Adolescent Depression

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Adolescent Depression

Adolescent depression or teenage depression is a mental and emotional disorder which is similar to adult depression. As it is not usual for young teens to experience depression but during the duration of adolescence, there is always a time with physical, emotional, psychological and social changes that a teenager becomes vulnerable. Adolescence is that stage of life when a child transitions into an adult. During this transformation period, many teens face many issues of independence and self-identity and face tough choices as they are confused about how they feel which can result in either passive or outrageous way. The adolescent is that stage of life which is full of uncertainties because a teen has to make a lot of choices, take responsibilities and are exposed to peer pressure.
Teen depression or adolescent depression is a serious health problem that can cause loss of interest in activities, anxiety, and sadness. If a teen is depressed then it can affect how he or she thinks, feels, behaves and reacts which causes physical, emotional and mental problems. Depression is a health problem that can affect people of any age and at any time in life; but the symptoms of adult depression and teenage depression may vary. Teenage depression is not caused due to weakness and cannot be overcome by willpower. This health problem can have a serious effect on the teens health and can require a long-term treatment. As during the adolescent period, a teen faces many issues like change in the body, academic pressure, peer pressure which can cause lots of pressure to the teen; that can lead to a persistent feeling of sadness causing teenage depression.

Often teens with depression will have a noticeable change in their behaviour, mood, and thinking. They might become de-motivated and spend hours in their bedroom after school doing nothing. Their daily habits will change such as sleeping more, eating habits and loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed. Teens suffering from depression may also indulge in criminal activities or substance abuse. Depression in teenage is dangerous because teens with depression will have different levels of hormone and neurotransmitters than adults. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the brain which are responsible for how brain cells communicate with one another which is important in regulating ones behavior, mood and reaction.

As teenage depression is caused due to multiple pressure and events, there is no single treatment for it. It can take time to identify the right treatment for it. To avoid depression in teens you should often talk to your child about their feelings, school life, and personal life. Depression can have a negative impact on your child but with proper treatment, your child can get the help that he or she requires.

One of the challenges that teenagers face is being able to perform well academically. House Tutors, a leading house tutoring agency based in Singapore helps students alleviate the stress of academics by providing quality tuitions.

Teacher Conferences and School Progress - Important for Divorced or Divorcing Parents

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Teacher Conferences and School Progress - Important for Divorced or Divorcing Parents

In many parts of the country, the school year has just started. If you are going through a divorce or are already divorced, have you talked about or planned how you and the other parent are going to communicate about your childs school activities?

Sadly, when parents are going through a divorce or are divorced, one of them will more than likely have little to no knowledge about what is happening in their childrens classroom. Most parents know that parent/teacher conferences are a great way for them to learn about their childs daily activities in school, whether they are doing well or if they need help at home. Yet, many parents dont communicate with the teacher during this trying time in their lives or just simply turn over this responsibility to the other parent and dont get involved anymore.

However, if you are divorcing or divorced from your spouse, not being part of your childrens educational responsibilities is not in their best interests. So, what can you do to avoid conflict with your spouse or ex, yet remain actively involved in your childs education?

Brian James, president of C.E.L. & Associates, Inc., an Illinois-based divorce mediator specializing in pre and post divorce issues, has some advice for parents that can be beneficial to their child:

1. Make sure your childs teacher is the first one informed that there is a pending divorce or if a divorce has just occurred. Your child spends more time in school than anywhere else, and this situation might have a negative effect on your child, he says. At this time of year, scheduling school conferences has already begun. If the two of you cant be in the same room for a conference, most teachers are willing to schedule individual conferences with each of you at your request.

2. If the parents are cordial to each other, they can attend the parent/teacher conference together. That way, both parents have the same information and can ask the same questions regarding their childs education.

3. More often than not, sitting together with a teacher is virtually impossible due to the antagonistic and negative vibes radiating from each parent. This makes the teacher uncomfortable-and in this hostile atmosphere-you may not receive all the information you need to know about your childs academic achievements or non-achievements. If only one parent attends, the other one is left in the dark. Unfortunately, in most divorce situations, this is exactly what happens.

With the above being said, Mr. James as some advice on how divorcing or divorced parents should handle teacher/parent conferences:

Ask the teacher to notify both parents what days and times are available for in-person or phone conferences. Some teachers may not be willing to accomidate such requests, but a majority of them will based on the situation. However, it is ultimately the parents responsibility to stay informed, not the teachers.

When necessary, schedule individual in-person or phone conference time with the teacher. This will alleviate divorced parents from having to be together, but at the same time, allow them equal time with the teacher. This results in each parent learning the same information about his or her child.

If only one parent is meeting the teacher in person or having a telephone conference, take notes. Even if you and your ex arent on speaking terms, sending him or her notes about the conference is in the best interest of your child. Both of you need to have the same philosophy and goals regarding your childs education.

No matter how much you and your ex dislike each other and want nothing to do with one another, you still have a child you need to parent together, states Mr. James. School is where children learn. If the two of you arent on the same page regarding the childs current education, then you are both unnecessarily harming your childs future education and well being.

For more information, phone Brian James at (312) 524-5829 or visit www.yourdivorce.org.

The History Of The Wiccan Religion

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The History Of The Wiccan Religion

Before you begin any life changing adventure, it is important to know the history of what you are going into (especially if it is a belief system/religion such as Wicca).

Most people know that modern day Wicca was born in 1954 by Gerald Gardner (who had an extensive background in the occult). His writings were influenced by Aleister Crowley, Theosophy, Freemasonry, and various other occult sources. All of this gave birth to modern day Wicca.

Currently, it is one of the fastest growing religions in North America.

In reality, Wicca is a more common and much older name for "Witchcraft".

Contrary to what many religious groups would have you believe, Witchcraft is not synonymous with Satanism... in fact, it is quite the opposite.

It was during the middle ages that Witchcraft gained momentum - superstition gave way to the supernatural - and there was a "hodge podge" of Witchcraft practitioners in the world (especially Europe - but of course even older forms of Witchcraft - like Shamanism - were rampant in other areas of the world as well)

The Wiccans of today typically distance themselves from Christianity. They see it as a male dominated religion, and feel there is a lack of balance. The belief is there must be balance in all aspects of life and the world. The duality is worshipped in most branches... both God and Goddess.

Archaeologists discovered a cache of Papyri in Egypt which also added to the knowledge that had collected over the ages.

Fragmented pieces of the sacred teachings have formed the basis for many different branches of the Magick path. In fact, you will not find a discipline of Witchcraft that does not harness the power of a core Magick principle found in the original Magick Papyri.

The Full Power Of Magick Is At Your Feet

You've got to understand that because of the amazing discovery of the Magick Papyri - the full knowledge to control Magick energy is at your feet.

The right teacher - combined with the secrets of ancient Magick - will unlock your ability to change the world around you (including your own life) in ways you have never dreamed.

I know the secrets of controlling Magick energy - and I want to show you exactly how to create miracles with Magick. I want to be your teacher.

So enough of the history lesson, let's dive in to the good stuff. The secret of controlling Magick - and how you can use it to create miracles in your life. Keep an eye out for future articles...

Activities that you can host for kids in a school or home

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Activities that you can host for kids in a school or home

There are several activities that a teacher can employ in a Montessori school. They can also guide the parents of what to do in a school. But to know what types of activities are good for children, one must study them. Today there are a lot of schools which teach candidates wanting to teach in Montessori schools and preschools about how to teach and manage children.

To be a Montessori teacher one must pursue the certificate course in montessori teachers training to gain knowledge about how to manage kids. Some of the practical activities in the classroom include activities such as hand washing, arranging flowers, watering of plants etc. For home, teachers can guide the parents of the children to involve them in activities such as watering plants, arranging items in their bedrooms etc.

The classroom programs generally contain activities which enhance the cognitive skills of the children such as jigsaw puzzles, understanding the solar system, drawing or colouring etc. Below we will discuss some more activities in details. As a teacher, you can start with

a)Letting the children play with real-world objects to help them practice real-life skills which will make it easier for them when they enter the big world outside! For example, by letting them play with a lock and a key, they will get an idea of unlocking the door or a gate. The teacher must also let them explore and think about how they should work on their own. However, as a teacher, you should make sure that none of these activities is hazardous for the child. Adult supervision is necessary for all these activities.

b)Some of the other activities which the parents can create at home or can make by buying some of the supplies from stores are puzzles as we have already discussed. Some of them are building blocks, making models with clay which helps in strengthening finger muscles. Since these can be moulded into several shapes, children can devote a lot of time creating something new with these.

c)Since children love subtle movements, teachers can provide some fun and easy activities at home, which are slightly challenging but keep the children engaged while providing good exercise for their muscles development as well. These practical life activities are great for building fine motor skills. Some of these activities are making stacking toys with the help of bangles as rings or getting kids to drop coins in a box to help them in aiming more precisely. The development of motor skills can be found in details in a certificate course in montessori teachers training.

d)Language is another sector which requires utmost importance! Since a child is generally inclined to learning newer words at a young age, hence pronunciation has to be taught extensively.

