Expert Interview with Colleen Georges on Resumes and Hiring

Expert Interview with Colleen Georges on Resumes and Hiring Dr. Colleen Georges is a professional psychologist who has focused her career on job seeking and writing the perfect resume. She’s a certified counselor, time management consultant, career coach, leadership expert, and if that weren’t enough, she runs Colleen’s Career Creations, a resume writing and job coaching service. Somehow, she found the time to speak with us about how to write the best possible resume. What are some common problems you see on resumes, and why do you think they persist?The two most prevalent issues I encounter with resumes are lack of a clear job target or career focus and documents that read like job task descriptions, rather than career achievement highlights. Fortunately, I see fewer and fewer resumes that begin with objective statements, which are generally unfocused and do little to separate one candidate’s value from another. However, I still see many resumes with summary of qualifications sections that are too vague or broad, or resumes that have no summary at all.What makes a strong resume?A strong resume needs to effectively brand professionals in their field of practice, and immediately showcase their professional title/job target, years of experience, specific expertise/hard skills and unique value propositions. Often, professionals believe that since this information is spread throughout their resume, there is no need to summarize and present it at the beginning. However, most recruiters and hiring managers today are flooded with hundreds of resumes and lack the time to read through every line of each document to determine which candidates have the requisite skills for the job. Thus, candidates can make recruiters’ and hiring managers’ lives easier by summarizing this information in a strong branding statement right at the beginning of the resume in a 10- to 15-second read.More importantly, job seekers can do themselves a wealth of good by following their branding statement with a sect ion that showcases five to seven of their proudest career achievements. Such a section should highlight accomplishments that demonstrate a broad spectrum of skill sets that are relevant to their target field. This can be done by underscoring the quantitative and qualitative results of their work, such as costs cut, revenue generated, time saved, customer satisfaction increased, errors decreased, manuals written, policies and procedures developed, training instituted and so forth.Even more effective, a career achievements section can outline the story behind the outcomes, in a bite-sized, bulleted Challenge, Actions, Results format. By nature, people learn and understand people best through their unique stories, which is why interviewers often ask candidates to discuss times when they have performed a particular action. Articulating stories, both on a resume and in an interview, demonstrates to an employer that the candidate is purposeful in their actions and both understands and can articulate their process. Furthermore, this section backs up the skills the job seeker presents in their branding statement.Many job seekers do not include career achievement sections because they believe the time to share this information will be during the interview. In this competitive job market, however, without sharing these successes on a resume, an interview may never come. Yet most commonly, the reason for this lack of information on job seekers’ resumes is because from the time we are children, we are taught not to brag about our accomplishments, as others may find us obnoxious. Over the years, this lesson makes it progressively more challenging to acknowledge our accomplishments to ourselves, nonetheless an audience. However, when job seeking, emphasizing our unique talents and successes is critical, and thus we must unlearn the lesson, at least in this arena.What can job boards do to help job seekers write a better resume?A number of job boards are already provid ing resources to job seekers, such as resume critiques and tips. However, a wonderful resource would be to not only suggest providing branding statements and achievement stories, but to offer suggested skills required by various career fields, as well as common deliverables for these fields. For example, an accountant might need skills like variance analysis, bank reconciliation, and audit preparation, and common deliverables may be decreasing risk exposure, diminishing accounting errors and automating processes. Sometimes the hardest part of resume writing is getting started in figuring what skills and accomplishments to highlight. Resources like this may help job seekers brainstorm.What are some red flags we might accidentally put up on a resume or say during an interview?The most common red flags on resumes are generally items that point to age, which can unfortunately lead to age discrimination in some cases. I typically suggest that my clients represent that last 15-20 years of their career and leave off college graduation dates that go further back than 20 years. Furthermore, computer skills that are very dated, like DOS for example, should be left off. I also suggest eliminating AOL email accounts as well, since it is remembered to be a part of the advent of the internet, and the â€Å"dial-up† days. I typically advise clients to get a Gmail account. It is most certainly the â€Å"in† email, forever evolving in its capabilities.In both resumes and interviews, I also advise my clients not to draw attention to job gaps by stating that they were terminated or took a leave due to illness, an accident or a family-related situation. This information can inadvertently lead to fear that such issues may arise again in the future and negatively impact employment if hired.How can employers write job postings to let employees know what they’re looking for? Is it just some requirements, or can they convey a culture in a posting?I am always of th e belief that with job postings, the more detail, the better. With detail, the employer is less likely to attract candidates who lack the requisite experience and skills. As a resume writer, I love job postings that break tasks into umbrella categories and provide the specific accountability within them. This enables me to pull out the candidate’s relevant skills and accomplishments and match them to the posting. When utilized by employers, applicant tracking systems are scanning for this type of skill match, so it works to both the employer’s and candidate’s advantage for employers to offer detailed job descriptions in postings.Conveying corporate culture would be a fantastic advantage to both employer and candidate. Employers can weed out receiving resumes from candidates who may not be a great fit, and candidates can avoid wasting energy applying for a job that will not suit their work style and values.What do you wish everyone, from recruiters to job seekers , knew about resumes?This is a great question, and not an easy one to answer. I would say that I wish recruiters, employers and job seekers recognized that a resume is meant to be a job seeker’s marketing document. Like any marketing collateral, it should showcase the best of who the candidate is. Sometimes, recruiters and employers get frustrated because they later learn that a candidate left off a short-term job, for example. Similarly, candidates occasionally fear leaving off a short-term position because their omission may be â€Å"caught.† There is a staunch difference between omitting a career blip and, say, creating a position you never had on your resume. Candidates should never lie on a resume – this is a matter of ethics and integrity. Marketing documents are created to describe a product’s attributes. No product or person is perfect, but all have their own uniquely fantastic qualities. With this said, the resume is the prelude to the interview. The interview is where candidate and employer see if those unique attributes and the company’s position, team and culture collectively create the right synergy.How will technology change the resume? Will we see more links? Videos? Gimmicks?Technology is absolutely changing resumes in a wonderful way. We can now make our resumes come alive by linking them to our online articles, interviews, features, video presentations, documents, artistic endeavors or similar media. We can also create web resumes and create social media profiles that give recruiters and employers a wider window into who we are, not just what we have done. We can now show employers, in action, what we bring to the table.Yet technology has indeed amplified the pressure for job seekers. I now tell my job-seeking clients that they must be on LinkedIn. It’s not a luxury anymore – for recruiters and hiring managers in most industries, it’s seen as a necessity. Those who are not on LinkedIn ca n be viewed as lacking social media savvy, which is a career no-no. But it’s not just about being on LinkedIn, it’s about using all its resources. Recruiters and hiring managers can gather additional information about candidates from LinkedIn through recommendations and group membership and activity. I do a lot of one-on-one client coaching and group workshops on optimally leveraging LinkedIn and other social media like Twitter and Facebook. Some of this coaching involves what to post and what not to post, how to set privacy settings and simply how to use all the features of the various social media to the job seeker’s advantage.

