As you probably (hopefully!) know, October is breast cancer awareness month, and I’m particularly proud of SELF’s long history of empowering women to take charge of their breast health. Eighteen years ago, the magazine cofounded the pink ribbon to raise awareness of breast cancer and funding toward a cure, and today, women who get their cancer detected in the earliest stages have a survival rate of 98 percent! But despite the great strides in prevention and diagnosis, there are still a lot of myths about what does and doesn’t cause breast cancer, and some of that misinformation can cause undue fear or even increase your risk of developing the disease! Here are six fairly common rumors that you should know about: Learn the truth to protect your health—and don’t forget to share it with all the women in your life, too!
MYTH: The radiation in mammograms is risky.
FACT: The radiation risk is virtually nil—about what you’d get in two to three months of natural environmental exposure, according to the American College of Radiology. And the screening benefits of mammograms far outweigh any minuscule risks. The American Cancer Society’s guidelines suggest that every woman get a baseline mammogram at age 40, then annually thereafter. Exceptions include a woman at high risk, such as one who has a first-degree relative diagnosed before age 50. If you’re in doubt about whether you fall into this category, ask your M.D. But a test is not going to give you cancer! It may even save your life.
MYTH: Bras and antiperspirants can cause breast cancer.
FACT: This one’s been floating around the Internet for years! The theory is that antiperspirants and the underwire in bras block lymphatic drainage and sweat glands, causing toxins to accumulate. But bras, even tight ones, don’t interfere with drainage, and sweat is your body’s cooling system—not a mechanism for eliminating toxins, says Debbie Saslow, Ph.D., director of breast and gynecologic cancer at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. Not one study shows that either is a risk factor. So rest assured, you don’t have to forgo antiperspirant or an underwire bra to have your healthiest pair!
MYTH: Women with fibrocystic breasts are more likely to get breast cancer.
FACT: “Fibrocystic breasts can be lumpy, dense and painful, but there is no evidence linking them to cancer,” says Peter Pressman, M.D., professor of clinical surgery at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City. “However, if you have them, it’s important to do self-exams so you learn to distinguish between your normal breast tissue and a potentially cancerous lump.” One friend who had breast cancer explained it to me this way: Normal fibrocystic breast tissue feels like a bag of grapes; a tumor can feel like a seed or pebble. This is just a broad-strokes guideline, and if you ever feel anything out of the ordinary for you, see your ob/gyn right away.
MYTH: Soy can reduce your risk for breast cancer.
FACT: This is one’s a bit tricky. There’s some evidence that if you look only to soy for protein, you could actually raise your risk for breast cancer, according to Walter Willett, M.D., chairman of the department of nutrition at Harvard Public School of Health. The jury is still out on how much soy is too much, so for now, keep your intake to two servings a day. And go for it in natural form—edamame, tofu or soy milk are all fine: There’s no way of knowing how much soy is in highly processed products like soy powders, so we say stay away from supplements.
MYTH: When breast cancer is detected, it’s always in the form of a lump.
FACT: Not so. “Fortunately, many breast cancers are detected on a mammogram, before a noticeable lump has had time to develop,” says Susan Love, M.D., a breast surgeon in Pacific Palisades, California. Other warning signs include a change in breast symmetry, thickening, swelling, dimpling, nipple discharge and even a rashlike skin inflammation. See your doctor right away if you notice any change in the texture, feeling or tightness of your breasts during those self-exams Dr. Pressman mentioned earlier.
MYTH: If you do find a lump, it’s probably cancerous.
