Gunnar Allen
1524 5th Street
Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 741-0950
gunny_hunt_25@yahoo.com
February 29, 2008
Human Resources Department
Foss Maritime Company
660 W. Ewing
Seattle, WA 98119-1529
To Whom It May Concern:
Please accept the attached resume for the position of Corporate Communications Coordinator as recently advertised on the Foss.com website. I am enthusiastic about this position and am looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of the Foss Maritime Corporate team. I offer my extensive experience in the maritime industry. I have worked from the decks of tugs/barges as an Able-bodied Seaman-Unlimited; to the wheelhouse and further upward into the office. My confidence, combined with my human relations skills would serve all Company parameters well in this position.
I offer your company my strong foundation as a Professional Mariner, who knows that the safety of all crews and vessels is paramount in the delivery of cargo to the customer. I have a 1600 ton Mate/100 ton Masters license and have transported cargo up and down the west coast. Also I am taking courses to complete my Bachelors Degree in Business Management. I know that time is money and how to keep the customer happy. I have managed crews of fifty as the Bosun at the Tongue Point Seamanship program and am proficient in critical thinking and problem solving. In this position, I have participated in budget preparations including semi-annual updates for the programs three vessels and operations. Recently, while in this position, through professional relations with a former employer, I have secured important opportunities; such as delivery of the Columbia River Bar Pilots pilot boat Columbia as a donation to our program for training. I also have incorporated a relief deckhand program for this same organization, using my students to further their experience and opportunity. I am competent in computer skills including all Microsoft applications. I believe that communication is the key to success in all that is business and I practice this skill with great respect. I strongly believe in maintaining a great relationship with the customer, management and all vessel crews to provide the best service possible.
I will bring energy with conviction to the table in representing Foss Maritime, as I am a very motivated and inspired individual, whom when on fire is unstoppable. I have the talents and skills to market the transportation of cargo, thus being the Maritime Industry, needed to maintain and secure contracts. This is backed by my strong work ethic and drive to excel in all areas of my duties, with integrity and personality. Although, I have no formal training in Marketing, I am a salesman at heart and I pride myself in my use of language. More importantly, I know your clientele from my experience working in this great industry. I firmly believe that a job is like a marriage, it takes hard work and great care.
Thank you very much for taking the time to review my credentials and experience. Foss Maritimes’ standard for providing excellence in service to the customer, in the transportation business of cargo, with the best crews and equipment available is very exciting. It is my goal to be a part of the team that makes this happen and I am confident that I would be an asset to your Company. It would be a privilege and an honor to serve Foss Maritime and its customers. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss my experience and qualifications.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Alicia posts:
Keep America American: Argument Against Amending the Constitution to Completely Ban Civil Unions
“Is the institution of marriage that fragile as to be threatened by the existence of love and commitment elsewhere?” (Pindell 1).This sentence so well spoken came from the first openly gay man to be elected bishop of an Episcopal church (Pindell 1). There is a bill that if passed will amend the constitution to not only ban Same-sex marriages but, will deny a gay couples right to a civil union and any individual rights or protections associated with marriage (florida4marriage).The U.S should not amend the constitution to permanently ban same-sex Civil Unions because this will be taking away the gay community’s rights as citizens.
Denying individual rights or protections associated with marriage to gay couples will cause harm to the gay community by not allowing the “legal incidents” of marriage (Goldstein 1).The Government Accountability Office identified a total of 1,138 federal legal provisions classified to the U.S code in which marital status is a factor in determining if someone can receive rights, benefits, and protections (not including state programs) (Pawelski). Some of these provisions include, legal recognition of joint parenting rights when a child is born or adopted, access to employer-based health insurance and other benefits for non-biological/not-jointly adopted children, and ability to make medical decisions for an incapacitated or ailing partner (Pawelsi). These are just a few of the rights that Americas gay community will be denied. Taking away people’s rights because of the way they choose to live is un-American. “All men are created equal.”