How to Start a Publishing Company in 5 Steps the 2019 Edition

How to Start a Publishing Company in 5 Steps the 2019 Edition How to Start a Publishing Company in 2019 If you’ve ever watched the reality show Shark Tank, you may have found yourself daydreaming about starting your own business. And if you’re an indie author who’s learning the self-publishing ropes, you might be wondering if you should  start your own publishing business - as opposed to just doing everything under your own name.So before we get to the details of how to start a publishing company, let’s start by addressing that question first: should you start a publishing company? The answer might be yes if you:Are publishing one or more series of books (the hassle of starting a company might not be worth it if you’re looking to publish just one title)Are working in an area with a higher risk of liability (such as health-related or technical books) - or are simply looking for added protection of your personal assetsAre looking to operate as a â€Å"professional† writer (as opposed to a â€Å"hobbyist† writer)Have a concrete brand th at you would like to expand to include similar books by other authorsIf these criteria don’t apply to you, you’re likely better off publishing your books under your own name. But if they ring a bell, then this guide to starting a publishing company is a great place to start.Note: this advice is not coming from legal professionals, and any business ventures should be taken after consideration of local laws and consulting with professionals. What follows mainly applies to starting a company in the United States.Disclaimer withstanding, let’s get started! Should you start your own publishing company? Learn how to answer that question. The benefits of starting your own publishing companyTo help you better understand whether this is the right time for you to start your own publishing company, let’s look at the benefits a little closer.Air of professionalismWhile self-publishing is a major accomplishment that should be viewed with pride, many bookstores and libraries will not stock their shelves with books clearly published by authors. In addition, readers are often less likely to purchase an obviously self-published title as they’d prefer to go with books that have been vetted by publishers - which of course means they’re missing out on some great reads! This is just how author Joseph Alexander grew his own publishing business (and became a self-published millionaire in the meantime). While writing and publishing a series of non-fiction books about learning guitar, Joseph spent a good deal of time building his web presence and learning about branding. His sales began to take off and other musicians began approaching him to publish their own books. As Joseph says, â€Å"We split the profits 50/50. I grew my publishing company and they got great royalties.† His publishing company, Fundamental Changes, now boasts a long list of bestselling titles. Tips for starting your own publishing company #selfpub Tips for starting a publishing companyBefore you can fire up the presses and take the publishing world by storm, there are a few T’s to cross and I’s to dot to give your business the best chance for success.Evaluate your goals to startStarting a publishing company requires authors to fully become an entrepreneur in their own right and is not an endeavor to be taken lightly. If you’re toying with the idea, here are a few questions to ask yourself:Why do you want to start a publishing company?What kind of books do you want to publish?Will you publish your books only, or titles from other authors, too?What income range are you expecting this business to yield?How do you see your business growing in the next year? 5 years? Ten years?These are questions you should readily and passionately be able to answer before you get started, as they will affect your business decisions.Establish your business structureWe know, we know, can’t we just skip ahead to the fun pa rt, like choosing a company name? Not just yet, there’s some important groundwork to be laid first, like deciding exactly what type of company you are looking to start.Businesses come in many shapes and forms. When it comes to publishing in most territories, the main choices are:Sole proprietorship: a business operated and owned by one person. The simplest business form, but not the most risk-free (keep reading).Corporation: a group of people or an organization authorized to manage the company as a single entity. A more complex business form.Partnership: two or more parties contractually agree to manage and operate a businessLLC: provides the protection of assets that a corporation receives with versatility and pass-through tax benefits of a partnership or sole proprietorship (meaning a business taxes can be paid through someone’s personal tax return).Most authors will decide to start their own publishing companies as an LLC or sole proprietorship, as these are the mos t flexible and simple business forms of the bunch. However, our personal suggestion is that you set up as an LLC. As mentioned before, LLCs offer the most liability protection, meaning your personal assets are protected from any debts incurred by the business.For more information on what structure best suits your goals, check out the Small Business Administration.Choose a company nameAfter all that business talk it’s time to have some fun: it’s time to christen your publishing