After a year and a half of looking for the right career for myself I’ve decided to finally put some of my tips and hints about job searching into an article.

1.Build a good resume

The most important part of the entire job searching process is having a solid resume. Work on having a good structure to it and keep it tidy. Also think of a good career objective that summarises what you want out of the position you’re applying for. Don’t be afraid to list all your great activities which don’t necessarily have anything to do with your career of choice, such as volunteer work and community based activities. Plus let your family and friends look over your resume to see if they think you’ve missed anything. Sometimes it takes someone on the outside to see the best qualities in yourself and those qualities are what employers are looking for.

2. Be Persistent to the point of obnoxiousness

Hand in your resumes everywhere! Face to face contact is an excellent way to let the management see that you’re eager. When handing in your resumes to places be presentable. You wouldn’t want someone coming into your workplace looking like they just climbed out of a horror movie would you?

If you’re faxing your resume or even emailing it, you should call to make sure it was received on the other end. This is another good way to let the employer know that you’re a real person and serious about the position.

3. Cover letters make you fancy

Before I started going to job agencies I had no idea what a cover letter was. I quickly learned that they are the piece de la resistance of your application to a potential employer. A cover letter is pretty much just a summary of what you have in your resume already but it gives you a good chance to boast about how great you are. Talk about all the skills you’ve learnt and how they would work great in the position you’re applying for. A cover letter is usually optional, however, if the employer has asked you supply one make sure you do.

4. Don’t be scared if you’ve never worked before

If you’re looking for your first job try not to feel too intimidated by people with more experience than you. Employers usually think of you as a clean slate so they can train you to their standards. Plus they don’t have to worry about any nasty history with any of your other jobs.

5.  Try not to turn down offers

If you’re given the opportunity to work somewhere you don’t really think is right for you there is no harm giving it a try. Most places have a probation period of 3-5 months that allows employers to assess its employees. This gives you plenty of time to decide if the job is right for you. Don’t forget everyone has some issues with their jobs so unless there are some serious dodgy things going on try to look on the bright side of things.

Good luck!

School has started again, but we all know chillax time is just as important! Grind has composed a list of activities and ideas that may keep you occupied and entertained when it’s time for a break from school.

1. Riding buses to nowhere

This idea came up as we sat around doing nothing in particular. Round up a few mates, hit the buses and cruise. As students get to travel for free, provided they have student cards, a group can travel all around Darwin for free. Buses also provide luxuries such as air conditioning and, since they move, the scenery is always changing. Another advantage of riding buses is that you will get to know Darwin and its bus routes.

2. Learn something new

Not exactly an original idea, but learning to do something new, whether it be a musical instrument, a new trick on a bike, or learning to draw can be very rewarding. Some suggestions of things to learn are: Morse code, juggling, as many digits of pi as possible, and trick card shuffling. See which ones you can come up with, try them out and leave us a comment saying how you went. You’l kill some time and learn something new while you are at it.

3. Write a short story

If you are anyway interested by reading fiction, then writing a short story can be interesting. You can write a short story about a character from a book or TV show you have watched or read, or you can make up a character. Even the character creation process can be interesting, as you can give your imaginary character any trait you want, any flaw, any strength and any name. And what is great about writing your own story is that anything can happen; from your character attempts to buy a trombone in Humpty Doo to Darth Vader attempting to destroy the human race from another galaxy, its up to you. And at the same time, you practise things such as spelling (very important) and grammar, as well as putting ideas into words.

4. Cooking

If you have a well stocked pantry or fridge that is full of ingredients, then cooking can be very rewarding and keep you occupied until you have finished. If you have never cooked before, you might want to try something simple like cupcakes, and then progress from there. Cooking can win you points with your parents and friends. Also, cooking is a valued skill by the opposite sex, so keep at it.

5. Get arty farty

Whether you are into art or not, it does not matter. Just do something which involves art, whether its finger or toe painting, drawing, arranging displays or leaving encouraging messages to passers by on the footpath in chalk. It does not matter if can or cannot draw, paint, write legibly or be creative. You can also attempt to teach yourself any of these.

Note: finger and toe painting is extremely fun, but remember only to get the paint on the thing you are painting, you do not need to redecorate the floors of the house while toe painting.

