My Philosophy Essays - , Term Papers, Research Papers

My Philosophy My Philosophy ?You can only appreciate things that are fun after you work hard to achieve them.? Fortune Cookie, 2000 My philosophy of life is that if you work hard enough, you will achieve the things you want. In other words, ?Practice makes perfect.? The feeling that you get from having fun is great, but it is important to work hard to achieve this ?fun? thing. The feeling of having fun is irrelevant if hard work was not involved in achieving it. An example to illustrate this point is when someone begins a new sport. At first, you will be bad at the sport and will have a great deal of difficulty, but with hard work and a great deal of practice, improvement will become possible. I can relate this to my personal experiences with ice hockey. I had never played before this past October and had only skated four times in my life. From October until the season ended in March, I practiced every Monday and Wednesday. I felt that I was working very hard at getting better and by March, I could actually perform adequately and no longer embarrassed myself every time I go on the ice. I felt very good about my achievement in this sport. Another example of feeling a sense of satisfaction from hard work happened from my last biology exam. I studied more than I had ever studied for a biology test before. Many hours of review were put into this particular unit of study. I studied both at home and in support class. The final product of all this effort was a 99 percent on my test. Never before did I do this well on any test. The feeling I had when Mrs. Wysocki handed me back my test was fantastic. I felt a true sense of achievement because of all the time and effort I put into studying. My third and final example of feeling a sense of satisfaction from hard work happened last year in baseball. I wasn't the fastest kid on the team, or the longest hitter, and I didn't have an exceptionally strong throwing arm, but I had a lot of heart and luck. I worked hard every practice (like in hockey), and I started to improve all my skills. By the end of the season I was a pretty well rounded ballplayer, and I became the best outfielder on my team (I had 5 sliding catches, and 4 diving catches). Since my team pulled together so well, we made it to the playoffs. The first team that we played was amazing; they were undefeated in the regular season. We played a long hard fought game, and we went into extra innings. The other team scored two runs, and then since we were the home team we got a chance to bat. I was the fifth batter up, a man on first and third, and with two outs and two strikes against me (imagine the pressure), the pitch was perfect and I hammered it into deep center . I ran the fastest that I have ever ran before, men on first and third scored, so my coach gave me the stop sign (like I'd listen), but kept on running. The outfielder threw it to the cut off man, who then threw it home to the catcher. It was just me and the catcher now (just imagine what my coach must've been thinking during this). I ran full speed and delivered an enormous body check to the catcher, which caused the ball to fly out of his mitt, and then the ump shouted ?SAFE!!!? My whole team ran onto the field and picked me up at home plate, I was so proud. I'm not sure but until this day, I think that my dad was so proud that his eyes were filled with tears of joy. In my mind, my philosophy couldn't be more true. If you work hard and practice a lot, you'll get better at something, and then you have a lot of fun doing it.

Russian Philosophy essays

Russian Philosophy essays While the rest of Europe was advancing culturally as a direct result of the Renaissance, Russia did not reap the same benefits of cultural development. The Mongol occupation in Russia was responsible for the disproportionate growth; because of the ongoing Mongol supression, Russians were not able to prosper culturally to the extent other European countries experienced. Russia did experience their own "renaissance" of sorts in the mid to late 19th century and on into the 20th century. This was characterized by a new way of thinking and viewing the world around them, mostly the Western civilizations. This was known as the "Russian Cultural Renaissance". Nikolai Bernyaev was one of the most prominant figures of the time and was later a leading philosopher of the Russian emmigration. Proffessioanl philosophers appeared in Russia in the 19th century, but it was thanks to Bernyaev and his existentialist attitude that Russia was able to contribute new ideas to world philosophy. Philosophical ideas in Russia rarely matured into well-balanced, self-sufficient systems, because it was the privilege of the State to consummate and elaborate them in a systematic way. The fate of Russian thinkers was to dissolve these ideocratic systems in a stream of capricious, spontaneous, prophetic, existential thinking which attempted to go beyond the systems, to undermine them rather than to consolidate them. Since the official philosophy functioned as a tool of power, it was the task and merit of non-official philosophy to advance anti-totalitarian modes of thinking, deconstructing any possible principle of systematization. In effect, Russia was overpowered by free thinkers once the hold of the czars loosened and communism paved the way for some to view Western society and what it had and was continuing to accomplish. Russia has made up for lost time very quickly, in the time from the Bolshevik Revolution and World War I. Russia continues to develope ...