There are more things that need to be discussed regarding the Montessori stage and for this reason, it is best to pursue the certificate course in montessori teachers training for an aspirant seeking to make a profession to in the education sector.

Teach Your Dog to Walk and Dance

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Teach Your Dog to Walk and Dance

Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that put an abnormal strain upon the muscles of the back and hind legs and most dogs require considerable practice before they gain sufficient control of those muscles to balance themselves in this unnatural position.

Before you rush into teaching this trick, bear in mind that not all dogs can do this trick, especially the big dogs such as St. Bernard or Great Dane as it is almost physically impossible for them to perform such trick. Sorry. This trick is not for you - Big dog owners!

A dog should first be taught to sit up and after he will do this well, hold a small piece of treat just above his nose and say "Up," when he will elevate himself just a trifle to get it, and should be allowed to eat it. Give him daily practice at this, making him reach a little higher from day to day until he can balance himself on his hind feet.

Do not keep him at these lessons too long at any one time, as they are very fatiguing, and you must give the muscles plenty of time in which to grow strong, so that he can sustain himself more easily. After he can stand up he should be taught to walk by slowly moving the treat from him, and he will be induced to take first one step and then another toward it. Reward him frequently by letting him have the treat and be careful not to tire him.

Dancing Dog
After a dog can stand erect and walk on his hind legs he can be taught to dance, which consists simply in hopping around on the hind legs and at short intervals turning around.

The simplest method of teaching this trick is to attach a piece of treat to a string, four or five feet long; hold the treat in tempting proximity to the dog's nose, and so high that he will stand on his hind legs to get to it, and then slowly move it around and he will follow after it any way that you may select. Give a command such as "Dance" to associate this trick with. Say the command when you tempt him with the treat.

Do not keep him at it too long and reward him frequently, so as to keep up his enthusiasm. In the early lessons, your dog simply follows the treat because he wants the reward attached to the end of it, nevertheless with regular practice, your dog will still dance for you even without the reward treat. Over time, he should be able to dance at command and for an occasional reward. Till then, he can be accustomed to dancing when dressed up in fantastic apparel.

Standing On Forelegs
This is one of the most difficult tricks to teach, and you most probably see this trick only in a circus as the position of standing on the front feet alone with the head down and the hind legs elevated is an unnatural one. It will be a long time before your dog learns to balance himself.

However, it is not totally impossible to teach your dog such trick, provided that you put in consistent amount of effort and time to teach and train him. (This trick is mainly for smaller and toy breed dogs only, most big dogs are physically incapable of doing this trick)

To teach this trick, provide yourself with a light cane or a stick, about two feet long. Hold the stick in your right hand and place it under the dog's stomach, raising his hindquarters with the stick and at the same time placing your left hand on his head, so as to prevent his moving away, thereby forcing him to retain his reversed position; as the dog rises into position the stick should be gradually moved back from his belly until it supports only his hind feet.

Use a command such as "On your head" to associate this trick with and repeat it distinctively during training and remember don't save on your praises and treats when your dog is progressing and learning. He need plentiful of them to further encourage him to learn the trick.

Repeat this operation at successive lessons until the dog understands what is expected of him and learns to balance himself with but very little assistance or support from the stick, and finally with none at all. Eventually he will learn to take the position at the order, "on your head," without assistance from the hand or switch.

After a dog can balance himself on his forefeet he can be taught easily to take a few steps by standing in front and calling him to you, and as he gains confidence and experience can be made to walk quite a distance.

Your dog may or may not master any of these tricks mention above. For all you might know, he could be a lazy dog, or maybe you are a lousy teacher. In any case, tricks are still tricks; you shouldn't be bothered if your buddy can't perform them because I know you will still love him for what he is, and not performing tricks to entertain friends or yourself.

The Father of Muay Thai

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The Father of Muay Thai

Siam, Ayutthaya Kingdom 1774. The Burmese invasion brought destruction and the consequent fall of the Siamese capital. Thousands of prisoners were brought to Burma as slaves for work and entertainment.

Among the large number of kick boxers within the prisoners there was a man named Nai Khanomtom. Son of the chief of his village, he saw his family get slaughtered by the burmese when he was just a little boy and grew up in his life in a hardened way, always with the shadow of fear from the Burmese troops.

Nai Khanomtom, like any other Thai prisoner, was deeply rooted into Thai culture and values. Proud of his own country and people, he would never give up easily nor accept to be defeated.

That year the Burmese king wanted to organize a 7 days long religious festival with many forms of entertainment and for the occasion he wanted to compare the Burmese boxing with the Muay Boran. Nai Khanomtom was selected to fight against the Burmese boxing champion.

On the ring placed in from of the king throne Nai Khanomthom begun the Wai Kru to pay respect to his teachers and ancestors dancing around his opponent. While the dance is a traditional ritual for the Siamese also to respect the spectators, the Burmese were surprised and perplexed by the dance and believed that was some sort of thai black magic.

However, as soon as they start the fight, Nai Khanomtom charged his opponent with every weapon Muay Boran can offer. They call it "the martial art of the 8 limbs" because it uses hands, feet, knees and elbows.

The Burmese champion was knocked out pretty quickly but the referee declared the fight invalid as the Burmese were too distracted by the way kru dance.

In this moment of perplexion the king sent other 9 men to fight against Nai Khanomtom who defeated all of them, one by one without taking any time break.

The last opponent was a famous Burmese kick boxing teacher and Nai Khanomtom managed to defeat him with his kicks. After that, no one dared to fight against Nai Khanomtom.

The king was very impressed by the skills of Thai people and he remarked: "Every part of the Thai is blessed with venom. Even with his bare hands, he can fell nine or ten opponents. But his Lord was incompetent and lost the country to the enemy. If he had been any good, there was no way the City of Ayutthaya would ever have fallen."

After this event, freedom was granted to Nai Khanomtom and his fellow thai prisoners.

Since then, every year on March 17 in Thailand is celebrated the National Muay Boran Day to honor Nai Khanomtom and all Muay Boran ancient teachers whom developed this martial art to the well known Muay Thai of today.

Activities For The Elderly Focus on International Day of Older Persons

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Activities For The Elderly Focus on International Day of Older Persons

Activities for the elderly got a sharper focus on October 1, 2007 - because it was International Day of Older Persons. The World Health Organization (www.who.int) offers some startling statistics on the aging population, offered through the Voluntary Arts Network (www.voluntaryarts.org)

"In the next 50 years, the number of older persons will nearly quadruple, growing from about 600 million to almost 2 billion senior citizens. Today, one in every ten is 60 years and older. By 2050, one out of every five will be an older person, and by 2150, one third of the people in the world are expected to be 60 years of age or older".

That's an awful lot of people classified as 'elderly' and being in their 60's!

I was at a seminar at the weekend where the audience were asked to suggest what 'middle-aged' might mean and the majority suggested that 50+ was considered more appropriate than the 35+ often referred to some years back.

Increasingly - and rightly so, able individuals are 'miffed' to find that 'elderly' in some medical circles falls into the 60+ age range. Subsequently, the activities being offered to these groups mirror our institutions' view of what is traditionally seen as appropriate for 'the older person'.

There have been many comments in the news recently of archaic images associated with this section of our population. Road safety signs of physically infirm elderly persons being used to allocate parking places for the over 60's. The majority of this age group would be happy to run a mile (if they were able) from such stereotypes, but may well favor the opportunity of a free parking space!

That aside, International Day of Older Persons is, for me, an opportunity to focus on the creative activities I offer and to question my own approach to why, and how I offer recreational activities. Entering a search term into Google shows that the majority of searches for activities for an aging population still incorporate the words 'elderly', along with 'recreational', 'therapy', and 'benefits'.