6. Make something

Home made items can be a lot of fun to make, whether you decide to make a sculpture out of the pebbles in your garden or make a castle out of a cardboard box. Or, you can make small gifts out of items laying around your house. You can make jewellery out of erasers, or robots out of you old VCR, or even a chain out of paperclips. If you are interested check out:

http://dollarstorecrafts.com/

7. Make a mini movie

If you have a video camera or a digital camera that can record videos, you can make and direct a mini video. With simple items, a few friends and a bit of improvisation you can make just about any type of mini movie from a three minute action thriller involving fights with a giant cardboard box monster to a ten minute sci fi featuring an alien with a liking to a laundry basket.

8. Make someone’s day

There are a few ways to go about brightening up another person’s day. You could write a thank you letter to someone who helped you, it is always nice to be appreciated. Or, you could write to a distant friend who may be drifting out of touch; its always good to hear from different friends. Another good idea is to write a list of things you like about someone then give it to them. If you find a display of appreciation embarrassing you could find a way to give it anonymously. If there is someone new in your street or at school/work, you could welcome them and introduce yourself and things of importance, such as your friends.

If you are interested check out http://www.operationnice.com/

9. Plan world domination

Plan out how to take over with a friend. You could try any approach, from taking over the world’s security services to contacting aliens and using them to take over the world. You could write up plans, and draw arrows on a world map and label it master plan as well as include photos and plans for strategic targets. This can keep you occupied for quite sometime.

10. Write a Grind article

Whether you are a part of Grind or not, you can write a Grind article. You can write it about anything from school subjects to genetic engineering. Anything that is relevant to you is probably of interest to others, and you could write an article about it. If you have an article already written, or even just need ideas, or maybe just interested, just email: grind@grindonline.com.au

Why should I be vegetarian? What are the benefits?

Now, I’m not going to quote statistics, because the studies on vegetarian living are numerous, so if you want details, hit the net. What I will tell you is that these studies have shown that overall, vegetarians have lower rates of death from heart disease, they have lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower rates of hypertension and are less likely to develop diabetes and cancer. They are also less likely to be obese. It has also been shown that vegetarians eating a balanced vegetarian diet have stronger immune systems and they live, on average, six to ten years longer than their meat-eating counterparts. I could go on, but you might get bored, so I’m just going to answer your next question.

I think I want to be a vegetarian…

Good for you. People need change sometimes. It’s what characterises us as an adaptable species. If you’re sick of the steak and salad life, and you want to try something new, vegetarianism might be for you. But be warned, it’s not as easy as cutting the meat out of your diet; you must also replace it. Speaking from personal experience, if all you do is stop eating meat, you will notice; I mean big time. Symptoms for me included frequently passing out, fatigue, explosive blood noses, constant sugar cravings… I think that is everything, no wait, I also had the flu, 10 times in six months. Not exactly a walk in the park, but that’s because I was stubborn, and I didn’t think. But, you can think, and you can plan, so here’s some tips for moving into a vegetarian lifestyle:

• Read, read, read… I mean books, cookbooks, web pages, blogs, whatever you need to be in the know about vegetarianism.
• Decide where you stand. Not everyone is a total vegetarian. There are fancy names for the different types, lacto-ovo etc. Personally, I call myself a vege-quarian, because I still eat fish as well as eggs.
• Go slow. Start by swapping one meal a week from meat to vegetarian. Then two, then three. If you think that you don’t want to go all the way, then don’t. Even on a half-vegetarian diet you will see the health effects.
• Tofu is your friend. So are nuts and lentils. If you do not like them, you will probably have some problems.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Make sure people know you’re vegetarian. That way, in a social situation, you will be considered. Don’t sit by the sidelines, you’ll just be left hungry.

In the end, what you eat is entirely up to you. What I hope to provide in this article is a little look into the sometimes misunderstood world of vegetarians. We’re not all meat hating individuals, hell bent on converting you. We are just making a choice.

Further reading…

http://www.goveg.com/healthconcerns.asp

http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Smi-Z/Vegetarianism.html

http://www.annecollins.com/vegetarian-diet-health-benefits.htm

Why it’s the best and worst thing you will ever let into your life.

You’ve heard about it, you’ve seen it on your mate’s computer. A little button at the top of their screen that simply says ‘Stumble!’. The StumbleUpon toolbar is a mysterious and powerful tool, whose mystery is only exceeded by its power.

Be aware, for you have been warned. If you have the StumbleUpon toolbar on your computer, two things are likely to happen. One, you will discover total radical and awesome sites that will blow you away. Two, you will never sleep again. I’m telling you, it’s addictive.