FACT: Lumps are scary but they’re most often not cancer: Four out of five lumps felt in the breast are benign, says Alonzo Walker, M.D., director of the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Breast Care Center in Milwaukee. Harmless lumps can show up anytime, especially before and during your period (thank hormones). However, any lump that lingers after your period should be examined by an M.D. And remember: Breathe! It’s probably nothing to worry about.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The New Bugatti: Waiting for Superman No More
I've encountered some pretty courageous people in my time. I once shook John Glenn's hand. I've seen Pierce Brosnan sing in public. But the bravest guy I've met lately is Pierre-Henri Raphanel, the pilote officiel for the Molsheim, France-based car maker Bugatti. It was Mr. Raphanel who, in July, strapped himself into the new Veyron 16.4 Super Sport and circuited Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessien test track at an astonishing 268 mph, setting a new Guinness land-speed record for a production car."Eet was weally stress-phol," said the 49-year-old French former race champion, whose accent sounds like it came out of a perfume bottle. "I was a leetle bit scared." Quelle surprise. The biggest threat was that the huge Michelin tires might literally disintegrate due to the friction.
The slightest imperfection of machining in the gearbox's componentry, fashioned months before, might have been lying in wait, ready to explode like Apollo 13's oxygen tanks. Any sort of computer hiccup in the fuel-delivery system -- pumping 10 liters per minute into the quad-turbo, 8-liter, 16-cylinder, 1,200-horsepower reactor behind the seats -- could have upset the car's aero balance, sending it careering across the track like an arrow that's lost its fletching.
Crosswinds, birds, brakes and, yes, even driver error -- all could have ended the interesting life of Pierre-Henri Raphanel. This was automotive marketing as death sport.
But Mr. Raphanel's greater feat of fortitude now lies ahead. It's his job to take customers on demonstration drives in the Super Sport, an extreme-performance version of the Bugatti Veyron, and sit in the passenger seat while mere civilians like myself drive this exquisite, barbaric, incomparable automobile at speeds faster than a Formula 1 car. The Super Sport can accelerate from highway speeds to more than 200 mph in the time it takes you to read this sentence out loud. Literally.
And then, just when other hypercars -- Lambos, Ferraris, Paganis and even rarer isotopes -- run out of steam, the Super Sport accelerates harder. This experience quickly exhausts one's supply of Old Norse oaths and curses and one is reduced to childish wows and holy cows. At full throttle in the Super Sport, the world comes at you in one ferocious, howling, soul-shaking, Newtonian sneeze.
And Mr. Raphanel must sit there, politely, impassively, encouragingly. Ladies and gentlemen, that takes balles.
| Price as tested: $2.8 million (est.) Powertrain: Quad turbocharged and intercooled 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder engine with variable valve timing; seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission; all-wheel drive with limited-slip rear differential. Horsepower/torque: 1,200 hp at 6,400 rpm/1,106 pound-feet at 3,000-5,000 Length/weight: 175.6 inches/106.7 inches Curb weight: 4,043.6 pounds 0-62 mph: 2.5 seconds 0-186 mph: 14.6 seconds Top speed: 268 mph EPA fuel economy: 9/11 mpg, city/highway (est.) Cargo space: < 3 cubic feet (est.) |
In the late 1990s, VW's imperious leader, Ferdinand Piech, set about to recreate Bugatti, more or less out of thin air. The company restored Bugatti's lovely chateau and orangerie in Molsheim (in Alsace) and tore down and rebuilt the stables and garages, historically accurate down to the last brick and board.
The business plan, if you can call it that, was to construct 300 cars called the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. The 1,001-hp Veyron (around $1.6 million) was to be the fastest production car on Earth, with a top speed of 253 mph. When I drove the car in Sicily in 2005 I figured, well, that was that. The economics of beating such a record were decidedly not in any company's financial interest. It's estimated VW Group has invested about a half-billion euros in Bugatti.
But then an outfit in Washington state named Shelby Supercars -- no relation to the famous race driver -- managed to convince the Guinness records folks that its raw-as-tartare, twin-turbo, 1,200-plus-hp Ultimate Aero SSC was a production car meant for real consumers, and in October 2007, with a run of 257 mph, it pilfered the world record from Bugatti.