These terms alone signify that arts and crafts in particular fall into separate categories:

1. Activities that might be appropriate for older persons - whatever stereo-typical bracket society deems it.
2. Activities that are seen to offer individual and group benefits - such as the 70s buzz word of spices - social, physical, intellectual cultural and emotional.

Those searching for activities of this nature are more than likely institution-based and require arts and crafts activities that will engage both mind and body. My experience however has been that such places are often looking for 'things to do', rather than search out challenging, stretching and engaging activities that will specifically suit individuals in their group.

Perhaps the challenge here is in training our carers in such places into what exactly constitutes recreation and therapy and what's just as important as What to do, is Why do it in the first place?

What's important to those of us who work with older people - however they, the Government of the day or we ourselves categorize it is to think about 3 basic issues for EACH individual that we are working with:

1. Why should we offer arts and crafts - or any nature in the first place?
2. What type of activity would suit the individual and the group?
3. How can we structure it so that it gives maximum benefit - on all fronts, to those involved?

When I was training as a primary school teacher, later specializing in teaching the older person and those with physical challenges, there was never any focus on Why crafts. That was up to me, in my role as a wandering trainer to establish.

These days there are many excellent activity organizer programs to undertake, and sadly even more less than helpful courses, workshops and books offered by those who may have done some training, but sadly haven't walked the walk.

I urge you, in whatever level of activity you are involved, to really take this opportunity to question how you see your role, what you do, and why you do it. Whatever part you play in teaching, managing or assisting in activities, it is your role to make whatever you do as valuable as possible.

Creative activities aren't all paste and paper. There are some wonderful projects to try and great results to be gained from those who are prepared to be reflective in their practice and to question their work a la Rudyard Kipling's famous maxim - I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and why and When And How and Where and Who.

As you plan your creative program, consider how you might serve those you work with. It'll put a different slant on what you do and question the part 'activities for the elderly' plays in your place or work, and your personal mindset.

Teach Me How to Play Violin

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Teach Me How to Play Violin

There are many different ways to learn a skill. With the internet, access to information has opened wide for a large percentage of the world's population. This encourages an entrepreneurial spirit amongst many where people are free to pursue the skills and knowledge they hunger for on their own. While dabbling in different interests is fun, the famous saying goes Jack-Of-All-Trades; master of none and this applies also to learning the violin. In order to master a skill such as playing the violin there is a faster approach to learning some of the top skills needed. Those who really succeed in life and in the arts have learned this secret.

The Secret of Mentorship

The fastest way to learn a skill is through hands on mentorship. Mentorship usually lasts for a set time and involves an intensive season of having that person pour all the knowledge and expertise they have in an area into you. You learn not only the theory and knowledge but also the practical side of implementing that knowledge. Moreover, very often this is where difficulty arises in music. You can learn all the techniques, the notes and scales and hand positions, but where do you learn musicality, that sense of becoming one with the music and the more subtle techniques needed in playing a softer volume or a more emotive piece of music? Can that be taught?

Musicianship

When you open your heart to a mentor you will not only be taught how to play violin, but you will catch their whole sense of musicianship, how they approach a piece of music, their subtle nuances in expressing the heart of that music and that is a priceless skill to pick up. So if mentorship is so valuable why don't more people seek out a mentor and ask them to teach them how to play violin?

Several Steps Involved

Firstly, let us look at the cost involved. Mentorship is more than just finding a teacher however; a teacher can be a mentor. A mentor is someone you really admire and look up to and want to be like in that area. Usually these will be people that are at the top of their industry and so their time is valuable and limited. It may even be difficult to gain access to them. Most mentors will have a basic standard they require their students to attain before taking them on personally, so it can take several steps of learning and being taught by others before you are ready for more intensive mentorship in the violin.

The good news is with the growth of the information age and the easy access technology like the internet is giving, it is becoming easier than ever to receive from experts in the music world. Many offer their own courses which you can purchase and is the next best thing to actually receiving live lessons. But, if your ambitions extend to becoming a concert violinist and making a career out of your playing, your best shot will be to find a mentor that you admire and who will take you under their wing and show you the ropes. It will be the difference between being stuck with the many in mediocrity and gaining that cutting edge that will allow your playing to really soar and cause you to stand out from the crowd.

The Correct And Incorrect Ways To Select A Guitar Teacher For You

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The Correct And Incorrect Ways To Select A Guitar Teacher For You

Finding the best guitar teacher to take lessons from saves you tons of frustration and struggle. Pick the wrong one and your playing suffers (in addition to your wallet).

Tons of guitar players select their teacher based on the wrong criteria. For example: they pick them by the cost of lessons, the teachers skill level and his musical background. Problem is, these things give you no proof that the teacher has the skills to help you become a better guitarist.

This is what does: proof that the guitar teacher has helped many other students achieve the same musical goals you have. These students must play in the exact same way that you want to play in.

Only look for the proof that the teacher has provided results. This is the only thing that matters.

Just think for a moment: Isnt this how you would select a dentist, doctor, mechanic or any other specialist you want to do business with?

Question: But Tom Hess, dont the teachers prices or playing ability or musical education matter at least a little?

Answer: No, they dont. This is why:

Guitar lesson prices: Tons of people select guitar teachers because they are cheaper than other local teachers. They falsely believe that all guitar teachers (and guitar lessons) offer the same exact value (just like buying a carton of milk at the grocery store).

Reality: Guitar teachers who charge the cheapest rates are almost always new to teaching or simply have very poor teaching ability. The best guitar teachers usually charge the most because they offer the greatest value.

With this in mind, some guitar teachers charge the most for the sake of tricking you. They know that a high price makes them appear higher quality. This is a major reason why you must not choose a teacher based on price alone.

Guitar playing skills: Having excellent guitar playing skills is different than having excellent guitar teaching skills. There are tons of amazing guitarists out there who do not know how to teach at all.

You need to see proof that a prospective teacher has excellent teaching skills. The only way to get this is to find a long list of satisfied students (usually on their website).

Formal musical education: Going to school to get a degree in music has nothing to do with knowing how to teach guitar. Learning about how music works and developing guitar teaching skills are two separate matters.

Once youve picked the right guitar teacher for you, you must learn how to speed up your progress as a guitar student. Learn how to get the most results from learning with a guitar teacher.

Acting - Techniques in the 20th Century

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Acting - Techniques in the 20th Century

In 1907 a new form of actor training began developing by Konstantin Stanislavski, artistic director for the Moscow Art Theater in Russia. Stanislavski was already well known internationally as an actor and director and he searched for a training system that would awaken a performers emotions. To achieve the creative state of mind in an actor was his ultimate goal. He thought the performer's past emotional experiences could be relived on stage. He based his thoughts from preparing great actors and the knowledge of yoga. Stanislavski taught the Moscow Art players through physical exercises with emphasize on relaxation, concentration and belief. Stanislavski believed that stimulation through the five senses, one could reawaken and control these memories only indirectly.

Continuous revisions were made over several decades and many variations of Stanislavski system became the touchstone of 20th century actor training. Attention to truthful emotional awakening in an actor through facial detail made it a great technique for television and naturalistic films. Experimental and traditional directors however, sparked counter theories and opposing approaches to Stanislavski teachings.

Vsevolod Meyerhold and Mikhail Chekhov, both students of Stanislavski in Russia, created actor-training that ignored the psychological stimulation and was more geared to physical and imagination. In the 1930s German playwright Bertoit Brecht and French theorist Antonin Artaud, Avantgarde theater practitioners, also challenged Stanislavski. They believed his training was overly realistic and internalized. In countries such as France and England, where theatrical traditions were firmly planted, ignored Stanislavski's clarion call.

Stanislavski had his greatest success in the United States. Stanislavski's idea that was known as "the method" became popular with the Group Theater in the 1930s and the Actor's Studio two decades later. The Method was the postwar foundation for the motion-picture acting in Hollywood. Directors of the alternative American theater in the 1960s, especially the ones who were influenced by Artaud and Polish director Jerzy Grotowski, explored innovative acting techniques that gave emphasize to external and super physical qualities of the performer. In the late 1990s many American acting teachers borrowed Asian theater and modern dance traditions.

An American director and actor, Lee Strasberg (1901-1982) was the leading teacher of Stanislavski's acting technique known as "the method." Born in Budzanow, Austria-Hungary, Strasberg came to the United States in 1909 and became a naturalized citizen in 1936. Strasberg helped to found the Group Theater in 1931; he directed many of its Broadway plays and productions.