company! Here’s a couple of things to keep in mind when deciding on a name:Branding. What market or niche are you targeting? In which genre does your company publish? These questions will help you refine your company’s brand - and its name should be a reflection of that. If you’re planning to publish middle-grade fiction primarily, choose a name that reflects that. Take a look at other publishing companies to get a sense of how their name reflects their brand.Relatability. W e live in a fast-paced world and your allotted time frame to capture someone’s attention is slim to none. So it pays to be strategic when coming up with a name, and to use words that readers will already be familiar with. If there’s a made-up word you really want to use, ask yourself what it will communicate - if anything - to people at first glance.Keep it short and to the point. Superkalifragilistikexpialigetisch Press isn’t a smart move.Don’t use the word â€Å"Inc.† unless you are actually planning to incorporate your businessFinally, make sure whatever name you choose hasn’t already been taken! Check if the name is already trademarked and then search for the availability of the URL-version on a domain registrar site like GoDaddy.Make it officialJust because you’ve had business cards printed, doesn’t mean your business is live yet. There are still a few more ducks to get in a row. Just to name a few...Obtain your Employer Identification Number (EIN) This is a nine-digit number provided by the IRS that includes information about the state the business is registered in. Think of it a bit like your company’s social insurance number. Learn more here.Set up a business bank account After you’ve received an EIN, you can register for a business bank account which will allow you to keep your business and personal finances separate. This will ensure your personal assets are protected should a lawsuit ever arise (knock on wood, this is just a precaution!) and it will make it easier for you come tax season.Also, consider setting up a PayPal account for online transactions.Set up an accounting system Stifle that yawn, because this is an important, can’t-be-overlooked step! Whether you’re using a free resource like Google Sheets, a paid tool like Quickbooks, or outsourcing accounting work to a professional, nailing your bookkeeping practices down from the start is essential. It will help you track which of your efforts are paying off and ensure you have a record of all expenses which will be handy for tax write-offs.Here are a few pieces of accounting software that might come in handy:Quickbooks. With over 4.8 million users worldwide, it’s one of the most popular accounting applications. While it has a vast number of tools for all kinds of business (brick and mortar, e-commerce, home-based, etc.), it caters especially to small businesses.Freshbooks. A great option for invoicing needs, it allows users to easily add billable time and expenses, customize the look of the invoice, and set up recurring invoices, automatic payment reminders, and late fees.Zoho Books. This is a good option for very small businesses looking for a simple solution. It offers basic accounting features, with the option to integrate and access advanced tools as your business grows.Wave Financial. If you’re looking for a free option, this might be your best bet. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles, but it does offer no-charge, cloud-based accounting functions designed specifically for small businesses.Register your domain name When people want to know more about your company, it’s likely their natural response will be to Google it. A website is the best way to capture those interested leads and to tell people more about your business. Again, we recommend GoDaddy for this.Grow your teamTrust us, your publishing company will only get by with a little help from some friends. Professional ones, hopefully, with lots of experiencing in publishing. Growing your team is especially necessity if you want to become one of the big players in publishing.Launching successful titles comes with a lot of specialized work, such as editing, cover design, interior formatting, web design, marketing, etc. Luckily you can turn to online marketplaces (such as Reedsy!) to hire those services - and you don’t need to break the bank at the same time. One of the benefits of starting a publishing company these days is that you can keep things pretty lean by building a network of freelancers you trust, without getting tie d down to a head-count.And you won’t be alone: more and more traditional publishers are looking to freelancers to help develop books.We hope this information helps you decide whether starting a company is the right path for you, and, if so, how to start a publishing company that hits the ground running.Starting a business comes with its fair share of ups and downs; learnings and mistakes. If you’ve started your own publishing company, help spread the knowledge by sharing your experiences! And, as always, any thoughts or questions are encouraged in the comments below.

Prohibition of Cigarette Manufacturing Term Paper

Prohibition of Cigarette Manufacturing - Term Paper Example â€Å"Awareness of and involvement with tobacco marketing were both significantly associated with being a smoker: for example, 30% (55/185) of smokers had received free gifts through coupons in cigarette packs, compared with 11% (21/199) of non-smokers (P

