Music Therapy

Music is apart of everyone's life some way or another. Music has been around for centuries and has been used for many different reasons. It is used for entertainment, to pass time, and even for therapeutic reasons. Music helps people cope with their feelings. Everyone has their own taste in music and is a way to express who you are. Some people listen to music as a therapeutic way but some people write music as their own form of therapy. Music speaks what the mind can not.

"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything." - Ancient Greek Philosopher, Plato

There is many different view on music. I agree with what Plato once said.  It does make your imagination fly higher and bring joy to everything.

Music is therapeutic also in a way that it helps with depression. Music therapy helps ease symptoms of depression and that four studies found that participants receiving music therapy  reduced depression symptoms as compared to those who did not as stated in Science Daily.

 Click here for the link to the article on music therapy as a hope for people with depression.

As well as people music has been a form of "healing" for animals as well.

“The structure of the harp is considered to be the most healing instruments next to human voice” was once said by Alianna Boone who is a musician who plays for pets that are ill. She did a study while performing for hospitalized canines that the hour-long sessions she did helped to lower heart rate, anxiety, and respiration.

Not only did harp music help with canines it helped for a cow's anxiety problem in which she was stomping around scaring her owner and within 20 minutes of listening to a CD of the harp it calmed her down. Along with the cow it was enjoyed by a gorilla at a zoo and before going to sleep blew the harpist a kiss!

For the full article click here.

 

I believe that music can help people AND animals in all different ways. I personally love music and is apart of my everyday life. I think its a perfect way for people to express their feelings and show off who they are.

Global Warming

Global warming has been a concerning issue for years. There is great changes in the weather that is effects us greatly because it causes disasters in areas where we live. It also threatens animal species as well causing many to become endangered because of this. Greenhouse gases which produce fossil fuels are a main cause of global warming. 

In Colombia rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall has caused a drop in coffee production. Coffee specialist Peter Baker said ''Coffee production is under threat from global warming, and the outlook for Arabica in particular is not good." Shortage of coffee beans especially Arabica beans have been effecting us New Yorkers as well because not. only is there a shortage but because of it coffee prices have been going up. I am a big fan of coffee and half of New York depends on coffee to get through their day. 

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E6DC163EF933A25750C0A9679D8B63&ref=globalwarming  

Global warming is also effecting our Naval Forces. It is going to start causing problems in the sea service as said in the New York Times. It was also said that frequent severe storms and droughts that could lead to famine, mass migration and political instability. Climate change is unpredictable and I think that people should do more about it because in reality we are partially a cause in global warming. Pollution is one way in which global warming is increasing. A simple step like not using hair spray that sprays straight can do some good to the environment because it was said that that is a way in which global warming increases because it pollutes the air. 

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/study-says-navy-must-adapt-to-climate-change/?ref=globalwarming

We the people are the cause of global warming. We cause all the pollution and I think that we owe it to our environment to try and help. Reduce, reuse, recycle is a way in which we can all help. What we do effects everything. A simple thing like throwing a can into the ocean can kill many animals in the ocean. Global warming also is the cause for many animals to become endangered like the Polar Bear. If we all contribute to the environment we can try and reduce global warming.

http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm

Whatever Floats Your Boat

Same sex marriage is one of the biggest controversies. Society portrays marriage as between a man and woman. I think someone has the right to have their OWN choice as to who they want to be with or marry. They shouldn't have to worry about what others think of a choice someone makes for themselves. I highly doubt that someones choice to be with the opposite sex effects those who oppose this lives, so what's the big deal? I support same sex marriage and find nothing wrong with it because it doesn't change my life as to what they want to do. I don't think it's right that in most states there is no law that legalizes same sex marriage. I may be catholic and being gay is against many religions but I believe if your choice of preference is the same sex then hey GO FOR IT. As they say "you can't help who you fall in love with". 

I am happy to hear that Governor Andrew Cuomo is in fact trying to pass a law for same sex marriage as stated in the New York Times.  The picture above shows Governor Cuomo at last years gay pride parade last summer. It's good to know that some for of representation for our state supports people who are gay.If "all men are created equal" then why can't they marry the same sex?

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3291294741683239656

There are many festivities that are for gays like the International Bear Rendezvous. As compared to the event in 2006 the number of participants decreased. Event organizer Darwin Bebo blamed the internet for this as stated in the New York Times. It was said 

that there was no need for physical festivities like these to meet people of the same sex because the internet is giving them that opportunity. Websites like Bearbook.com which works like Facebook.com is a way for people to meet. The International Bear Rendezvous is also a group that supports 3 beneficiaries a year and one of them this year is the Stop Aids Project which is to help prevent HIV in all.  Social networks despite being a main cause of declines in physical support groups for gays but they are a prime reason for the boost in the amount of money raised for same sex marriage and battles against HIV/AIDS causes. The Bears gathered almost $600,000 over the year for these causes! 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/technology/11bcjames.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse

http://www.bosf.org/bearrendezvous/

http://www.bearbook.com

Such groups like that show the growing support for people's choice of being gay as well as the millions of people who walk in parades for this as well.

So for the people who aren't for people who are gay then that's your opinion as well as it is for people who do support it and are gay. Do whatever floats your boat people and don't let what people say opposing your choice effect you because I'm sure if people were seen to being attracted to the opposite sex was wrong and illegal to be married  then they'd want supporters for it too!

Abortion

Abortion is well debated on whether or not it should be legal or illegal. Some people say that it should be legal because a women has a right whether they should keep their child or not. Abortion is like killing the baby. That baby doesn't have a chance in life if someone decides to abort it. If you do not want to keep the child I believe then the women should put it up for  adoption. If you do not want a baby then you should be smart enough either to not have sex or to use protection instead of being careless about it.

Recently in Manhattan a billboard that was anti-abortion was removed because the message on it annoyed some people. This billboard shows purely a anti-abortion message and I don't think it was right that it was taken down. It is in NYC where people can express themselves freely but the removal of this was taking away someones opinion on abortion. The message to some may have been offensive but the board was put up because as of 2009 the rate of abortion in black women was 60% as said in The New York Times. 


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/nyregion/01nyc.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=abortion&st=cse