Strasberg became an artistic director of the Actors Studio in 1951 and the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute was founded in 1969. Strasberg was responsible for the training of may leading American actors using the American exponent of the Method, an emotion-oriented acting technique. The American exponent of the Method was based on the teachings of the Russian actor and director Konstantin Stanislavski.

Some of his students included: Anne Bancroft, Maureen Stapleton, Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando and Dustin Hoffman. Even though his students had much success, some members of the acting community often criticized him because of his approach; which was regarded as undisciplined. Strasberg made his debut as an actor in "The Godfather Part II" in 1974.

Tapatak Oz Presenst The Brand New Selection For The Tap Programme

Tapatak Oz Presenst The Brand New Selection For The Tap Programme

Sydney, Australia Tapatak Oz introduces the new system of learning how to dance on the web. By using the latest tech and also the talent of the teachers, its now possible to get a grasp on how to tap dance easily. The tap dance program is simple and is accessible to anyone that would like to try their luck in this field. There are many amazing dances that are easily accessible for all of the students at this point in time.
First of all, one has to get a firm grasp of the tap dance syllabus. Once that is done then the first dances begin. Its always more fun to learn this hobby with a friend this means that you will have to also register that friend for the ultimate fun together. Many couples adopt dancing together and then some of them even start doing that professionally. The tap syllabus will easily but methodically teach anyone how to feel the rhythm and how to understand the base of this kind of activity.

It is even possible to teach tap those people that are far from the activity and that are just invested in learning how to dance. There are no limits to what can actually be achieved with just a simple move. People that have started to teach tap dance many years ago are now professionals at it: they know where one should start, who is eligible as to be good at the trade and what the common newbie mistakes that people should be aware of. One might think that teaching tap is easy but first of all to do that you must be a professional yourself.

One of the best things of this web page is that it accepts the tap exams and one can easily pass the exams without meeting the teacher face to face in the real world. Everything can be based on the videos that are uploaded online and even the certificate is then downloaded on the web site. Nevertheless, the tap examinations are real and can be a basis for going professional at any time. Those people that dont have access to the tap examinations in their home country now have a real chance as to be the pioneers in the field. The teachers are more than happy to help with that.

Contact:
Company: Tapatak Oz
Email: info@tapatak-oz.com
Phone: +61 408 683 221
Web site: http://tapatak-oz.com

The Best Things to Learn from Dad

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The Best Things to Learn from Dad

Unlike all the obvious guides in the world, there is no handbook for Dads. While women get to read loads of stuff of how to cope up with being a mom, Ive never come across any comprehensive guidebook for Dads. They watch their wives going through the pain helplessly, and wait patiently for the little miracle to come in the world and change their world forever. Whoever says Mothers are the only ones close to the children. A Father is the first love of his daughter and the first best friend of his son. Just like you cant substitute the love of a Mother, Fathers too are irreplaceable.

What is a Father to the Child

1] Fathers are the Bible of the world

He is the one who tells you the ugly truth of the world. Without his guidance, we would still be living in our dreamland of happiness and thinking everything and everyone out there will make us happy. We unknowingly learn from his everyday struggle. I learned how to use money, respect, patience, tolerance, forgiveness and even anger in the real world through him.

2] Fathers are always there

Every time he held my hand in the crowd, I knew he will save me from everything, and that I can peacefully eat my candy. Even when I grew up and it was time to face the world, I stepped out with the confidence of him watching my back, always.

3] Fathers teach how to struggle and never give up

Watching dad throughout our childhood we learn how to make our way in the mad race. Isnt it? He never comes home and gives us a lecture of how to make a living, but we learn it from his face that looks like a warrior tired after a war. We may hear him cribbing or even hating his work, but still everyday he gets up kiss us and goes back for his struggle, only to give us a life of happiness.

4] Fathers teach to eat with family

There were times when I had friends to catch up, favorite shows to watch and went through the infamous- leave me alone teenage phase. Whatever the reason may be, it all became null and void when Daddy called at the dinner table. This simple habit taught me the importance of coming back to the family no matter where on world were you the whole day. That has always been my favorite time of the day.

5] Fathers teach the difference between want and need

Remember when we really wanted something and thought we just cant live without it, and dad who always says yes to everything suddenly said NO! It took time to realize but he knew as inexperienced children we cannot differentiate between want and needs, so for us, he did that job, always.

6] Fathers have many faces- Teacher, Disciplinarian and even Clown

If fathers can draw a line, they are the ones who override orders (mommies) and lets you live too. He helps you with your homework at night and even draws your diagrams just to ensure you dont get scolded in school. Every time I made a mistake, its dad who I feared the most. Father is the disciplinarian who brings back our conscience and teaches us how to apologize and helps us correct our mistakes. At times when no one understands you and laughs at you at your funny paper boat, he is the one who claps and applauds your creation. He is the one who plays with you only to lose always, so that you can feel like a winner.

7] Fathers are the pillars of strength- They dont cry

Every father knows, in the childs eyes his father is the hero. A hero who protects, fights for us, brings gifts, laughs and plays with them and still never gets tired. A father is the shoulder to cry on and get strength for the entire family. He knows it is important for him to be the hero so that the child can get the strength to keep fighting and never give up. That is why, fathers dont cry- even if they want to.

8] Fathers teach you to love your family

No matter how much he wanted to go for his office party, he stayed back to help me with my exam preparations. He came back tired from office wanted to watch a movie but instead calmed me down by putting my favorite channel. Never for once did he complain why he should come to wonderland when what he really wanted was to sleep and rest at home.

The endless sacrifices that a father makes to ensure his family is happy makes you wonder what we would do without him. As much as we love our mother, our father completes our personality and makes us a better person. Happy Fathers Day, Dad!

About Saint Arnold Janssen

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About Saint Arnold Janssen

Saint Arnold Janssen was canonized a saint by Pope John Paul II on October 5, 2003. A devoted and humble priest, Saint Arnold Janssen carried out his calling to religious life by establishing the Society of the Divine Word. He dedicated his life to establishing missions all over the world and at the time of his death, more than 1.500 priests and sisters were his missionaries. Today, the mission societies established by Saint Arnold Janssen have over 10,000 members.

Facts about Saint Arnold Janssen:

Born on November 5, 1837 in Goch, Germany to Gerhard and Anna Katharina Janssen.

One of seven children raised in the Catholic faith

Studied natural science and became a high school teacher

Entered the seminary and was ordained a priest on August 15, 1861for the Diocese of Muenster

Saint Arnold Janssen taught secondary school in Bocholt for twelve years

Began writing the Little Messenger of the Sacred Heart which reported happenings in the missions and how German Catholics could become involved with missionary work.

Saint Arnold Janssen became dedicated to forming a German mission society but at the time, Germany banned the formation any religious schools.

Crossing the border into Steyl, Holland, Saint Arnold Janssen established a missionary seminary and a new religious order called The Society of the Divine Word on Sept. 8, 1875. Only three men were enrolled in the seminary and there was very little money for the upkeep of the run down facility.

Two of the first missionaries to graduate from The Society of the Divine Word were sent to China on March 2, 1879.

On December 8, 1889, Saint Arnold Janssen co-founded another religious missionary group called the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Spirit.

Saint Arnold Janssen continued his goal of founding missionary orders and co-founded the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration.

Saint Arnold expanded his missions into Argentina, Brazil, Togo, New Guinea, Chile, United States, Japan, Paraguay, and the Philippines.

Saint Arnold Janssen died on January 15, 1909.

Pope Paul VI beatified Saint Arnold Janssen on October 19, 1975. Follow the Example of Saint Arnold Janssen

Saint Arnold Janssen is an inspiration to all Christians. Many Catholics wear a Saint Arnold Janssen medal as they go about their day as a reminder to be missionaries of Jesus Christ in their own lives. The Saint Arnold Janssen pendant inspires Catholics by the faith of Saint Arnold Janssen in answering Jesus' call.

Take Control Of Indoor Allergies

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Take Control Of Indoor Allergies

If you or someone you love is living with allergies, you understand how difficult it can be to enjoy life when the allergies hit. Paying attention in class or in an important meeting instantly becomes a chore when the intense pressure packs the back of the brow and sinus cavities. Life's everyday routine is haunted by watery eyes, uncontrollable sneezing, sinus headaches, and the voice of Charlie Brown's teacher. It's almost like a small band of woodland creatures moved in behind your face and is throwing a head-warming party!

