Sunday, April 27, 2008

Course Reflection

Wow, I can not believe this semester is already over, it went by way too fast because now I have to graduate. I do not think I am quite ready to leave Clemson yet, but it is time for me to start the next chapter of my life. Business writing has been a very useful class for any undergraduate. Their is a lot of information that one can learn and use for the rest of their life. It is important to be able to know how to write memos, coverletters, thankyou letters etc. and business writing covers all of these topics. It is important to stay on top of your assignments to do well in the class, nothing is very hard or difficult to do, but it is important not to let the assignments pile up on top of each other. You can get as much or as little information as you want out of the class, and I highly recommend that you try to get as much as possible out of the all the assignments in the class because they will help you in the future.

Good Luck!!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Ethics Research

I am working with Lindsey for our ethics research project. Lindsey and I were going to do something regarding the government or something until we watched the movie Erin Brokovich this weekend. After watching that movie, we knew exactly what we wanted to do for our ethics presentation. The entire movie was an amazing example of an ethical lapse in history. Pacific Gas and Electric discovered they had hexavalent chromium in their holding pounds outside several plants in California. The hexavalant chromium was leaking into the ground water and PGE found out, but instead of informing the public and taking corrective measures, they hid the problem and swept it under the covers. Thousands of people that lived near the plants got sick (cancer, tumors, heart disease, miscarriages etc) and it wasn't until Erin Brokovich, an employee of a law firm began to research the problem, that the ethical lapse was uncovered.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Ethics in the Work Place

Ethics in the work place has and continues to be an important issue. No matter how big or small a company may be, employees are always faced with an ethical situation at some time or another. I think the article had a number of good facts and information for all business owners and employees. It is important for employers to read articles like this one in order to understand the types of problems workers face everyday. Ethical decisions are always difficult for people to make, so whatever an employer can do to help curb activities that may result in difficult ethical dilemas etc.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Virtual Writing

Go figure, virtual writing, something I am doing right this very instant. I have never really given it much thought until I read chapter 15, but a lot of the points the book makes are very true. When writing on the web, your audience could be anyone, the weird old lady next door, the ex-football player that leaves across town, or Osama Bin Laden hiding in his cave in hell. Anything that you write and publish on the web is free game for anyone with access to the internet. Of course, published writing on paper could be viewed by anyone, but it is a lot more difficult to reach the potential audience by paper than the audience that can view it on the web.
When writing on the web or on paper, you usually have a point you are trying to get across and it requires some thought and work. But when writing on the web, the main difference I can find is the potential audience. When trying to get an important point across, it is very easy to communicate on the web and highlight the message. You can add pictures, send it via email etc, your audience is endless. The important thing one should remember when transferring something that is hand written onto the web is not all handwritten pieces will transfer onto a website exactly the same (parameters etc) and your audience is much bigger. Handwritten material has a much more limited audience than material published on the web.
A great example of the potential audience web published material can reach is sites like facebook and myspace. My dad has someone check all potential employees on facebook and myspace before he will allow them to be hired. He turns down countless applicants based on information he finds on their web profiles.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I survived the Savannah Blackout 08'

So, I went to Savannah for spring break this year with a bunch of friends, I needed to unwind before going home after a rough few weeks. I needed some time to think and ponder my life away from the pressures of home and Savannah was the perfect place to do it. During the day, we would spend our time on Tybee Island lounging by the pool or on the beach and at night we would hang out and celebrate St. Patrick's Day on River Street in downtown Savannah. On Saturday night around 11:30pm, we had already been enjoying ourselves for a number of hours when my brother called to warn me that we had a tornado near our house in Charleston and that the weather was heading our way. At that point, I wasn't too concerned about much. Then the wind started to pick up and the next thing I knew, all the power in the entire city went out. It was mass chaos. Everyone was screaming and yelling, people started looting and breaking into cars, cops were running all around us and in the middle of all the mayhem, someone swiped my friend Kaity's wallet, with her car key in it to our ride back to the hotel. So after about an hour of trying to find our way through the chaos, we finally found the car in the parking garage we left it in. We called triple A and they told us it was too dangerous for them to come into the city and we would have to wait until the morning to get the spare key. So we figured we would wait in the parking garage because we were somewhat sheltered from the mayhem until our other friends could get back from the condo and get us. After about 45 mins, the parking garage kicked us out and told us we could not stay there. So we started to head for a safe location while people were breaking into cars and stuff when our friends called and said the city was blockaded and we would have to walk to meet them at the blockade, which was only about a mile away, but the city was pitch black and it started to rain. Finally we decided to go for it when a guy came running at us and told us to run bc everyone walking up ahead was getting robbed, so we turned the other way and ran. Then we found a large group of people and followed closely to them and finally made it to our friends at the blockade and safely back to our condo. It was the most sketchy situation of my life and I lived in NY for eight years.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Resume: Should I Lie?