Besides their choice of partners same-same sex couples are no different than heterosexual couples. The American Academy of Pediatrics report on the Effects of Marriage, Civil Union, and Domestic Partnership Laws on the Health and Well-being of Children described the many differences or lack thereof between heterosexual and same-sex partners and their children. In their report they stated that the Lesbian Mothers that were interviewed scored into the normal range of psychological functioning (Pawelski). They also reported that the scores from Lesbian Mothers on self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and parenting stress were indistinguishable from those reported by heterosexual Mothers (Pawelski ). Also reported was that the observed evidence has shown that gay Fathers have shown nurturance and investment in their parental roles with no difference from the heterosexual Fathers when providing appropriate recreation or encouraging autonomy (Pawelski). This is only one of the many reports that have proved that same-sex couples are no different than the heterosexual couples other than their choice to be gay.
People supporting this bill claim that giving gay couples the right to a Civil Union would be harmful not only to the children of these couples but to our society (Stanton 2). Like I had stated before, there has been plenty of research done to prove that Same-sex parents are just as functional as heterosexual parents. As far as Civil Unions being harmful to society, I have yet to find a shred of research that proves how this is possible. All the research I have found suggests the opposite. According to the section on legal and financial effects of public policies in the American Academy of Pediatrics research, if Civil Unions are allowed our Social Security payments and spending on insurance coverage for partners of federal workers would rise over time. On the other hand, other expenditures such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income would decrease causing a net result of saving nearly 1 billion dollars per year (Pawelski). The Williams institute has also had similar findings on the federal budget and on many state budgets (Pawelski). So claiming that same-sex Civil Unions are harmful is just ridiculous and hurtful to our fellow Americans.
The idea of taking away the rights of an entire community because people don’t agree with how they live their lives is not what America is based on. If this amendment is passed we will be writing discrimination into our constitution and taking away their freedom of choice. Not by protecting the foundation of marriage, but by taking away Civil Unions and any other public act, judicial proceeding, or legal union between two members of the same sex. Society is so focused on our gay community’s way of life that they have forgotten that our fellow Americans still deserve their civil rights. Americans take pride living in a country that we call free and we should keep it that way.
Sources:
Abraham, James W. Pindell and Yvonne. "The Boston Globe." 18 February 2004. Boston.com. 7 February 2008 http://www.boston.com/news.
"Florida4Marriage: Meaning of the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment." Florida4marriage. 7 February 2008 http://florida4marriage.org/.
Goldstein, Richard. "AlterNet:The Gay Marriage Bomb." 14 August 2001. AlterNet. 7 February 2008 http://www.alternet.org/story/11312.
Stanton, Glenn. September 2004. Family Source. 7 February 2008 http://www.family.org/cforum/fosi/marriage.
Pawelski, James, MS, Perrin, Ellen, MD, Foy, Jane, MD, Allen, Carole, MD, Crawford, James, MD, Monte, Mark, JD, Kaufman, Miriam, MD, Klein, Jonathan, MD, Smith, Karen, Springer, Sarah, MD, Tanner, J. Lane, MD, Vickers, Dennis, MD. “The Effects of Marriage, Civil Union, and Domestic Partnership Laws on the Health and Well-being of Children.” Pediatrics 1 July 2006. PEDIATRICS, Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics 8 February 2008
“Is the institution of marriage that fragile as to be threatened by the existence of love and commitment elsewhere?” (Pindell 1).This sentence so well spoken came from the first openly gay man to be elected bishop of an Episcopal church (Pindell 1). There is a bill that if passed will amend the constitution to not only ban Same-sex marriages but, will deny a gay couples right to a civil union and any individual rights or protections associated with marriage (florida4marriage).The U.S should not amend the constitution to permanently ban same-sex Civil Unions because this will be taking away the gay community’s rights as citizens.
Denying individual rights or protections associated with marriage to gay couples will cause harm to the gay community by not allowing the “legal incidents” of marriage (Goldstein 1).The Government Accountability Office identified a total of 1,138 federal legal provisions classified to the U.S code in which marital status is a factor in determining if someone can receive rights, benefits, and protections (not including state programs) (Pawelski). Some of these provisions include, legal recognition of joint parenting rights when a child is born or adopted, access to employer-based health insurance and other benefits for non-biological/not-jointly adopted children, and ability to make medical decisions for an incapacitated or ailing partner (Pawelsi). These are just a few of the rights that Americas gay community will be denied. Taking away people’s rights because of the way they choose to live is un-American. “All men are created equal.”