A Universal Definition Of Terrorism Essay -- Terrorism, Definition of te

The U.N description of terrorism as â€Å"any action, in addition to actions already specified by the existing conventions on aspects of terrorism, the Geneva Conventions and Security Council resolution 1566 (2004), that is intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants, when the purpose of such an act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a Government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act† (U.N). The U.K recommendation for the definition in 1996 by Lord Lloyd of Berwick states â€Å"The use of serious of violence against persons or property, or threat to use such violence, to intimidate or coerce a government, the public or any section of the public, in order to promote political, social or ideological objectives†(). It is important to point that the starting point of the definition of terrorism was created in 1989, reviewed in 1996, 2000 and 2006. The current definition of terrorism would be found in Section 1, Terrorism Act 2000, and it’s the least broad and vague definition of terrorism. To indicate and justify the components for a strodefine terrorism. 80% of countries worldwide have a broad definition of terrorism and the ones that do have a solid definition of terrorism like U.K could be identified as almost borderline invading human rights. MY DEFINITION OF TERRORISM WOULD BE ANY ACT OF VIOLENCE BY A GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL VIOLATING DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT LAWS, TO IMPOSE ITS WILL ON ANY PERSON, COMMUNITY OR ANY DOMESTIC OR INTERNANTIONAL GOVERNMENT FOR POLITICAL, PERSONAL OR RELIGIONS GAIN. My opinions on this matter are that of mine and mine only, and have no connection to that of the U.S Government. Wish everyone had a good week and Happy Fathers Day to every dad out there. This week been a different week, spent whole week PCSing back to the states. I totally forgot how much work and planning goes into moving. Hope to be able to post on time from now, have a great day everyone.

Planning task Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Planning task - Essay Example The teacher begins the lesson with checking for understanding of directionalities. She gives each student cardboard with an arrow and ask them to point to the direction in the classroom that she calls out. Ex. â€Å"Point to the North†, â€Å"East†, â€Å"Southeast†, â€Å"Northwest†, etc. Then she checks their understanding with the use of the compass. She writes some three figure bearings on the board ex. 060* (degrees) and students are supposed to face that direction as indicated by their compasses. She makes sure they start with the direction of North to calibrate the angle where they are supposed to face. Note some students’ non-verbal behaviour. Do they really know the directions or are they just going along with the group? If some are observed to be so, make sure there is individual calling just to make sure. Teacher gives out the directions of the activity. She says, â€Å"You shall be working in small groups as you go on a Rock Hunt. I shall be giving you directions how to find the rocks using three figure bearings, a compass and a wheel. These will help you find 5 rocks spread around the compound. These rocks spell a certain word that you are find out at the end of the hunt.. Remember everything, because later when you get back to the classroom, you shall map out these directions using your protractors so it will help if you note down objects or landmarks which you pass so you can add those details in your maps later. For example, if you pass by a tree or a fountain as you do the second direction, then note it down so you can include that drawing in your map.† Teacher distributes the materials. †If you are ready, then you can begin. The teacher processes their experience by asking them how they found the rocks. She can also comment on her observations and on their behaviours. Then she asks them how the activity is relevant to them (like how it can be useful to

War and Peace in the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

War and Peace in the Middle East - Essay Example The Middle East political plethora is characterized by fighting raging from Syria and its spillover effect felt in Lebanon Bahrain and Iraq. There is no denying the sectarianism is commonplace in the Middle East politics with religious identity the most vital end in defining the political life of the people. Therefore, the war in these countries remains a familiar factor in the pursuit of national interest of the individual countries in the oil-rich region (CASHMAN, 2000:45). Various ideas, theories, and values shape policy and motivate the political behavior of citizens in certain countries. International relations theorists disagree over the inevitability of war. To classical realists and neo-liberalists, war is inevitable. They posit that each state is compelled to harm the other in pursuit of their interests and to avoid the worst possible outcome. This follows with states increasing their defense capabilities thereby increasing tension and chances of war. Realism has evolved int o the dominant paradigm in explaining state behavior and the eruption of war. Neo-realists hold that state behavior is driven by the need for survival in the international system. States try to survive by maximizing their power and shifting the balance of power in their favor. Mearsheimer’s ‘Offensive Realism Theory’ asserts the rationality of states in an anarchic world system. This leads to a security dilemma where a defensive action taken by one state on the verge of survival is a threat to another.... To classical realists and neo-liberalists, war is inevitable. They posit that each state is compelled to harm the other in pursuit of their interests and to avoid the worst possible outcome. This follows with states increasing their defense capabilities thereby increasing tension and chances of war. Realism has evolved into the dominant paradigm in explaining state behavior and the eruption of war. Neo-realists hold that state behavior is driven by the need for survival in the international system. States try to survive by maximizing their power and shifting the balance of power in their favor. Mearsheimer’s ‘Offensive Realism Theory’ asserts the rationality of states in an anarchic world system. This leads to a security dilemma where a defensive action taken by one state in the verge of survival is a threat to another. Realism fronts war as one of the best strategies for states to maximize their power and ensure their survival. In other cases, the threat of force may be used to maximize power. According to the theory also, other states may insight war between rival nations in a bid to reduce their power and eventually increase their own (DUNNE, KURKI, & SMITH, 2013:79). A good illustration is Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, at an individual level; Saddam Hussein may have calculated that his actions on Kuwait will not provoke military response from the international community due to his originally ruthless nature. However, at the state level Iraq is pursuing its own national interests and attempting to regain oil fields that were previously annexed by the British (CASHMAN, 2000:79). According to Mearsheimer’s theory also, the polarity between states or the possibility of war depends in the number of

