the crew manifested them in asnap. Perfect synchronicity. It was nogames with Mike on race day. Perhapsat times he was abrasive, but whatwinner can be carved from the muckwithout the salt and sting of grit? Theytold me a story how a boat had nearlycollided with them and the other skippershouted angrily ‘Watch where you’regoing!’ and Mike shouted back, ‘Youwatch where I’m going!’ At that heturned to me and said, ‘We had the rightof way.’

They let me grind for the guy on spinsheet; that was the extent of theresponsibility I was allotted and to thatI gave my all. The Peacemaker teamhad made a perfect run all day, not oneslip up, and their gargantuan lead over

all boats in their class testified as much.We had rounded Anacapa Island, whichlooked like Mars- a red planet with nodiscernable life- and launchedexplosively out of the island’s windshadow, watching the other sailsdisappear into the horizon behind us.We were even starting to pass boats inother fleets. The Peacemaker team didnot loaf sail. They did literallyeverything in their power, despite thatit was constant work with no visibleresult, to shave seconds off their time.Even pumping the main sail, which I’dnever heard of or seen, where you hookup a webbing strap to the boom, andright in the vortex of a swell you yankthe webbing with everything you gotlike a surfer paddling to catch the waveand when done right you ride the waveboosted. This would produce ahumming sound, and everyone wouldget psyched and cheer because it meantthe boat was pushing high speed. Wewere holding the 10’s, 11’s, and wetopped out at 12.5.

They said pumping the main sail mightearn you a boat length every dozensuccessful pumps. All in baby!Everything for the glory. After a fewguys I had a turn pumping the main, alittle tricky with my severed tendon butI made it work. After a while Mike saidhold off on the pumping for a minute. Iwanted to easily grab the webbing againand not let it drag in the water so I tiedit to the lifeline in a very loose slipknot.We’d been on a port tack for hours withno plan on changing. If somethinghappened it would shake the slip, right?Alex and Joey went down below to startcooking up dinner for everyone as thesun was setting. I looked down to seethat a bee had landed there on the boatbetween my feet. I thought, ‘Wow,you’re a long way from home bud,unless you live on the boat.’ And Ididn’t hear the little ‘ping’ sound thenbut I did hear Mike say, ‘What the hellwas that?’ And a second later hecommanded, ‘Drop the kite! I’ve loststeering, drop the kite now!’

Everyone burst into action. I rememberhearing someone yell, ‘Drop the kite,drop the kite! Wait, what’s the first

thing we gotta do?’ And with that, thewind forcefully jibed the boat. I wasstill right there on the rail, and ducking,I shouted, ‘Look out, here comes theboom! Jib Ho!’ and it went swingingwith tens of thousands of pounds ofpressure. The kind that kill you, noquestions asked. People ducked,cleared, BOOM! But what? -the boomsnagged on my little slipknot to thelifeline! It cinched impossibly tight intoitself. Unnaturally the boat lifted andheeled almost totally sidewise. Thingswent sliding, banging, there were chips,water bottles, cans, lines, people. I triedto yank the slipknot but the pressurebacking it was insane. It was like oneof those bad dreams when you try topunch someone but you’re absurdlypowerless.

‘Cut that line!’ Mike yelled over thechaos. Someone crawled up with ablade and started slashing but thepressure did not yield immediately.This time no one thought to yell duckas Drew was pulling the spin sheet fromthe cockpit, fighting down the ragingspinnaker. Suddenly the webbing blewlike an explosion and the boom wentflying again in pure, unmerciful force.Somehow Drew’s intuition kicked atthe sound of the line blowing and hedove backwards, turning his face as theboom literally skimmed the end of hisnose. He flew back into the binnacleand dropped. The people who saw flewover to him. I couldn’t move- my heartwas in my throat. He was okay! Inshock but okay. No death, no batteredin face, no missing nose. Not even cuton the nose. But it had touched him. Ithad literally touched him as it went by,before crashing into its outer limits.Relieved of the wind pressure, the boatfinally up-righted. But no time toexhale, the spinnaker was still out ofcontrol, knocking things and people,pulled halfway in then ripped out, theboat broadsided and giant swellspounding. All things not tied downsliding back and forth. I raced up to thespinnaker to help Duke and Bas drag itin, and several times it was yanked fromour hands by crazed wind. I remembernot the whole sequence but images-being laid out on the deck somehow,

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the spinnaker pole on top of me. Thenit was in the water somehow, butrescued before sinking. Then the kitewas dumped and in the water. One ofmy shoes was gone as we stuffed it alldown the front hatch, getting soakedand soaking everything in the V berth.Until that spinnaker was fullysubmerged below deck, it was likeString Theory, The Musical.

All of a sudden it was kind of calm. Aquick inventory of the crew revealedperfect health- Thank God. I turnedand Bas handed me my shoe. I musthave looked at him dumfounded, causehis response was a scholarly wink thatcomprised all the charm of GreatBritain. Just classic. I couldn’t help butlaugh. Now it was rocky swells andfading light vs the improv of thecaptain and engineers. They openedthe lazarettes and threw all theircontents down below, while otherspulled all lines into the cockpit- manyfrom out the water. I untied what wasleft of the blue webbing strap from thelifeline, and just sat there awhileholding it, not sure how to process. Itwas haunting. I tried not to get neurotic.Ultimately I was washed in gratitude. Ihad been shown divine mercy. Again.What a seemingly inconsequentialmistake. Until it almost killed Drew.They released a squarish parachute

behind the boat called a sea anchor. Ithelped stabilize things a little, as Mikeand Drew went down the lazarettes toaccess the steering system. Turns out itwas just some pulleys and wheels,fallen apart but a very basic system,they said. However, the cotter pin to therudder, which had exploded under therusting of 30 years and ourchampionesque sailing, was rather in acompromising position. Finding whatit was Mike said, “Damn. We werescheduled to overhaul the steeringsystem literally next week.” They set tojerry rig it back together, struggling tofind ways to stabilize themselves and

have hand usage amid the heavyrocking. People scoured the boat forextra pins and produced anything evenclose. They tried them all and like aglass slipper, nothing fit. The sun leftand it grew very cold in the wind andwaves. No land in sight.