You may not be able to remove the allergens from the outdoors, but there are steps to take for reducing allergens inside places you spend significant amounts of time: the office, the car, and, most importantly, your home. Allergy-proofing your house can be complicated and time-consuming, but there are also very easy things you can do that will help. Because everyone is allergic to different allergens, some things will be more effective than others. People spend almost a third of their lives in their bedrooms, sleeping, reading and wanting to sleep some more. This should be the first place you start ridding allergens from your life.

Beds

You can encase all your pillows, mattresses and box springs in dust mite-proof covers. Wash your sheets, pillowcases and blankets at least once a week in water heated to at least 130 degrees F (54 degrees C).

Floors

The best floors for allergies are hardwood or linoleum with washable area rugs. If you have a carpet and removing it is not an option, be sure that it is a low-pile carpet. High-pile carpets are notorious hide-outs for allergens. Vacuum weekly with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Shampoo your carpets frequently.

Curtains and Blinds

Use washable curtains made of cotton or synthetic fabric. Replace any horizontal blinds with vertical roller-type blinds.

Windows

Keep your windows closed during pollen season. Use double-paned windows, especially if you live in a cold climate. Clean mold and condensation from window frames and sills on a regular basis.

Furniture

Avoid upholstered furniture. Instead, choose easy-to-clean chairs, dressers and night stands made of wood, metal, plastic or leather.

Pets

If you are allergic to pet dander, keep your dog, cat or exotic animal out of the bedroom. Bathing them twice a week will also help control the dander they shed.

Air Purifier

Even if you keep your home dust free, it is very easy to miss areas like ceiling fan blades, air vents and other very high surfaces that consistently deposit allergy particles in the air. It is recommended that you use an Energy Star qualified air purifier that can filter an entire room.

The Vornado Air Quality System 500 Whole Room Air Purifier uses Vornado's signature Vortex Technology to effectively circulate and filter all the air in the room for a new level in indoor air quality satisfaction. Created with the allergy sufferer in mind, the AQS 500 uses two filters designed to trap dust, pollen, pet dander, smoke, bacteria, mold spores and dust mite debris. This Energy Star qualified product is capable of six air changes per hour. For more information on Vornado's AQS 500 Whole Room Air Purifier and their dynamic catalog of air circulators, fans, heaters, humidifiers, filters and fans, go to www.vornadocentral.com.

The Best Instructable Projects For Your Home & Garden

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The Best Instructable Projects For Your Home & Garden

Sometimes spicing up your surroundings a bit is all a person needs to turn a new page. There's nothing better than taking someone's ideas and advice and improving it yourself! This is an article for those who love DIY, have some free time on their hands or just like showing off how awesome their home & garden are.

Check out these simple yet creative Instructables and decide for yourself if DIY is not the peak of the ordinary man's creativity:

The Invisible Bookshelf

 Yes, *insert mandatory Harry Potter reference here*. Also, if you get one of these in your home, you can make a social experiment and see what percentage of the people who enter it will go "Wow, how are those books standing on their own like that?".

The best part - you can get more than one!

The Vertical Garden

This one is actually made from a standard shoe pocket holder, which we must all agree is a bit too tedious to be actually anyone's shoe holder. This would look much better, especially in your garden!

Experts also recommend since this way your small plants are better protected against pests and invaders (like your up-to-no-good kitty for example).

How to Remake a Small Balcony

For anyone who shares my unhealthy obsession with cute balconies, this has got to be the best part of the list!

Get your own dream balcony with the perfect amount of shade and privacy that you'd want:

Food-growing Pipes In The Garden

Granted, this one may not look so pretty, but man, is it useful!

Pest experts agree that this is a sure way to avoid insects attacking your plants. If you take this advice, you also save yourself a lot of back pain that comes along with picking up the fruit from the ground level. And perhaps what is most important, this simple trick reduces the water usage in your garden significantly.

The best part is yet to come:

You get to make use of all your compost!

If you've never made your own compost before, here's a list of items you surely have lying around your kitchen every day: grass cuttings, 
soft prunings, annual plant and weed remains before they have set seed, fruit and veggie scraps, old cut flowers, tea bags, coffee grounds.

The Sealed Ecosystems

The perks of this one are pretty obvious - it just looks awesome. Imagine waking up and seeing all the tiny worlds that you've single-handedly created.

Or, for those who like a dark twist, the worlds you can potentially destroy!

The Saggy Cushion Fix

This just couldn't be simpler, or more elegant. And the cherry with this project is, it only costs you 1$ to do it. 

Any self-respected home-decor maniac knows that beauty is in the details, and this is one detail that could go a long way!

The DIY Mosquito Trap

The way this works is, just like any trap, it actually attracts the pests. The flying insects get tricked into laying their eggs on the sock on top, afterwards their hatched larvae fall in to certain death.

So, this is definitely for anyone who feels like becoming a mass exterminator in his spare time. It's perfectly justifiable, though, because what's the point of doing all these things to improve your home and garden, if you have to share them with some insect that's after your blood!

If any of you do try one of these ideas, feel free to contact Sal Dawson @ Instructables and maybe even share photos of your masterpieces! Remember, new things are great but what's even more satisfying is taking an old thing and reviving it.

A Unique Interview on How to Repair Music Boxes and Other Mechanical Collectibles

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A Unique Interview on How to Repair Music Boxes and Other Mechanical Collectibles

Ballerina Music Boxes, inlaid music boxes, musical jewelry boxes, cylinder music boxes, and antique music boxes are delicate and beautiful. As most music box and antique collectors know, in order to preserve them, sometimes repair and restoration is needed. For this special work, it is important to choose a company that is reputable and an expert in this area. With a little research, these companies usually can be found no matter what part of the world you are in. One such company and expert is Mr. Jim Weir.

Jim does all kinds of antique musical box repairs and restoration. His work includes comb repairs, releading and tuning, dampering, cylinder repairing, and organ bridge work. Jim also offers all manner of musical box work on disc and cylinder music boxes.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Jim about his musical box repair and restoration business, which, by the way, is operated out of Scotland. Let's discover more about Jim; his hopes, and get an in depth look as to what it is like to operate a music box repair and restoration business.

Jim started off with saying this about himself:

"What can I tell you about myself? Well, I'm 56 and have been working on musical boxes for the best part of 30 years. My wife and I live in Scotland with our two daughters; one's at school and one's at University. Depending on workload my wife and both daughters help with pinning cylinders; I guess it's a family business really?"

1. Could you describe your online and offline business operations, your services and/or products in detail?

"I've used the Internet to find workshop supplies, including the machine I use for grinding and finishing repined music box cylinders. Other than that, my business is primarily offline. Most of it comes to me from people who already know me, although I've recently started advertising in the MBSI Journal. I hardly ever buy and sell musical boxes; I have a good workshop but not a retail shop or display counter. I have checked out potential purchases for customers, telling them what level of repair work they are likely to get into before they buy a specific musical box, and where a customer is looking for a particular type of box I've sometimes been able to find one, but other than that my main business is repair work, everything from full restoration to part jobs, particularly comb and cylinder work. I've got a very good team of pinners (the people who put the new pins into the cylinders for me to finish) and after advertising in the MBSI Journal, I'm beginning to pick up new individual work from customers in the USA as well as my regular trade work."

2. What made you decide to start a business specializing in antique musical box repairs and restoration? What was your inspiration or motivation?

"I trained as a clock repairer. One day a customer brought in a 15.1/2" Polyphon and asked me to `fix it'. That's where it started."

3. What have been your major challenges/obstacles over the years? How did you overcome them? "

To reverse your question, I'm still trying to figure out how to overcome them. My worst problem, or `obstacle' if you like has been myself. Some of the work I've done has been fairly intense; taking it on as if it were some kind of personal challenge has not perhaps been the wisest thing to do. I'm largely self-taught, and I'm not a good teacher, or a particularly good pupil come to that."

4. What specific types of online or offline marketing tools are you using successfully?

"I'm not sure how successful it will be; it's early days yet but I've just started to advertise in the MBSI Journal. I've picked up a couple of jobs that way. I don't advertise anywhere else, and I don't use any online marketing tools."

5. Have you always envisioned yourselves doing what you are doing now? Has it always been a passion? What did you "want to be when you grew up?

"No I've not. When I was at school, I wanted to be a train driver. Musical box work has become a passion though; trying to get the best possible sound out of a musical box is part of what drives me."