Soft bass Essay Example for Free

Soft bass Essay It starts with a deep, soft bass. I was wondering if it was going to start really slow. I was very surprised when the lead violinist starts so strong. Her solo was very powerful. But at the same time very stressful to me. I imagined a scene where someone was dying and people were fighting. And this feeling was amplified even more when the rest of the orchestra joined in. After the third minute though, it started to get softer and slower. This time it sounded peaceful and serene. This goes on until the build up of the fifth minute. But it goes back to being soft. I got a little confused as to why it sounded like a rollercoaster going up and down. The best part of the first movement for me would be the last two minutes – when the wind instruments could be heard and not part of the background. Its playful tune balanced out the powerful violin solo. Overall, I think the first movement was very powerful and emotional. The second movement was very lovely. I felt very at home. Hearing the soft strings and grace notes brought back memories of good times with my family. Like a Christmas gathering with a warm fire inside and a beautiful landscape of snow outside. The echoing of the soloist and the other strings, I found very amusing. And if I am allowed, cute. The whole movement was just very lovely. The wind instruments gave it a lot more happiness with its staccatos – very much like bunnies hopping around in the spring. I think this movement would be absolutely beautiful to play at a wedding. The third movement starts with the soloist. Its feel was very much like the first movement with its powerful notes. I like how the orchestra comes out softly then builds up to a strong note. It reminded me a little of Lord of the Rings when the Wraiths were after the Hobbits. The third movement wasn’t stressful though unlike the first. It was very powerful but it was a happy aura. Like dogs having a tug of war with a blanket and rolling over each other. The last part becomes really soft and slow; just the solo violinist and the winds. I liked it very much.

AIDS :: Free AIDS Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nearly 90 percent of Russia’s HIV infections occur among addicts sharing dirty needles† (Klesius, p.35). This percentage from a National Geographic magazine would differ heavily from that of the United States. The Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation reported that through the year 2002 in the state of Colorado that only 9% of aids cases in the state were due to injection drug use and 25% on the national level. (Kaiser Family Foundation) In the United States, Men who have sex with men would more closely share Russia’s dirty needle problem for being the number 1 cause for AIDS transmission with 46% in the U.S. and 69% in the state of Colorado. These figures here in the states prove to coincide with the majority of Americans view on who they think is the stereotypical person infected with AIDS, gay males.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I took the liberty of asking random Americans who they thought was stereotypical person in America infected with AIDS. The results didn’t vary from my understanding of previous viewpoints. 18 out of 20 of these random Americans told me that they considered the stereotypical infected person with AIDS would be a gay male. I then asked them if this changed their viewpoints on the AIDS epidemic and its seriousness. 8 out the 20 told me that they didn’t worry about it because they believed it to only be a problem for gays here in America and those who live in Africa, not themselves. Now, I have to say that this is a pretty close minded view shared by a large number of Americans, if this percentage of my poll were to represent the whole United States. I do note that Gay males have the highest percentage of those who have the disease here in America, but should that be a reason for not caring about this epidemic?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Yet AIDS is still a serious problem because of the high fatality rates, the costs of treating the disease, and the difficulty of eliminating such HIV/AIDS risk factors as unprotected sex and injecting drug use†(132). This statement wouldn’t be so bad if it were describing a virus with only a small population. Unfortunately this statement is describing one with a large population. The Centers for Disease Control (C.D.C.) and the White House have statistics of the AIDS epidemic here in the states and the rest of the world. None of which are miniscule by any means.

