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Seven score and 11 years ago, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln set the precedent for America’s national holiday Thanksgiving. On Oct. 3, 1863, a month before the Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln set apart the last Thursday of November “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise.” Abraham Lincoln Online says on Sept. 28, 1863, a 74-year-old magazine editor, Sarah Josepha Hale, wrote a letter to Lincoln urging him to have a “day of our annual Thanksgiving made a National and fixed Union Festival.” She had written several of his predecessors who ignored her petitions. Hale explained, “There has been an increasing interest in our land to have a thanksgiving held on the same day, in all the States; it now needs National recognition and authoritative fixation, only, to become permanently, an American custom.”Abraham Lincoln Online says prior to 1863, each state celebrated its own Thanksgiving holiday at different times. Lincoln quickly responded to Hale’s request with a proclamation recorded by U.S. Secretary of State William Seward.“I had no idea who made Thanksgiving an official day,” said BYU-Hawaii student Alisson McDaniel, a sophomore in elementary education from California. She said Lincoln is her favorite president and she is thankful for a nation with strong traditions. McDaniel said Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday of the year.“I like that Sarah Josepha Hale didn’t give up on making sure that our country would always have a day to set aside to celebrate thanksgiving together,” said BYUH student Carina Aldrich, a junior political science major from Utah.After reading the President’s proclamation (below) BYUH student Justin Kolilis, a junior in exercise science from Washington, said, “President Lincoln was a rad president. He did a lot of great things for our country, and I’m glad this was one of them since Thanksgiving is my favorite.”By the President of the United States of America.A Proclamation.The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, the order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. The population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with a large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and Union.In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.By the President: Abraham LincolnWilliam H. Seward, Secretary of StateSource: Abraham Lincoln Online.

Media advertisements on television seem to give the wrong idea about what beauty means to women, causing women to resort to cosmetic surgery, unhealthy dieting, and low self esteem says researchers. Women seem to be a constant target when it comes to being sexually objectified in advertisements, which subconsciously influence the minds of women, they say. According to an article on ezinearticles.com by Irina Webster, “Only one in five women are satisfied with their body weight. Nearly half of all normal-weight women overestimate their size and shape. A distorted body image can lead to self-destructive behavior, like dieting or eating disorders.” Women compare themselves to people on the media who are often “perfected” by digitally altering images creating unrealistic and sometimes unhuman ideas on how women should look. “Personally, I highly dislike these ads, as they suggest to both women and men that those models are the epitome of what a woman should look like physically and what women should be able to offer,” said Hana Akina, a BYU-Hawaii alumnus from the Laie. “I try not to let the women portrayed in the media influence how I live my life and my level of self-esteem. I’ve been there already, and it isn’t worth comparing myself to them. I’m just trying to be the best person and woman that I can be, according to my own standards and how I feel that Heavenly Father wants me to be.” Media products are full of images of unhealthy, skinny women, who are portrayed as “beautiful” by magazines, TV, movies and other media products that cause women to exercise abnormal eating behaviors says researchers. “I think this is happening all over the world, and it’s just getting worse and worse in my country…people see less clothes or being naked as attractive,” said Kaman Pang, a senior in marketing from Hong Kong. “Women think that the more you are willing to show your body, the more attention you will get. I think that’s why the women today are focusing on losing weight….Do not follow the culture right now. I would just be myself and dress appropriately and you will definitely gain respect from people,” added Pang. According to analysts, the reason behind women being sexually objectified by media advertisement is strictly economic. “Product industries are assured growth and profits. It is estimated that the diet industry alone is worth $100 billion (U.S.) a year. This is a lot of money and certainly worth their while to continue to foster the idea of emancipated women as being the norm,” says Webster. “Women want to look as good as the models in the ads,” said La Rue Querido, a graphic design sophomore from the Philippines. “I think the consequence of this is that we’re spending too much time and money on products that won’t really profit us in the long run....I feel sad about how most women rely on these products to look pretty. We should learn to love our natural selves.” Wi Wisanbannawit, a senior in TESOL from Bangkok, Thailand, said, “Mass media definitely influences women. In fact, everyone, regardless of gender and age…I do not really like it when media use women in the wrong way…This also leads some women to find themselves unattractive comparing to models in media. And many suffer from low self esteem, depression, and even some diseases.” Alopa Tuifua, an alumnae from Tonga, also commented on how the media influences women. “It gives girls false expectations and boys false hope...It’s not only us women who have been given this photoshopped image to live up to, but also men and what they look for. I believe that it comes down to a simple smile and just remembering that you don’t need to degrade yourself.”

Getting a job or an internship requires being able to interview well, and here are five tips from BYU-Hawaii students on how to prepare yourself. 1. Before you go into your interview, learn the most you can about the company you will be meeting with. Knowing the background of the company will help you answer questions better during the interview and will help you better plead your case why you would be needed for the company. It will make you a better candidate if you seem interested in their company and come prepared.Tess Harris, an alumnae who studied in HTM and graduated last semester just started her job at the Waikiki Surf Rider Hotel. She said, “I had to go through a lot of job interviews to get my job. When I was preparing my presentations, I made sure to know everything about the company that I could. I think that was a main part in why I was able to get hired. I knew what they were looking for and tried to present my skills set in that way.”2. Dressing right for the interview is more important than one may estimate. It is your first impression that will set the tone of your interview and how you represent yourself. “I usually dress nicely, said John Pierce a junior majoring in buisness finance from Oregon. “I go all out. If I had a tuxedo, I would wear one. It puts the effort that you want to stand out and go above everyone else. If the employer doesn’t want to hire you because you wore a tux, it would not be a fun environment to work in because they wouldn’t get my sense of humor.” First find out what the dress code is for your job. If it is a professional setting where most people are in suits, it is better to stick with suits. It is good to stay with dark colors and conservative hairstyles. Also it is suggested that women to wear light, natural looking makeup. If you will be given a uniform for your job or if it is a business casual, you should dress in business casual. Stay away from jeans and wear nice shirts. Stay away from prints or loud designs on your clothes. Do not chew gum and remember to silence your phone and do not look at it.3. Appearing confident in yourself is another key in making a good impression. Body language is a key part in this. Make sure you are able to make eye contact with your interviewer and avoid bad posture. Do your best to be easy to talk to and friendly. Be attentive and seem invested in your interview. If you seem distracted, the interviewer may think you are not interested in the interview or in the potential job.“I always make sure I turn off my phone, go in and shake their hand and make eye contact and smile,” said Harris. 4. Be prepared to answer some questions. Although there is not one set of questions that every interviewer uses, there are common ones that are used. According to Forbes magazine in an article on how to ace your common interview, you should be well versed in some of these questions. They include: What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why are your interested in working for (insert company name here)? Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years? Why did you leave your current company? What can you offer us that someone else cannot? What are three things your former manager would like you to improve on?5. Discuss your educational background, Tell interviewers about an accomplishment you are proud of, tell about a mistake you made, tell about how you handled a difficult situation, and discuss your resume. “I practice what I am going to say before I go in. I usually get a friend to pretend they are interviewing me,” said Sam Spring, a junior studying ICS anthropology from San Deigo, Calif. “This helps me think on my feet and gain my confidence. I also go to random people and practice my introductory skills. This helps me get better at meeting new people and increases my confidence while making new friends.” Practice some good responses that would be appropriate for an interview and would showcase why you would be good for that job position. Avoid giving them too much personal information that has nothing to do how you would be a good employee to them.