The floor of the cockpit looked likemulticolored spaghetti. Down belowlooked like the lazarettes had thrownup. Intimations of sea sickness began.

I felt my eyes glaze over. My mouthcoated with saliva. But I stayed in thegame and held open a lazarette, handingover and taking back tools. Drew cameup for air. He was getting mad sea sickdown there, but kept at it. Finally, afteran hour, he and Bas switched out. Alsofinally, other boats started to appear.Eventually, a few came and passed, onepulling up to ask if we were okay. Thatwas nice. And then, with the last lightgone, and the stars and heavenly bodiesshining, Mike and Bas emerged fromthe lazarettes. They had reached aworking substitute. Mike radioed in ourabandon race call, and I don’t remember

what he said but I remember the tone ofhis voice. It reminded me of a fatherholding his children in his arms.

We motored at 4 knots an hour for the15 or 20 miles in to Marina Del Rey,the closest port, famous for their racingstripes. We put on our warm gear andfoulies. Made sense of everything, likereflaking and retying the main sail.Duke wrapped every line. Alex finishedcooking up his hot and deliciousspaghetti dinner he had started a fewhours ago, and we all ate, safe andwarm. Mike led a debrief. There was nobroken spirits here. There was no blamepassed around. In fact there was a buzz,a reinforced comradery. It was magical.And whether pulling my weight oradding weight to be pulled, I got to bethere with them for a truly miraculoushappening out at sea.

“Until that spinnaker was fully submerged belowdeck, it was like String Theory, The Musical.“

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TITO FERNANDEZNAKED TRUTH INTERVIEW:A casual conversation with Mexico’s bad boy vigilante, Tito Fernandezabout government oppression, international women and his survival school.

TNT: Gracias por recibirnos en tu casasecreta en algún lugar del mundo.

Tito: Es un placer tenerlos aquí, soyun fan de su revista.

TNT: Tito, ¿podemos saber cuántasmisiones secretas ha usted tenido enencubierto en su carrera como agentesecreto?

Tito: Esa es información clasificada,pero puedo decirles que han sidomuchas y en prácticamente todos loslugares del mundo.

TNT: Sabemos que tiene usted bares,clubes, casinos y lugares de recreaciónnocturna alrededor del mundo, ¿cómocombina esto con su trabajo de agentesecreto?

Tito: La gente me critica por lucharcontra el capitalismo y al mismo tiempotener clubs nocturnos en Europa, perodurante más de 20 años mi respuestaha sido la misma: “sólo me gusta bailar”.

TNT: La gente que lo conoce dice queusted ha tenido cientos de mujeres, lasmás hermosas, de todas

nacionalidades. ¿No tiene alguna enparticular? ¿Nunca ha estadoenamorado?

Tito: No. Estoy enamorado del peligro.Punto.

TNT: ¿Kiton o Brioni?

Tito: Kiton.

TNT: En zapatos… ¿Testoni o TomFord?

Tito: Testoni. No me gustan loszapatos con diamantes. Se me hacende mal gusto.

TNT: Sus conocidos dicen que ustedtiene un precioso y clásico MIG ruso,un auto Fórmula 1, un toro Miura, unoso Grizzly llamado Ben, un león de1,000 libras, un tigre de Bengala, untiburón blanco y un caballo pura sangrede más de 70 millones de dólares. ¿Eseso cierto?

Tito: (Riendo) Les faltó mencionar aDanae, mi pantera negra, Ka, mi boaconstrictor, Karina, mi tarántula y

algunas mascotas más que tengoalrededor del mundo.

TNT: En anteojos, ¿Chopard deRigo o Dolce & Gabbana?

Tito: Dolce & Gabbana.

TNT: ¿Tu cocktail favorito?

Tito: The Winston.

TNT: Ha roto usted varios récordsimpensables haciendo proezassobrehumanas. ¿Qué opina deDonald Trump?

Tito: Lo que le puedo decir es…¡Constrúyela Trump! “Hit Us WithYour Best Wall!”

TNT: Gracias, Señor Fernández. Ledeseamos lo mejor con su libro “TitoFernández’ Professional TrainingManual for UndocumentedWorkers”. Mucho éxito.

Tito: Gracias a ustedes.

Tito pictured with his Afghan family in1991 shortly before his final departurefrom the Middle East. Tito fatheredseven children while working covertlyin the 80’s

Tito set’s out to be the largest survivalschool in the world. In the future hehope’s not only to cater to Hispanic'sbut to third world countries as well.

Tito in Mirabela, Spain where hefrequently spends his vacation timeat the Nightclub’s he owns and hisvilla. George Clooney and ArmandAssanti are known guest’s.

22

“PEOPLE CRITICIZE ME FORFIGHTING CAPITALISM WHILE

ALSO OWNING NIGHTCLUBS INEUROPE. IN 20 YEARS MY

RESPONSE HASN’T CHANGED, IJUST LOVE TO DANCE”

Tito Fernandez

TNTMAGAZINE

VIGILANTE

FREEDOM FIGHTER

WHO IS TITO FERNANDEZ?

BILLIONAIRE

MONTEREY’S BRUCE WAYNE

WHO IS TITO FERNANDEZ?

BILLIONAIRECASANOVA

MONTEREY’S BRUCE WAYNE

O N L Y T I M E W I L L T E L L

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