After reading the article on lying on your resume, it really got me thinking. How often do people actually lie on thier resumes? Is thier a common thing? Are nurses and doctors and teachers lying on thier resumes and not getting caught? That is scary. I would never have even of thought about lying on my resume, and I cannot fathom the fact that someone would lie about something so important.
I also felt that the article was a bit biased by trying to make us feel sorry for Mary. Yes she was a wonderful worker and all, but someone who would lie about something as big as a masters degree deserves to be fired. Thier is a simple way for that not to happen to you, dont lie on your resume and dont lie to potential employers.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Presentations

After viewing all of the class presentations, their are a number that really stood out to me. My favorite was Lindsey's presentation on poultry showmanship. Of course I am biased due to my love of poultry and involvment in poultry showmanship, but I thought her presentation was very informative and unique compared to a number of other presentations I saw. I think the class really enjoyed seeing the chicken and actually learning that their was such a thing as poultry showmanship. Majority of people I know and meet do not believe me when I tell them I taught a class on poultry showmanship at Clemson for two semesters, they just find it so hard to believe that one could and would want to show a chicken.
The second presentation that I really enjoyed was Etta's presentation on slang terms. I thought his presentation was very unique and humorous. I have his handout on my refrigerator and my friends and I are using those terms everyday now. My favorite is nooo zeke, I love it!
The third presentation I really enjoyed was Seth's presentation on how to make a creme puff. They were really good and I thought it was great that he made some for the class to try. It was a great way to get the class involved in the presentation, very interactive and creative.
I thought everybody did a great job on thier presentations! They were all original and allowed us to get to know our classmates better.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Mock Interview

This week I had my mock interview for class. I had Ms. Rogers interview me as if I was interviewing for a position in a veterinary school. I had an advantage though because I have already attented a veterinary school interview at Tuskegee Unversity, a private school in northern Alambama. I should find out if I got in by March 15th. The mock interview is a good thing to do though because the more one practices for an interview, the more comfortable they will become for future interviews. It helps a person become more confident about themselves.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Harley, a brittany spaniel has been with our family since he was a puppy ten years ago. We got him from a breeder in Harleyville, SC, which is how we imaginative people named him Harley. He quickly became part of the family and developed a special bond with all of us. He got the paper for my dad every morning and was his special fishing partner, he protected my brother and I from the boogeyman on our side of the house and was a constant companion of ours while we explored the marshes, swam in the river and got into general mischief. He was the perfect puppy, he never chewed on furniture and never had an accident in the house, ever. Once, a contractor that had done some work in our house came back and broke in through one of the back doors while my mom was upstairs sleeping. Harley attacked and bit the man until he ran off and was caught by a security guard leaving the neighborhood. Harley traveled with us back and forth to Florida and New York and was only separated from us when we were on vacation, but mom always hired someone to stay at the house with him so he would not have to go to the kennel. Harley was a member of the family. Recently, he took an extra role taking care of my mom while she was dealing with a number of health issues. She had to stay home a lot, and Harley was always by her side, taking care of her while no one else was there.
Before I came back to school from Christmas break, I noticed Harley's breathing was suddenly labored. I took him to the clinic where I work and Dr. Senf and I did an ultra-sound while my Mom watched. I noticed immediately that Harley was extremely ill, Dr. Senf looked at me and then looked at my mom who just started to cry. Harley had cancer in his lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, and thyroid, it was just going to be a matter of time. We took him home with plently of pain killers and antibiotics. Mom had a photographer come and take pictures of my brother, Harley and I before I left for school and I said my goodbyes. I was told Harley was doing well, eating and spending his days with Mom at the house when she was in town and with dad at the office while she was gone.
I decided to go home this past weekend to see everyone, especially Harley. When I got home, Harley was not their to greet me as a I pulled into the garage. I walked into the house and found him sound asleep on his favorite couch in the den. His breathing was awful, and he could barely get up. He was not the same dog I left just 6 weeks earlier. I convinced my family to come with me to the clinic on Saturday morning so we could do a quality of life assesment with Dr. Senf. We quickly realized, it was time to let Harley go. Dr. Senf said he would come to the house on his way home so Harley could go peacefully at home. We took Harley home and mom cooked him some left over filet, and gave him american cheese and salami, his absolute favorite. We then all sat out on the porch with Harley and watched the squirrels climb in the trees, his second favorite pastime after fishing. At 130pm, Dr. Senf arrived with a technician and we said our final goodbyes. Harley passed away on my parents laps while he laid on his favorite couch. We all stayed strong until he was gone and then the tears came flowing. Harley was not coming back. This morning, Dad had to go to the end of the driveway and collect the morning papers himself, Mom could not sleep without Harley's snoring from the chair next to the bed, and my brother had to sleep with Harley's favorite duck. Later this afternoon, before I came back to Clemson, my parents friends came over with a squirrel satute. It was the perfect memorial for Harley. He loved hunting squirrels but could never catch one. So when his ashes return to us, we are going to place them right next to the squirrel so he can finally catch one.


