Commentary: The Gun Shop Incident

Based on THIS article… What’s the ethical problem?

1. In this article, an employee of a New Mexico gun shop accidentally shot and wounded a customer in the back. Thankfully, the 65 year old customer was rushed to the hospital just in time. Copper Country Sporting Arms still hasn’t made a comment on the incident yet.

2. Guns are dangerous. However, I understand at this age that guns can be used just as well for good as evil. The ethical problem is simple. Everyone agrees that guns are dangerous, yet this store sells guns. When the customer is injured he is rushed to the hospital, but then what? Copper Country has no comment on the incident? How about an apology for one and addressing the problem head on? That would be the ethical thing to do in my opinion. Copper Country needs to own up to their mistakes.

3. There must must must be some safety procedures in place to make sure incidents like this don’t happen. It is a gun store so safety needs to be a higher priority. When incidents do happen don’t deny it. Things happen for a reason and I think now is a good time for Copper Country to make some changes for the better. More emphasis on safety and the quality of guns. 

Commentary: Travel Limited

Based on THIS. Is there an ethical issue?

1. This Thanksgiving, many families are traveling to reunite with one another. However, the struggling economy has limited the amount of transportation available to people. Airlines especially have been struggling to save on jet fuel and other expenses. As a result, several airlines have decreased the number of flights, leading to a jump in airfare.

2. There is an ethical issue here. Everyone has the right to visit their relatives for the holiday, but in this case, the airlines are making the decision for us. Because the airlines are decreasing the number of flights, they are limiting the peoples choices and therefore hindering their autonomy. Everyone deserves a seat on the plane, but unfortunately it is still a problem.

3. I believe that although there is a moral issue here, no one is to blame. Businesses are driven by profit. The airlines did the right thing by lowering the number of flights in order to still serve customers. If the airlines continued serving people without the necessary resources, we would all end up disappointed. Some airlines would even go out of business. This problem is solved by compromising on both sides. People must be willing to be patient and airlines must continue to serve their customers as best they can.

Vampire Weekend – White Sky

This is a relatively new group that I’ve begun listening too. My friends turned me on to them and I love their sound! Vampire Weekend is classified as an American indie rock band. They formed their group in New York City in 2006 and signed to XL Recordings. The band released its first album Vampire Weekend in 2008, which produced the singles “Mansard Roof”, “A-Punk”, “Oxford Comma” and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”. The band’s most recent album, Contra, was released in 2010. White Sky is the first song to be written on Contra, dating back before their debut album was released. Enjoy.

An ancient business
A modern piece of glasswork
Down on the corner that
You walk each day in passing
The elderly sales clerk
Won’t eye us with suspicion
The whole, immortal corporation’s given it’s permission

The little stairway
A little bit of carpet
A pair of mirrors that
Are facing one another
Out in both directions
A thousand little Julias
That come together
In the middle of Manhattan

You waited since lunch
It all comes at once

Around the corner
The house that modern art built
I ask for modern art
To keep it out the closet
Of people who might own it
The sins of pride and envy
And on the second floor
The Richard Serra Skatepark

You waited since lunch
It all comes at once

Sit on the park wall
Ask all the right questions
Why are the horses
Racing taxis in the winter
Look up at the buildings
Imagine who might live there
Imagining your Wolfords
In a ball upon the sink there

You waited since lunch
It all comes at once

DJ Screw – June 27th

12 years ago to this day, a Houston legend passed away. DJ Screw created Chopped and Screwed music and revolutionized Houston hip-hop. This is art:

Robert Earl Davis Jr. (DJ Screw) was a Houston, Texas based DJ. His creation of Chopped and Screwed music led to his nickname “The Originator”. Davis was recognized for his various mix tapes and albums mostly on a regional level. It wasn’t till after his death that his music reached a wider audience.

 

Marijuana Legalized in Colorado and Washington

Colorado and Washington Legalized Marijuana Tuesday, What Happens Now?.

It’s been a historical couple of days for tokers all over this country. Not one, but two states have decided to legalize the plant known as marijuana. This is a glimpse of hope for the future. Marijuana could be a vital part of our economy, but it’s up to us to take advantage of it.

CAP Speed Networking

The idea of this event is to practice pitching  yourself to potential employers in under a minute. Not an easy task by any means. How would you describe your career goals to a complete stranger? First of all, the person you are talking to should not be a stranger. You should at least research who you’re interviewing with to be better prepared. If you don’t know the person you want to pitch yourself to, as was the case in this event, politely introduce yourself and make that connection with the person.

At the Career Action Program Conference the students learned the importance of Elevator Speeches and how they allow us to make the right impression. An elevator speech is a short (30-60 second) sound bite that succinctly and memorably introduces yourself. It spotlights your uniqueness and focuses on the benefits you provide. A successful elevator speech should be delivered effortlessly. There are 5 components to a successful elevator speech:

1. Introduce yourself. Hello, my name is _________.
2. What you are passionate about. Involvement in job or organizations.
3. Why you’re the best at what you do. Differentiate yourself with experience.
4. What you are trying to achieve. Job, internship, networking.

