LilSugar

How Do Your Children Get to School?

LilSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:30:55 PDT

What child hasn't heard the story of their parents hiking five miles to school, uphill (in both directions) during a blizzard? Such tall tales may seem even more foreign to kids as fewer moms are allowing their lil ones to walk to school on their own. According to the National Household Travel Survey, child abductions, unsafe traffic conditions, and neighborhood conditions can be blamed for the decline in the number of walkers from 41 percent in 1969 to 13 percent in 2001.

Following the discovery of Jaycee Duggard, the New York Times looked into the dwindling number of school kids who walked to school and found there is a heated debate over the matter. While helicopter parents may escort their wee ones the one or two blocks to class, free-range parents feel the need to cut the cord. Mamas who allow their offspring to walk alone often face the wrath of neighbors and school administrators who scold them for their decisions and require them to sign permission slips that explain their decision to allow solo journeys.

How does your child get to school each day?

Babysugar Diaries: Karma Comes Back With a Vengeance

babysugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:30:53 PDT

This morning started off like any other Tuesday morning. Bundled up in the San Francisco chill, I walked up to my bus stop and saw the crazy lady who recently pushed me to ensure she attained the first seat available. I've seen her encounter a few close calls with the bus, as she is prone to throw herself in front of the massive beast to make it stop for her. Only this morning, her aggressive nature came back to bite her on the bum.

As expected, she made a bee-line for the doors, but instead of stepping up, she fell flat on her back and landed between the bus and the curb like a cockroach on its deathbed. Other patrons quickly lent helping hands, though there were many eye rolls and sighs as I am sure they thought the same thing I did: karma is a . . . well, you know.

Ambling onto the bus with torn pantyhose, she sat down and finished painting her face. The lady sitting next to her graciously offered me her seat. I told her I would manage, but appreciated her kindness. I said, "In five months of pregnancy, I just want to thank you for being the first to offer me your seat. If things get hairy, I might take you up on it, but for now I am fine."

As the months progress and my tummy expands, I'm tempted to tally the number of offers I get. So far, one and counting.

Source

BoltBus = Free WiFi and In-seat Power Ports!

GeekSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 08:05:45 PDT

Yesterday, PetSugar informed me about a magical transportation service called BoltBus - an affordable, geek-friendly way to travel. So I maybe don't need to take a bus anytime soon in the New York, Philadelphia, Boston, or Washington region, but hello?! It's a frickin bus with free WiFi, which is still a luxury, and for the best part. . . there are outlets, in every seat!

What does this mean? Well for me it means unlimited hours of blogging and emailing, but for others this could mean watching some of your favorite movies and TV shows from sites like Hulu. Public transportation usually isn't that glamorous, but this definitely helps!

Twenty More Cities Now Offering WiFi on Buses

GeekSugar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:05:57 PDT

Gone are the days when you had to be a Google employee to enjoy Internet-wired shuttles. USA Today is reporting that more than 20 cities are now offering WiFi on commuter buses including cities like San Francisco, Reno, Austin and Seattle.

Although not all cities are eager to jump on-board, cities that have initiated the service are finding it well received by the public. Wiring each bus is said to cost about $1,000 to $2,000, which isn't too shabby considering how many commuters would utilize it.

A majority of you said that you would love to have WiFi on public transportation, whether it be bus, planes or trains, so I'm sure you're super stoked about this news. Although in-flight calling ability on planes is a totally different story!

Source

Baby Bump: Etiquette for Pregnant Women

babysugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:00:37 PDT

As a big city girl often does, I take public transportation to work every morning.

Yesterday, as I stood in the aisle holding onto the railing, a very pregnant woman came strolling along. Curious to see what would happen, I watched as a woman and a man both leaped to their feet and offered her their spots. Jumping inside with pride for humanity, I was pleased at their reaction. To see why,

Too many times I have witnessed pregnant women having to stand on subways or buses, while other seated passengers ignored them. Cheers to those who keep chivalry alive and kicking.

While pregnant did you appreciate these small gestures?
Source

Why Everyone Wants to Work at Google

Emily Co — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:07:07 PST

It didn't surprise me that Google was rated the best company to work for this year by Fortune. The tech giant has consistently been in the top five firms to work for in the last few years. Although the interview process is grueling, many will say it's well worth their efforts. Here are some of the reasons people want to work at Google:

Free lunch and dinner by gourmet chefs.
Convenient on-site services like oil change, car wash, dry cleaning, massage therapy, gym, hair stylist, eyebrow maintenance, doctor visits, fitness classes, and bike repair. Some of these services like laundry are actually for free!
WiFi-equipped shuttle buses that pick up employees from several locations.
Gym, swimming pool, rock climbing wall, bowling alley, outdoor volleyball court, and bocce court.
Up to 18 weeks maternity leave with full pay.
Full benefits for the partners of lesbian, gay, and transgender workers.
Bringing your dog to work.
Tuition reimbursement is up to $12,000 every year as long as you keep your grades above a B.
Donation matches up to $12,000.
401(k) match.