On the lighter side of things, my Dad's 5oth birthday is in two weeks, and next Thursday, my Mom is flying four of his best friends from college to Charleston to spend a long weekend with him. I am going to drive to town and pick them up on my way back to the house and we are all going to walk in the back door and surprise him.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Cover Letters

The article on cover letters was filled with information that I would have thought was pretty much common sense for most people. It described a cover letter as everything I would have though a cover letter would be. A lot of the points that the article discusses are very valid and should be followed whenever writing a cover letter for a resume.
Researching a company is very good advice. By researching a company not only are you becoming more aware of the type of business you are getting involved in but you are also showing your potential employer you can take initiative and care about what you are getting involved in.
I also agree with the writer's opinion that a cover letter should be written to help you stand out amongst possibly hundreds of other resumes a potential employer may be viewing for a job. It is important that a cover letter is written as professional as possible, it is the opening to your resume, a preview of the type of person you are.
I think this article was filled with very useful information that should be followed by anyone writing a cover letter.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Interview Articles

Since I am graduating in May, I have begun to interview with a number of veterinary schools and potential employers. It is important to be well prepared both mentally and physically for all interviews. The articles from the website we viewed this week for our blog all have great tips on preparing yourself for the interview process.
The first article I read was titled "How to deal with interview stress," written by Caroline Levchuck. The article contained a number of great tips on preparing yourself for an interview so you are not so nervous or worried. It is important to appear calm and collected as well as confident while on an interview. The only way to do this is to not be stressed or nervous before and during an interview. The interviewer will pick up on your stress and nervousness. It is important to show up early so you have time to collect your thoughts and relax. The more time you allow yourself to relax, the less nervous and stressed you will be. Before my interview at Tuskegee Veterinary school last week, I was very nervous. I had to collect my thoughts and relax before I want in and assure myself that everything would be fine. I remembered how I felt this past summer when I was interviewing potential employees at the veterinary clinic that I was manager at. I could tell how nervous some people were so I wanted to make sure that my interviewer at Tuskegee would not see my nervousness.
The second article I read was "Four Questions to ask a Potential Manager," which was also written by Caroline Levchuck. This was also a very good article to read before an interview. When I was interviewing potential employees at the veterinary clinic, I always thought more of a person when they asked me questions. It showed me they were serious about the job and had actually put some thought into the job and what duties it would entail. At the end of my veterinary interview last week, the last question they asked me was if I had any questions. Luckily I had thought of a few questions to ask so they could tell how serious I was not only about veterinary school in general, but in Tuskegee's veterinary program specifically.
Both articles were very informative and well written and they provided good advice to anyone interviewing for a position some where, no matter how old they are and how many interviews they have done previously.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Persuasive Article

http://www.dui.com/dui-library/SimpleBlogCatSearch?category=Victims

I chose to do an article on drunk driving because it is an issue I feel very strongly and personal about.