I’d say that the event went very well. Business professionals from several companies including UTSA were in attendance. Each student was given the opportunity to meet with these representatives and pitch themselves. All of the students seemed as though they had practiced, it was a little intimidating at first. Some of the advice we were given was to just know yourself and what you want to say. After delivering my elevator speech a handful of times, my speech noticeably became more comfortable and confident. After all I am a full-time student and a member of several organizations, so I should have a lot to talk about. By the end of the event, my final elevator speech sounded something like this:

Hello, my name is Taylor Henderson. I am a Junior at the University of Texas at San Antonio, specializing in marketing. Along with a full class schedule, I’ve joined several professional business organizations at UTSA, two of which I hold leadership positions.  Being an active member in these organizations has certainly allowed me to work with a wide range of individuals, as well as manage time between several responsibilities. I am currently seeking an internship or entry level position with your company, I’d like to discuss potential opportunities with you at your convenience. How might an ambitious worker like myself benefit from working with your company?

Commentary: Planned Parenthood

Based on THIS article. Is there an ethical issue?

1. Initially, when Planned Parenthood approached John Abbate to lease out space in one of his commercial office buildings, a deal was worked out. But Abbate, a Catholic and pro-life supporter, soon had a change of heart.

2. The ethical issue here is that this business is being denied office space because of the personal beliefs of the real estate owner and his family. Abbate is also the owner of 23 restaurants. He obviously doesn’t need the money, but instead of helping out a business he chooses to make a political statement. There is nothing ethical about that.

3. I believe that Abbate should put his beliefs and political statements aside and let Planned Parenthood lease the space in his building. Planned Parenthood is the largest U.S. provider of reproductive health services and they need a location to do business. Their operation consists of cancer screenings, HIV screenings and counseling, contraception, and abortion. In reality, abortions are only a small portion of Planned Parenthood’s budget.  It’s not an easy job, but someone has to do it. 

Commentary: Campaign Ethics

1. This last Thursday, the Romney Campaign released a video which used the failure of a local barbecue chain as a metaphor for the economic struggles of small businesses in the United States during the Obama administration. In the video, company owner and Republican activist, Rhoda Elliot blames President Barack Obama for failing to deliver the change he promised in 2008, which inevitably lead to his company’s downfall.
2.  This video presents a serious ethical issue. Instead of keeping the campaign video professional and supported with facts, Romney approves a video negatively campaigning Barack Obama. This is especially disturbing due to the fact that real evidence suggests that the company was in trouble before the president took office. It seems as though some candidates intend to win by any means necessary, even if those means are unethical.
3. As Election Day draws nearer, candidates seem to be showing their true colors. Actions speak louder than words and the actions of Romney and his staff really show me the character behind the candidate. Not once did Obama approve a mudslinging attack on Romney, he doesn’t need to. I believe the President is counting on his integrity shining through and come Election Day, he will be given another four years.

AMC – The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is everything one could ask for in a zombie show. Currently in it’s 3rd season, The Walking Dead continues to be the most watched drama in basic cable history. In this post-apocalyptic world, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his band of survivors must not only fight the dead, but also face a whole new fear: the living.

In the highly anticipated new season, Rick and his fellow survivors continue to seek refuge. Soon they discover that there are greater forces to fear than just the walking dead: prison inmates, a pregnant companion and separation from the group. With no character safe, the struggle to survive has never been so perilous.

I highly recommend this show to all of my friends. AMC has done it literally done it again. After success with Mad Men and Breaking Bad, AMC pulls off another must see show. The Walking Dead is fast pace and always keeps you on your toes. One of my good friends personally vouched for this show and I had to give it a chance. Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

If you want to truly build a relationship with the characters, I suggest starting with the first season. It doesn’t take long to get into the action, I promise. Also, you can’t really appreciate what all these characters have been through until you’ve seen it yourself. This show is on Netflix and Hulu. No excuses! This is a suspensful thriller for adults. Be an adult.

Invisalign: Month 2

I am currently on my second set of braces out of the five in total. I must say that the pain after moving to the second set of braces was excruciating! For the first couple hours It was hard to think about anything else besides the pain inside my mouth. When my friends asked me what was wrong, I just told them that my teeth were going to look fantastic by the end of it. That’s just me though. I try to be optimistic as possible.

As far as my second pair goes, I was relieved how easy it was to take it out of my mouth. Unfortunately, when I have taken the braces off to eat, my teeth are VERY sensitive and it’s difficult to chew anything. It took me half an hour to eat an apple this morning. I should have known better than to eat an apple. It was honestly like torture, but I was hungry! Now that I am already familiar with the braces and the routine that goes with them, it is much easier to handle Invisalign. I hope my third pair of braces is less painful.