Poor People Like Dohnatenz

www.yeswecanhas.com/

Log Out And Log Back In

"If you've ever called tech support and wondered what the hell they are doing down there... well, this should answer some questions for you."

www.thewebsiteisdown.com

Did You Forget National Boss's Day?

Yesterday was National Boss's Day, a day to show appreciation to the person who gives you a dirty look every time you come back from lunch a minute late. At first we thought, "finally, a national holiday to celebrate the one and only Bruce Springsteen!" But as it turns out, no one's thought of that yet.

Did you forget to get your boss a gift for National Boss's Day? Yeah, so did we.

"Poor man wanna be rich, rich man wanna be king" - THE BOSS

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Presidential Debates

-Bigger fight for poor people’s attention than Wal-Mart advertising at a NASCAR event.

-No commercials = 2 solid hours of babysitting or use of the uppity neighbors’ pool while they’re guaranteed to be watching CNN.

-Debate ’08… yay rhymes.
-Old Man McCain left his perch on his porch and his liquor cabinet open…
-Shout out to Joe the Plumber... WOOTWOOT!
-Respected political commentators are forced to acknowledge the Batman vs. Penguin debate episode as relevant to the course of modern American history.



Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Weird Al

"Mac and cheese would be alright, but let's send out for pizza tonight and you can order any topping you like. You can even have the last slice."

Scanner's Top 10 Rich People Who Look Poor

We could not attempt a top 10 to beat this Scanner list of rich people who look poor. Among the highlights are: #2 Trust Fund Hipsters ('These kids spend a lot of their parents' money to look like they're forced to shop at the Salvation Army. The expensive coke also helps with the "too poor to buy groceries" look'), and #8 Tom from Myspace ('You'd think he might want to change out of that t-shirt and put up a new picture. Maybe he could even afford a digital camera with a better DPI? Stop trying to be "one of us," Tom). Of course, how can you beat a sweaty, pasty pic of Pete Doherty (left)? As Whitney would say, only poor people like crack.

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Newbies

So your company is doing well, due in part to your hard work and your complete ignorance of annual bonuses. The company is doing so well that they are able to buy a competitor--and double their size, their resources, their client list, their revenue and your migraine attacks. So what if the office is now louder and more crowded? So what if they had to chainsaw your desk in to two and downgrade your computer system to a Speak ‘n Spell and a legal pad? So what if Day 43 of “Promotion Watch 2008” is the day that your promised position was eradicated with the addition of a new work force? There will be so many fun people to meet once you’re down from the ledge!

There will be new people in the elevator, in the bathroom, at the coffee machine and at the bodega, staring at the menu like they’re searching for the “Catch of the Day” entry. There will be new people to share in the experience of cake day and sales meetings. There will be more human shields to fill up the space between you and your stalker. It will be like visiting a sister chapter of Delta Phi Poor!

If none of these changes are beneficial to you, at least try to find some joy in the first time you witness an unwitting newbie try to get past the neck-tattooed security staff without their ID badge. Keep your eyes straight ahead and your ipod on as you walk past--and then have yourself a little victory party in the elevator. Haha NEWBIE!

Sensitivity Trainer

Mindless Media

A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Assurance

Graph Jam - Pop Culture For People in Cubicles

Poor People Like Breakdowns

This footage from an office Surveillance video at Mindless Media has recently been making the rounds on the internet. We weren't sure exactly what set off the employee until we found this version with "recovered audio."

All future attempts to Rick Roll co-workers will result in immediate termination from the company. No genericorp employees were injured during the outbreak. However, the summer party has been canceled to cover damage costs, and all employees are expected to volunteer this Saturday to help with the clean up.

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Excuses

CNN and Career Builder posted the “10 Best Excuses for Coming to Work Late.” I saw the headline and was planning to offer some suggestions, but I don’t think we can beat “I didn't have money for gas because all of the pawn shops were closed.”

Sheer Genius, I applaud you.

Sensitivity Trainer

Mindless Media

A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Gov't Money

www.howispentmystimulus.com

Poor People Like New Jobs

Poor people love to start new jobs that increase their salary anywhere from $.50 - $20 hourly. It will become apparent that no matter what type of job you have at whatever kind of company, there are certain qualities that every last job on the planet shares. Understanding these qualities will help you accept your fate as an employee of Genericorp, no matter where that may be:

Inefficient Computer Programs
Whether it’s the appointment software at the doctor’s office, the eBay lister at the retail store or the affiliate database at Mindless Media, you can bet your bottom dollar (which you’ve seen often) that this program will operate according to how necessary it is for completing your daily tasks. If there is one program that you need all day/everyday in order to get any work done, it is pretty much a guarantee that this will be the most deficient program you use in your entire life. You can try to trick it by pretending you don’t really need to be using it, but it knows better.

Awkward First Days
No matter how casual the dress, atmosphere, or work load, you can be sure that your first day will be unbearably awkward, as if everyone and everything about your new job is going out of its way to terrify you into never coming back. This is also mostly because everyone at your new job is trying their best to give a good first impression. This means; no talking, music, or cigarette breaks. Even though you remember perfectly what your previous job was like on a regular day just days before, it all escapes you as you sit in your new chair, unsure how exactly you’re going to adjust to the height of your new desk, and wondering to yourself how everyone could possibly be so well-behaved.

Guilt
With every single job comes a ton of guilt, whether it’s your boss, co-workers, the job itself or YOU trying to inflict it. New jobs especially like to pile on the guilt like the toppings at Subway. Ever notice that everyone at your new job is at their desk working before 9am? Ever notice that everyone stays well past 5:30? They all sit in front of their computers working diligently as you continue with the First Day Bitch Work that has been assigned to you, hoping anyone will leave so that you’re not the asshole who left before everyone else. Also, you will notice that everyone chooses to “eat lunch” at their “desk” on your first day, inadvertently quilting you into not going out for your lunch hour.

A Boss
Yes, no matter where you work or what you do there, if you are poor - you will have a boss. Bosses come in all different forms, some more subtle than others, but all with the same purpose…to make sure you work. Some bosses may appear to be friendly, caring, and genuinely concerned with why you are late or why you threw up in the bathroom after lunch. But at Genericorp, you can be sure of one thing; they care about their job more than they will ever, ever care about you.

Go forward soldiers, but tread lightly.

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Birthdays

Poor people like birthdays because it gives them an opportunity to get 3 things that they love; beer, cake and attention. I'd like to thank the employees here at PPLP for giving me balloons and cake for my birthday. "Balloons are the most visible way to say, 'we're too poor for real presents.'" It's also nice to find a box of cupcakes on your desk in the morning after Mindless Media decides to skip Monthly Cake Day on YOUR month.

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Happy 40th Birthday, Cubicle!