The disdain coming from Molsheim was as acrid as clutch smoke.
At the Super Sport introduction this week in Spain, company historian Julius Kruta denied that the Super Sport was built with the intention of taking back the land-speed record. The Ultimate Aero SSC "was not even on our radar." Right.
The Super Sport, said Mr. Kruta, was built in response to customers who, incredibly enough, asked for a sportier version of the Veyron -- because, obviously, the Veyron was such a sissy cupcake of a car. The company plans to build 30 to 40 Super Sports and sell them for $2.5 million to $3 million. Operators are standing by.
The list of modifications to the Veyron is long and expensive. The car now has four fuel pumps, compared with the Veyron's two, feeding the larger quad turbochargers. A less restrictive (and louder) exhaust system was developed. That and some engine-management programming increases torque to a hilarious 1,500 Newton-meters (1,103 pound-feet), and peak torque is higher in the rev band. Suspension-wise, the ride height was raised slightly (to accommodate greater high-speed downforce); and the air suspension, half-shafts, links and wheels were lightened, reinforced and laced tighter. The biggest changes were aerodynamic. The Veyron's lovely, roof-mounted air scoops are replaced with so-called NACA ducts. The main grille is larger, and the entire front of the car is more ventilated to provide cooling for brakes and the front Haldex differential. A wild double diffuser has been arranged in the rear.
The aesthetic result? The hackneyed comparison would be to say the Super Sport looks like some kind of space ship, but if extraterrestrials exist, I seriously doubt they are this cool.
At the same time, the Super Sport was obliged to retain all the drivability and refined splendor of the original Veyron, except faster. "This wasn't easy," said chief engineer Wolfgang Schreiber, and I bet it wasn't. Driven at normal, human-scaled speeds, the car is positively docile. The Super Sport's ligaments are little more concussive, yes, and the engine noise more pronounced. But the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the real heart of this car, slips between ratios as silkenly as a Lexus.
Still, I'm not sure what this car is. It's not a sports car, exactly, because despite the heroic use of carbon fiber everywhere, it weighs 4,043 pounds (110 pounds less than the Veyron). Also, it's all-wheel-drive, which means it's just about impossible to get it to rotate on the throttle, even with stability control turned off. Thanks to its enormous hydraulic rear wing, it summons up to 880 pounds of downforce, pressing the car down on its gigantic Michelin tires (14 inches wide on the rear). All of that makes the car majestically stable and locked down, with phenomenal amounts of cornering grip (1.4 g's). But it also means the car is about as flickable and tossable as an aircraft carrier.
The Super Sport is many things, but fun to drive is not among them, unless you are amused by shafts of mortality sifting through the clouds.
It's not a track car, either, because its weight and ferocious acceleration will inevitably overwhelm the brakes. Yes, the Super Sport did smash the BBC's "Top Gear" Dunsfold Aerodrome lap record, because it had to make only one lap (1:16:8 seconds, 2.2 seconds faster than a Ferrari Enzo). Even these audacious brakes (15.3-inch front rotors with eight-piston calipers) simply can't shed enough heat, corner to corner, lap to lap, to make the car effectively fast on the track.
The Super Sport isn't a grand touring car, either, since you can't get a thong and two sticks of gum in the cargo compartment under the hood. Also, because of some dispute with the supplier, the Veyron's navigation system is no more. Bugatti wants its customers to mount their TomToms on the dash, like it's a Hertz rental car.
So what is this car? Well, for one thing, it's a motivational tool, a performance piece, a tour de force from a company -- VW Group -- which means to overtake Toyota as the world's largest car maker.
But for me what it is is simply the fastest car I will ever drive. No more waiting. Superman is here.
Justin Bieber Finally Finds Fame... At Age 35!?