Biography of Mary and Martha

Mary Magdalene is probably one of the most controversial figures in the New Testament. There are many claims about her personality, from a notorious sinner to until recently, the wife of Jesus Christ. Actually, Mary Magdalene is mentioned as one of Jesus’ female disciples in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. All throughout the New Testament, there are other references to Mary Magdalene. Accounts about her life, although plenty, are sometimes confusing depending on the source. The name Magdalene suggested that she came from the town of Magdala, hence the name Mary Magdalene.The town of Magdala is believed to be on the Sea of Galilee’s western shore. The town was a source of salt for the neighboring towns. It was also the administrative center and the largest among the towns surrounding the lake (George, 2003). Mary Magdalene is the sister of Martha and the brother of Lazarus. Accordingly, the story of Martha is intertwined with the story of Mary Magdalene but there are also claims that the Mary who anointed the Lord Jesus, the woman sinner and the Mary of Bethany are three different persons.Pope Gregory the Great declared that all three women were the same person but in 1969, the church retracted that position (Ehrman, 2006). One account tells that Mary Magdalene came from a middle-class family in an affluent fishing village. Later on, Mary Magdalene was believed to be possessed by seven demons which drove her sometimes to madness but was freed by Jesus. Mary Magdalene suffered these demons in her life since childhood and when Jesus freed her, she followed Him. Since then, Mary Magdalene became part of Jesus’ circle of disciples.There were many disputes about her personality. Some say she was a prostitute, others say she was a female divinity figure. Still others claim that she became the wife of Jesus (George, 2003). Mary Magdalene has been both revered as well as reviled for almost 2,000 years. There are claims of her being a wi tch, a whore and to being the eternal feminine and devoted companion of Jesus. New researches have also shown that Mary Magdalene could have played a central role in the ministry of Jesus and possibly an influential figure in the creation of Christianity (Chilton, 2005).Mary Magdalene was an eyewitness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. She was also believed to have played an important role in the growth of Christianity following Jesus’ ascension to heaven (Lester, 2006). The most famous mention of Mary Magdalene in the New Testament was her anointing of Jesus with perfume and washing his feet in one of the dinners that Jesus frequented in the house of Mary Magdalene and her siblings. Interestingly, many new accounts are coming out disputing the popular belief among Christians that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.Recent works by scholars claim that there is no concrete evidence to suggest that indeed Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Some point to the sermon by Greg ory the Great five centuries after Mary Magdalene’s death which started that notion (Ehrman, 2006). Since Mary Magdalene was claimed to come from an affluent family, there were also claims that she helped pay for the expenses of Jesus’ ministry. Since Jesus and his disciples never collected donations from people, according to some texts, it was possible that Mary Magdalene helped sustain their ministry through her own funds (George, 2003).When Jesus was crucified, Mary Magdalene was there at the foot of the cross along with Jesus’ mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and one of his apostles John. Being present at the foot of the Lord’s cross with Jesus’ mother bolstered the claim of other people that indeed Mary Magdalene may have been the wife of Jesus because why would she be there along with His mother. These claims were unfounded and probably misunderstood the deep faith and courage of Mary Magdalene on the Lord Jesus Christ. She was avid follower. The story of Martha complaining to Jesus about Mary Magdalene sitting there listening to Him while she serves all the guests, is a testament to the devotion of Mary Magdalene to the teachings of Jesus (Chilton, 2005). When the Risen Christ showed Himself to Mary Magdalene, again many justified that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene because she was His wife. The risen Christ chose to appear before Mary Magdalene because she was a repentant sinner. It was probably an analogy or symbolic gesture on Jesus’ part (Chilton, 2005).After Jesus’ ascension, accounts say that Mary Magdalene together with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus were seized by the Jews along with many other Christians and left to die on board a ship without sails. They survived miraculously and Mary Magdalene was further mentioned to have chosen to live on a cave and every day, the angels of the Lord visited and carried her to heaven (â€Å"Memorial of St. Martha†, 2006). There is no clear record on when and where Mary Magdalene died. There were claims that she was miraculously transported to the chapel of St.Maximin where she was given the last sacraments. Others claim that she spent her last days in Ephesus. With so many conflicting accounts on the life of Mary Magdalene, many scholars have spent countless hours researching her life story. With the recent interest on the life of Mary Magdalene because of claims that she was the wife of Jesus and she bore him a child, many writers and scholars have offered their own theories and writings based on their findings. In her book, Joan Norton even ventured as far as interpreting the mind of Mary Magdalene and writing a novel with a first-person perspective.Though conflicting are the accounts on her life, what was certain was Mary Magdalene followed and served the Lord Jesus Christ while He was preaching and continued to do so even after his ascension to heaven. The feast day of Mary Magdalene is celebrated every July 22. She is regarded to symbolize the virtue of penitence. Hence, her title â€Å"The Penitent. † St. Martha Not much is known about the life of Martha. In the Bible, she was only mentioned twice in the New Testament in the Gospels of John and Luke. Specifically, Martha was cited in Luke 10:38-42 and John 11, 12.That mention is the story about the visit of Jesus in the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus at Bethany. It was said that Jesus loved to visit them whenever He was in Judea. In one of Jesus’ visits to Martha’s home, Martha was busy serving the Master, preparing food for the guests and doing errands around the house when she noticed that her sister, Mary, was not doing anything but instead is seated near Jesus listening to his preaching. Martha, annoyed by Mary’s attitude, approached the Master to ask Him to persuade Mary to help her in doing the house chores.Jesus understood what Martha was complaining about. Not wanting to offend her because Jesus love d them both, He explained to her that she was worrying too much at the things that are trivial and in the process loosing sight of the more important thing which is what