40 years ago today (er,yesterday), Bob Propst (an inventor who worked for Herman Miller, Inc.) invented the cubicle. Thanks a lot! While he may have done so with the best intentions, the cubicle has become a symbol of a disillusioned work-force, cramped into a 4x4 space not unlike the modern jail cell (except you don't have a lock).

How to celebrate your cubicle's special day? Here are some gift ideas that your 3 pieces of wall would love:

• Shag carpeting
  
• Vacation to LegoLand
  
• Really big toaster cozy
  
• Office Max gift cards
  
• Simpsons desk calendar
  
• A pebbles chair mat
  
• Homemade Post-it storybooks
  
• Wreath made of faxes

After bestowing such gifts onto your cubicle, maybe it will be nice and give you your soul back.

The PPLP Team
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Dunkin'

There's still time... it's Free Iced Coffee day at Dunkin' Donuts until 10pm.

There's no way your boss has heard a thing about it.

Poor People Like Cutting it Close

Payday is in 43 minutes.

A Great Idea

That Would Be the Cherry on My Sundae

[Thuggish teen prances in front of taxi.]
Cabbie: Are you really that poor that you need to walk and get hit by my cab for money?!
Thuggish teen, walking to taxi window: Thats what I do! Mmmhmmm [Eats ice cream slowly at car window.]

--10th St & 2nd Ave

Overheard by: Melissa Anne

Poor People like Dilbert

Dilbert.com now offers “Mash-ups” that allow subscribers to write their own 3rd panel of the popular comic strip. As many of us at Genericorp find the gentle humor of this cartoon cathartic, we decided to participate in this feature. Our contributions are below.

Please take note that this tomfoolery was conducted on our *personal* time.

Corporate Hag:








Sensitivity Trainer:








Corporate Cog:

Poor People Like Advancement

Genericorp like to reward the dedication and loyalty of its employees. Once you have been with the company for several years (of your mid-twenties that are now gone) you can look forward to extra vacation days and a salary increase. If you have been on a good track financially, you will be able to splurge once the money rolls in…

In the future you can:

· Find out what it means when people say “I’m going away for the weekend”
· Own a car and an apartment at the same time
· Find out what an HD TV is, and then get one
· Finally pay off that trip to Europe you took 3 years ago (and possibly go back)
· Be one of those people that grabs the check at dinner and says “It’s on me”
· Buy the new Portishead album instead of waiting for the leak to hit your illegal downloading site of choice
· Supply refreshments at your own party instead of still instructing guests to “BYOB”
· Relieve the unnecessary stress of scouring your room at the end of the month for things to sell on Craigslist
· No longer curse at your local Coinstar for rejecting a quarter and 2 pennies
· Complete half-finished dental work
· Have dinner and a movie in the same night
· Have a pedicure at a salon that does not double as a peep show/crackhouse/daycare center/fish market
· Purchase unmolested cans of Spaghetti-Os
· Vacation at the Cape during the summer months
· Purchase personalized stationary, which will enable to you stop telling people “Sheridan” is your middle name
· Remove your alias from the Meals on Wheels delivery list
· Stop racing the bar bus boys to the half finished beers
· Throw away your home-sewn manila envelope and Styrofoam cup blanket
· Cancel the monthly screenings for “canned tuna induced” mercury poisoning
· Evict the environmental science graduate students that are renting out your deck

Sensitivity Trainer & Corporate Cog

Mindless Media

A Genericorp Company

Poor People like the Truth

"If you must work for money, for the time being, get any kind of job. Work in a coffee shop. Sell surfboards. Meanwhile, study money. You may be the kind of person who will never be happy in a job, being told what to do, what hours to keep, when to go to the bathroom and when to go to lunch. Study money. Learn how money works. Get your own."

The Truth

Why Every Great Corporation Needs Interns

Interns are a necessary evil in every successful corporation. Internships provide a win-win situation for everyone involved. Not only does your company save money by not having to pay them, but you also get someone, usually a college student, to take the job - and even if they gain little to no experience at all, they are just excited for the opportunity.

These students have not been out in the real world yet, so they do not realize that their job is so pointless and their worth within the company is so undervalued and unappreciated that they could have a kindergartner managing the phones. These students possess a youthful vigor and optimistic outlook on life you do not find in the college graduates after just one year of work in an office environment. Students still believe what they do matters and that every possible ounce of work they have while in college is going to prepare them for when they do have a real job. It doesn't even come close.

Here are some of the main differences you will find between the Pre-Graduate and the Post...

College Student:
-Willing to do anything for the good of the company
-Great coffee and snack getter
-Listens to your thoughts and plans, then actually puts them into action
-Reads every email you send and replies
-Doesn't care what they are paid, which normally ranges from little to nothing
-Hopes for a job at Genericorp when they do graduate

Post-Graduate Cog:
-Does as little work as possible by online shopping or chatting on IM with other co-workers within the office
-Would rather make 200 copies and staple them by hand than get a Grande double shot latte with skim milk at the local Starbucks
-Ignores you completely, smiles politely at your racist jokes and then promptly purchases that cute, cheap swimsuit from Gap.com that is going to look fabulous on the beach in September (let's face it, Florida is cheaper in the fall)
-Has your email automatically set to be received in their trash bin
-Scrutinizes every paycheck and checks for errors, has most of their checks already spoken for because most of their little to no money goes to Gap.com
-Prays for a new job… any job

But like I always say, to appreciate the workers you have, you have to have the Interns. After awhile, the interns chirpy nature and willful persistence can become grating on your nerves and you'll find yourself hoping that they will graduate to finally understand what working for a corporation really is…

Bitch work.

Emily Houston
Corporate Hag
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Administrative Professionals Day Gift Ideas From Mindless Media

Administrative Professionals Day is tomorrow! Do you know how you’re going to thank your employees? Here are some gift ideas that all rich people should know about in the event that you actually want to show [moderate] appreciation for your staff’s hard, underpaid work.

Gift Certificate for Red Lobster
On Mother’s Day you take Mama to brunch at Tavern on the Green… For her birthday, you take the Mrs. to dinner at Le Cirque — for Administrative Professionals Day, follow this tried and true method and get a $20 Red Lobster gift certificate for your assistant of 4 years. It’s the perfect gift because it will cover the cost of the lunch menu shrimp platter, but doesn’t encourage her to put out for the crab cake appetizer and cause her to return from lunch 6 minutes late.

Russell Stover Chocolates
Chocolates are the classic gift to show appreciation for the person in your life that has supported and nurtured you over the years, plus it’s conveniently available in a display at the end of the aisle at Duane Reade. Pick up your Trojans, Axe body wash and holiday gifts in one linear sweep of the drug store.