Besides their choice of partners same-same sex couples are no different than heterosexual couples. The American Academy of Pediatrics report on the Effects of Marriage, Civil Union, and Domestic Partnership Laws on the Health and Well-being of Children described the many differences or lack thereof between heterosexual and same-sex partners and their children. In their report they stated that the Lesbian Mothers that were interviewed scored into the normal range of psychological functioning (Pawelski). They also reported that the scores from Lesbian Mothers on self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and parenting stress were indistinguishable from those reported by heterosexual Mothers (Pawelski ). Also reported was that the observed evidence has shown that gay Fathers have shown nurturance and investment in their parental roles with no difference from the heterosexual Fathers when providing appropriate recreation or encouraging autonomy (Pawelski). This is only one of the many reports that have proved that same-sex couples are no different than the heterosexual couples other than their choice to be gay.
People supporting this bill claim that giving gay couples the right to a Civil Union would be harmful not only to the children of these couples but to our society (Stanton 2). Like I had stated before, there has been plenty of research done to prove that Same-sex parents are just as functional as heterosexual parents. As far as Civil Unions being harmful to society, I have yet to find a shred of research that proves how this is possible. All the research I have found suggests the opposite. According to the section on legal and financial effects of public policies in the American Academy of Pediatrics research, if Civil Unions are allowed our Social Security payments and spending on insurance coverage for partners of federal workers would rise over time. On the other hand, other expenditures such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income would decrease causing a net result of saving nearly 1 billion dollars per year (Pawelski). The Williams institute has also had similar findings on the federal budget and on many state budgets (Pawelski). So claiming that same-sex Civil Unions are harmful is just ridiculous and hurtful to our fellow Americans.
The idea of taking away the rights of an entire community because people don’t agree with how they live their lives is not what America is based on. If this amendment is passed we will be writing discrimination into our constitution and taking away their freedom of choice. Not by protecting the foundation of marriage, but by taking away Civil Unions and any other public act, judicial proceeding, or legal union between two members of the same sex. Society is so focused on our gay community’s way of life that they have forgotten that our fellow Americans still deserve their civil rights. Americans take pride living in a country that we call free and we should keep it that way.
Sources:
Abraham, James W. Pindell and Yvonne. "The Boston Globe." 18 February 2004. Boston.com. 7 February 2008 http://www.boston.com/news.
"Florida4Marriage: Meaning of the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment." Florida4marriage. 7 February 2008 http://florida4marriage.org/.
Goldstein, Richard. "AlterNet:The Gay Marriage Bomb." 14 August 2001. AlterNet. 7 February 2008 http://www.alternet.org/story/11312.
Stanton, Glenn. September 2004. Family Source. 7 February 2008 http://www.family.org/cforum/fosi/marriage.
Pawelski, James, MS, Perrin, Ellen, MD, Foy, Jane, MD, Allen, Carole, MD, Crawford, James, MD, Monte, Mark, JD, Kaufman, Miriam, MD, Klein, Jonathan, MD, Smith, Karen, Springer, Sarah, MD, Tanner, J. Lane, MD, Vickers, Dennis, MD. “The Effects of Marriage, Civil Union, and Domestic Partnership Laws on the Health and Well-being of Children.” Pediatrics 1 July 2006. PEDIATRICS, Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics 8 February 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Gunnar: Essay 2
The United States of America or Bust!
Although, the United States of America is a melting pot of all nationalities, thus it was built on a history of immigration; illegal immigration has become a problem in America today. This is one of the issues that are on the minds of the 2008 Presidential Candidates seeking election in November. Illegal immigration ties directly into the economy of the United States. The immigration system should be reformed because this leads to excessive unemployment and a lazy American work ethic and work force which is a tremendous problem today.