Here are some fun facts you didn't know about Justin Bieber: His biggest musical influence is Devo, and he's even been known to wear the red dome hat. Also, he's rocking a goatee these days. His wife has been surprisingly tolerant of the crazed young female fans clamoring to get his attention. And he doesn't seem at all bitter about not becoming famous till he was 35.As you may have guessed by now, we're talking about a Justin Bieber whose voice has changed. This would be the Justin E. Bieber of Jacksonville, Florida, who has come out of the closet—the one where he was hiding from the phone, which rings day and night—to embrace his celebrity as the name-only doppelganger of the 16-year-old pop sensation.
What brought the nearly middle-aged Bieber out of hiding? It was the fact that Facebook deleted his account, without any warning, on the basis that he was using a fake name. Anyone who has ever had an account canceled or suspended by Facebook knows that you have a better chance of getting a personal meeting with the President than tracking down a human employee of Mark Zuckerberg who'll listen to your lament. As he told a Florida TV station, "I guess their policy is ban first, ask questions never." So Bieber took the only route available to him and publicized his plight with the press. It worked; Facebook contacted him after reading news accounts and apologetically conceded that he is a real person.
This Bieber constantly fields phone calls not just from giggling or screaming girls but people wanting to work with him. "Artists say, 'I am going to be working with you this weekend'," he told Florida's First Coast News. "I say, 'No, you're not. You don't want to sing with me.'"
Here's the weird thing in all of this: If you do a search on "Justin Bieber" on Facebook and click just on people employing that as their user name, you get more than 500 results. So how as it that all these Justin Bieber posers stay in the good graces of Facebook while a real Justin Bieber gets unceremoniously kicked off?
There's probably a good answer to that, even if Facebook won't discuss the issue. Nearly all of those other Justin Bieber accounts on Facebook are accompanied by pictures of the pop star—which is to say, obvious fan pages, presumably established by kids, even if they are incorrectly categorize under "people" and not "pages." But some overcautious Facebook flunky probably came across the photo of a demonstrably aged Justin Bieber and automatically thought: Child predator.
But the happily married Florida Bieber has no designs on anything more sinister than telling the world that there is one more JB out there, improbable as that name duplication might seem. In fact, searches of other social and business network sites turn up several adult Justin Biebers around the country, though none of them responded to our queries, perhaps wary of being dragged in to sing "Never Say Never" against their will on their own local Top 40 stations. (We also tried to reach this Bieber for comment, but—here's a real shocker—he isn't answering his phone.)
Although it took the interference of the press to get Jacksonville Justin restored to Facebook, he had an easier time convincing iTunes' new networking service, Ping to reinstate him after they also blocked his account. (Of course, Ping, which is having trouble getting any traction, might let a guy pretending to be Kurt Cobain on the site at this point, just to up their numbers.)
On his Ping page, Bieber is wearing one of Devo's old trademark yellow Haz-mat-style suits. Maybe this is his chance to record his own iTunes anthem: "Q: Are We Not Boy Singers? A: We Are Beib-o!"
So far, despite a dilemma that some of us might imagine to be a living hell, the 35-year-old Bieber has refrained from knocking his 16-year-old counterpart. Maybe he's enjoying this sweet moment of fame; David Letterman's office has even contacted him about reading a Top 10 list on the show. But it would be interesting to know if before now Bieber has held onto his name with the same fierce justification as the "Michael Bolton" character in the classic comedy Office Space.
As you may recall, the Bolton in that movie opines that "there was nothing wrong with [that name], until I was about 12 years old and that no-talent [blankedy-blank] became famous and started winning Grammys." The Samir character asks. "Why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?" The anwswer: "No way! Why should I change? He's the one who sucks."
The day this Bieber says something along those lines is probably the day he not only changes his name but becomes eligible for the witness protection program.
The Truth About Ditching The iPhone For Android
To switch, or not to switch? It took me a long time to build up the courage to get rid of my iPhone and buy an HTC Droid Incredible. The iPhone is an amazing accomplishment, and I had a great few years with it. But there were a few things that kept driving me crazy.