A Free Coffee from Starbucks
Everyone loves Starbucks! What better way to say thank you to your employees then with a complimentary $6 cup of coffee?! The next time you send your employee out for your morning latte and rice crispy treat, be sure to tell them to upgrade to a Grande, and “get yourself a cookie as well! You deserve it!”

Personalized Tea Cozy
There’s no way to make a woman feel older and more socially irrelevant (thereby ensuring she’ll never build up the self-esteem to seek outside employment) than giving her accessories for a tea pot. Other options include an embroidered lumbar pillow or “Cathy Cartoon” screened coffee mugs.

Company Baseball Tickets
Poor people love sports! The perfect gift for any employee would be one night in your 6th row company box seats for [insert local baseball team here]. A perfect spring time gift that is sure to express how much you appreciate them for humoring your incessant and repetitive morning sports banter.

Hooters Hot Wings
If you have the misfortune of having a male assistant, try taking him to lunch at the Hooters, or the Hawaiian Tropic Bar, or giving him a “Girls of Nascar” wall calendar. Anything that keeps him from thinking with the head on his shoulders will keep you at an advantage.

PIZZA
Old reliable! Order a pizza for your entire staff!



Sensitivity Trainer & Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Love, Your Boss

Poor People like Kitsch

HQ has located some of the most inappropriate office attire on the web. Paychecks will be withheld if you are found to possess the following:

“Corporate Whore” wristband

“Build a better life, steal office supplies” tee

“I hate work” tie

“HTTPanties”


Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Yoo Canz Nawt Even Git a Pizza Wif a Kwarter

"Kitteh gitz furst sad luk at whut paychek luks liek after dedukshuns."

Why it's Better to Be Poor

As any rich person will try to have you believe, being rich comes with way more stress than any poor person could ever imagine. As the late Notorious B.I.G. once sang “The more money we come across, the more problems we see.” This is absolutely true. To help put your mind at ease, here’s a list of 5 problems that only rich people have:

1) More Expenses This is an obvious one. The more money that you have, the bigger your monthly expenses. If you can’t afford a mortgage, car insurance, pets, a vacation house, and eating 3 balanced meals a day, you don’t have to worry about paying for it. This is good news for poor people, who know that going back down to zero after paying rent and utilities is way less complicated than having all of those bills to worry about and all of that money to manage.

2) More Responsibility With every extra dollar that you make comes more and more responsibility. Rich people (your boss’s boss’s boss) have more things to worry about at work than you ever will. They are responsible for all of the employees that work under them, and are the ones running departments (or in some cases, the entire company). All you have to worry about is sitting at your desk and completing your assigned tasks at some point within the next 10 months. Ah, the good life!

3) More Stuff Rich people generally have more stuff than poor people. More stuff means more expenses and more responsibility. For the most part, having the money to buy things that you want leads to big credit card bills, less room in your house(s), and more crap to worry about! Luckily, not having the money for more stuff spares you of these afflictions!

4) More Friends Have you ever noticed that rich people have a lot of friends? This is not a coincidence. When people find out that someone they know has money, they will instantly try subtle (and not so subtle) ways to be a bigger part of their life, thus cashing in on their friend’s success. Some of the added bonuses to having a rich friend are access to their vacation house, first dibs on their season tickets, ordering drinks on their tab, and borrowing their expensive car. To have people constantly calling you asking “What are we doing this weekend?” could become a bit tiresome.

5) More Stress This encompasses all of the examples listed above. The amount of stress that comes with a big salary would be unmanageable for most poor people. Rich people mostly work longer hours, spend less time with their families, have less time off, and suffer through life in ways that only people with money could understand. The more money that you make, the more stress that accumulates in your daily life.

Poor people should thank their lucky star everyday that they are poor, because money is nothing but trouble. So, be happy with your current salary, forget about that raise that you got turned down for, and stop trying to save up for that down payment! The grass is not greener on the other side.

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Business Management 101: The Cliff Notes

I was recently flying Northwest Airlines this past March, and had the opportunity to pick up my complimentary copy of Skymall Magazine. It was filled with the usual junk poor people dream up to hopefully "get rich quick," with gadgets that included an upside-down tomato garden, a voice activated R2D2 of your very own, and women's gravity defeyer shoes.

Seriously? Who's buying this crap?
Poor people.

However, one particluar article really jumped out at me. It featured two full pages of precious advertising space, and was called GetAbstract Biz Book Summaries. This particular service includes reading over 4000 of the best selling managerial and executive business books out there. Each month, GetAbstract will update their library with books they deem worthy of reading, or rather "summarizing." In theory, they are offering you more time to think of ways to cheat your employees out of their hard earned salaries and less time wasted on reading full length books to better your business.

They will cover such classics as:
1. Freakonomics The book that sheds light on the hidden side of everything.
2. Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About
Money--That The Poor and Middle Class Do Not This title needs no
explanation.
3. Every title by Jim Cramer
4. How to Win Friends and Influence People this book has been around
so long my father read it to me in the womb. It didn't help.
5. The South Beach Diet You may be wondering why that's thrown in
there. Well whether you know it or not in order to get ahead you must
look like replicas of Barbie and Ken to get ahead.

For more information on any of these books, click on the link below:
Amazon's 10 Most Popular Business Books

But if you want my opinion, which I'm positive you do, these aren't the only tools that are helpful to get your corporation on the same level as Trump or Microsoft. Instead of wasting all of that time and money and ending up having to read all of those boring summaries, you could already have Tivoed and watched Glengerry Glenn Ross, The ultimate guide to running that well oiled machine, better known as Genericorp. And with all of that extra time on your hands, you can think of more efficient ways to torture and belittle your staff.

For more information on this and other crap that just makes us lazier
visit: www.skymall.com

Are you an employee or Executive Assitant to one of these morons?
Click here: www.jobhuntersbible.com

Regards,
Emily Houston
Corporate Hag
Mindless Media
A Genecorp Company

Why We Should All Move to Wisconsin

As already mentioned, Parade Magazine’s “What People Earn” 2008 installment was recently published, and the poor people of Mindless Media came across a salary that caught their attention. A dental assistant in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin makes $41,000 a year.

We immediately wondered what the cost of living would be in a place like Pleasant Prairie, or in neighboring Villages of Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Turns out, even for someone living in a big city like Milwaukee, the average cost of living is 37% cheaper then it is in New York City, and a whopping 39.1% cheaper than Los Angeles.

Someone making $41,000 a year in New York City (we should all be so lucky) could maintain the same standard of living in Milwaukee for a mere $25,836; The most noticeable differences being in housing and health care expenses..

Those who actually make $25,836 in New York City will tell you that if their expenses were 37% cheaper, they would probably be a lot happier. Maybe even have a car...go on vacations...you know, stuff people do with money. You'd still be poor, of course; but mathematically, you wouldn't be as poor.