Mary had been doing, and that is listening to the word of God (â€Å"Memorial of St. Martha†, 2006). There are, however, some snippets of stories about Martha that sheds some light on her life. According to one account, Martha came from a rich and noble family.Her parents have enough wealth to live comfortably and to take good care of their children. But in spite of their wealth, Martha chose to serve the Lord in the ways she knew best. In fact, she is most remembered in the Christian world for the hospitality she gave to Jesus and his disciples whenever they visited them in their home (â€Å"Memorial †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2006) After the event where Jesus explained to Martha the importance of listening to the word of God, not much is known about what events followed on Martha’s life.Martha was mentioned ag ain in the New Testament when her brother Lazarus, who died of an illness, was raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus. Upon learning of Lazarus’ death, Jesus was saddened and He immediately set off to Judea. There, at the tomb of Lazarus, Martha was mentioned again wherein she spoke to Jesus uttering those intense words of faith, which later on became part of the Christian funeral liturgy. Martha told Jesus: â€Å"I know he will rise again on the resurrection on the last day.† To which Jesus replied, telling her He, the Lord Jesus, is the resurrection and the life and whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life (â€Å"St. Martha†, nd. ). Martha’s conversations with Jesus showed her faith and courage. It is evident in the available writings that Jesus loved the family of Martha. Some time after Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus again visited Martha and her siblings and shared a meal with them. Because of their association with Jesus, the siblings were known throughout their town.Lazarus was always talked about as the one that Jesus raised from the dead; Mary was known as the one who cause a commotion in one of the many dinners Jesus had with them by washing Jesus’ feet with her hair and pouring expensive perfume after. In contrast, Martha was known only as the one who always served Jesus the meals and took care of the guests whenever the Master came for a visit. She simply and humbly served Jesus (â€Å"St. Martha†, n. d). After the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and his eventual ascension to heaven, there was no mention of Martha again in the Scriptures.Again, other accounts say that after the ascension, Martha, Mary and Lazarus were held by the Jews. Together with Martha’s handmaid Marcella and a disciple named Maximin who performed the baptism of the whole family, and with many other Christians were herded on to a ship. The Jews then left them on the open sea while on board the ship that was stripped of its sails and oars with the intent of exposing them to the elements of the sea and possibly send them to their doom through shipwreck or disease (â€Å"Memorial †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2006). But God had other plans for them.The ship was not wrecked and all the passengers arrived safely in the city of Marseilles, now known as part of the nation of France in Europe. The miraculous journey became known to the local population. The Christians, including Martha and her siblings, set off to preach throughout Marseilles and the neighboring towns such as Aix, eventually converting many to become believers of Christ (â€Å"Memorial †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2006). The same account continued to say that because of their works, Lazarus was made bishop of Marseilles and Maximin the disciple, was also made bishop of the neighboring Aix.Mary, it was said, decided to retire into a deserted cave and devoted herself to prayers and enjoyed the part wherein she had chosen when Jesus was sti ll among them and that is immersing in the joys of heaven. Martha, it was believed, withdrew form the public eye and together with other virtuous women, lived apart from the community of men and settled in a remote place in the Marseilles. She spent the rest of her life serving the Lord Jesus Christ through her piety and prudence (â€Å"Memorial †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2006). Some accounts specifically mentioned that Martha died on the fourth of the Kalends of August.Her body is believed to be interred at Tarascon where it is held in great veneration generations after generations (â€Å"Memorial †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , 2006). Still, others believe that where and when Martha died is unknown or whether she died a natural death or at the hands of those who persecute Christians (â€Å"St. Martha†, n. d. ). The feast day of St. Martha is celebrated every 29th of July. She is recognized as the patron saint of cooks, housewives, servants and travelers. Application to One’s Life/Lessons Fro m the life of St.Martha, one lesson which I believe many of us can relate to is that sometimes, with all the hustle and bustle of daily life, we worry too much about many things. Some are trivial, some are not but just the same, we become so immerse with the daily grind of life that we forget to pause and pray, just like what Martha experienced when Jesus made one of his many visits to their home. We need to stop and meditate, even contemplate because we may not realize it but taking a break and spending time to pray energizes our spirits and helps us cope with everyday problems and stress.One other lesson that I can see from the life of St. Martha is that even simple things like household chores or small works outside our homes, can also be an instrument or a way to serve the Lord because in serving others, we serve also the Lord Jesus Christ. On the other hand, Mary Magdalene represented the symbol of unwavering faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. If truly she was a prostitute, she di splayed great courage and devotion when she followed Jesus in spite of her sins.Recognizing one’s sins and repenting is probably the most valuable lesson that Mary Magdalene have taught us through her example. No matter how sinful we are, the Lord can forgive us and even elevate us to a level we could never expect. From the lives of St. Martha and St. Mary Magdalene, we can learn that serving the Lord Jesus Christ can be done in various ways albeit it should be based on true devotion and faith. References Chilton, B. (2005). Mary Magdalene: A Biography. New York: Doubleday. Ehrman, B. (2006). Peter, Paul, and Mary Magdalene: The Followers of Jesus in Historyand Legend. Philadelphia: Oxford University Press. George, M. (2003). Mary, Called Magdalene. New York: Penguin Group (USA). Lester, M. (2006). The Everything Mary Magdalene Book: A Divine Profile. Massachusetts: Adams Media Corp. â€Å"Memorial of St. Martha, virgin†. (2006). Catholic Culture. Retrieved on November 25, 2006 from http:/www. catholicculture. org Norton, J. (2005). The Mary Magdalene Within. New York: iUniverse, Inc. â€Å"St. Martha†. (n. d. ). St. Martha. org. Retrieved on November 25, 2006 from http://www. stmartha. org/St%20Martha. htm