It's been a few months since I took the plunge now, and I'm ready to deliver a final verdict. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking of making the switch.
AWESOME: Android gives the user much more power to customize Switching from the iPhone to Android is all about getting control. Apple is all about figuring out the right way for things to look and work, and making them look and work that way.
Android lets you decide for yourself. You can add widgets to your home screen that give you updates without your having to launch a dedicated app. You can add direct links to songs, pictures, websites, or whatever else you like.
If there are settings you frequently adjust, you can set up icons to toggle them straight from the home screen, instead of searching through menus for them every time (a pain in either iOS or Android.) Or you can install a third-party app that completely replaces your home screens and does all of this its own way.
AWFUL: You NEED to customize, because your phone just isn't that smooth out of the box
The power to do all that customization is great, but most users won't ever want to think about any of it. Which is too bad, because Android phones just aren't set up that well by default. That varies a lot based on your phone manufacturer and your carrier, since both tend to make some tweaks, and in many cases install custom UIs (Blur, Sense, etc.)
But many people find the default layout on their phone to be excessively cluttered. Managing your files isn't so nice until you download Astro. And -- again, depending on the phone -- battery life can be a complete disaster if you don't load some widgets that let you quickly turn off wifi and GPS when you aren't using them.
AWESOME: Your Android phone is synched with your online life
With all due respect to Ping, Apple doesn't operate any of the services that are central to many consumers' online lives. Many people, on the other hand, use Google products that are great to have synched up on mobile devices: Gmail, Calendar, even your search history.
And Android is better integrated with Facebook, which is actually huge. When you first set up your phone, Android asks for your Facebook info. If you provide it, your contacts are pre-populated with all your Facebook friends, complete with phone numbers if they happen to list theirs on the social network. Extremely convenient.
AWFUL: Let's face it, Apple still designs the best hardware
I got rid of my iPhone because I didn't like how little control Apple gives its users. That is essentially a software complaint. I have absolutely no complaints about Apple as a hardware company. iPhones are pretty amazing objects.
The latest and best Android phones are getting pretty close. HTC and Motorola both have some very nice phones. But none of them quite nail it the way the iPhone does. Look at this picture of our HTC Incredible. If it's plugged in, it's incredibly awkward to hold. How do you blow something so simple? Antennagate notwithstanding, Apple gadgets just don't have flaws that basic.
AWESOME: Life without AT&T
The most obvious reason to make the switch, the one that has probably tempted some of the most dedicated Apple fans, is that Android phones come on all carriers, not just the dreaded AT&T. AT&T's 3G network was absolutely overloaded by its exclusive iPhone deal.
Though the carrier has done its best to keep pace, here in New York, it's still pretty crummy. And in San Francisco, it's an absolute disaster. After a few years locked in to AT&T, I couldn't be happier to have the company out of my life forever.
AWFUL: You still need a carrier, and it WILL make your life worse
As huge an upgrade as Verizon is over AT&T, it's still the worst thing about my mobile experience. The latest version of Android lets you use your phone as a mobile hotspot, letting you wirelessly access the Internet from your computer using the phone's data. Except that in most cases, carriers deactivate that feature unless you pay extra for it.
Carriers also load useless bloatware and prevent users from un-installing it. Android has native turn-by-turn navigation, yet the universally panned VZ Navigator is right there on my phone (with a disturbingly broad set of permissions) and can't be removed.
That's not because Verizon is a bad carrier -- it's the best carrier we know of. It's because carriers have an oligopoly on delivering data to mobile devices. Unfortunately, they've discovered that it's easier to extract the value of that oligopoly in all sorts of indirect, irritating ways, than by simply charging more for data.
AWESOME: Great apps you can't get elsewhere
The Android Market is still much smaller than the App Store, but lots of my favorite mobile apps are Android only, starting with some of the ones Google makes itself. Google offers plenty of apps on other platforms, but its most impressive apps are often late to hit the iPhone, either by design, or because they are banned.