CNNMoney’s #1 Place to Live in the US in 2007? Middleton, Wisconsin

Population: 17,400
Median home price (2006): $290,269
Average property taxes (2005): $5,067
Pros: Small-town charm; booming economy; extensive parks and bike trails
Cons: Do you like winter?

Many Middletonians commute to Madison, but Middleton proper has a strong pool of jobs too, mainly in the pharmaceutical, tech and medical industries. After business hours, Middleton has more going on than you might expect for a town of 17,000. The beer garden at the Capital Brewery is host to corporate mixers, and there are good restaurants downtown

Now that sounds quaint! There are even more Wisconsin cities on the top 100, including Germantown, New Berlin, and Franklin. There must be something in the water...

“Cost of Living” calculator? Believe it! It's more fun than Famousr.com.

The obvious conclusion: We should all move to Wisconsin.

And it's just lovely.

Consider your secret out.

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People like New Policies

The eagle-eyed efficiency experts of Genericorp have noticed a rise in the office din during business hours. Productivity is not down and the value of the company continues to rise-- however, it's pissing us off. Therefore please see below--new office conduct policies by rank. You will be expected to behave accordingly.

Group 1: CEO, CFO, COO, President, Executive VPs and High Priestesses
Please, continue with uninhibited extortion of all company assets including company credit cards, corporate gifts and tickets, vacations, parties, dinners and non-union staff.

Group 2: Directors, Coordinators, AEs, Managers and VPs
Use of corporate amenities and unlimited vacation allowances may continue, provided the company continues to outpace last year's numbers and the resulting shenanigans continue to amuse Group 1.

Group 3: Representatives, Analysts and Associates
See Cogs

Group 4: Company owned equipment (including fax, Xerox, computer servers, paper clips and coffee machines) and Corporate Cogs
Keep churning and don't consider moving from your fixed position. Only severe malfunctions will be considered a valid reason to leave the location that the reigning manager had last assigned. Documentation from gastroenterologists and PSEG will be required as evidentiary support.

This is work, not Hôtel de Paris.

Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like to Know their Co-Workers' Salaries

Parade Magazine published it's annual list of "What People Earn." To preempt personal Internet searches/use, here are the highlights:

Timothy Janus, 31
Competitive eater
New York, N.Y.
$25,000

Patricia Wytroval, 49
Apprentice meat cutter
Flagstaff, Ariz.
$30,800

Grace Jones, 45
Dental assistant
Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
$41,000

Sandra Urena, 35
Casino dealer
Atlantic City, N.J.
$45,000

Jeff Foxworthy, 49
Comedian
Atlanta, Ga.
$10 million




Yep. 10 Mil.

Post-traumatic counseling sessions are available in the HR department starting tonight at 6:01pm.




Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

I believe you'd get your ass kicked sayin' something like that

Poor People Like Seinfeld

The Mindless Media Conversations: Saving Money

Sensitivity Trainer: So now I have savings… what am I supposed to do with it? I’m just supposed to continue to hoard money?

Corporate Cog: Yes. Save money. And then when you need money, you have money. You’re supposed to pick something you want and save to get it. And then when you get it, you’re happy for 1hr-1wk depending on what it is and then you’re miserable again.

ST: Is that how it works? That’s weird. I still owe money. I have to save money and owe money at the same time. Mind boggling.

CC: Right, well you won’t have enough money for what you want. You’ll only have some…even after you keep saving. At which point you will have to borrow even more money to get what you want.

ST: So I need to set a goal and save money to get to that goal. I want a career, and my self-respect back… how many more birthday checks until I save enough for that?

CC: Self respect is going for about half a mil these days.

Poor People like Economic Stability

As the media continues to throw around accusations of a looming recession, and corporations such as Bear Sterns collapse under the weight of their own pretension, we are reminded that it’s prudent to set financial and professional goals to guide you through 2008.

After consulting with my co-workers, in addition to several minutes on MSN money, I put together an outline to help you plan for the upcoming months.

“Remain calm, all is well.”
Experts recommend not pulling all your money from the stock market. However, you most likely have no portfolio, so you’re probably not panicking about the stock market. The average price per gallon of milk is now over $4. However, Frankenberry is a luxury you gave up in college, so you’re probably not panicking about the cost of groceries. Gas prices are up, and with the summer months approaching, you can look forward to seeing $4 a gallon at the pump--but most likely, you had to trade in your car and buy a bike to commute to work, so don’t worry about the price of a fill-up.

But these problem have cumulative effect… As a result of the rising price of raw ingredients and transportation, you may panic when the cost of previously termed “recession proof foods” rise. That’s right, now they’re charging more for pizza and beer.

The important thing is to remain focused on your savings and earning goals for 2008 and not to panic. Calming breaths, a comprehensive plan and new appreciation of canned tuna will see you through this time.

Brace Yourself
A recession may be inevitable, so take stock of where you are financially. Do you have an emergency fund? You should always have $500 in an emergency fund. Stock pile now. Do you have any other funds you can utilize at this time? Gift certificates may soon lose their value, put them toward necessities or try to trade them in for cash. Extra Dave and Buster tickets lying around the house? Trade them in for preservative heavy foods that you can subsist on at a later time.

On the home front
Take advantage of the lower interest rates and refinance your vacation home… I mean your condo… I mean your houseboat? trailer? large van? room at your parent's house? aaah nevermind.

Rework your résumé
Some companies are reassessing the size of their staff. Most likely the largest salaries will be the first to be axed. This is good news for your job. The bad news is that non-poor people do not adjust well to being poor. They will most likely go down flailing, taking with them anyone in their path. Do not be in the path of the newly poor. Either way, keep your resume updated and your Hooters tee ready.

Reduce Debt
Don’t count on credit card rates falling. Allocate as much as you can spare to paying down your cards. Consider taking more work to pull yourself out of the credit abyss. Your savings can later be utilized as start-up capital in your new career, shower cams are expensive.

If all else fails, it’s only nine months until the year-end bonus…

Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

A Day in the Life of A Genericorp Employee

Have you ever wondered what your employee actually accomplishes during work hours on any given day? Where do they go every time they leave their desk? Surely, they can’t be going to the bathroom again! What website is that on their browser and why is the window so small? Or how about why their screen savor is on when they seem to be sitting at their desk working? For the answers to these questions and more, look no further. Here is my play-by-play of a typical day at Genericorp.

9:12 I’ve just finished my first batch of personal emails, and am now preparing to make my first attempt at work for the day. I plan to make a simple task that should take about 10 minutes last me up until lunch. Wish me luck.

9:22 I hear the clicking sound that only nails being clipped could create. Someone is sitting in their cubicle right now clipping their nails. With a nail clipper. In their cubicle.