“Just one more Stumble,” you say to yourself over and over and over, as the clock hands drift. Then you look and it’s three in the morning, and you haven’t moved in six or seven hours. “Oh no! I’ve got school/work tomorrow!” you think, “I’ll just have one more…”

So it goes, on and on. Yet, I have no regrets about Stumble. Since I signed up for a (free) account, I have seen areas of the internet that I would never have found. I have learned random and useless facts. I have seen amazing photos of events I would never have known about. The concept is so easy! All you do is go to www.stumbleupon.com, and sign up for an account. You tick a heap of boxes so Stumble (in all its mystery and power) knows which sites to drop you at, and then you put your like it, or  you don’t. After that it’s even easier. You can write a review of the site, you can friend and connect to people who like the same stuff you do, or you can sit for hours in front of your computer like a mindless drone… Or if you’re looking for a more positive spin, a sponge eager for information. So in a nutshell, Stumble is like channel surfing on the internet.

I know you want to know more, so go and check it out. And remember, Stumbling is less awkward on the internet.

For some, genetic engineering is a strong topic. Whether you are for or against it, it has clear advantages and disadvantages, and can instil strong feelings for both sides. For everyone else, there’s confusion, protests, spin and large corporations all muscling in to influence us.

Genetic Engineering is the modification of genetic material, no points for guessing that. DNA is a long double helix. The helix has rungs, each rung has a total of four different combinations. This code contains the information needed to build the body and run it. Genes are pieces of long strings of DNA, and genes are stored in chromosomes, essential pieces of tiny bundled strands of DNA. Each chromosome can contain up to over 1,000,000,000 pieces of DNA. That is a lot of information!

Humans have actually been using genetic engineering since civilisation began, and possibly before that. Selective breeding was (and still is) about selecting the crop or animal that you want to keep the characteristics of in the next generation of that crop or animal. For example, if you want larger chickens, by using selective breeding, you can breed only the largest chickens every time you need more animals. Eventually, the chickens will be a lot larger than what you started with.

There is evidence of selective breeding all through human history. It was the basis for the infamous Eugenics philosophy (more on that later), Nazism, most distinct animal breeds and nearly all modern crops. Corn originally had many small “crops”, similar to many grasses or bushes. But through selective breeding, American Indians cultivated the corn into what it is today, with sweet corn and it’s derivative wild crop, teosinte, compared, it is easy to see the massive difference.

Today, genetic engineering is about more than selecting the crops you think have tasted better or look better. A genetic scientist can look at that plant and ask themselves, what is it that makes that plant do what it does. Given enough time, the DNA responsible can be identified and replicated into new organisms. This has happened with corn, sugar beets, potatoes, mice, soy beans, rice, and the list goes on for some time. Corn was modified by adding Bacillus thuringiensis to make it pest resistance. Similar modifications were made to many crops, even more modified by making them resistant to pesticides and herbicides. The advantages are clear; resistant crops, and lower maintenance, and hopefully higher yield.

The disadvantages can also at times also be only too clear. Selective breeding and genetic engineering can produce some rather gruesome results. In Africa, whole crops were lost after genetically modified corn was found to be sterile. In England, some pedigree dogs were found to be so inbred that by the age of five, they were suffering from things such as arthritis and breathing problems. And these problems are not helped by lack of free concise information concerning the state of genetic engineering and ingredients used in foods.

Of course, these rather controversial issues pale in comparison to the hot potato that is human genetic engineering. In our civilisations fingertips, the ability to perfect ourselves is there. We have mapped our whole genome. The ability to prevent disease before it becomes a threat, to eliminate just about any form of disability, to predict almost exactly how someone will look, and to modify that. Scientists have opened the Pandora’s box that is genetic engineering. They have the power to modify the human to be and do just about anything physically possible, from building new body parts to replace damaged, to eliminating the aging process, to giving parents the options to choose how a child will look, move, act. But, just as genetic engineering has great and good potential, there are many who rightly hold concerns.

From religion to the poor, from philosophers to the organic movement, there are plenty of potential (and real) issues that revolve around human genetic engineering. For starters, where do we start to modify DNA? Can we start from modifying those with a disability so they can lead normal lives without being a hindrance to the community? How about those with a high risk of heart disease or cancer? Can we modify them too? Or if you are destined to have no coordination? Can we modify you too? And once we have decided where to draw the line, where do we get the genetic material? Would you be willing to provide your DNA for research? What about cells that we can only get from an unborn baby? How does the child feel about it?