In particular, I think Google Voice and Google Goggles are both must haves. Voice, which lets you set up a second phone number for free and tie it to your phone, has been struggling for App Store approval for ages. Google Goggles has been blowing minds on Android since last year, and just hit the App Store yesterday.
There are also lots of powerful third-party apps that wouldn't be allowed on the iPhone. I really like Tasker, for instance, which can trigger a wide range of actions based on changes in your phone's state. That's more multitasking, energy-hogging activity than iOS allows.
AWFUL: Android is still second on most developers' priority lists
Unfortunately, for most app developers, Android is still a distant second best. BlackBerry is still number one in install base, and Android is growing faster than anyone, but the App Store is where developers make money.
So generally, people develop for the iPhone, then expand to Android when they can. That's very irritating, especially if you need to write about the latest features coming out of software startups.
But, wait! This is all nitpicking
I thought very long and hard before switching to Android. And, because it's part of my job to care about the relative merits of gadgets, the little pluses and minuses of making that switch have been a big deal.
But here's the truth: An iPhone and a high-end Android phone are very, very similar. And for the 99.9% of people on earth who have never owned either (or one of a handful of other super smartphones), the difference is pretty insignificant.
Sure, there are differences between the iPhone 4, the Droid Incredible, the BlackBerry Torch, etc., but compared to the feature phones and quasi-smartphones that still dominate the market, these differences are pretty insignificant.
The truth is that, when you take a step back, all of these devices are pretty similar: magic, touch-screen computers that fit in your pocket. This is the future, and I think it's awesome. They aren't perfect, but our basic complaints apply to all of them: the battery life isn't good enough yet (but the iPad gives us hope). The touchscreens are amazing, but not typing is still harder than it could be (and they get streaky too easily).
And the carriers you have to deal with to use them are awful, and slow the pace of innovation. But, again, they're awesome, and I recommend getting one if you don't already have one.
So, which?
The #1 reason to stick with the iPhone is that it's easier to use, and a cleaner experience
On the iPhone, everything just works. You don't have to know anything about technology to use one. Even if you do, the experience will just feel cleaner and simpler. Android still has some rough edges, and if you don't want to deal with them, the iPhone is a good choice.
Buy an Android for the freedom, or as a bet on the future
There are two main reasons to go with Android. First, as we covered, you have a lot more freedom to set your phone up the way you like. That is a big deal to me, and to a small but substantial minority. If you're in it, get an Android.
The second reason has to do with where things are headed. I believe that Android will be the dominant mobile OS before long, that it will get easier and cleaner, and that it will end up being the first thing companies develop for.
That is, I think the iPhone will be like the Mac -- hugely popular in its niche, but a niche nonetheless. Just as most people have PCs, I think most people will have Android phones. That doesn't mean you should have one now. But if you're on the fence, it might be time to start using the OS that will be on the phone you buy four years from now.
Best Jobs in America
1. Software Architect
Top 100 rank: 1
Sector: Information Technology
What they do: Like architects who design buildings, they create the blueprints for software engineers to follow — and pitch in with programming too. Plus, architects are often called on to work with customers and product managers, and they serve as a link between a company's tech and business staffs.
What's to like: The job is creatively challenging, and engineers with good people skills are liberated from their screens. Salaries are generally higher than for programmers, and a typical day has more variety. Even though programming jobs are moving overseas, the face-to-face aspect of this position helps cement local demand.
What's not to like: You are often outside the management chain of command, making it hard to get things done.
Requirements: Bachelor's degree, and either a master's or considerable work experience to demonstrate your ability to design software and work collaboratively.
2. Physician Assistant
op 100 rank: 2
Sector: Health Care
What they do: Act as Robin to a doctor's Batman, performing routine care such as physicals and tests, counseling patients, and even prescribing medication, all under a doctor's supervision. Today's doctor shortage will only worsen as boomers age and health care reform brings more patients into the system, creating a huge need for PAs.
