Oh Sandy!

National Guard graphic imageThis post is part of a 2012 monthly series of MySheCave.com posts on the topic of the U.S. Constitution.

Similar to when Elton John changed his Candle in the Wind lyrics to honor the late Princess Diana (the revised tune was titled, “Goodbye England’s Rose”), if we were to ask Barry Manilow to revise his famous tune, “Mandy,” to honor the victims of this past week’s Hurricane Sandy, he could tweak one of the most famous lyrics of the Mandy song to be:

 “Oh Sandy well,
You came and you left our hearts breaking.

The devastation from Sandy’s wake has left so many of us living in outlying areas wondering, “How can we help?”  Here is a list of charitable organizations to which you can denote to help victims of the storm.

One of the ways the U.S. federal government has been assisting Hurricane Sandy victims is through the deployment of the National Guard of the United States.

Do you know which Article of the U.S. Constitution authorizes the existence of the U.S. National Guard?

According to Wikipedia, Article One, Section 8; Clause 14 gives the United States Congress, “the power to pass laws ‘calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions.’ ”  The Wikipedia entry goes on to state that Title 10 of the United States Code defines National Guard members as a subset of the “Militia.”

What is your experience with the U.S. National Guard?  Are you aware that the National Guard is the oldest component of the U.S. armed forces?

Do you personally know any members of the Guard?  And, have you ever witnessed a live deployment?

Without doubt, many of the Hurricane Sandy victims likely viewed the National Guard vehicles and troops who were trudging through the floodwaters earlier this week like guardian angels.

Sequins, trademarks and you

Wikipedia defines a trademark as a “distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or services from those of other entities.

Having a trademark voice could earn you millions.  Just ask Elton, Sting, Rod or Bette if you want proof of that fact.

At a minimum, trademark style can get you noticed.  Consider British-born American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her trademark, oversized sunglasses.  She’s instantly recognized at fashion shows when wearing them.

And, who could forget former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s collection of pins?  Albright has stated that each pin she wore while serving as Secretary of State conveyed a special message for those with whom she encountered.

According to Wikipedia, the concept of “personal branding” began in 1981.  Without doubt, the act of self-positioning by individuals worldwide seems to be more popular than ever in the mainstream culture today.  For example, how many times have we heard young artists like Taylor Swift utter phrases like, “I’m focused on building my brand.  I want to be around for the long haul.”

Do you have a personal trademark or style? By chance, do you have a trademark smile?  What feature or features of yours make you distinct as an individual?  And, how important do you think it is to stand out and apart from other individuals in the world?

If you don’t give your personal brand any thoughtful consideration, will others?  Maybe it’s time to reconsider the personal impressions that you’re making on the world.  In fact, it might be time to go buy that new hat or maybe a white, sequined glove.

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