JIm will continue to give us an inside peek of the music box repair and restoration world in part 2 of this article series.

I'd like to personally thank Jim for taking the time to share with us this valuable information about his business as well as letting us get a sneak peak into the world of music box repairs and restoration. Jim Weir can be reached at combwork@aol.com or by telephone/fax at 01144-1575-572647.

Copyright 2006 Monique Hawkins

Take Advantage Of Booklet Calendars - Read These 5 Tips

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Take Advantage Of Booklet Calendars - Read These 5 Tips

Are you looking for an innovative way to approach your potential clients? Do you want to increase your already existing customer base? If your answers to the aforementioned questions are yes, you should definitely choose an outstanding way to approach and stay in touch with your target audience with the help of booklet calendars i.e. promotional calendars. Companies, business organizations and other proprietary businesses online have obtained a plenty of benefits with the help of promotional calendars. These include-

Long-term Branding Process

Your prospects and customers will be able to view the ways, in which you will print out the branded collateral during the particular course of a year. Rather than a call to action piece for one time, it is the one, which customers look repeatedly.  

Seasonal Messaging

Other than yearly views, booklet calendars or any promotional calendar options allow businesses to customize the message based on a particular month or a particular season. Hence, in case of seasonal products or special ones and promos, which you aim to share during a particular course of a year, printing out of branded booklet or promotional calendars help in the promotion of each item and even on an accurate schedule.

Budget-Friendly Options

Most of the businesses perceive that branded calendars are too costly options and hence, they often disregard it. However, the truth is entirely different, as individual businesses and company owners may come across a large number of options related to booklet calendars and promotional calendars, which may fit perfectly into the already existing financial budget.

Along with this, you may opt for anyone among the printed monthly calendars, a magnet displaying a yearly view, day planners, a tear-off type of calendar or a mouse pad. In simple words, you will be able to get a plenty of options associated with your investments, which will let you work together to get the best one matching perfectly with the already existing budget.

Strong Marketing Mainstay for Many Years

Booklet calendars have succeeded to remain the marketing or promotion mainstays for many years. With the availability of varying sizes and different finishing options, you will get the fully customized type of booklet calendar options to provide your patrons with a year's worth of brand messages based on their applications with the real appreciation. With the help of customized dates in calendars, your own images with full color and corporate information, you will be able to remind your customers about events, new products, and business meetings.

Variety of Unique yet Enticing Options

Companies and business organizations are available with countless unique yet enticing options associated with the branded promotional calendars. This will help organizations to stand out from the big crowd and create outstanding calendars to entice the entire audience group.

Moreover, you may customize the calendar to match perfectly with the targeting person or group and meet their requirements in a calendar. Furthermore, with the advancement of technology and qualified professionals of the respective area, you will expect to create calendars, which would be entirely different from anyone else.

People Love Calendars and Use Them

Despite the modern digital world, you will find a majority of people want to get a printed calendar at their workplaces and homes both. In fact, almost everyone of us remains excited to know the day of an important date from the calendar. Even though individuals rely on Smartphones, gadgets and online calendars, they love to get a hard copy calendar, particularly a booklet type of calendar in their offices or homes.

Therefore, booklet calendar and other similar types of promotional calendars are beneficial for the promotion/marketing of the products and services, along with the company.

The Best Deals From Time Warner Cable

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The Best Deals From Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable services feature broadband internet, digital cable TV and digital phone. When you buy digital services from Time Warner Cable, you get everything you'd expect from the best name, award winning support and reputation. As the technical age advances, the world of digital communications has taken over with a swift and overpowering presence. The majority of analog signal based technology has become outdated. There are a number of reasons for this and all of this translates into benefits for you whether you are looking for services for your home or your business.

Ever spent a phone call constantly asking the person to speak up even though you are not using a cell phone or have you ever spent a phone conversation where it sounds as if you are talking to someone on the other end of a tunnel and the distance seems almost tangible The damage that can occur to them through the simple process of being transferred from line to line in order to reach the person that you are calling and these are some of the things that are caused by analog phone signals. With digital phone service, you do not have to worry about experiencing these things. The secret is how the phone signal is sent. You also get all the long distance and calling features you use for one low monthly price.

Call today to experience the numerous benefits from digital cable. For example, analog cable would not have been able to offer High Definition channels. This is something that is available only because of digital cable services. DVR is also something available thanks to the advances in technology. DVR allows you to program all your favorite shows on a recording schedule so that you can watch television on your time, whenever you want and you can use the DVR features to skip commercials and of course watch the recorded shows as many times as you want.

Broadband Internet services offer just what you need in quality service that brings the web to you. With Time Warner cable internet, you no longer have to worry about having to wait for a page to load or spend an hour loading a streaming video. For home and small business use, this service is fantastic with just the speed for you!

The digital services Time Warner Cable offers are the industries best. DVR and all the calling features you need,you get the reliability of cable internet as well as phone and cable services that provide you with high definition. You can also enjoy the benefits of being able to pick your channels and customize your entertainment experience when you receive services from Time Warner cable. You are also joining one of the largest and oldest families in the telecommunications industry. With award winning customer support, in addition to having a selection of digital services, Time Warner Cable offers excellent service. You can count on the services offered by Time Warner Cable.

Read Terry Jennings reviews if you are looking for Time Warner Cable Bundle Deals or Time Warner Communications Service to find the best deals!

A Teacher Students Will Not Forget

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A Teacher Students Will Not Forget

I asked a group of students what they remembered about their favorite teachers, and they all gave me good answers. He was interesting. He controlled his class. She was involved in her students lives. She loved us and showed us she cared. He was always prepared. I realized as I read through the students papers that I could learn from each one, and I could learn from their teachers. One of the students wrote about a teacher I will never forget.

Miss Siebenhaar is a teacher whose students will not forget her. After years of making a difference as a grade school teacher, she broadened her influence by teaching college students how to make a difference. These college students learned to love teaching and have gone all over the world investing in others. Miss Siebenhaar has had a world-wide influence because she makes everyone special to her, makes every day important, and makes every lesson vital. She enjoys teaching, so her students enjoy learning. She is a master teacher, and one from whom others should learn. I know I have learned from her.

1. She made everyone special to her.
I was a little intimidated when I first entered Miss Siebenhaars classroom, but the can of pop on my desk that said, I can put a smile on my face. I realized that this teacher was different because she gave of herself to each student. She passed around a calendar so everyone could fill in his birthday. On each persons birthday, she gave a birthday gift and had the class sing Happy Birthday. She worked to get to know each student individually and tried to meet each ones needs. She genuinely believed in her students, and her comments on their papers and her remarks after a job well done (or poorly done) showed that.

2. She made every day important.
Miss Siebenhaar was always in her class and always prepared with something new. Some days she would stay up until the early morning hours to finish researching something for one of her classes, but she came to class every day looking refreshed and gave her best. With her positive spirit and praising speech, she never let bad circumstances ruin her classes.

3. She made every lesson vital.
I have learned countless facts and many Biblical truths, but Miss Siebenhaar presented facts intertwined with spiritual application. She made her Christianity practical, and she applied it to every single lesson she taught. Her reading lessons were life changing because she masterfully and practically applied each lesson to her students lives. She breathed everything she had into each lesson, and she made a difference because that was her purpose and her goal.

4. She made learning enjoyable.
As a college student, I did not always enjoy my classes, but I always enjoyed Miss Siebenhaars because each class was a breath of fresh air. She did everything she could to wow her students and to get her students involved. She prepared and presented videos and visuals that enhanced her lessons. She filled each class hour with new material, lively games, and exciting activity. She made her students enjoy learning because she really enjoyed teaching.

I will never forget Miss Siebenhaar because she has made her classes unforgettable. I get to choose how my students will remember me or if my students will remember me. If I make everyone special to me, make every day important to me, make every lesson vital, and make learning enjoyable, I too can make a difference. I can be a teacher my students will not forget.

Switzerland Countryside

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Switzerland Countryside

With attractive modern cities and stylish lifestyle, the villages of Switzerland are picturesque and scenic. Riding different lifts to reach the top of the mountain like cogwheel trains, cable cars or steep funiculars is a unique and thrilling venture during all your European tours. Lush highlands, snowcapped mountains, shrilling streams offer breathtaking views, which attract hundreds of tourists every year.