What's to like: No med school, no grueling internship, more freedom to move from one specialty to another — yet all the satisfaction of delivering care. "No day is exactly the same, and I love that variety," says Wayne VonSeggen, 61, of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.? "It's also very challenging intellectually to work with doctors to try to help solve problems."
What's not to like: High stress and considerably lower pay than what doctors make. In such a supportive role, you can't be an entrepreneur.
Requirements: Complete an accredited PA program (average length: 26 months). The typical applicant has a bachelor's degree and four years of health care experience.
3. Management Consultant
Top 100 rank: 3
Sector: Consulting
What they do: Advise companies on how to grow the business or battle a problem. Economic upheaval is forcing many firms to rethink strategies, creating a need for advisers on everything from pricing and operations to cost-cutting and sales growth. Information technology consulting is one of the fastest-growing areas, as is helping companies explore international markets.
What's to like: Teamwork, project variety, and the satisfaction that comes from solving tough problems. "I love the challenge of a company saying, 'We want to grow revenues by 20%. How can we do that?' " says Sukanya Soderland, 32, of Oliver Wyman in Boston. Michael Sherman, 37, of The Boston Consulting Group in Dallas likes that "you get training in a couple years that would take a decade in a corporate setting." Big consulting firms such as McKinsey & Co. may offer higher salaries, boutique firms tend to be more specialized.
What's not to like: Grueling travel schedules, late hours, and punishing deadlines.
Requirements: Just about anybody can claim the title (nearly a third are self-employed), but an MBA coupled with experience inside firms in your field gives you an edge. Nowadays many laid-off managers are finding that their industry knowledge and access to insiders translates well to consulting.
4. Physical Therapist
Top 100 rank: 4
Sector: Health Care
What they do: Assess and treat people with physical conditions that limit their movements or ability to perform daily activities. Help with pain management and surgical rehab. Longer life spans and a wave of aging boomers have already created a PT shortage.
What's to like: Few jobs are so rewarding: A stroke patient begins to walk and talk. A tennis player with a sprained wrist gets back on the court. "I love helping patients enjoy life again," says Alison Lichy, 34, who specializes in neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries at her practice in Alexandria, Va. Entrepreneurial types like Lichy can set their own hours.
What's not to like: The job can be emotionally and physically draining. Practitioners fear that health care reform's emphasis on cost cutting may jeopardize insurance reimbursements.
Requirements: Three-year graduate degree and a state license.
5. Environmental Engineer
Top 100 rank: 5
Sector: Consulting
What they do: Use engineering skills to protect the environment and human health. Environmental engineers work on air-pollution control, water treatment, waste management, alternative energy, and conservation, in both the private sector and government agencies.
What's to like: Businesses are realizing that environmental stewardship not only burnishes the brand, but it can also boost the bottom line. "Even waste is a resource, and I enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to reuse it," says John Bradburn, 53, an environmental engineer in Warren, Mich., who heads up a General Motors program that repurposes scrap cardboard to make sound-absorption material for its cars.
What's not to like: Coming up with solutions is easier than getting them approved by corporate bureaucracies resistant to any change that may not pay dividends immediately.
Requirements: An undergraduate degree in any engineering specialty can be enough, and a state license is not always required. But you'll fare better with a graduate degree in environmental engineering.
Top 100 rank: 1
Sector: Information Technology
What they do: Like architects who design buildings, they create the blueprints for software engineers to follow — and pitch in with programming too. Plus, architects are often called on to work with customers and product managers, and they serve as a link between a company's tech and business staffs.
What's to like: The job is creatively challenging, and engineers with good people skills are liberated from their screens. Salaries are generally higher than for programmers, and a typical day has more variety. Even though programming jobs are moving overseas, the face-to-face aspect of this position helps cement local demand.