Interview of Music Teacher on the Importance of Music Programs

I had the distinct privilege and pleasure of interviewing Ms. ABC, Elementary School Music Teacher at ABC School. This interview is a true testament to the challenges educator’s face in today’s music classrooms. Music teachers are faced with diverse classrooms filled with children who have different learning styles and varying ability levels; therefore, certain issues will arise relative to the diversity. I am extremely grateful to Ms. Liza Smith for supporting me with this interview.Why is music important? When educational cuts are made, music and art are amongst the first subjects to go. Unfortunately, it means that parents, educators and even board members are overlooking each subject`s importance. Music education is more than just introducing students to beats, notes and songs. Instead, it completely transforms a child`s mind and opens up endless possibilities to their learning potential. Why is music education important? Music is a magical gift we must nourish and cultivate in our children, especially now as scientific evidence proves that an education in the arts makes better math and science students, enhances spatial intelligence in newborns, and let's not forget that the arts are a compelling solution to teen violence, certainly not the cause of it! † Is music learning underrated? Music is something with affects the mind, body and spirit, but yet its importance is often underrated, especially when it comes to the educational benefits of which there are many.With the ability to influence behavior, social skills, sensitivity and general achievement, music can have positive effects on many aspects of life. In children, music education is important as it promotes a desire to persevere and succeed, as well as having a whole range of other benefits. There is some evidence to suggest that through involvement with music, children have the opportunity to fine-tune their listening skills and consequently their comprehension. Both skills can b e applied to other academic subjects and can help students with problem-solving and concentration.Music uses both sides of the brain, so any participation will enhance learning and challenge the mind. Should Music and the Arts be used to teach other academic subjects? While studies show positive influences in other academic areas, music and the Fine Arts are an academic discipline that are, as the other academics, an independent way of learning and knowing. Reading, writing, and mathematics are important and all students should be successful in those areas, however none of those academic areas justify their existence on the basis of what is accomplished for another area. Each academic discipline is important for a well-rounded curriculum.Music and Fine Arts are an academic area of study equal to reading, writing, mathematics and science. Should the study of Music and the Fine Arts be available to all students? Where music and Fine Arts programs have been eliminated because of fundin g difficulties, students have been deprived of a significant opportunity of learning and knowing about the world around them. All students should be able to â€Å"elect† to study music and the Fine Arts in depth at the secondary level. All students should have the opportunity to study music at the elementary level in a systematic, meaningful way.If music and the Fine Arts are reserved for only wealthy schools or communities, a cultural â€Å"elite† will be created, which also creates a significant distinction of social class. Music and the Fine Arts should not only be available to those children of wealthy parents who can purchase private tutors or subsidize public schools with donations to sustain public school programs, but also to students of average or low socio-economic areas. How should Music and the Fine Arts fit into the educational curriculum? The school curriculum should be designed to deliver more than a minimal education to students.Music and Art should be taught at every elementary school in a regular and systematic way. Music and all Fine Arts should be considered â€Å"academic electives† in secondary schools and available to all students on a multi-year basis to allow adequate time for skills to develop sufficiently for informed decisions about college programs and career choices. All academic electives, including Music and Fine Arts, should count towards entrance requirements in colleges and universities. All students graduating from public schools should have received at least one credit in Fine Arts.All colleges and universities should require one Fine Arts credit for admission. In closing it is my belief that we as music educators, must take the lead in sharing this information with the people that can make the difference in the future; school boards, administrators, parents, and legislative representatives. We must advocate for the arts. It is vital that we become proactive in our support of the arts. By reviewing the studies involving music we have found that participation in school music has a positive impact on areas considered outside the realm of music.As more people become aware of the research in this area, we should see increased enrollments in arts classes. The use if the arts throughout the curriculum, as a tool for better learning is an area that will expand. With dropout rates being so high, educators need to combine resources and to use the tools available for a more effective method of education. I feel that the arts will play a major roll in the future success of the education system. Don't stand on the sidelines and watch the profession dwindle away. Get involved and help it grow.