Hypertension Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hypertension - Research Paper Example Should the blood pressure hit 140/90 and above, one is considered to have hypertension. The two major classifications of hypertension are secondary and essential hypertension. Whereas essential hypertension refers to a high blood pressure case whose cause is unknown, secondary hypertension refers to high blood pressure caused by tumors, kidney disease, and birth control pills (Falvo, 2009). The essential type of hypertension has been identified to cause about 95% of all hypertension cases. That is, among the about 73 million adults in the United States suffering from hypertension, 69.35% have the essential hypertension (Falvo, 2009). Although the exact causes of hypertension are generally unknown, several risk factors have been associated with hypertension. These factors include diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, and lack of physical activity, smoking, vitamin D deficiency, stress, aging, excessive alcohol consumption, genetics, and medications such as birth control pills, obesity, and e xcessive consumption of salt. Others are chronic kidney disease and insufficient consumption of minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The symptoms of the condition are rather hard to identify and quite a big percentage of hypertension victims do not know that they have the condition. Because this ignorance about one’s hypertension status could last years and endanger lives, it is recommended that people continually go for screenings. Included in these symptoms are problems with vision, breathing problems severe headaches, fatigue or confusion, nausea, blood in the urine, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, and chest pains (Falvo, 2009). This paper explores the subject of hypertension with regards to its statistics, prevalence, psycho-social challenges, lifestyles, treatment, researches, and community programs. Statistics on Hypertension That hypertension is a major health concern in the United States is evidenced by the statistics made available by federal, state, a nd local government agents as well as private citizens, community-based groups, and non-governmental organizations. For instance, that as many as one in three American adults are at risk of contracting chronic kidney disease, stroke, and heart attack/heart failure makes them highly likely to develop hypertension as well. Evidently, hypertension prevalence is rather alarming. It has also been noted that more than half of hypertension patients have not managed to put it under control, resulting in severe health and psycho-social problems, reduced control rates, and high prevalence across the population. According to the American Society of Hypertension (ASH), more should be done regarding the establishment of educational, prevention, treatment, management and research programs to address hypertension, which has been a national health concern for quite some tine. These programs should specifically target hypertension prevention, treatment, awareness, and the reduction of hypertensionâ €™s consequences. To meet these objectives, these programs will have to initiate

Modernisation and under-development Essay Example for Free

Modernisation and under-development Essay The concept of globalisation is one that has become widely used in debates in politics, business and the media over the past few years. A decade ago the term globalisation was relatively unknown. Today it seems to be on the tip of everyones tongue. Globalisation refers to the fact we all increasingly live in one world, so that individuals, groups and nations become interdependent. According to Held, Goldblatt and Perraton globalisation is an idea whose time has come yet it (globalisation) lacks precise definition. Despite the imprecision of the term globalisation the use of the term, according to Held and McGrew, reflects increased interconnectedness in political, economic and cultural matters across the world creating a shared social space. Hyperglobalists argue that contemporary globalisation defines a new era in which peoples everywhere are increasingly subject to the disciplines of the global marketplace. Although economic forces are an integral part of globalisation, it would be wrong to suggest that they alone produce it. Globalisation is created by the coming together of politics, social, cultural and economic factors. It has been driven forward above all by the development of the information and communication technologies that have intensified the speed and scope of interaction between people al over the world. As a simple example, think of the last 2008 Olympics. Because of global television links some of the sports are now watched by millions worldwide. Marx believed direct expressions of underlying economic organisation, quite different types of political order may exist in societies that have similar production systems. For instance, some societies based on industrial capitalism have had authoritarian political systems (examples are Nazi German and South Africa under apartheid) whole others are much more democratic for example, the United States, Britain or Sweden. The impact of science and technology both influence and are influenced by political and cultural factors scientific and technology development for example helped create modern forms of communication such as radio and television. Radio, television and other electronic media have also come to shape the how we think and feel about the world. The invention of writing for instance, allowed for the keeping of records, making possible increased control of material resources and development of large scale organisations. The free market does nothing to address re-distribution of wealth. It assumes that wealth will trickle down to the poor. The former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, once said it is our job to glory in inequality and see that talents and abilities are given vent and expression for the benefit of all of us.

George Orwells Animal Farm :: Animal Farm Essays

Pigs walking on two feet, horses and sheep talking. This is how George Orwell satirizes human nature in his classic novel Animal Farm. Animal Farm is an allegory of the Russian Revolution of 1917. The title of the book is also the setting for the action in the novel. The animals in the story decide to have a revolution and take control of the farm from the humans. Soon the story shows us how certain groups move from the original ideals of the revolution to a situation where there is domination by one group and submission by all the others. The major idea in this story is the political corruption of what was once a pure political ideal. Orwell uses satire to ridicule human traits in his characters such as Napoleon and Squealer. There are several different characters in the novel utilizing animals as symbols of people in real life during the Russian Revolution. Napoleon is the leader of the pigs that ultimately come to dominate the farm. The characteristics that we associate with pigs , lazy, greedy, and pushy are meant to symbolize the characteristics that the leaders of the Russian Revolution exhibited. Napoleon is admired by all of the animals because he is their leader. All of the animals believe that their leader wants to fulfill all of their needs. They also are convinced that Napoleon’s decisions are made the best interest of the animals. Napoleon’s piglike qualities are shown throughout the story. He exhibited greediness when he sold the dying horse, Boxer to a slaughterhouse for money so that he and the other pigs could purchase whiskey. Orwell ridicules human nature through Napoleon in the sense that he is trying to show how the greedy and power hungry eventually end in corruption. Squealer is short, fat and nimble. Just the image of a pig. Squealer is so persuasive that he could turn black into white! This is just what he does again and again throughout the story. Every time that the pigs take more power and money Squealer persuades the animals to think that the decisions are being made are absolutely necessary for the well being of all. When things are scarce, he proves that production has increased- with figures that the animals can not read of course.He is also the one who makes the changes in the Seven Commandments. The characteristics that Squealer has in his personality are not admirable in a human being because Squealer is accurately portrays the propaganda agent that he represents.