9:40 Just went downstairs to the deli for breakfast. I did my best to sneak by my boss with my bagel in hand, as all Genericorp employees are not allowed to eat outside of their designated lunch hour, or leave their chair for any reason other than to check the fax machine, make a copy, or pee. On top of that, I will avoid my boss at any cost (Poor people like avoiding their boss).

10:31 My phone just rang again, and I am forced to pick it up and talk to someone about work. Some people have no consideration for the fact that others are trying to not get their work done.

12:36 I’ve been so busy with brain melting work that I forgot I was doing this post. I’m lying. I was on Stereogum.

12:38 Do you ever just look around your cubicle at all of your old post-its? They seem really meaningless compared to when you actually posted them up….and they were pretty meaningless then, too.

12:46 Lunch is at 1. So I usually leave about now. It sometimes results in lashings in the conference room (I’m exaggerating. I’ll probably get a dirty look followed by a condescending email from my boss).

1:56 I’m back from lunch 4 minutes early, but don’t worry! I plan to sit here and stare at the screen until exactly 2:00pm, at which point I will commence not working.

2:37 Man I wish today was Birthday cake day…

3:39 I prepare to go downstairs and make a personal call on my cell phone. Making personal calls is especially difficult when your cubicle is placed relateivly towards the center of your office. You are, quite literally, surrounded by cubicles. Your co-workers (and in some cases, your supervisor[s]) are close enough to hear every detail of your conversation. Be back in 5.

3:56 Oh, happy day! Tomorrow is cake!

4:20 Attempting to apply for jobs while at work, though I’m also pretty busy trying to rationalize staying here. Remember, you will never get that raise. But who needs a raise when Genericorp has such great benefits?

4:32 It’s so not 5:30 right now. I haven’t done any work since noon.

4:45 I just found this awesome site to trade gift cards. That killed 10 minutes.
*They did not pay for that link. We don’t make money. We’re poor.

4:47 Garbage collection time! This means the end of the day is near. I can almost taste the sweet flavor of freedom! I love when all of my discarded paperwork is taken away once and for all. It’s one of the few thrills of my day.

5:05 It’s still not 5:30, but it’s getting ominously close! About 3 people have made their way outside for that last cigarette break of the day, everyone is rustling their papers, coats, and bags, and the general dead-quiet that lasts for the bulk of the day is starting to slowly fade.

5:12 I just realized that my George W. Bush Out of Office Countdown desk calendar is still on last Friday. Poor people love to decorate their cubicles with things like desk calendars and pretend that they are in a somewhat comfortable setting for 8 hours of their day. 305 days left….err….298.

5:15 I am usually exaggerating, but it is usually not by that much.

5:16 14 minutes left…

5:17 13…

5:18 12…here goes my restless leg syndrome…

5:19 11…

5:20 10! 10! 10! I want to see the sun again! We’re almost there! Don’t give up now!

5:32 I want my overtime.

Bye.

Elizabeth Stolfi

Corporate Cog

Mindless Media

A Genericorp Company

Poor People like Relieving Stress

Over my many, many months at Genericorp, I have seen employees attempt to relieve stress in many ways-- flushing office supplies down the toilet, long distance calls to loved ones, carving gang signs into their desk, tipping the vending machine and pillaging the remains... However, these practices are not recommended at Genericorp. We like to keep an air of serenity in our office, so whenever one of our employees is upset during office hours (undoubtedly due to issues at home or a poor work ethic), we offer these tips to get them through the work week.

Organization
An organized desk is a happy desk. There is no disputing this. If you are uncomfortable in the office, it is probably because your desk is untidy and your work is unfinished. Try finishing the report that was due last week, or re-alphabetizing the files on your desk. You will undoubtedly feel more accomplished and at home in your work space.

Soft Music
During morning hours, some of our employees like to play the radio at their desks at a low volume. It puts people at ease to hear the gentle music of liteFM and hum along to their favorite song from Jon Secada, Counting Crows, All Saints, Cyndi Lauper, The Sugar Hill Gang, Gwar, or the original soundtrack of the Never Ending Story.

Plants
We do not see the need to invest in corporate mediators or in house HR at Genericorp. However, we do believe in the healing properties of plants and encourage our employees to stop by the palm in the entranceway whenever they wish to experience the tranquility of nature.

Exercise
Exercise is the best way to release endorphins, and endorphins make you happy… since the company requires a 70 hour work week, and has otherwise decorated and arranged the office for optimal suppression of joy-- we offer discounted gym memberships. Workers can enjoy 10% off memberships to a pre-selected gym where they can exercise in the cocoon-like sanctity of another small grey room and work themselves to a state of physical exhaustion on par with the mental exhaustion inflicted by a corporate setting.

Drinking
Co-workers often like to bond over “happy hours” or “dinners.” However, we recommend that you try drinking even when you are alone. Honing this habit early in life is critical to developing the level of apathy required to survive corporate life for over 6 months.

Sensitivity Trainer

Mindless Media

A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Therapy

A new study from the Genericorp Institute for Efficiency was published last month. This study finds the (holiday-less) March-April-May stretch, after President’s Day and a long way from Memorial Day, is the most favorable time to fall victim to Corporate Fatigue. We do not want to interrupt this lucrative time of year with sabbaticals, rest, or relaxation. So please, if you are exhibiting more than 5 of the signs listed below, please contact a pre-approved, in-network therapist, or your office shaman.

· You have a toothbrush, deodorant, and change of clothes stashed in a filing cabinet somewhere.
· You buy things that you don’t need for your apartment, but conclude, “That would be perfect for my cubicle.”
· You’ve wondered aloud what type of benefits Mr. Smithers has…hmm…
· You’ve considered emailing IT when your internet porn has frozen.
· You’ve tried to set up a friend by sending his Vcard to the new girl in accounting.
· Your kitchen faucet, armchair, steering wheel and shower loofah are covered in post-it notes.
· You have set an Outlook reminder for March 26th, Road Rules/Real World Gauntlet 3 Reunion Special.
· Even in the privacy of your own home, you catch yourself looking over your shoulder before logging on to your MySpace page.
· You bind your grocery and to do lists.
· You called a lunch meeting with your 8 year-old to discuss his personal internet usage and phone time.
· When your cell phone rings, it takes you about 5 seconds to remember where you are and what greeting you’re supposed to use.
· You replace your patio furniture with tents to keep out the oppressive sunlight.
· You try to transfer your roommate's calls to her voicemail.
· While visiting your mother’s house, you enter the bathroom and inadvertently reach about the toilet for a seat cover.
· You conclude voicemails to your mother with, “Please call back at your earliest possible convenience to confirm.”
· While making phone calls on your commute home, you continue to use codenames for all your co-workers.
· When you are home between the hours of 9-5 on a weekday, you feel disoriented and seek solace in your blackberry.
· You have written an angry letter comparing the contents of the vending machines on floor 3 vs. floor 4.
· You know damn well that “Mary Richards” was a cutter.
· You flash your ID at your cat as you enter your apartment.

Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees

First published in the July 1943 issue of Mass Transportation magazine, "Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out Of Women Employees" was an overt proclamation of equality , not only for the women's movement, but for the advancement of employment opportunities and working conditions for all poor people in general!

As you read the following excerpt from the article (I highlighted some of my favoritest points!), you might find it really hard to believe that rich people were this forward thinking way back in the 40's. This was recently verified as "true" on Snopes.com Urban Legends Reference Pages. However, we here at PPLP have discovered that these helpful tips for getting more efficiency out of your female workers is still actively used today. It is published regularly in new edition's of The Rich Person's Handbook.

"There is no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shorrtage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage. Here are eleven helpful tips on the subject:

1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters. They are less likely to be flirtatious. They need the work, or they would not be doing it. They still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.

2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It is always well to impress upon older women, the importance of friendliness and courtesy.

3. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.

4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination - one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.

5. Stress at the outset, the importance of time; the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.

6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they will keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.

7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.

8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.

9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they cannot shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.

10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she will grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.

11. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point cannot be stressed too much in keeping women happy."

I'll keep all of those in mind!

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Holidays That Shouldn't Really Be Holidays

After learning that Mindless Media will NOT be closed for Good Friday this week (via the proverbial condescending email from my boss), I’ve decided to compile a list of “Work holidays,” or: Holidays That Shouldn’t Really Be Holidays. I’ve also included a short email which you could use as a template to notify your employees of the non existing holiday.

Be sure to not only gip your employees out of these said “holidays,” but remind them via email that just in case they forgot (or thought for some ridiculous reason that they would have off for a holiday), they do not get a holiday, “floating” holiday, or even a short afternoon. THEY STILL WORK HERE.

Veteran’s Day
‘If you did not fight in a war and have all of your limbs, you can come into work.’

Columbus Day
‘Everyone knows this story is bogus anyway. We will be open for business on this day. However, feel free to wear your “Kiss me I’m Italian” t-shirt.’

Good Friday
‘Lots of people hang on crosses. There’s no need to get a day off. Please be on time, and do not attempt to nail yourself to the file cabinet in protest.’

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
‘MLK was cool and all, but I have a dream that we can all manage to get our work done today.’

President’s Day
‘We have a President everyday. There is no need to get a day off for this.’

Independence Day
‘Fireworks are not until 9:30 anyway. You can work and celebrate a birthday at the same time. We do it every month.’

Labor Day
‘I never really understood the significance of Labor Day, except it’s your last chance to wear white, which you can do while working.’

Yom Kippur
‘We’ve decided that there are too many Jewish holidays, and have since abolished all of them.’

Christmas Eve
‘Try doing this in the 1800’s with no heat and a crippled kid and have some real problems. You can work today.’

New Year’s Eve
‘Regardless of the fact that Mindless Media is located in the heart of Times Square, you can manage to get through the crowd and numerous police barricades and come to work.’

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Avoiding Their Boss

Poor people are not necessarily bad workers, in many cases they are good workers--the best in the sense that they consistently show up, work, and never ask for a raise. However poor people do like avoiding their boss, because they are aware that no obvious benefit can come from interfacing with the boss. They realize that meeting with the boss usually means more work for the same amount of money (although the company may just be fulfilling it’s ideological responsibility to challenge it’s employees).

As a boss, the most effective way to counteract such prejudices is to apply certain interpersonal communication strategies to conversing with employees.

First--Smile. Always smile. If you smile, your employees will smile. There is nothing more effective than an office populated by smiling employees. Employees should be at their wall-locked cubicles smiling and whistling as if they were headed to the mines with Doc and Dopey. They can learn a lesson from that band of dwarfs! Sure, Bashful developed bronchitis, Sleepy was struck down with a case of silicosis, and the brothers lost Happy to TB (at his funeral, the remaining dwarfs where unable to handle his casket due to a long festering case of rheumatism), but that didn’t change their overall demeanor. Smiling promotes harmony.

Establish a common bond. Surely poor people must like some of the movies or shows you like, and are secretly yearning to hear your opinion of these treasured shows. Be topical when choosing an episode to discuss-- Did you hate the twist at the end of 24 last night? Make sure to tell the entire office about it. Whether they watch or not, whether they saw the episode or not, make sure to spread it around.

It also important to harp on the things you didn’t like the MOST. Tell everyone what shows you think suck and which movies are most undeserving of an Oscar. If they disagree, they will surely speak up and engage you in playful banter about the merits of the movie or show! This could be a nice bonding activity for you to share. However, it is important that you always win the argument; shut down the discussion if you are losing ground… you do not want your employees to lose respect for you.

Lastly, engage in common experiences. Try to hold events in honor of the company and allow the employees to join in. Celebrate anniversaries and milestones of company. While at the event, it is fully acceptable to initiate a conversation about the rising awesomeness of the company and the celebration. Later, you will have a deep bond with each attendee that you can conveniently harken back to with little more than a nod of the head and a shared, “That was awesome.”

Sensitivity Trainer
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

How to Rationalize Staying At Your Crap Job

It’s understandable that when in a situation that sucks, poor people like to convince themselves that there are tons of good reasons for it. This is sometimes called optimism, but more often; denial. Regardless of the specifics, it’s important to rationalize staying at a job where the pay is equal to that of a 16 year old McDonalds employee, the daily tasks are as mind-numbing as a commute with no iPod and nothing to read, and the room for growth is as tightly squeezed as your monthly budget.

Here are some things to consider when thinking about getting a “better” job:

Personal Internet Use: What’s the downtime factor at your current job? Have you compared the amount of money you make to the amount of time you actually spend doing work-related activities on the computer? Sometimes, it isn’t worth the trouble of a job change. Sure, you could make more money somewhere else, but at Mindless Media, you can realistically get away with not doing a minute of work on any given day. Myspace, Facebook, and commenting on the new Stuff That White People Like post can occupy hours of your day without anyone even noticing. Also, consider the position of your cubicle, and the angle in which your monitor is facing. Is this out of the view of your supervisor, or would he/she have to stand up or walk across the office to really get a look at your screen?

Office Hours: Does anyone really give a shit if you’re on time? Consider this very carefully before applying for new jobs. After a few months of being 5-20 minutes late on a daily basis, your boss has either decided to continually let it go, or fire you. Chances are, they will not fire you. They have someone at their company who is willing to work for what they pay them. They will likely not want to give this up. Also consider your lunch break; do you often leave 10 minutes early and come back 10 minutes late? If you get a new job, that will not fly until you have at least broken in the job for 6 months. That’s a long time, considering that the minimal pay increase will seem just as insufficient as your current salary in no time.

