Category: Uncategorized

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Keeping The Beat: a teacher talks about schools and music education

In many ways, my “life” began in elementary school music classes. Without music classes, I would have never begun singing, which led to dancing, which led to acting, which led to my whole career. Arts programs – like music classes – not only help develop the artistic side of children but it gives kids confidence to own their own expression.

As schools face difficult budget cuts, arts programs across the country are now in danger. Losing them could deprive students of a valuable experience that they may not have a chance to have later. Many universities are facing their own budget problems, and it’s not easy for an accredited online college to lead a music class

Jay Chung, a Philadelphia music teacher, recently stood with President Obama and Vice President Biden and called on Congress to pass the American Jobs Act. The Jobs Act would help hire more teachers and improve school facilities across the country, among other things.

Watch Jay’s story and see first-hand why the American Jobs Act is so important to schoolchildren in Pennsylvania.

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United World Music Chart – is your favorite song on the chart?

Click pic to view larger

Alltime Track Chart based on the evaluation of all weekly charts of the United World Chart.

Some of these surprise me – #4 “Macarena”?  #3 “I Do It For You”?

Others make perfect sense – Elton’s “Candle In The Wind”, Whitney’s “I Will Always Love You” and “You’re The One That I Want”…  I get those.

Here’s a link to the whole chart.

Thoughts?

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Video: Flying jetpack man versus jets

Yves “Jetman” Rossy, the world`s first jet-powered man, jumped off a helicopter with his rigid wing equipped with four jet engines.

Adjusting his trajectory and altitude by his body movements alone, he then performed aerobatic figures above the Swiss Alps in the company of two L-39C Albatros planes from the Breitling Jet Team, the world`s largest professional civilian aerobatics team performing on jets.

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Dr. Conrad Murray sentenced to four years for death of Michael Jackson

From CNN: Conrad Murray was sentenced Tuesday to four years behind bars in the death of Michael Jackson.

Murray was convicted three weeks ago after a trial in which prosecutors successfully argued that Murray’s reckless use of the surgical anesthetic propofol to help Jackson sleep, without proper monitoring equipment, led to the singer’s death.

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Gov. Brownback apologizes to teenager for overreacting

Last week, 18 year old Kansas high schooler Emma Sullivan met Governor Sam Brownback on a field trip. After her visit, Emma tweeted of her time with the anti-gay, anti-Palestinian, anti-evolution, anti-stem-cell-research governor:

“just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot”

Apparently, Emma Sullivan didn’t actually tell Gov. Brownback that he “sucked, in person.” Still, she thinks he sucks. So — how did Gov. Brownback respond to this teenager’s assault on his non-sucktitude? His staff contacted her school’s principal. Emma was told to write a letter to the governor apologizing for voicing her opinions.

Now, Brownback has apologized for overreacting, LJ World reports:

Said Brownback: “My staff overreacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms. I enjoyed speaking to the more than 100 students who participated in the Youth in Government Program at the Kansas Capitol. They are our future. I also want to thank the thousands of Kansas educators who remind us daily of our liberties, as well as the values of civility and decorum. Again, I apologize for our over-reaction.”

The paper adds:

Sullivan said she landed in the principal’s office for nearly an hour and was told she had embarrassed her school and district. Principal Krawitz told her to write a letter of apology. At first Sullivan said that she would but that she wasn’t sorry. Then she refused to apologize, and the Shawnee Mission school district earlier Monday issued a statement saying she didn’t have to.



“The district acknowledges a student’s right to freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected,” the district’s statement said, adding, “The issue has resulted in many teachable moments concerning the use of social media.”
(via Towleroad)

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Miley Cyrus – a self-proclaimed “stoner”?

Miley Cyrus is a self-proclaimed “stoner?”

The Hannah Montana star turned 19 on Nov. 23, and celebrated with a birthday party thrown by pal Kelly Osbourne at Beacher’s Madhouse at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

In a video of the private bash obtained by The Daily, Cyrus seemingly admits to being a fan of smoking marijuana.

“This is amazing,” she says of a cake baked to look like known pot-smoker Bob Marley, which Osbourne presented to her friend. “You know you’re a stoner when your friends make you a ‘Bob Miley’ cake. You know you smoke way too much f––ing weed.”

Osbourne then takes the mic and tells the birthday girl, “I thought salvia was your problem, Miley.”

While celebrating her 18th birthday last year, Cyrus was seen smoking salvia, a legal herb with hallucinogenic effects, from a bong at a party.

A rep for Cyrus responded Monday to the latest incident, saying, “This is so ridiculous. The cake was a joke, and Miley was being sarcastic.”

And Osbourne Tweeted about it – concurring it was a joke: “let me make something very clear after @MileyCyrus salvia incident we started calling her bob miley as a JOKE!” she wrote.
(via People)

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National Review: Herman Cain “reassessing” whether to stay in GOP race

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee declared on Fox News that White’s charge was “the most damaging allegation that has been made, to date” about Cain.

Fox host Sean Hannity, a prominent Cain booster, said the renewed scandal “chipped away at his likability” and “created doubt in people’s mind whether or not, quote, another shoe will drop.”

Iowa talk-radio host Steve Deace told POLITICO Tuesday morning that an equivocal, defensive statement Cain’s attorney issued Monday would be a “kill-shot to his campaign.”

“I think it just accelerates the rate of decline for Herman Cain. His handling of the previous allegations was embarrassing. Even more embarrassing is his lack of knowledge on virtually any issue other than his 9-9-9 plan,” said Deace, who told POLITICO earlier this month that Cain had made “inappropriate” comments to women on the staff of his show. “The statement from his lawyer is the likely kill-shot to his campaign. For an ordained Baptist minister to assert through his attorney that what happens in his private sex life doesn’t matter is preposterous.”

More at Politico

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Controversial Film Director Ken Russell Dies At 84

The acclaimed, eccentric and polarizing British film director of Tommy, Women in Love and Altered States Ken Russell has died, after a series of strokes, at the age of 84.

He told NPR in 1991: “My films assault people, but that’s because the images are potent. I don’t have any gratuitous scenes in my films. They’re actually integral to the plot.”

Russell relished controversy, says his longtime producer Daniel Ireland.

“He lived for it,” Ireland says. “Ken sort of celebrated being bad.”

“He was very, very smart in picking actors. If you look all through his career — Glenda Jackson, Vanessa Redgrave — [he cast them] all at the beginnings of their careers.”

Russell had an eye not just for strong actors who could handle his strong subjects, but material that shared his flamboyant sensibility.

He enjoyed one of his rare critical successes in 1975 with his adaptation of the Who’s Tommy, a rock opera about bad acid trips and child molestation.

I love the “over the top” quality Russell brought to TOMMY. Ann Margret was fantastic in the movie, as was the entire cast.