There is a tiny village of Gimmelwald gracefully settled in the heart of Swiss Alps and is a favourite destination for nature lovers and hikers. This little village is a small family whose members live in lovely wooden houses. There are almost two hundred residents in the whole village and the houses are located on the steep highlands. The land is covered with snow in winters and in summers the slopes are covered with lush grass and hundreds of different colorful flowers. In summers, farmers work in the fields, cut grass for their cattle, gather haystacks while in winters they work in ski lifts. This visit will be the most enthralling among all your European tours.

In the downtown, there is a tiny intersection that connects the whole village together. There are small residences for tourists, lovely cafes, and a post house. It is a traffic-free village, which is why people sit around freely. Wooden benches on the steep green lands where smiling sunflowers welcome the visitor early in the mornings. There is a house code in the whole village that people cannot construct multi-storey buildings. Two families live in a single house that is divided vertically from the middle into two while the window panes are either white or green.

Each family keeps less than twenty cows that are kept in barns. The farmers hang bells to ring them in festivals or in summers during the celebrations when cows move merrily from barns towards the steeped and lush meadows. Shrilling and dancing streams fall from the heart of mountains slowly that freeze in the night. These scenic views attract tourists from around the world and that becomes also a thriving industry in the region.

The post office is the only multi-storey building in the whole village. While all the houses and buildings are decorated with floral pots that bloom in summers, thus create rainbows in  windows. The villagers work laboriously to fulfill their necessities, it is very much difficult for them to carry heavy loads on their backs and climb above to their residences.

There is a small school, opened in a single room having nearly twenty students. The classroom is well equipped with audio-visual aids. Computers are provided to every student while a couple serves the school as teachers. The teachers make sure to teach different languages, for example, English, Spanish, and French as well as other activities are conducted so that children could read and write effectively. The whole classroom is just like a small family and all the all the students play together during their recess. They go for hiking and other activities are also held there. Moreover, firefighting drills are also conducted regularly for the safety of children. Some parents also participate in the activities regularly.  

It would be a nice experience if you hike towards the most beautiful skiing resort called Schilthorn. There is a very fine path goes with a proper signpost, welcoming atmosphere, cool breeze, wild smiling flowers and ringing bells of cattle will hold your feet. Stay there for a while to absorb all the beauty of nature in your senses.

You may find different small restaurants throughout your way, which serve warm and delightful meals and drinks. After reaching Schilthorn, don't forget to have luncheon at the revolving restaurant as it rotates 360 degrees and offers you picturesque views of Swiss Alps. So, try this wonderful trip this summer.

The Benefits Of Wushu Lessons

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The Benefits Of Wushu Lessons

A lot people do not engage in martial arts to learn self-defense mechanisms alone. Martial arts, especially those which originated from China, are believed to provide health benefits for those who practice the techniques. One example is the Wushu, which has been present in China since the ancient times.

A lot of people in their later years prefer Wushu than other physical activities as a form of exercise because of the many advantages it offers. The term Wushu is known for its components of entwining footwork, snake-like body bending, and rhythmic foot and hand coordination.

One benefit that a Wushu practitioner gets from the famed Chinese martial arts is strength. Various Wushu styles aid in building a person's leg, abdominal, and lower back muscles. The need to hold poses during the training helps stabilize and strengthen the muscles.

The handling of weapons is also an essential practice in achieving good back and arm power. A regular Wushu practitioner, even without supplemental exercise, can eventually develop a lean and toned muscular physique akin to that of an athlete or dancer.

A person who attends Wushu lessons also has a great chance of obtaining all-around flexibility. While genetics and age are great determinants on how flexible someone would get, Wushu students are still able to learn how to do arduous flexing such as a full split in due time.

Attending Wushu lessons is also an effective way for someone to learn body balance. With the standing exercises and learning how to find your core, you'll soon build up your balance which can eventually lessen the chances of falling even when you move around quickly.

Aside from balance, you can also achieve body coordination skills, specifically with the eye and the hand. Body coordination is a great help while attending to your daily tasks.

Another health benefit Wushu lessons bring to practitioners is resistance development. Resistance means being strong enough to endure an exercise for a longer period and able to withstand tremendous stress without crumpling.

As you learn how to use your mind and body to accomplish something, you also improve your staying power even without being consciously aware of it.

Natural impulses are developed through combination of strength and coordination. These traits can be improved with the continuous training you undertake with your Wushu lessons. If you're armed with strong impulses, you can quickly move on urgent situations, so you are ready to protect yourself from upcoming dangers.

The last and most significant benefit you can achieve in attending Wushu lessons is body awareness. This is the culmination of all the traits you develop throughout your Wushu lessons. Having body awareness simply means being conscious with what your body is doing. Moreover, once you get the hand of body awareness, you won't ever forget it. So even if you experience changes in your physique or stop practicing Wushu, this skill will remain.

There are just so much health benefits one learns from practicing the ancient martial arts. Wushu does not only help a person carry out fighting stances, but also develop a sound mind and body.

A teacher helps us to nourish our career and future

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A teacher helps us to nourish our career and future

A teacher is a friend, philosopher and a guide for a student. When we talk about education, a teacher helps a student to learn. It can be learning in school, academy or in a completely different environment. A teacher who teaches one individual at a time is known as a tutor.

The teaching can be of formal type or an informal type of learning which consist of a lesson plan in order to develop skills, knowledge and thinking abilities. In order to decide what teaching methods and course of study to be implemented depends on students background knowledge, his or her interest and their goals.

Practical learning is very important, apart from book knowledge. Many teachers insist on knowledge outside classroom by accompanying students on trips. Field trips make a subject more interesting and helps a student to learn easily. Book knowledge that is classroom coaching is also very important. In a short span of time a student can gather more information by reading books and by discussing it with their teachers. The key role of a teacher is providing an explanation to students on each topic. It is the job of a teacher to make a complex topic simple and presentable to students, which helps them to learn a topic easily.

The basic structure of learning for a student are primary school, secondary school and college. Apart from these there are many learning modules and structure which helps a student to groom themselves and to become more knowledgeable for their better future. Knowledge is never ending and there is no age to learn. It is such an asset which nobody can take it from you. Knowledge is an understanding of facts, information, descriptions or skills acquired through experience or education. Knowledge is considered as a practical understanding of a subject. Acquisition of knowledge is a complex process which involves perception, communication and reasoning. Whichever field you want to explore, experience matters a lot. Acquisition of knowledge can only give you the experience. It provides you with a better understanding of a subject and helps you to gain command on it.

Psychic teachers and spiritual teachers has an important role to play as well in the life of a person. In the Brisbane region lot of psychic practices and numerology reading is done. Thus, you can get experienced teacher in Brisbane who can help you in psychic development and numerology reading. Thus, learning has no limits, enjoy learning and share your knowledge with others.

Superfreakonomics By Steven D. Levitt And Stephen J. Dubner - Book Review

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Superfreakonomics By Steven D. Levitt And Stephen J. Dubner - Book Review

Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner have come out with a new bestseller:' Superfreakonomics. The title reminds me of the series of entertaining crime mysteries by Sue Grafton: A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, C is for Corpse-with titles all the way to Z. Which makes me wonder where will the two authors of Superfreakonomics end milking the title?

While the first book Freakonomics was fresh, irreverent, informative, and filled with serious research, the sequel is short of exploitative. Telling and exposing human foibles is fine except when some of the exposition is presented as scientific research; much of it unrigorous.' Despite the fact that economics is still labeled the "dismal science," there's really no advantage in reducing it to irrelevancy. I wonder what Paul Krugman and other Nobel economic prize winners think of this cheap sequel.

Sequels often disappoint and this one is more than a disappointment-it's an undisguised effort to cash in on the success of the first book, which I understand sold over 4 million copies.

The authors pick up a counterintuitive statement and proceed to show the world how foolish people are in believing much nonsense. This is the magic formula. This is their angle. For example they would like to convince you that prostitutes are patriotic. Go figure! They would like to persuade you that taming hurricanes and typhoons is a benign idea; but even sixth graders know about the balance of nature and the Butterfly Effect. A butterfly flapping its wings has far-reaching effects in eco-systems. Yet they seem to like tinkering with geo-engineering.

Blogger Tim Lambert reports the following:

One of the injured parties is Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist at Stanford University who is quoted (accurately) as saying that "we are being incredibly foolish emitting carbon dioxide." Then Dubner and Levitt add this astonishing claim: "His research tells him that carbon dioxide is not the right villain in this fight."

That's provocative, but alas, it isn't true. Caldeira, like the vast majority of climate scientists, believes cutting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse-gas emissions is our only real chance to avoid runaway climate change.