What's not to like: You are often outside the management chain of command, making it hard to get things done.
Requirements: Bachelor's degree, and either a master's or considerable work experience to demonstrate your ability to design software and work collaboratively.
2. Physician Assistant
op 100 rank: 2
Sector: Health Care
What they do: Act as Robin to a doctor's Batman, performing routine care such as physicals and tests, counseling patients, and even prescribing medication, all under a doctor's supervision. Today's doctor shortage will only worsen as boomers age and health care reform brings more patients into the system, creating a huge need for PAs.
What's to like: No med school, no grueling internship, more freedom to move from one specialty to another — yet all the satisfaction of delivering care. "No day is exactly the same, and I love that variety," says Wayne VonSeggen, 61, of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.? "It's also very challenging intellectually to work with doctors to try to help solve problems."
What's not to like: High stress and considerably lower pay than what doctors make. In such a supportive role, you can't be an entrepreneur.
Requirements: Complete an accredited PA program (average length: 26 months). The typical applicant has a bachelor's degree and four years of health care experience.
3. Management Consultant
Top 100 rank: 3
Sector: Consulting
What they do: Advise companies on how to grow the business or battle a problem. Economic upheaval is forcing many firms to rethink strategies, creating a need for advisers on everything from pricing and operations to cost-cutting and sales growth. Information technology consulting is one of the fastest-growing areas, as is helping companies explore international markets.
What's to like: Teamwork, project variety, and the satisfaction that comes from solving tough problems. "I love the challenge of a company saying, 'We want to grow revenues by 20%. How can we do that?' " says Sukanya Soderland, 32, of Oliver Wyman in Boston. Michael Sherman, 37, of The Boston Consulting Group in Dallas likes that "you get training in a couple years that would take a decade in a corporate setting." Big consulting firms such as McKinsey & Co. may offer higher salaries, boutique firms tend to be more specialized.
What's not to like: Grueling travel schedules, late hours, and punishing deadlines.
Requirements: Just about anybody can claim the title (nearly a third are self-employed), but an MBA coupled with experience inside firms in your field gives you an edge. Nowadays many laid-off managers are finding that their industry knowledge and access to insiders translates well to consulting.
4. Physical Therapist
Top 100 rank: 4
Sector: Health Care
What they do: Assess and treat people with physical conditions that limit their movements or ability to perform daily activities. Help with pain management and surgical rehab. Longer life spans and a wave of aging boomers have already created a PT shortage.
What's to like: Few jobs are so rewarding: A stroke patient begins to walk and talk. A tennis player with a sprained wrist gets back on the court. "I love helping patients enjoy life again," says Alison Lichy, 34, who specializes in neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries at her practice in Alexandria, Va. Entrepreneurial types like Lichy can set their own hours.
What's not to like: The job can be emotionally and physically draining. Practitioners fear that health care reform's emphasis on cost cutting may jeopardize insurance reimbursements.
Requirements: Three-year graduate degree and a state license.
5. Environmental Engineer
Top 100 rank: 5
Sector: Consulting
What they do: Use engineering skills to protect the environment and human health. Environmental engineers work on air-pollution control, water treatment, waste management, alternative energy, and conservation, in both the private sector and government agencies.
What's to like: Businesses are realizing that environmental stewardship not only burnishes the brand, but it can also boost the bottom line. "Even waste is a resource, and I enjoy the challenge of figuring out how to reuse it," says John Bradburn, 53, an environmental engineer in Warren, Mich., who heads up a General Motors program that repurposes scrap cardboard to make sound-absorption material for its cars.
What's not to like: Coming up with solutions is easier than getting them approved by corporate bureaucracies resistant to any change that may not pay dividends immediately.
Requirements: An undergraduate degree in any engineering specialty can be enough, and a state license is not always required. But you'll fare better with a graduate degree in environmental engineering.
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