Illegal immigration is a contributing factor to the United States worsening economy, in ballooning health care costs, housing costs, gas and groceries prices, due to over population. According to critics of immigration laws H1B and L1 visas that allow immigrant workers into the country, claim that, “The policy is a stepping stone to outsourcing good-paying American jobs, including high-tech jobs and union jobs, to non-union overseas sweat shops” (Source Watch 1). Outsourcing is defined by transferring the responsibilities, duties and production of an entire business or part, to an outside source. This is fast becoming the trend of large American companies to cut down on the costs of all that entails the existence of a business. This practice eliminates American jobs in production, sales and marketing, making the entity profitable on the backs of workers abroad or in-house illegal immigrants. A statement referring to a pre-1970 immigration reform effort states, “Since 1970, and especially since 1990, mass immigration has been considered by some to be a corporate tool to force wages down, de-unionize the workplace, and promote further U.S. population growth, which may be seen as a benefit to real estate developers” (Source Watch 1).
The future of America, also known as the children of America are rendered helpless due solely to their up-bringing. They are called the “Generation Y”, because they are raised with the inclination of “Why even try”? The parents of generation Y have spoiled their children in giving them everything they desire without making them earn it. This promotes the ideology that money grows on trees, while never teaching them invaluable work ethic. For example, upon graduating from high school in 1988, my entire class, I included, went to work in plywood mills, canneries here in Astoria and up North in Alaska, retail in local stores and waiter/waitressing in local restaurants. Our parents had taught us that if we wanted things like a vehicle, we had to earn them with the responsibility of holding a job. The kids of today turn their noses up at these meager positions, even when between summer vacations and college. Mommy and Daddy pay their way again teaching them to be helpless. This American tragedy opens the door for illegal immigrants.
Companies and businesses must have workers, as they are the most important component of an enterprise. With the absence of the young American work force and the rising costs of production, businesses are forced to hire illegal immigrants. America has created this immigration problem that has become a double edged sword. Companies are hiring illegal immigrants to do the jobs that produce every day goods and services, keeping the production costs of these services down, while paying illegal immigrants less than minimum wages in unsafe working conditions. In retrospect, Americans aren’t willing to pay the higher prices when the production of the goods and services are performed by the American worker. This creates an undesirable blemish in the economy and enables businesses to get away with this practice, knowing damn well that their illegal hires won’t report conditions to the authorities.
Penalties for companies that hire illegal immigrants as workers are minimal and seldom are checked. This makes these workers the popular choice for big businesses. A reform mandated by the United States Government, should be placed on these companies, making it very undesirable to hire illegal immigrants. The American people also must be educated and reminded that the effect of hiring illegal immigrants affects the economy drastically, in the purchasing of goods and services. I truly hope that the successful 2008 Presidential Candidate will embrace this issue and restore our great country back to the Super power it once was!
Although, the United States of America is a melting pot of all nationalities, thus it was built on a history of immigration; illegal immigration has become a problem in America today. This is one of the issues that are on the minds of the 2008 Presidential Candidates seeking election in November. Illegal immigration ties directly into the economy of the United States. The immigration system should be reformed because this leads to excessive unemployment and a lazy American work ethic and work force which is a tremendous problem today.
Illegal immigration is a contributing factor to the United States worsening economy, in ballooning health care costs, housing costs, gas and groceries prices, due to over population. According to critics of immigration laws H1B and L1 visas that allow immigrant workers into the country, claim that, “The policy is a stepping stone to outsourcing good-paying American jobs, including high-tech jobs and union jobs, to non-union overseas sweat shops” (Source Watch 1). Outsourcing is defined by transferring the responsibilities, duties and production of an entire business or part, to an outside source. This is fast becoming the trend of large American companies to cut down on the costs of all that entails the existence of a business. This practice eliminates American jobs in production, sales and marketing, making the entity profitable on the backs of workers abroad or in-house illegal immigrants. A statement referring to a pre-1970 immigration reform effort states, “Since 1970, and especially since 1990, mass immigration has been considered by some to be a corporate tool to force wages down, de-unionize the workplace, and promote further U.S. population growth, which may be seen as a benefit to real estate developers” (Source Watch 1).
