What’s a body to do when jobs seem scarce? Why not start your own firm?   Check these facts out, courtesy of About.com:

• 16 out of the 30 corporations that make up the current Dow Jones Industrial Average started during a recession
• Walt Disney Corporation began during the recession in 1923-24.
• Hewlett-Packard Corporation began in 1938 during the Great Depression.
• Microsoft Corporation began during the 1975 recession.

But sometimes, you just need a little sumthin’ to get you going.  Well why not two tools that can help you connect with people needing your services today!

TaskRabbit “helps individuals and small businesses in a community outsource their tasks and deliveries.”  While being a personal assistant isn’t the most glamorous job on the planet, it can and does pay and TaskRabbit acts as the conduit to make that happen.

So maybe being a personal assistant isn’t for you.  BUT, you have other skills such as being a software programmer, web developer, accountant, marketer or even data entry specialist?  Well those needing your services can connect up with you on eLance.   eLance is a virtual marketplace and connector with firms needing professional services.   I’ve had some personal experience using them for a project and the system works!   So why not check out eLance and hang out your own shingle today!

Making your way in the world in your own firm still seem too craze?  Well Beck’s Cafe did a post on some new job search engines back on March 23rd, 2010 that you might want to check, have a look here at “Flexjobs, Telecommute Job Finder and Simply Hired Help You Find Jobs that You Can Do From Home“

Back in June, 2010, we reported on the very exciting news that transgender persons are now allowed to have their appropriate gender on their passports. The question now is, “what is the most effective way to do that”?

MTPC has launched a new “kit” to help. The “Gender Marker Change Kit with New Passport Guidelines” is now available!  The kit, as MTPC describes it in their announcement:

MTPC’s Gender Marker Change Kit includes all the necessary forms and instructions to change one’s gender on all major legal documents: driver’s license, state i.d. card, Social Security Card, birth certificate and passport. The kit also includes detailed instructions on how to fill out the forms, what you need to include with the forms or bring in person to government office. The kit includes a sample attending physician’s letter for attaching to the forms required to change gender on birth certificates.

It’s an open resource and available for download by visiting MTPC’s site at their link, “Changing Gender Marker on Legal Documents“

The Newburyport Daily News reported on the passing of Fran Dalton on July 23rd, 2010. Their article told the neat story of a couple who came to Newburyport, as artists and then, when the wife passed away, the husband, decided to transition from male to female.

I think what struck me about Fran Dalton’s life was what a unique treasure she was to the Newburyport, MA community. She transitioned right where she was “unobstrusively as possible, but also unapologetically”, instead of going to another town. The entire town accepted her for the woman she was. She wasn’t afraid to stick up for what was right (you’ll note the story of her defense of a Newburyport residents new windturbine). She befriended those who had less than her though she didn’t appear to have much. She stayed in her community and, from the sound of things, made a positive difference to those around her. Now that’s what I’d called a successful transition.

You can read all about her at Newburyport Daily News story here: “Port remembers two identities, one unique person | Fran Dalton remembered“

We’ve talked about the whole issue of using one’s cellphone while driving last year on August 1st, 2009 in our post, “Which States Have Made Using Your Cellphone While Driving Illegal”?   In that post we noted some directories that could tell our readers which states banned what use of cellphones (from talking to texting).   We thought a little update was in order since the whole debate has heated up!

In Massachusetts, starting in October 1, 2010, you may no longer text while you drive.  As if taking your hands and eyes off the road weren’t self-evident enough, the law makes it illegal to text while driving.  Here’s the full scoop as reported in Trucking Info:

Massachusetts has become the 29th state to ban texting while driving, bringing the country one step closer to a nationwide ban on texting behind the wheel.

The new Massachusetts law, signed recently by Gov. Deval Patrick, will fine adults $100 for texting as a first offense, $250 for a second offense, and $500 for a third.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has done a clear chart on which states ban what regarding cell phone use.  You can see it a their site:  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Cell Phone Laws