If we could answer all those questions, we would be able to get some real advantages from genetic engineering. Already, we have plants producing insulin for diabetics, we have mice that can mimic every condition we want to study. And we have benefited enormously already from genetic engineering. But due to ethical, moral and religious issues, modifying human genetic material has been severely limited. There is no easy answer to any questions surrounding genetic engineering.

Politicians, the religious, scientists, farmers, business men and many others are all extremely concerned about genetic engineering. Some, like farmers, may gain if they with genetic engineering, stand to gain. But the risks involved may bankrupt them as well. Politicians seem to use it to attack each other and gain voters, the religious all seem unanimously opposed to human genetic engineering. There are strong vices in play.

I have to confess that I also feel strongly about genetic engineering. Attempted unbias towards genetic engineering stops here. While caution does have to be exercised, I say go for it. If we can spare the suffering of those with disabilities, then go for it. If we can cure dementia, cancer, osteoporosis, then we are better off curing them. Civilisation now has the power to shape human evolution, and I say we go for it. We have mapped the human genome, we know what does what, how it affects what and how to do many basic things that could save suffering and improve lives. It sounds to me like we should use it.

The main conclusions that can be drawn for genetic engineering is that it certainly is not an easy topic to deal with. Large corporations like Monsanto stand to gain big from genetic engineering, while those who want to stay GE free will lose. It seems that powerful figures will continue to debate genetic engineering for many years to come. We stand to gain and lose, depending on how we utilise genetic engineering and where we draw the line.

A few links for further investigation:

http://www.ogtr.gov.au/internet/ogtr/publishing.nsf/Content/home-1

http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/foodmatters/gmfoods/

Another serious issue is animal cruelty in general. Animal cruelty is a horrible act and animals have as much right as humans do to feel safe in the world. Some of the stories I’ve heard about animal cruelty make me sick to the stomach. One such story is of a young boy who tied a kitten up by its neck from a clothes line and beat it with a stick. This kind of behavior is disgraceful. As you can tell I feel very strongly about the treatment of animals and that’s why I think everyone should f nd out ways to help stop this crime. There is a myspace page for ATAAC, Aussie Teens Against Animal Cruelty, for those who would like to learn more about how they can help animals. Visit www.myspace.com/ataac and add them!

Another great web page to visit for those who also want to help the environment is www.greenpeace.com. For those who don’t know what or who Greenpeace is, they are an activist organisation set up to create awareness of what is happening to the environment. They are made up of people all over the world who perform various activities – some quite daring! for the good of the climate. You can join Greenpeace through their website, but of course you don’t have to perform daring stunts to help Greenpeace. You can simply join their email list and receive a monthly newsletter letting you know what’s happening and how you can help. I have signed a number of petitions and sent a few emails to help save endangered whales from commercial whaling. There are many ways in which you can help animals and the environment from the safety of your own computer!

The shoe was first produced in 1917, to capture the eyes of basketballers. They weren’t very popular until Chuck Taylor chose them as a preferred footwear. Coloured and patterned shoelaces became well-liked to match the basketballers team colours and these were available before 1966. A lot more colours and styles were available afterwards. Most of the styles were co-designed by Taylor himself before he died in 1969.

Converse was soon bought by Nike where production of the shoe was moved abroad from America. This changed thefabric used to make the shoe from a 2ply cotton canvas to a 1-ply textile.The shoe is available in many different colours, prints and styles. It’s very rare to not see anyone wearing a Converse shoe nowadays. With the different colours and styles, it can pretty much match with any outfit and still look heaps cool.

The shoe has been a fashion trend for the punk-rockers since the late-1970s. ‘Chucks’ soon again became popular within the grunge culture in the 90s and also with Gangsta Funk! The shoes popularity soared with teenagers with its old school, rock-torn look which makes it the most successful shoe in history. Even with the emo scene, the shoe has been more popular with the rock scene.

750 million pairs of Chucks have been sold worldwide since the turn of the century and more every single day. Customisation of the shoe is now a must. Changing the shoe laces with other colours and adding beads, wearing two different shoes together, or even writing along the rubber of the shoe. But now, if you go onto the Converse website, you can create your own unique style, and they will make it, which in my opinion is really cool, and a way to show off to your friends.

It’s fair to say that the Converse won’t fail on producing anymore Chuck Taylors anytime soon, seeing its popularity within certain cliques and fashion trends, the shoe will be covering feet for a very long time.