Spend Time, Not Money Cheap Hobbies for Students

Spend Time, Not Money Cheap Hobbies for Students You’ve got one life to live so we want you to have plenty of inexpensive options. Not everything has to drain your bank account, there are endless legions of things you could do with your time that will enrich you and this world and won’t cost much if anything. For example†¦ 1 Body Sculpting If you’re a college student, a part of your tuition pays for a nice well-equipped (hopefully) gym somewhere, usually near the stadiums and locker rooms. Now, once you’ve found it you should know that Body Sculpting isn’t just â€Å"working out† like everybody thinks. It takes time, effort, discipline and hard work to REALLY sculpt your body into something brag-worthy. But what a way to spend time! And hey, even if you aren’t into the gym scene, you can sculpt through pure body weight training and nutrition. However, it should be noted that if you opt to put on tons of extra muscle (vs. just sculpting what you were born with) this is going to cost a fair amount of money! 2 Outdoor Fitness Sure, there’s probably hiking and jogging and walking and so forth but what if you got into something a bit cooler? Like, there’s suspension rope training where you walk tight ropes low to the ground, say, between two trees. Or, how about outdoor obstacle courses or serious mountain biking (the kind that involves scary trails and requires you to wear protective gear)? There’s no end to the things you can do for free outside your dorm room. Tons of people like you have already created fun little outdoorsy groups and they’re yearning for more members! 3 Podcasting Why not create a Podcast? You can do that for free. All you gotta do is talk and minimize the amount of â€Å"dead air† on the channel and you’ve got the basic down. Who cares if anyone’s listening, because if you podcast regularly and consistently you WILL build some kind of audience (which you can then monetize for free as well) over time. If you want to be super-cool, have the topic revolve around your major, or your career goals. For example, focus on the industry you’re aiming at. But technically, you can podcast about ANYTHING. 4 Twitch If you’re going to game, why not set up a stream and do it with people around the world? You can set up your own stream channel, start broadcasting your gaming and even interact with viewers. Did you know that tons of gamers now make their living through streaming on Twitch? Not a bad way to make your gaming hobby a bit more productive. Like podcasting, just remember it will take time to build a viewing audience. 5 Volunteer! If you already volunteer, thank you! If not, and it’s something you avoid because of whatever preconceived notions you harbor, try it out! What you’ll find is that volunteering is a proverbial good-karma-factory. And, it typically leads to new exciting opportunities as well, especially once you put your heart into it. It’s not always the â€Å"bleeding heart† stuff either. You could mentor someone, or teach people a skill you possess. You could even create your own way to give back to the community and make your environment a better place without spending a dime. 7 Politics Here’s a thought†¦get involved in local and state politics! And this goes for all college kids across the world: you’re sorely needed! The world needs more people to care about what politicians are doing and where the money and resources are going. Join a current events or politics-based discussion group and start from there. Plus, this type of stuff always looks good on a resume. 8 Certifications Hop online and take a gander at all the little certifications you can get for free. Some are funny, but some are actually quite interesting and handy. Just don’t go â€Å"cert-crazy† and start collecting certifications like stamps†¦it starts to look weird after about four or five. Then of course there’s all the ultra-cheap certifications that you can get for probably around $20-$40 and the same thing goes – don’t jump completely overboard. Stick with certifications that you can see yourself actually putting to good use. 9 OpenSource Ed If certifications aren’t up your alley and you would like something a bit more challenging, then head into the online OpenSource Education revolution and pick something spectacular! Think of it†¦imagine any subject, discipline or methodology†¦and you’re likely to find an OpenSource class, course, ebook, training manual, or something on it. Welcome to the 21st century! So, now you know about some pretty cool options to put your time to use and keep yourself productive rather than lounging around wasting it. If all the listed hobbies are too boring for you, consider these weird hobbies. Perhaps youll find them more suitable for you!