First characteristic book Essay

Willa Cather has never published a bad book. Ergo, all of her work is of the same excellence, all of it has the same importance. Speaking about her creative activity it is difficult to divide her heritage into good and bad books. Nevertheless, despite that fact the truth is that Cather’s strongest books are those related to the West, to the land of her childhood. Willa Sibert Cather was born in Virginia, but brought up from the age of 8 in Nebraska, where she was reared among the immigrants. My attempt will be to find out what episodes of Willa Cather’s life had impact upon her work and to prove that this impact was determinative in the formation of mature and internationally known writer worthy being included in contemporary literary canon. Willa Cather was educated at the University of Nebraska, where she studied Latin that may have influenced her graceful Virgilian style. (Daiches, 1951, 34) Later she worked on the staff, then as editor, of McClure’s Magazine in New York from 1906 to 1912. With O Pioneers! , written in 1913, she turned to the Nebraska prairies to relate the stories she experienced, he stories praising the romanticism and difficulties of the life in frontier. She was awarded with a Pulitzer Prize for her novel One of Ours of 1922. Willa Cather would probably be a writer even had she never gone West in her early impressionable years. What kind of a writer, it would be hard to say. In this context James Seaton makes some presumption, namely he refers to the inferior quality of her non-Western books, that we should not have had anything like her present masterpieces, and that America and the world would not have heard of her. (Seaton, 1998, 147) Willa Cather’s best works are indeed the result of cooperation of poetic vision of the artist in words and landscape where each gives to each, the artist giving her chosen country expression and duration forever, the country and the people so identifying themselves with the artist as to become backbone and marrow of her work. Willa Cather’s union with the great table-lands east of the Rockies had prominent effect on her best works. The passion for description of past in Cather’s works is usually explained by critics as the influence of her childhood spent in Nebraska. (Brown, 1953, O’Brien, 1987); and Joan Acocella justly calls Cather â€Å"the elegist of the pioneer period, the repository of what America thinks of as its early triumphs. † (Acocella, 2000, 3) Willa Cather wrote three novels, her so-called prairie trilogy – all based on her childhood in Nebraska. In the 1913 O Pioneers! a young Swedish immigrant, Alexandra Bergson, raises a blooming farm out of the barren Nebraska plain. Then comes The Song of the Lark, in which Thea Kronborg, another little Swede, stuck in another prairie town, dreams of becoming an artist, and actually makes it. And the third is My Antonia, the story of a Czech girl, Antonia Shimerda. Willa Cather takes to her heart the simplest souls of the West, the generous, impulsive, loyal souls of brakeman, ranchman, pioneer, missionary priest and Indian. Willa Cather’s Thea Kronborg, her Claude Wheeler, her Professor St. Peter, her Archbishop carry the pioneers’ flag of endurance into the higher realms, driven on by their imagination and their passion to a more perfect world. Willa Cather’s early resettlement to the West brought about for her, without her striving for it, the revelation of a landscape’s essential beauty and of the particular imprint on it of human sufferings and toil. Her early experience was that factor which encouraged the development of originality and a form of Cather’s writing. The length of that experience is eloquent enough: a child of nine came, saw, and conquered the West; it took a mature woman of some published books behind her to write O Pioneers, Willa Cather’s probably first characteristic book. Willa Cather soon exchanged the prairie for the schoolroom. Nevertheless, the prairie and the pioneers had given her what no school could have given: the first priceless experience of life in the open in a vast untamed country, an experience that is all the more palpable in her novels with eloquent English tongue poetizing beauty of the West, the pioneers’ inarticulate dreams, their stoic acceptance of the inevitable, and their ready answer to the call of adventure.

Perception and Societal Factors

Serenity In Joss Hoedown's â€Å"Serenity' and â€Å"Firefly', the human race used and polluted the Earth until it could no longer support life. In order to survive, humanity had to leave Earth- That-Was and find a new home. Taking place 500 years in the future, the Chinese and Americans were the main cultures that have survived centuries of time and light- years of travel, they have blended into one culture where speaking English can suddenly give way to speaking Chinese as if they were one language. Stereotypes and rejoice were mostly observed in Alliance vs..Brownout scenes, and by Jane (Adam Baldwin). The solar system that Serenity takes place in is made up of central planets governed by â€Å"The Alliance†, essentially THE government. Some people didn't want to be governed by The Alliance while others welcomed the idea. Thus a war began. Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of the ship Serenity, fought on the side of the Brownouts. The Alliance won the war and maintained control o f the central planets while the Babel â€Å"Brownouts† typically settled on the outer desolate American old-west type planets, poor, lawless.Ethnocentrism can probably be observed in the crew of Serenity, they've become a family, weary of outsiders. The Verse is a dangerous place. The Alliance and all their riches have built the biggest cities, the biggest buildings, the biggest army, and best technology including weapons and ships. The crew of Serenity tends to stay clear of Alliance considering the Jobs they take are often illegal. The Alliance is the Role of Power.