The Commute: What’s the commute like to your job? Often times, people go as far as to move in order to decrease travel time door to door. If your commute is under an hour, you should keep this job. If you’ve already moved to be closer to your office, getting a new job would be rather silly. Chances are, the new job will either be farther away, or require that you move in order to get there (unless you don’t value sleep, free time, or yourself in general). Also, even if you think it may be easier to get to said “better job,” you’ll find in less than a week that the commute is not only about the same, but in most cases, 10-15 minutes worse. The chances of finding something worth the trouble that is actually closer to where you live now is unrealistic and foolish. Best to stay put.

Dress code: Do you get away with jeans and sneakers on days not designated with the prefix “Casual”? Do you often enjoy “Casual Wednesday,” “Casual Tuesday,” and yes, even “Casual Monday”? Then do yourself a favor and stay where you are! Getting a new job will not only entail the torture of a job interview, second interview, and the proverbial “first day” (in some cases, “first week”), but it will most likely require better dress, which means relatively matching outfits, weekly trips to the Laundromat, and shopping sprees that you wont be able to afford (even with the new salary). If it’s a “better” job, it usually means you have to dress better. Is this what you really want?

Being Comfortable: Lastly (and most importantly), are you comfortable at your current job? Isn’t it nice to already know everyone that you work with, who to avoid, and how to finagle your boss into thinking that you’re a good employee? Is your cubicle decorated with desk calendars, posters, and gifts from co-workers? That monitor you put all of the cute stickers on… you won’t be able to bring it to your new office! Think about this before you do anything rash. Imagine settling in to a new work environment, having to meet all new people, and redecorating your cubicle with the semblance of what little of a personality you have left… Again! Do you really want to learn how to do a whole new batch of tedious tasks, just when you got the ones you have now under control?

And, of course, there’s the free pizza…

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company

Poor People Like Conformity

As any good cult leader will tell you, conformity is vital to maintaining the ranks. An orderly office is an effective office. Why would people continue to flock to the Army or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if they did not believe that the discipline of these institutions would benefit them? As these institutions have proven, it is important to establish boundaries within an office—clearly define the path to corporate mediocrity.

Below are the top 5 ways to establish a comfortably uniform environment.

5. Dress Code
Most offices today opt for a general-business causal office dress code. However people cheat-- Jeans, Uggs, sweatshirts and flip flops are bound to appear in your office when strict consequences are not enforced. Discourage flexible codes by strictly defining your dress code. Require all men to wear ties and all women to wear skirts with stockings to the office. The more time employees devote to choosing office attire, the more they must care about employment with the company.

Plus, if employees are just slightly uncomfortable at their desks, it reminds them that they are not lounging at home or in a social setting, they are at work to complete a job. Their feet are being held to the fire, 0r their noses to the grindstone, whatever form of metaphorical torture you prefer.

Furthermore, to impress outside clients (which is in the best interest of the company), consider banning all light wash denim, short sleeved dress shirts and themed ties. Carl Lagerfeld will thank you.

4. Abolition of all holidays
Nothing can divide a group of people like a discussion of religion or politics. To ensure that your employees do not engage in these debates, abolish the holiday schedule all together. No holiday greetings, gifts, discussions or parties-- at Genericorp, we all worship the same way-- with WORK. Employees will be grateful for the decrease in tension at the winter solstice.

3. Gender specific departments
Ever notice that 99% of IT is male, sales is all male (often highlighted by one testosterone fueled, hard partying female), data processing/reception/secretarial services are female, promotions/PR/marketing… all female. Coincidence? Self fulfilling prophecy? Patriarchal tyranny? No. A simple and effect business model? Yes.

For those of you who failed out of business school after Glengarry Glen Ross 101, allow me to let you in a little secret that has proven effective since the founding fathers first established a land free of social prejudices and religious persecutions-- and they became free to pursue the right to life, liberty and pursuit of the free market-- boys and girls do not work well together. Men and women should be separated to increase productivity and foster a safe work environment. If asked, would you rather employ the mixed gender group from the local University Greek Council or the Amish? Think about it.

2. Rally Cry
What’s the best way to unite a sports team? A shared appreciation of athletic competition? A focused path to a common goal? No. Gary Glitter’s song, "Rock and Roll" (… HEY!) Try this in the office.

Try to establish a company-wide catch phrase to repeat to all employees-- it’s best to spread appreciation for the designated phrase with heavy repetition.

1. Cubicles
When hiring an employee, you want to give the illusion of respect and importance, but in fact only supply about 70% of what humans actually require. For example, you give a new hire a title that does not come with any authority, so they can order a nameplate for their desk, business cards for their briefcase, and create fun, new signature for their email without having to deal with the authority and independent decision making responsibilities. For this new impotent associate, you offer a salary that is about 70% of what is expected, but with medical coverage-- just enough to be considered a decent full-time salary with benefits, but without providing complete fulfillment.

Cubicles are the practical application of the same 70% theory. For an employee’s work environment, the desk provided should be at least 30% smaller than the desks of upper management; this may seem large, but remember that their desk can easily double as management’s storage space. Walls are 30% smaller than required to provide inadequate sound protection or privacy.

Further benefits include that cubicles cut down on unnecessary eye contact and conversation between future conspirators. Employees either have to stand to converse with one another (which immediately puts them in the general office field of vision), or they can correspond via email, where they can be monitored. They surely will not notice the security cameras being installed while arranging the picture frames in their stall in aisle 4, row B.

Don’t think of this process as stripping employees of their unique personality, voice and perspective, but as providing a safe environment where employees can fester for years in the future.

Sensitivity Trainer

Mindless Media

A Genericorp Company

Top 10 Songs That Poor People Like to Sing Along to in Bars

One thing you can be sure of when working in a big room of cubicles, is that there is always at least 5 people who play horrible music that no person in their right mind should listen to voluntarily. I’m talking about songs that come on at a bar when no one has put any money in the jukebox (not before 10 drinks, anyway); songs that are playing in CVS while you’re picking out a card for your Mother’s birthday; songs that were played at that Bat Mitzvah you went to in 1997 when the MC asked that everyone “find that special someone and make your way to the dance floor.” I’m not kidding. I’m far from kidding. You can hear these songs on a daily basis in any office, usually playing at an obnoxiously loud volume with no regard for the people that don’t want to hear them ever again.

These are songs that poor people like.

The first installment in an endless series of Songs That Poor People Like Top 10’s covers the songs that Poor People Like to Sing Along to in Bars. As the Mindless Media Sensitivity trainer once told me, “Poor people like to sing; like in church and on American Idol.” As you read down this list, you may think that this is a Top 10 Songs That Poor People Like to Sing Along to in Bars in 1986. Butitisn’t. You can hear these songs sung gloriously RIGHT NOW at any bar where poor people like you and me go to drown themselves in their miseries and forget that they, in fact, work here.