"Carbon dioxide is the right villain," Caldeira wrote on his Web site in reply. He told Joe Romm, the respected climate blogger who broke the story, that he had objected to the "wrong villain" line but Dubner and Levitt didn't correct it; instead, they added the "incredibly foolish" quote, a half step in the right direction. Caldeira gave the same account to me.

And the controversy rages on. When newspapers report incorrect facts, they issue apologies and corrections immediately. Shouldn't Dubner and Levitt issue an apology to Caldeira and possibly insert an errata note in future printings of Superfreakonomics? That would be the sensible thing to do. We shall see.

In Freakonomics they aggravated teachers by commenting on supposedly teacher-led cheating on pupil standardized tests. In the sequel the authors submit that teachers should be paid more. Are they trying to atone for their early sin?

More and more climate science experts are criticizing the book for many misleading statements and the inclusion of discredited arguments. What we have in this book is a hodgepodge of weird facts, many of which are only tangentially related to economic theory.

Freakonomics is not only aimless and disjointed, but also tedious.

The Benefits of taking a residential Yoga Teacher Training Programme

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The Benefits of taking a residential Yoga Teacher Training Programme

When we decide to take the right path in becoming a yoga teacher and willingly embark on a life-changing journey, we obviously wonder which kind of training to choose. Picking a teacher training is a very tough choice and it is important that you make the most of your experience. Whichever training you select, the best advice I can give you is to approach it with an open mind and heart. However I think that going on a residential teacher training will definitely benefit you more in your learning and practice.

A teacher training is a group experience and we all know that being part of a group is very motivating and helps us to reach our goals easier. One of the advantages of being on a residential training is that you have the support of the group on and off the mat. Its encouraging to be part of a group, to be supported by other members who are following the same path. Fellow students will help you to go deeper into your practice, therefore encouragement, support and motivation will be the outcome. The group is much stronger when people live together and the energy is shared and multiplied. You will get to know fantastic people and strong links will be created between students and teachers. You will study hard, increase your self-awareness, submerge yourself in a yogic lifestyle and cultivate friendships and lasting ties with all those around you.

During such an intense experience it is very important to focus on the Self (your own serene, elevated, luminous force) and avoid all external issues that could affect your internal growth. You might have to spend a little bit more money on a residential training but it will clear your mind of all the issues of what will I cook tonight?, Is my diet adapted to my practice? I need to wash my clothes, Im exhausted but I have to walk home. And believe me this will make your life uncomplicated and your training a much better experience. You dont need to have anything else other than your teacher training in mind. You can focus 100% on it, without having to think about other things. This in turn enables you to fulfil the basic need of feeling secure, so it becomes easier to attain your objective of being a good student, which will then lead on to becoming an inspiring and informed Teacher.

You might not like the fact most residential trainings are offered on a double occupancy basis and that you will need to share your room with someone else. However its always good to get out of your comfort zone, experience new things (youre there to experience after all!) and share some of your privacy with someone else. You might get to know a new best friend on your training. And if you still need your own space then ask for a single occupancy room, in most cases you have to pay a bit more but the option is there.

Remember that a yoga teacher training is an investment, you need to find a school that will enable you to get started in your career, remember too that like any other decent profession, you need the confidence and many more years of dedication to studying (svadhyaya), to truly blossom as a fine teacher.

The saying you pay for what get is never truer here. If you go for the cheapest option, which might not enhance your possibility of a head start in this career, then that is your choice, be clear in your own objectives in life. If you have to borrow money for a better investment, then it is always money well spent. Whatever you choose, be confident that you will find the right training that resonates with you, a training that equips you to teach in your own unique way.
Copyright Sonja Appel, Sushumna Yoga TM

A review of the movie The Trosky at the Tribeca Film Festival

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A review of the movie The Trosky at the Tribeca Film Festival

The setting of this movie is in modern day Canada in the Montreal area and the central character is Leon, played by actor Jay Baruchel who claims to be the reincarnation of Leon Trosky.

The movie starts off when he is doing a summer gig at his fathers factory and protests the working conditions.

As the fallout continues, he is banished from a privileged private boarding school to finish his last year of high school at the large public high school.

In the meantime, while seeking legal representation, he bumps into 27 year old hot shot young attorney Alexandra, who he immediately recognizes as the women he is destined for based on Troskys own history of marrying a woman 9 years his senior named Alexandra.

Emily Hampshire who plays the part of Alexandra really comes off well as the sharp cookie vibrant young attorney who has an offsetting vulnerable side to romantic charms that she is fighting hard to resist.

While this movie is mostly a comedy, drama does unfold as he begins try and rally students out of either apathy or boredom to form a viable union with the school. The press gets involved with full scale television coverage of the efforts.

There are some brief flashback scenes to Mother Russia and some music from the era of Trosky.

This movie is quite funny throughout without going into the typical teen low brow humor that so permeates films in the high school college settings.

The question of the movie is are the students in the throes of a mass disengaged apathy or is it just boredom where the fires can be rekindled and if they have more of a voice in the decisions and processes involved will they wake up to something new and more engaging to their native talent and abilities.

Lead actor Jay Baruchel plays the part of Leon so well that the story holds throughout and despite a touch of nerd he is also fairly dynamic all through the movie as well in quite an interesting blend of characterizations.

It was quite an interesting blend for the main character and the movie also cross pollinated well with different age groups getting involved.

The romantic aspects involved in the movie also resonated on screen.

The Tribeca audience seemed really thrilled with this movie and it seems to have high potential for a box office extravaganza.

The writer director Jacob Tierney as well as some of the cast was present at the Q and A afterwards.

Mr. Tierney said the film will be released widely in Canada in two weeks and will also be released in Russia which has an interest in the film.

Mr. Tierney said he had been interested in the writings of Trotsky and this served as inspiration for the script which moves tautly and in a nice weave.

A lot of the secondary characters in this movie were excellent and the overall feel for this film is for a possible hit on the broad markets.

Successful Reading Comprehension Strategies For Your FTCE General Knowledge Test

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Successful Reading Comprehension Strategies For Your FTCE General Knowledge Test

Ask any FTCE General Knowledge test taker which part of the exam they find the most challenging, and you're certain to get a resounding response: reading comprehension. Between feeling pressured due to the short test-taking time and panicking at the length of the typical question, test takers often find that it's far too easy to lose out on those valuable General Knowledge test points!

If you're set to take the test, don't fret! With these FTCE General Knowledge study guide tips, you'll not only ace this challenging portion of the FTCE General Knowledge test - you'll walk away with your Florida teacher certification and your own classroom!

Put Off The Harder General Knowledge Test Questions

You'll be much keener to get started on the reading comprehension section if you start with a passage that actually interests you. Briefly skim through the reading passages and start with the one that appeals to you first. An easy introduction to reading comprehension will leave you feeling more confident to tackle the boring and tough questions. After all, who says that you have to answer all of the questions in order - just be sure your answer corresponds with the correct question!

Don't Risk A Single Point - Don't Look At The Questions First

You may feel like your FTCE General Knowledge tests demand that you look over the questions first. However, navigating through an unfamiliar passage to search for answers is much tougher than reading the passage first! Look over the passage before you even think about looking at the questions. This way, you'll know exactly where to go to find the answers to even the toughest FTCE General Knowledge test question.

The Key To Cracking Those General Knowledge Tests: Read, Read, Read!

The ultimate method for making the most out of the reading comprehension portion of your General Knowledge test is to read, read, read!
Whether you choose to read the latest bestseller or devour a classic work of literature, the more you read, the more you'll flex your reading comprehension muscle. Ask yourself questions about what you're reading: what are the main ideas? What is the tone or attitude? What techniques does the author use to get his or her ideas across? These are the exact questions you'll be asking yourself on the reading comprehension portion of your General Knowledge test!

In addition to the FTCE General Knowledge test, you can use these study strategies to get your certification for the following exams:

- FTCE Professional Education Test;
- FTCE Elementary Education K-6;
- FTCE English 6-12
- FTCE Humanities K-12;
- FTCE Journalism 6-12;
- FTCE Middle Grades English 5-9;
- FTCE Reading K-12;
- FTCE Drama 6-12

Practice your reading comprehension by finding a high-quality FTCE General Knowledge Test guide that has been proven to work. These guides will provide you with hundreds of practice questions, so you'll work through the actual General Knowledge test without breaking a sweat!