The future of America, also known as the children of America are rendered helpless due solely to their up-bringing. They are called the “Generation Y”, because they are raised with the inclination of “Why even try”? The parents of generation Y have spoiled their children in giving them everything they desire without making them earn it. This promotes the ideology that money grows on trees, while never teaching them invaluable work ethic. For example, upon graduating from high school in 1988, my entire class, I included, went to work in plywood mills, canneries here in Astoria and up North in Alaska, retail in local stores and waiter/waitressing in local restaurants. Our parents had taught us that if we wanted things like a vehicle, we had to earn them with the responsibility of holding a job. The kids of today turn their noses up at these meager positions, even when between summer vacations and college. Mommy and Daddy pay their way again teaching them to be helpless. This American tragedy opens the door for illegal immigrants.
Companies and businesses must have workers, as they are the most important component of an enterprise. With the absence of the young American work force and the rising costs of production, businesses are forced to hire illegal immigrants. America has created this immigration problem that has become a double edged sword. Companies are hiring illegal immigrants to do the jobs that produce every day goods and services, keeping the production costs of these services down, while paying illegal immigrants less than minimum wages in unsafe working conditions. In retrospect, Americans aren’t willing to pay the higher prices when the production of the goods and services are performed by the American worker. This creates an undesirable blemish in the economy and enables businesses to get away with this practice, knowing damn well that their illegal hires won’t report conditions to the authorities.
Penalties for companies that hire illegal immigrants as workers are minimal and seldom are checked. This makes these workers the popular choice for big businesses. A reform mandated by the United States Government, should be placed on these companies, making it very undesirable to hire illegal immigrants. The American people also must be educated and reminded that the effect of hiring illegal immigrants affects the economy drastically, in the purchasing of goods and services. I truly hope that the successful 2008 Presidential Candidate will embrace this issue and restore our great country back to the Super power it once was!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
RN writes about healthcare screening
Preventative Health Care for Illegal Immigrants: A Less Expensive Alternative
An illegal immigrant is brought to the emergency room with vague complaints of night sweats, bloody sputum, a chronic cough and weight loss. He is diagnosed with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, which can be deadly. Cases of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis are on the rise. A typical case can cost upwards of $250,000.00 and take up to two years to treat; however, treatment is often unsuccessful. Illegal immigrants often carry tuberculosis and other contagious diseases that are not detected until they show up in emergency rooms with full blown symptoms. Health care screening should be required at many work sites because illegal immigrants are often infected with a potentially lethal form of tuberculosis, and illegal aliens infected with tuberculosis is an unacceptable health risk.
The US should initiate increased screening into many hiring processes in order to detect TB before it is too late. Currently, legal immigrants and refugees coming to the US must undergo a chest X-Ray before immigration. If active disease is detected, treatment must be initiated before departure from their country of origin. However, screening is completely lacking on other categories of immigrants, such as undocumented immigrants or those with temporary work visas (CD SUMMARY 1-2).
Tuberculosis is a very serious disease and if an illegal immigrant is afraid to visit a health clinic because of fears of deportation, the disease will be spread to other people. Tuberculosis is spread through the air from one person to another and usually attacks the lungs but can attack other parts of the body as well. It can be an active or latent form of infection. If the disease is latent, a person is asymptomatic and can take medication that will prevent the disease from converting to an active infection (CDC 1). A person with tuberculosis can unknowingly infect dozens of people, depending on the amount of people they interact with at work, play, school or other public places. Physician Saba Kulathangan says all new immigrants should get a complete health examination, regardless of their legal status (Padden 1). If an illegal immigrant is offered a health care screening with a TB skin test, without the threat of deportation, others will be protected from contracting tuberculosis. If the TB skin test is positive, treatment will begin and the infected person will be quarantined. Treating one person is cost effective, even though the drugs are very expensive. If others are infected, the treatment costs skyrocket.
