Tausi Insider

Photo : CHIRATH PHOTO ( Shutterstock ) Imagine you get this random text from an unknown number out of the blue: “My dog needs to be seen by a vet right away. Can you help me?” Do you respond to let the person know they have the wrong number? Do you ignore it? What do you think most people would do? 02:15 How to Steam an Egg Wednesday 11:19AM This type of message is one of the many used by scammers to hook people into in what’s being called “ Pig Butchering,” a scam that led to victims losing $429 million in 2021, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s press release about online safety earlier this year. What is “ Pig Butchering ?” ‘Pig Butchering:’ A Text-And-Crypto Scam Costing Victims Millions | Tech News Briefing Podcast | WSJ Pig Butchering is a scam where scammers target victims and form a friendly relationship for days or weeks, presenting themselves as financially stable individuals, eventually encouraging them to invest in crypto before convincing them to t...

Given how we use the words “sadness” and “depression” in everyday life and in pop culture, it can be hard to differentiate one from the other. Even though they might seem similar, they’re not. Experts say it’s like comparing a single star to a constellation. Understanding what separates sadness from depression is important, as it can help people know w hen to seek professional help and prevent needless suffering. Experts who spoke to TausiInsider described sadness as a normal emotional state that all people experience in their lives following a loss, disappointment, or other upsetting events. Depression, on the other hand, is a mental health condition characterized by a persistent sad mood or loss of enjoyment for most of the day and nearly every day for at least two weeks, according to Dr. Kathryn Gordon, a clinical psychologist and author of The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook . One of the biggest differences between sadness and depression is how long the person’s experience persist...

Photo : fizkes ( Shutterstock ) Anyone wanting to take the step to becoming a boss can get caught up in a familiar loop: Every job description they look at requires past management experience. But how do they get the experience if no one will hire them without it? If you’re looking at management jobs outside of your current company where no one knows you or has seen your performance, you certainly are facing an uphill battle. Leaders who are hiring are looking for some sort of proof that a candidate is right for the job; when they don’t know a candidate, they naturally look for past experience. In these cases, if you don’t have it, you’re very likely to get passed up—don’t waste your time applying. Instead, your best bet is to be promoted internally. In these cases, crossing over from an individual contributor to a leader requires positioning yourself for the job. It’s not about writing your resume so that your project work sounds like management. Rather, it’s about relationships...

Photo : Odua Images ( Shutterstock ) One of the many lessons we were forced to learn from the pandemic was the importance of social interaction, and the devastation of social isolation. And even outside of our intimate relationships with friends and family, weak social ties are also necessary to our sense of wellbeing. I know how it easy it is to close yourself off from interactions from strangers. (I mean, as a woman, I’ve been conditioned to do just that for my own safety.) However, building tiny relationships with the peripheral members of our social networks has a powerful impact. Here’s how to start embracing these often overlooked interactions, and how they can make your life a little more joyful. Why you need small social interactions Recent research shows that even weak social interactions—like a quick exchange with a barista or a stranger on the sidewalk—contribute positively to our wellbeing. Behind these studies are psychologist Gillian Sandstrom , whose work aims to...

Photo : KomootP ( Shutterstock ) Asking for or accepting help can bring up a wide range of complicated emotions. There’s the fear of being seen as needy or weak; the nervousness associated with showing vulnerability; or the worry that asking for help means you are entitled. But as hard as it can be to accept help from others, giving and receiving is a necessary part of life. “We all need help,” said Dan Neuharth , a licensed marriage and family therapist. “We need other people.” Having needs ignored can make asking for help difficult For many people, the difficulty in asking for or receiving help are tied to childhood. As clinical psychologist Lisa Firestone points out, these feelings often develop from having our requests go unnoticed at an earlier age. “If you adapted that way, which is to turn down the volume on your needs and wants, it can be really hard to get in touch with them, to say them out loud,” Firestone said. Sometimes these unnoticed requests are a byproduct of neg...

So you want to lay a curse on your enemies? I’m not going to judge—I’m sure they deserve it. But if you want to hex, jinx, bedevil, imprecate, and otherwise lay down powerful gris-gris on your foes, you better do it right. So follow our no-nonsense guide to practical cursing using two of history’s most famous methods of malediction. A history of cursing The specifics have been lost to history, but the first curse was probably delivered by the second person who ever lived. Maybe it was something like, “Og want rock fall on you.” Uttering solemn words or performing rituals intended to invoke supernatural harm or punishment to others is present in so many different cultures and in so many different ways, I can’t present them all. S o rather than paralyzing you with options, I’m going to provide step-by-step instructions for how to curse people in the controlled, ritualistic style of the Ancient Greeks (if you like a project), and in the more free-flowing, performative cursing style ...

Photo : Ambartsumian Valery ( Shutterstock ) At the end of a year that saw inflation reach a 41-year high , there may not be much (or anything) left in your annual budget to spend on holiday gifts for friends and family. If that’s the case, and you haven’t already done so, now would be a good time to talk to loved ones you usually exchange gifts with, and come to some sort of agreement about limitations—at least for this year. Whether that looks like a Secret Santa or white elephant arrangement, or a price limit on gifts, it’s entirely possible to give someone a personalized, thoughtful present for under $5, using a cheap picture frame and some creativity. Here’s what to know. What to put in the frame This gift involves framing a photo, print, image, or other piece of artwork or ephemera specifically tailored to that person that you know (or at least suspect) they’ll appreciate. There are so many options, you may not know where to start. Here are some suggestions: Something you al...

Photo : Yuganov Konstantin ( Shutterstock ) After a year of rising prices resulting from inflation, many families are cutting back on their holiday spending—including when it comes to gift-giving. Making a rule about not giving presents to other adults is one thing, but you probably want to give your kids a holiday experience to remember (for something other than the lack of presents). One way to do that—and stick to your budget—is to plan a Christmas treasure hunt at home. Here’s what to do. How to plan a Christmas treasure hunt First, a quick primer on “hunts” of this type. “Scavenger hunts” involve players or teams competing to collect and/or photograph the most items specified a list in the amount of time allotted. A “treasure hunt” is the kind where players or teams follow a series of clues (sometimes in the form of riddles) to find some sort of prize at the end. It’s also the one we’re talking about here. Of course, you can take the time to write your own clues for your Chr...

Photo : metamorworks ( Shutterstock ) So you’ve aced the interview so far: You had the perfect anecdote for every question, you honestly but tactfully admitted your weaknesses, and you made the interviewer laugh. You’re ready to ride off into the sunset with this job, but then the interviewer gives you the floor to ask your own questions. What should you ask that’s going to make you look smart and knowledgeable, interesting and memorable? While the questions you ask during an interview might not get you the job offer on a silver platter, they can definitely move the needle and leave your interviewer feeling more confident about potentially adding you to the team. This is a chance to show that you’re thinking carefully about the opportunity and set you apart from other candidates, as well as learn information that will actually help you decide if you want to join this company. I’ve heard all kinds of advice about The Perfect Question to ask (“ask about success metrics so they know ...