OBriens Depiction of Soldiers Essays

OBriens Depiction of Soldiers Essays OBriens Depiction of Soldiers Essay OBriens Depiction of Soldiers Essay Essay Topic: The Things They Carried War causes a lot of damage not only in the form of destruction of property and death of combatants but also in the long-lasting effects on the military service personnel. Some sustain injuries that take years to heal, causing several functional limitations in terms of movement, bathing, and preparation of meals. These limitations have far-reaching consequences that undermine the quality of the lives of the ex-soldiers. Others experience psychological problems that affect the social aspect of their lives for many years. Although OBriens story focuses on the life of a soldier before and after the war, the arrangement of episodes gives a succinct account of the psychological challenges soldiers face outside combat settings. The highlighted effects often occur after the soldiers are released from the service and seek to integrate themselves into civilian populations. Coping with the scars of war is the greatest challenge that veterans face as they reintegrate into civilian life (Demers 160; Brown 2). In his book, OBrien depicts soldiers as persons filled with guilt for some of the decisions they made either in the batter fields or before military engagements. Due to the problems that veterans encounter after the war, some of them are depicted as overwhelmed by guilt for joining foreign war missions (OBrien 4-14).This is shown in the episode where Norman Bowker regrets for his waste of time in Vietnam. According to Bowker, his friends back at home have achieved a lot in his absence (OBrien 98-107).The death of Kiowa left a lot of guilt in Bowker. Bowker saw his friend helplessly die but could not prevent it since he faced a similar threat (OBrien 96-97).Such experiences leave long-term scars on soldiers. Research elsewhere documents that fears of guilt are common with veterans who are often haunted not only by the failures in the battle fields to protect their friends but also the stark reality of life after assuming civilian culture(Demers 166-173). They cannot reconcile that some of their colleagues died in the war because they failed to act or cared so much about personal safety. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) has become the most common mental condition that is diagnosed among former military service officers (Smith and True148). According to Demers (160), 31 percent of the soldiers that have been deployed in war zones get diagnosed with PSTD. PSTD is as a result of the horrendous encounters in the war which subject the soldiers to extreme stress. Psychological problems such as depression detach former soldiers from the rest of the civilian population. As OBrien (97-108), reveals, some of the veterans are so disconnected with the civilian life that they fail to create an emotional attachment with events in the civilian world. The story of Bowker reveals a man who is overwhelmed by thoughts of war yet he cannot find someone to share such painful experiences. This situation aggravated by the lack of information on the part of the civilian population in regards to the effect of war experiences on soldiers (Dickerson 15 Nov, 2015). The nature of the western culture compounds the mental problems of veterans. Western societies have developed into tight-knit communities which allow little camaraderie that is common in the military (Smith and True 148). Nobody is around for the former military service personnel to talk to as the Western life has become individualized. In view of the social interactions, veterans consider telling stories and interacting with friends as one of the effective ways of coping with traumatic war experiences (Demers 164). According to Demers, it is a natural way of telling ones life story, and it often comes with great satisfaction. Brown (26) concurs that social connection is vital in overcoming worries associated with war. Due to the disruptive and emotional nature of traumatic experiences, veterans encounter additional challenges of seeking personal identity especially in civilian settings(Demers 163).As a result, veterans become disconnected, delaying the process of reintegration into the civilian culture. According to OBrien (98-104), the failure to locate ones identity is evidenced in Bowkers inability to reconcile his thoughts. The situation is compounded by the lack of friends and his disconnectedness with family members. PSTDs destructive nature also leaves veterans frustrated and despondent with life. Since most of the victims suffer in silence, they end up seeking solace in alcohol (Demers 160).Psychological studies find that most alcohol-dependent veterans exhibit symptoms of PSTD; PSTD precedes alcohol problems that are common with ex-soldiers (Brown 5).The dependence on alcohol comes as a result of failure to access professional transition services as well as the inadequate social bond between friends and families. Through Bowker, OBrien depicts the life of an ex-soldier consuming excessive amount of alcohol as a way of seeking solace from his troubled world. Yet, this approach does not solve much of the problems, exposing the life of the veteran to more suffering. Veterans that do not receive much attention in the treatment of PSTD often display anger and depression (Demers 160).The social disconnect is likely to make an ex-soldier live in bitterness and, may lead to engagement in criminal activities as a consequence of extreme aggressiveness (Brown 4).According to Brown (4-5), veterans account for 10 percent of bookings at prison facilities in the US. Common crimes include murder, assault, and attempted murder. Similarly, OBrien presents Bowker as angry and bitter with his life. Such situation may expose him to acts that are in contravention of the law (103-109). Economic problems make a prominent feature in OBriens narration. Veterans are depicted as stragglers in the search for employment opportunities (OBrien 108).The failure to secure a job results from several factors. For instance, in the civilian workplace, social relationships are essential for successful performance. This may not be achieved by a former military service officer considering that most of them suffer from psychological problems. According to Demers (163-172), ex-soldiers (especially young veterans) find it difficult to cope with the workplace environment due to poor reintegration rate and lack of the appropriate skills that match available job opportunities. Furthermore, some may experience challenges in acquiring new skills that would fit the requirements of the civilian labor market. Through the narrator, OBrien exposes the transition challenges young veterans encounter in their efforts to acquire relevant skills in the labor market. He narrates that Bowker changed se veral jobs in a short period and also dropped out of college (OBrien 108-109).Such behaviors depict veterans as disjointed and disoriented. As Demers (162-64) notes, the failure to last for long on a single job reflects a failure in the process of transition. The situation is worsened by the low level of awareness among the civilians in regards to the psychological problems faced by veterans. Those that fail to handle the pressures of unemployment and psychological challenges often engage in crime while others may commit suicide in resignation (Brown 5; OBrien 108-09). Although some soldiers succeed in reintegrating into the civilian culture, the memories of war events often remain part of their lives for many years. Some of the scars never go away. According to OBrien (91-94), the relationships of the soldiers with their families are likely to be affected due to the inability to reveal some of the experiences of the war. There are some war secrets that veterans fail to reveal for the rest of their lives. Despite the success the narrator has achieved in reintegrating into the civilian culture, memories of the gruesome events of the war continue to haunt him. This is seen in his decision to go back to Vietnam to revisit the scene where his friend died during the war. Also, he decides to plunge himself into the river on the scene of Kiowas death (92-94).These actions depict a person who has not fully recovered from the mental ravages of the war. In conclusion, OBrien illustrates several problems that veterans endure in non-combat settings. Most of the ex-soldiers face severe guilt problems that are rooted in the failure to protect the death of some of their friends and colleague during the war or the realities of civilian culture. Others suffer from PSTD which affects their social skills and also predisposes them to suicidal tendencies and crime. Due to the non-gregarious nature of the Western society, most veterans find it difficult to shake off the horrors of the war; few persons are available for socialization. Moreover, the lack of understanding among civilian population regarding the psychological conditions of former soldiers further exposes them to isolation. On overall, OBrien emphasizes that no matter much the veterans integrate into the civilian culture, the scars of the war may never be erased. Brown, WilliamB. From War Zones to Jail: Veteran Reintegration Problems. Policy Justice Journal, vol.8, no.1,2011, pp.1-48. Demers, Anne. When Veterans Return: The Role of Community in Reintegration. Journal of Loss and Trauma, vol.16, no.2,2011, pp.160-179. Dickerson, Kelly. Soldiers returning home are faced with a heartbreaking problem most people dont understand. Business Insider, 15Nov.2015. OBrien, Tim. The Things They Carried: A Work of Fiction. Broadway Books,1998. Smith, R.T., and G. True. Warring Identities: Identity Conflict and the Mental Distress of American Veterans of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Society and Mental Health, vol.4, no.2,2014, pp.147-161.