Good luck...

The Top 10 Songs That Poor People Like to Sing Along to in Bars

10. “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen

Ah, a classic. A staple in rugged, blue collar, hard-working Americana. Though this is actually the most bold and unabashed musical expression of Anti-American sentiments ever made (Got in a little hometown jam/So they put a rifle in my hand/Sent me off to a foreign land/To go and kill the yellow man), people still love to embrace this as a flag-wavin’, football lovin’, campaign rockin’ American Bar Song. Expect this to pop on the jukebox relatively early in the night (let’s say, 10:35PM on a Saturday/8:45PM on a weekday). No one knows any lyrics besides the actual line “Born in the U.S.A.,” so it’s not as much of a drunken sing-a-long as you would expect (but still deserves a place on the list). Poor people love Bruce!

9. “American Pie” Don McLean

Even if you think this song is a bit dated and really doesn’t fit on this list anymore, you’re absolutely wrong. I’ve sung along to this song at a bar within the last year, and let me tell you – it was fun. Why? Because I’m poor. What’s fun about singing along to this song is the fact that there are so many lyrics (arguably 14 verses). It’s impossible to A) Actually remember all of these lyrics even if you’re an avid fan of the song, and B) Remember more than half of the lyrics after a couple of drinks. Poor people like to sing along at bars and prove to their friends that they know all of the words. The combination of drunk poor people and a song with a lot of lyrics (ie: “Rapper’s Delight,” any Eminem song) always makes for a good time.

8. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

I know. You think this song is dated too, but again; you’d be wrong. I also have a pretty successful sing-a-long to this classic bar song in recent memory. Poor people love to sing about Alabama. The song is actually a pretty complex political statement, but absolutely no one actually cares, or pays any attention to the lyrics as they sing them. This and “Born in the U.S.A.” will definitely be on my “Top 10 Political Songs That Poor People Like to Misinterpret”…

7. “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty

What do you get if you make a rock song about a good girl who’s crazy about Elvis, loves Jesus (and her boyfriend too)? A song that poor people like to listen to in bars! Not only do poor people like to get drunk and rip through this first verse with impeccable vocal precision, but poor people also love to cover this song in a bar with their band! Every poor person who owns a guitar (it’s probably one of those $400 Fender Strats from guitar center, isn’t it?) knows how to strum that D chord opener and get all of their poor friends to sing along. ‘Cause I’m freeeeee-eee-ee.

6. “I Love Rock ‘n' Roll” by Joan Jett

Contrary to popular belief (thanks to Brit-Brit), “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” was not written by Pat Benatar (In fact, it wasn’t even written by Joan Jett. The original version of the song was written in the 70’s by British band, The Arrows). What makes this such a great Bar Song for Poor People? Well, any song you can pound your fist to is an automatic bar hit (one hand pumping, one hand holding beer). Any song with that “We Will Rock You” drum beat and loud, distorted, crunchy hard rock guitars is also a winner. Of course, the line “Put a another dime in the jukebox, baby,” is the real breaker. Poor People Love To Remember When Things Were Less Expensive. Dime? Man, those were the days.

5. “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond

Probably would also be on the Top 10 List of Songs Poor People Like to Listen to at Baseball Games (coming soon), “Sweet Caroline” has become the underdog champion of drunken sing-a-longs (as far as Neil Diamond songs are concerned). Did you know this song was written about a photograph of Caroline Kennedy? When she was, like, 10? When you hear the line “good times never seem so good,” be sure to shout, “SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD.” Blame Boston for this one. Thanks.

4. “Poor Some Sugar On Me” by Def Leppard

If Def Leppard didn’t sit around the studio while recording Hysteria saying, “We really need a song that poor people can sing along to in bars,” I’ll be really, really shocked. I mean, if you could get royalties for jukebox plays in bars where poor people drink, Def Leppard’s Great, Great Grandchildren would be set on this track alone. If this song does not come on at your bar, you’re probably at a bar where poor people go to pretend they are rich and cool. FYI: Indie = Poor.

3. “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC

I have pretty much the same sentiments for this as above. Just replace “Def Leppard” with “AC/DC,” “Hysteria” with “Back in Black,” etc. There isn’t a poor soul on Earth who doesn’t love to sing the words, “She was a fast machine/she kept her motor clean” at the top of their lungs while drunk. Not one.

2. “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey

I can’t not sing this song. Just the mere mention of it makes me want to youtube it, plug my headphones in to the computer (no one else needs to know), and imagine that moment in the night when everything becomes clear, you just started your "one more drink" drink, and you decide that you “can't leave until this song is over.” For many poor people, this song has obtained even more sentimental value from its usage in the last scene of the Sopranos finale, despite the fact that many poor people do not have HBO (see #8 of the Top 10 Things Your Employee Would Prefer Over a Raise). This is the song for the climax of the night. Whether you’re playing pool, watching the last inning of the Yankees game, making out in the bathroom, or licking the wing sauce off of your fingers, you will DROP EVERYTHING to sing along to this song. EVERYTHING.

Some will win, some will lose. Some were born to sing the blues. The movie never ends. It goes on and on and on and on.
Don't stop believing.
Hold on to that feeling.

Christ, that’s good shit. And I’m not even drunk.

1. “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi

It was extremely hard to decide on the #1 for this list. After consulting Mindless Media’s Sensitivity Trainer and Corporate Surviver, it was unanimously decided that this is the #1 song for this list, any list…or frankly, anything. I don’t really see how anyone can argue with this. #1 Song Poor People Like To Do ANYTHING To. I’m at a loss for words.

This is…the ultimate fist-pumping, beer drinking, sing-a-long drunken anthem for absolutely anything; Sporting events big and small, bars, parties, concerts that aren’t even Bon Jovi’s, late night drives on the Garden State, etc. Even if you don’t like Bon Jovi at all, it doesn’t fucking matter. You will shout every word to this at the top of your lungs, and you’ll like it! This song is so monumental and extraordinary, that not only do poor people sing it and inject the phrase “Livin’ on a prayer” into regular conversation on a daily basis, but even Jon Bon Jovi himself references this song in about 87 of his other songs.

What makes this song so important to poor people is that the song itself represents the very struggle of being poor. Tommy and Gina have become the two most significant fictional poor people in the history of poor people. When the union’s on strike, you’ve been working the diner all day, and you cry in the night, baby it's OK 'cause we’ve got each other and that’s a lot.

For love, we’ll give it a shot….

Elizabeth Stolfi
Corporate Cog
Mindless Media
A Genericorp Company