10 Workplace Myths

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 153 million people in the United States were part of the civilian workforce in July 2010. With that many workers out there, it's no wonder that there are thousands of people starting new jobs on any given day. If you're about to start your first full-time job, or if you're just looking for something new, you're among those thousands who are gathering information, sending out résumés and getting prepared for the first day in a new workplace. As you research and prepare for the big day, you may ask for advice from friends, family and mentors. These folks are often glad to help, recounting their experiences and insisting that you take their most valuable pieces of advice to heart. But how do you know if it's applicable for you and your job? First, consider the source. The workforce is changing as quickly as culture and technology, so some of your parents' advice may be outdated. Plus, each industry is unique in what employers expect, so advice about being a software engineer is probably not valuable coming from a restaurant owner or bank executive. If you've considered the source a reliable one, the next thing to do is to separate fact from fiction. There's a lot of misinformation out there, and even the most well-meaning advisor may not know he's leading you astray. To help you get started, this article covers 10 common workplace myths you should know as you apply for jobs and before you get started that first day.

10 Restaurant Chains that Flopped

Feeling famished? Got a hankering for a Lums hotdog steamed in beer, or a Gino Giant burger drenched in Ameche 35 sauce, the fabled "banquet in a bun"? How about a plate of Minnie Pearl's down-home fried chicken? Chi-Chi's tangy nachos grande? Or maybe you're in the mood for something classier, like Steak and Ale's signature herb-roasted prime rib?
Well, too bad, because those delectable treats were on the menus of national restaurant chains that no longer exist. Whether you're talking about humble burger joints or fancy sit-down dining establishments, the restaurant trade is relentlessly, mercilessly Darwinian. Just as the sabre-toothed tigers and mastodons roamed the land eons ago, there was a more recent time when American roadsides were dotted with orange-roofed Howard Johnson's restaurants and their promise of 27 different ice cream flavors, the gleaming ivory facades of White Tower hamburger stands, and Chi-Chi's imitation Mexican cantinas, among others. Some restaurant chains lost out because of diners' changing tastes, while others were swallowed up by larger competitors. And a few succumbed ignominiously to stock market scandals, unfortunate name choices and an occasional outbreak of food-borne illness. But we also must thank defunct restaurant chains for innovations that revolutionized American casual dining, ranging from the salad bar to special kids' meals.