History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition On May 14, 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left from St. Louis, Missouri with the Corps of Discovery and headed west in an effort to explore and document the new lands bought by the Louisiana Purchase. With only one death, the group reached the Pacific Ocean at Portland and then returned back to St. Louis on September 23, 1806. The Louisiana Purchase In April 1803, the United States, under President Thomas Jefferson, purchased 828,000 square miles (2,144,510 square km) of land from France. This land acquisition is commonly known as the Louisiana Purchase. The lands included in the Louisiana Purchase were those west of the Mississippi River but they were largely unexplored and therefore completely unknown to both the U.S. and France at the time. Because of this, shortly after the purchase of the land President Jefferson requested that Congress approve $2,500 for an exploratory expedition west. Goals of the Expedition Once Congress approved the funds for the expedition, President Jefferson chose Captain Meriwether Lewis as its leader. Lewis was chosen mainly because he already had some knowledge of the west and was an experienced Army officer. After making further arrangements for the expedition, Lewis decided he wanted a co-captain and selected another Army officer, William Clark. The goals of this expedition, as outlined by President Jefferson, were to study the Native American tribes living in the area as well as the plants, animals, geology, and terrain of the region. The expedition was also to be a diplomatic one and aid in transferring power over the lands and the people living on them from the French and Spanish to the United States. In addition, President Jefferson wanted the expedition to find a direct waterway to the West Coast and the Pacific Ocean so westward expansion and commerce would be easier to achieve in the coming years. The Expedition Begins Lewis and Clarks expedition officially began on May 14, 1804, when they and the 33 other men making up the Corps of Discovery departed from their camp near St. Louis, Missouri. The first portion of the expedition followed the route of the Missouri River during which, they passed through places such as present-day Kansas City, Missouri, and Omaha, Nebraska. On August 20, 1804, the Corps experienced its first and only casualty when Sergeant Charles Floyd died of appendicitis. He was the first U.S. soldier to die west of the Mississippi River. Shortly after Floyds death, the Corps reached the edge of the Great Plains and saw the areas many different species, most of which were new to them. They also met their first Sioux tribe, the Yankton Sioux, in a peaceful encounter. The Corps next meeting with the Sioux, however, was not as peaceful. In September 1804, the Corps met the Teton Sioux further west and during that encounter, one of the chiefs demanded that the Corps give them a boat before being allowed to pass. When the Corps refused, the Tetons threatened violence and the Corps prepared to fight. Before serious hostilities began though, both sides retreated. The First Report The Corps expedition then successfully continued upriver until winter when they stopped in the villages of the Mandan tribe in December 1804. While waiting out the winter, Lewis and Clark had the Corps built Fort Mandan near present-day Washburn, North Dakota, where they stayed until April 1805. During this time, Lewis and Clark wrote their first report to President Jefferson. In it, they chronicled 108 plant species and 68 mineral types. Upon leaving Fort Mandan, Lewis and Clark sent this report, along with some members of the expedition and a map of the U.S. drawn by Clark back to St. Louis. Dividing Afterward, the Corps continued along the route of the Missouri River until they reached a fork in late May 1805 and were forced to divide the expedition to find the true Missouri River. Eventually, they found it and in June the expedition came together and crossed the rivers headwaters. Shortly thereafter the Corps arrived at the Continental Divide and were forced to continue their journey on horseback at Lemhi Pass on the Montana-Idaho border on August 26, 1805. Reaching Portland Once over the divide, the Corps again continued their journey in canoes down the Rocky Mountains on the Clearwater River (in northern Idaho), the Snake River, and finally the Columbia River into what is present-day Portland, Oregon. The Corps then, at last, reached the Pacific Ocean in December 1805 and built Fort Clatsop on the south side of the Columbia River to wait out the winter. During their time at the fort, the men explored the area, hunted elk and other wildlife, met Native American tribes, and prepared for their journey home. Returning to St. Louis On March 23, 1806, Lewis and Clark and the rest of the Corps left Fort Clatsop and began their journey back to St. Louis. Once reaching the Continental Divide in July, the Corps separated for a brief time so Lewis could explore the Marias River, a tributary of the Missouri River. They then reunited at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers on August 11 and returned to St. Louis on September 23, 1806. Achievements of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Although Lewis and Clark did not find a direct waterway from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, their expedition brought a wealth of knowledge about the newly purchased lands in the west. For example, the expedition provided extensive facts on the Northwests natural resources. Lewis and Clark were able to document over 100 animal species and over 170 plants. They also brought back information on the size, minerals, and the geology of the area. In addition, the expedition established relations with the Native Americans in the region, one of President Jeffersons main goals. Aside from the confrontation with the Teton Sioux, these relations were largely peaceful and the Corps received extensive help from the various tribes they met regarding things like food and navigation. For geographical knowledge, the Lewis and Clark expedition provided widespread knowledge about the topography of the Pacific Northwest and produced more than 140 maps of the region. To read more about Lewis and Clark, visit the National Geographic site dedicated to their journey or read their report of the expedition, originally published in 1814.