Which perk are you interested in?

Daily Tech: Yahoo!'s Cofounder Resigns From Company

GeekSugar — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:59:49 PST

6 Questions to Find the Best City For Generation Y

Kiplinger — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:05:51 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

As young adults, many of us enjoy a unique time in our lives when we can relocate wherever we like. We’re often free from any significant ties, such as kids or a mortgage, that can tether us to a certain location. Plus, with the technological advances of the past decade, we need not fear losing touch with family and friends; we can stay connected with the touch of a button - regardless of distance.

So when the world is your oyster, how do you decide in which part to settle? Here are six questions to ask when figuring out which city is best for you:

Will I find good work there?

In today's tough market, Generation Y has had a particularly difficult time finding and keeping a job: While the job market struggles to regain its footing, with the national unemployment rate at 9.5% as of June, 25- to 34-year-olds suffer joblessness at a 10.3% rate, and 20- to 24-year-olds are unemployed at a staggering 15.3% rate. But some areas have held up better against the recession. Austin, Tex., Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C., for example, have experienced lower unemployment than the rest of the country.

Jobs in certain industries are more prevalent in some areas. For example, if you’re interested in politics, the nation’s capital is the obvious choice. Or if you aspire to “make it work” as fashion’s next hot designer, the Big Apple might suit you best. If you have no particular trade in mind yet, look to big cities with opportunities in a wide range of fields. (For career ideas that promise a bright future, see 13 Careers for the Next Decade.)

Read on for more.

11 Sure-Fire Ways to Save on Last-Minute Trips

Emily Co — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:10:42 PST

If you haven't booked your Thanksgiving trip, you better get going. Fees are going up and up, and it doesn't seem like they're about to drop. Since there are going to be fewer travelers this year and airlines have cut thousands of seats this holiday season, ticket prices are expected to be six to 12 percent higher than last year. Here are some ways you can still save as a last-minute traveler:

Be realistic: Keep in mind that tickets are going to be more expensive, so don't keep hoping that you'll be able to get tickets for the same price you got last year. Factor in the six to 12 percent increase in costs.
Act fast: Don't hold off on booking and keep telling yourself that it's going to go down. If you see a good deal, just book it before it rises - you're out of time. I've made that mistake before and the prices just kept rising, so I had to change my travel plans. If you're willing to risk it, use the fare predictor on Bing Travel to give you an idea of whether the ticket price is about to rise or fall.
Use your points: When prices are inflated, it's the perfect time to use the reward points you've accumulated. Play around with the points you have in every account to see which one gets you a better deal. You can often combine points and cash to get the flight, hotel, or car you want. Remember that you don't always get a better deal when you're redeeming items in the same category. Sometimes you can get a great rental car deal with mileage points or a flight with hotel reward points. To better organize your points, be sure to sign up for Award Wallet. It's a site that'll help you view all your rewards in one place.
Ask for points: Another idea is to ask a family member or a good pal to donate some points to you to help you out. Depending on the program, the process can be quite lengthy or old school - the donor might have to go directly to a mortar and brick office to book on your behalf or they might also be charged a fee for transferring points. Offer to cover the fee to compensate them for giving you a hand.

Read on for more ways to save.

Google Work Perks: Which One Would You Love to Have?

Emily Co — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 03:05:12 PDT

I was talking to a friend who was extolling the many perks Googlers get to enjoy at their company. The tech giant has consistently been ranked as the one of the best companies to work for by Fortune and it's easy to see why so many of their employees are satisfied when you scroll through their benefits page.

Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman at Google, explains the reasoning behind these amazing perks, "The goal is to strip away everything that gets in our employees’ way. We provide a standard package of fringe benefits, but on top of that are first-class dining facilities, gyms, laundry rooms, massage rooms, haircuts, carwashes, dry cleaning, commuting buses - just about anything a hardworking employee might want. Let’s face it: programmers want to program, they don’t want to do their laundry. So we make it easy for them to do both.”

Which one of these Google perks would you want to have?