Discussions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Discussions - Essay Example There are no specific instructions how to do it and lastly, it gives you a natural high. The thesis of the essay is implicitly expressed by the stating the question, why are Americans so easily lured to shop in malls in the first place? From this statement alone, we can surmise that the topic of the essay is to state the differences of malls and downtown districts in which leads to Americans patronizing malls more than downtown businesses. The main thing that holds the paragraph together is already stated by the title- Shopping in America, and it has already been assumed that American shoppers only have two means of shopping in the U.S., that is, going to the mall or downtown. Focusing on these two, the essay was developed in a block format, meaning it developed one subject before it went to another. In my opinion, I would’ve preferred an essay that was developed point by point so that one could really exemplify why malls are more frequently visited by Americans. Alas, I don’t think the conclusion was grown out of the topic that well because the truth that â€Å"American malls grow because someone with enormously deep pockets decides to plunk it down where there used to be woods or a golf course† seems to assumed and no premonition that the conclusion was going to be this was given by the essay. Now that I think about it, the essay’s development was also not very fair in the first place because while malls were exemplified and backed by fairly logical reasons why one would prefer shopping there, downtown centers were exemplified with a sense of rhetoric and ‘ad miserie cordiam’ or an appeal to the reader’s emotions. His contrasts are overdone to exemplify the faults of downtown and because of this, his preference for malls seem to be implied with the whole

Workforce planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Workforce planning - Essay Example Sloan (2010) notes that the strategic work force planning seeks to look into the current, transitional and future needs of the business. Operational workforce planning, on the other hand, takes about twelve to eighteen months. It forms the basis of the strategic workforce planning. Work force planning occurs in five basis steps. The first step is the context and environment consideration. It entails looking at why the process is required and the goals that the business seeks to achieve by having a workforce plan. It is in this stage where the performance measures for the plan are also identified and spelt out. Bechet (2002) notes that one of the key procedures in the initial stage of workforce planning is linking the strategic goals and objectives of the business with the plan. It allows for the team involved to know how to shape the plan so that it is part and parcel of the overall goals of the business. The second step is the generation of the current workforce profile. It requires focusing on the current skills, competencies, experience and strengths of the workforce that the business has. Step two also necessitates the identification of the key issues which need to be considered so that the capability of the workforce can be improved. Step three of the plan is the generation of the future workforce profile. According to Hill & Jones (2001) a plan is supposed to take an organization to a desired future state. It therefore means that the business must look at the implications that the plan will have on its future as well as the environment which will be needed for the effective implementation and use of the plan. Future priorities must also be identified at this stage. The fourth step is the analysis of the gaps and coming up with strategies to close them. Step four entails the identification of the key areas where action will be obligatory so that the gaps are filled for the benefit of the business. The final step is the conclusion,