The article "Grassroots activist turns personal tragedy in National Movement," By Rosanne Skirble in 2006 is a great example of a persuasive article. The article is filled with a number of examples of ethos, logos, and pathos. Like Martin Luther King's article we discussed in class, this article uses a personal story and event to appeal to the reader and get a serious point across to the audience.
Martin Luther King uses a number of personal examples and facts to get his point across. He does a great job captivating the reader and drawing them into the article so they can understand what he and others like him are going through. The article I chose on the founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, does the same thing. The article starts off by introducing the reader to Ms. Candace Lightner and her grief and personal tragedy. The article immediately draws the reader into the article much like Martin Luther King does in his article. Both articles allow the reader to feel the same pain and grief that the writer is going through and draws many of the same emotions (anger, dissapointment, outrage, sadness etc. ).
In the MADD article the writers use of logos, ethos, and pathos allows for the reader to not only better understand the article, but feel a personal connection to the article and Ms. Lightner's plight.
A good example of pathos from the article is in the first paragraph. "My daughter Carrie was 13 and she was killed by a multiple repeat offender, (a) hit and run drunk driver. And that started the whole movement. I was so angry." This line definitely appeals to the audience's emotion. Almost everyone has experienced some kind of loss in their life, whether it was a friend, family member, or beloved pet.
The writer also uses a number of examples of logos in the article to appeal to the audience's logic. "In 1980, the year Carrie was killed by a drunk driver, 27,000 people died in alcohol-related crashes. " This statement alone is enough logic for the audience to understand the drastic effect drinking and driving has on people.
"Our strategy basically was to deal with the issue on the local, state and national level," she says. "On the local level we would ask city councils to implement task forces in order to deal with the problem on the local level. At the state level we would look at legislation and we would look at state-governor-appointed task forces to deal with it at the state level. And at the national level, of course, we looked at it in terms of the Presidential task force." This excerpt from the article is another example of logos, but I also believe it is an example of ethos as well. The statement definitely appeals to the logic of the reader, but also shows the appeal of Ms. Lightner and what she would like to see happen in the future regarding drunk driving in our country.
I feel that this article is a great example of persuasive writing and in many ways, is very similar to Martin Luther King's letter.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

The Future.......

Ten years from now seems like forever away. I will be 32 years old, since I plan on turning 22 over and over again, I guess ten years will take awhile to get here. But honestly, ten years will happen before I know it. These past four years of college have just flown by, I remember waving goodbye to my parents freshmen year and now Im already planning graduation.
Ten years from now I will have my DVM and hopefully will be working for the government in Homeland security as a veterinarian, the Centers for Disease Control, or for a private pharmaceutical company as a veterinarian. Ideally I would like to continue living in Charleston, but if I am working for the government, I will most likely be living in Atlanta, or Maryland somewhere. I would also like to stay involved with my share of my dad's company as a silent partner. I would like to see my Dad sell some of the business or close some of his offices so he can enjoy life a little more, but he loves the corporate world so much I doubt that would happen in ten years. I would like to also be active in the realestate market as a realestate investor. I would like to own a number of houses and apartment buildings and have a property manager that deals with all of the tenants.
Ten years from now, I also plan on being married and starting a family. I would like to have four kids and have an established household. I would like for my kids to grow up close to where I did so if it means i have to travel back and forth every week from work to home, I think I would be willing to do so. Charleston was such a wonderful place to live and grow up, it has so much to offer to a young child, I think it made me the person I am today. I would like for my children to have the same opportunity that I did. Ideally, I would like to purchase the property that I grew up on from my parents and raise my children in the same house.
Ten years does seem like forever away, but I know it will be here before I am ready. It would be nice to accomplish all of my goals by then or at least be on the path to accomplishing those goals. I hope everyone in my family will be happy and keep their good health. Only time will tell.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

WEB 2.0: A NEW AGE FOR THE INTERNET

Web 2.0 was an interesting viewpoint on the internet in society today. The internet is constantly changing, and not always for the better. Improvements in technology (new versions of word processing, internet etc) are constantly be released and are made to make our lives easier and more convient. At work and school, assignments and research are just a click away, a quick visit to google.com or ask.com can return any type of research one is looking for. But is this always a good thing? Increasing improvements in the internet etc. are making places like the library obsolete and communication between officers workers etc a thing of the past. Why get up and go to the library when in 25 seconds all the information you need can be found on google? Why should you get up and walk to the other side of the room to ask a co-worker a question when you can simply text or instant message them? The title Web 2.0 is perfect for this video because the video is discussing how the internet and computer technology is changing and is no where near what it was even five years ago. With the growing popularity of websites like facebook and myspace, employers now have the ability to check on potential and current employees behavior outside of the workforce. My dad does this before he hires any employees because of security reasons. In his business, he needs to be able to trust all of his employees and if he sees them on facebook in risky ventures or anything that may compromise the security of his company and other employees, he will think twice before hiring them. Web 2.0 is an interesting video on the changing ways of technology and the internet today.

Friday, January 11, 2008

English 304 Section 006 first entry

My name is Steven Epstein and I am a senior in the Animal and Veterinary Sciences department at Clemson University. I am graduating in May and hope to go on to veterinary school in the fall. I am originally from New York but have lived in Charleston, SC for 14 years now. I have a younger brother and enjoy anything outdoors especially anything to do with the water. I enjoy boating, fishing, tubing, kayaking and swimming.