Illegal immigration and health care issues are hotly debated. No presidential candidate will offer health insurance to an illegal immigrant because that will nullify any chance of them winning an election. Instead, they talk about securing borders and increasing surveillance to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country; however, an illegal immigrant will find a way into the country out of desperation. Some argue that illegal immigrants don’t deserve health care because they haven’t followed the proper channels to get into the United States. In reality, the cost of health care is a small price to pay compared to the staggering amount of money that would be needed to treat hundreds of individuals that are unknowingly infected with the disease. Immigration and health care reform have been debated for years, and a solution will not occur overnight.
Until healthcare screening is offered to illegal immigrants, other preventative measures can be put into place. A baseline TB screening should be completed on all new employees and students and a follow-up screening for TB risk factors completed yearly. Mandatory screening will decrease the chance of the infection being spread to the general population. If a TB test is positive, a follow up chest X-Ray will be completed and a treatment regimen will be implemented.
In a perfect world health care would be offered to illegal immigrants. Since that won’t happen anytime soon, we must take the responsibility of testing students, employees and others in the public sector to prevent the spread of tuberculosis in our country. We must do all we can to keep the people in our nation safe!
An illegal immigrant is brought to the emergency room with vague complaints of night sweats, bloody sputum, a chronic cough and weight loss. He is diagnosed with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, which can be deadly. Cases of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis are on the rise. A typical case can cost upwards of $250,000.00 and take up to two years to treat; however, treatment is often unsuccessful. Illegal immigrants often carry tuberculosis and other contagious diseases that are not detected until they show up in emergency rooms with full blown symptoms. Health care screening should be required at many work sites because illegal immigrants are often infected with a potentially lethal form of tuberculosis, and illegal aliens infected with tuberculosis is an unacceptable health risk.
The US should initiate increased screening into many hiring processes in order to detect TB before it is too late. Currently, legal immigrants and refugees coming to the US must undergo a chest X-Ray before immigration. If active disease is detected, treatment must be initiated before departure from their country of origin. However, screening is completely lacking on other categories of immigrants, such as undocumented immigrants or those with temporary work visas (CD SUMMARY 1-2).
Tuberculosis is a very serious disease and if an illegal immigrant is afraid to visit a health clinic because of fears of deportation, the disease will be spread to other people. Tuberculosis is spread through the air from one person to another and usually attacks the lungs but can attack other parts of the body as well. It can be an active or latent form of infection. If the disease is latent, a person is asymptomatic and can take medication that will prevent the disease from converting to an active infection (CDC 1). A person with tuberculosis can unknowingly infect dozens of people, depending on the amount of people they interact with at work, play, school or other public places. Physician Saba Kulathangan says all new immigrants should get a complete health examination, regardless of their legal status (Padden 1). If an illegal immigrant is offered a health care screening with a TB skin test, without the threat of deportation, others will be protected from contracting tuberculosis. If the TB skin test is positive, treatment will begin and the infected person will be quarantined. Treating one person is cost effective, even though the drugs are very expensive. If others are infected, the treatment costs skyrocket.
Illegal immigration and health care issues are hotly debated. No presidential candidate will offer health insurance to an illegal immigrant because that will nullify any chance of them winning an election. Instead, they talk about securing borders and increasing surveillance to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the country; however, an illegal immigrant will find a way into the country out of desperation. Some argue that illegal immigrants don’t deserve health care because they haven’t followed the proper channels to get into the United States. In reality, the cost of health care is a small price to pay compared to the staggering amount of money that would be needed to treat hundreds of individuals that are unknowingly infected with the disease. Immigration and health care reform have been debated for years, and a solution will not occur overnight.
Until healthcare screening is offered to illegal immigrants, other preventative measures can be put into place. A baseline TB screening should be completed on all new employees and students and a follow-up screening for TB risk factors completed yearly. Mandatory screening will decrease the chance of the infection being spread to the general population. If a TB test is positive, a follow up chest X-Ray will be completed and a treatment regimen will be implemented.
In a perfect world health care would be offered to illegal immigrants. Since that won’t happen anytime soon, we must take the responsibility of testing students, employees and others in the public sector to prevent the spread of tuberculosis in our country. We must do all we can to keep the people in our nation safe!
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