Paper on Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paper on Speech - Essay Example I informed her the abstracts of these videos and shared to her the links so she can view them. She confirmed that the nationality of those people featured in the Chicken a la Carte film is Filipinos from the Philippines. As she herself is a Filipino, she confirmed that these incidents really happen in their country. There was even featured news commentary that previously broadcasted the situation in their national television. We both agreed that the situation was indeed very sad and heavy to reflect on. The issues presented on the Miniature Earth confirmed the inequality experienced by peoples around the globe in terms of economic wealth and human rights. However, the sorry state of global inequality has been known for decades but not one government has enacted laws and legislations to improve the welfare of mankind. Even international organizations fail to address critical concerns of social poverty, economic inequalities, human injustice, racisms, chronic and epidemic illnesses, and environmental destruction, among others. Even the most developed countries in the world contain issues of poverty, unequal distribution of economic wealth, and violations of human rights. Their governments remain to shift their priorities to military weapons and expenditures rather than focusing on developmental assistance promoting education, good health, food production, and prevention of diseases. Emily even shed tears when she saw the short film presentation. She agreed on the contentions presented and mentioned that more and more governments all over the world have shifted their agenda towards enriching their own selfish interests and turning their backs on the more pressing and obvious dilemmas on inequality and poverty that pervades human life. Further, she said that parents must train their children to be more appreciative of what they have. The little things that each and every family could do to assist in improving the plight of human welfare must be done to

World Religions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

World Religions - Essay Example No less important difference between the two Christian denominations is relevant to the question of salvation. Protestants often say that faith is the primary and fundamental way for the salvation of man. Faith is the path that opens the way to the grace of God. Unlike Protestants, Catholics are inclined to say that despite the fact that faith is essential for salvation, it cannot be seen as the only way to salvation. In this respect, faith is not enough. Catholics consider â€Å"justification as a process, dependent on the grace you receive by participating in the Church --- which is seen as a repository of saving grace† (Rosario). As noted above, the differences between Catholicism and Protestantism are also manifested in the ritual area. In particular, the ritual of the Eucharist has a different interpretation in the denominations. Catholics insist on the doctrine of transubstantiation. According to this doctrine, the edible ritual elements used during the Eucharist should be seen as the literal embodiment of the body and blood of Christ. In turn, Protestants use the doctrine of consubstantiation, that is, they believe that the body and blood of Christ coexist along with the bread and the wine (Rosario). In comparison with the Protestants, Catholics give special importance to various saints, including the Virgin Mary. â€Å"Roman Catholics see veneration, not as praying to the Saints and the Virgin Mary, but as praying through them† (Rosario). Unlike Catholics, Protestants emphasize the direct communication with God.