Umbral Ciencia

Looking Back: Lightning Strike!

susie — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:29:47 +0000

My family has owned the house I now own for a bit more than 50 years. Built in 1957, it’s one of the older homes in the area. When we moved in, the land behind us was undeveloped–just an old, overgrown field that once had been farmland–and plantation land before that. An area across the street was also, at that time, undeveloped, consisting of what would become four home sites. All of that undeveloped land became developed between roughly 1963 and 1967. One of those four houses built across from us–a very tall two-story with a steeply pitched roof–was only months old when it was set afire by a bolt of lighting.

We had been out to the community pool, and after I had a taken a shower and was dressing in my room, I heard what sounded like a huge explosion in the front yard. I looked out, saw nothing. Minutes later, my mother, who was looking out the front living room window, called out that the house across the street was on fire. The flames were concentrated on the east end of the attic area, just below the roof line and near the triangular vent. The owner was attempting to hit the fire from the ground with a garden hose. Not likely, since the fire was about thirty feet above him. The fire department arrived, several pieces of equipment untimately, and so did the neighbors, a lot of people we had never seen, let alone met, standing all over the front lawns on our side of the street. The street was blocked, of course, but traffic was much lighter then. We watched as the firemen (yes, only men in those days) climbed up to the roof, chopping holes in it with their axes, while others fought the fire with water from the ground. After some time had passed, we could see the flames emerge from the other end of the attic. It had burned right through that space.

Eventually, the fire was extinguished, and the cast of thousands returned to their undamaged homes. The next day, curious kid that I was, I went over to see what had happened inside. The lady of the house let me and a couple of the other local kids in while she was on the phone. I saw that the fire had blackened and partially burned most of the roof trusses, but I don’t think the structure was compromised, and the ceiling in one of the rear bedrooms had fallen in, likely from heat and water.

Her phone conversation told me that, at the time of the lighting strike, she was standing at the front door, looking out the screen door, with one hand on the door handle and one foot on the metal threshold. She felt an electric charge go through her–harmlessly, of course. Her husband–poor guy–was on the “commode,” a word I expect she chose because of the young ears nearby, and was knocked off by the impact.

The house was repaired, of course, and those original owners sold it and moved probably after they’d lived there for no more than a year. We heard a story years ago that ball lightning had entered our house through the living room wall while the original owners still lived here, but who knows if that really happened. In recent years, I’ve heard the air crackle a few times just before lighting struck in quite close proximity, on one occasion, striking a neighbor’s large tree, which afterwards lost all of its leaves and was dead. He had it taken down. The house that was hit all those years ago has its fourth owner now and should have a lightning rod on the roof, still being the tallest house around. It doesn’t. I just recently told one of the current owners this story. She had been completely unaware of the fire all those years ago.

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Iran Halts Oil Exports to Six EU Nations

susie — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:03:35 +0000

Iran announced this morning that it would immediately cease shipments of oil to Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, France and the Netherlands.

Iran has taken its first step toward calling the bluff of the EU and the US over sanctions related to its sale of oil on the international market. Recent EU sanctions dictated that all EU nations would stop purchasing oil from Iran as of July 1. But rather than simply wait for that date to arrive, Iran took the logical step of simply stopping shipments now and seeing how that impacts the struggling debtor nations of the EU. It’s certainly no coincidence that the weakest economies of the EU were specifically identified by Iran as the nations whose shipments would stop immediately.

With oil prices already on the rise because of global tensions relating to Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear program, they are sure to jump even higher on this announcement. And with today’s economic data confirming that Europe is all but mired in an official recession, Iran’s announcement is likely going to have some impact on global markets.

Of course, one would have to assume that EU leaders anticipated this move from Iran, given that it was really the only realistic step for the Islamic Republic to take. But expecting the foresight of political leaders is almost always a recipe for disappointment.

If anything, it’s more likely that today’s announcement by Iran will be met with rhetoric from the West accusing it of a “surprisingly” antagonistic maneuver, thus further justifying some sort of direct military attack on Iran. Because of the increasing weakness of the EU and US economies, Iran has far more leverage now than it ever has in the past. Look for the current battle of wills to continue to escalate for some time, or at least until the West can develop a plausible rationale for a military strike.

Buzzle: National & World News

Look At This Photograph

susie — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:32:45 +0000

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Michelle Obama Defeats Jimmy Fallon in Fitness Challenge at White House

susie — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:08:08 +0000

Michelle Obama has been making the rounds to promote the second anniversary of her “Let’s Move” campaign to combat childhood obesity. She’s already visited The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and joined Rachael Ray on the set of her cooking show. But last night the First Lady took things to an entirely new level. She went head-to-head with Jimmy Fallon in a physical fitness challenge filmed at the White House.

And, to the surprise of very few, she managed to outlast Jimmy Fallon and win the challenge. The segment was filmed last month and aired for the first time during Wednesday morning’s Late Night broadcast. The contest consisted of a tug-of-war battle and a potato sack race, in addition to other child-friendly competitions.

Mrs. Obama has come under fire at times from her husband’s political detractors because of inconsistencies in the message surrounding her “Let’s Move” campaign. But the reality is that the concept behind the foundation and its message is sound. Children in the United States are suffering from an epidemic of obesity that stems from poor diet and a lack of physical activity.

And unfortunately for American children, the economic stagnation that has settled over the country is only going to make it more difficult for parents and children to avoid the pitfalls of obesity. The cheapest foods are typically those that are the worst in nutritional value. It’s actually cheaper to feed your children at McDonald’s, in many instances, than it is to try to prepare a decent meal at home. Healthy food prices in grocery stores are far higher than the meal deals at most fast food chains. Perhaps that should be a focus of the First Lady’s program as well.

Buzzle: Entertainment & Media

20,000 Seniors Will Die from Falls This Year – Here’s What You Can Do to Prevent It!

susie — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:47:28 +0000

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, among older adults (those 65 or older), falls are the leading cause of injury death. In 2008, almost 20,000 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries and 82% of fall deaths were among people 65 and older. Falls are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma for seniors. Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death. Each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls. Fortunately, falls are a public health problem that is largely preventable.

Other important fact about senior fall injuries from the CDC:

•The death rates from falls among older men and women have risen sharply over the past decade.

•In 2009, 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 581,000 of these patients were hospitalized.

•In 2000, direct medical costs of falls totaled a little over $ 19 billion-$ 179 million for fatal falls and $ 19 billion for nonfatal fall injuries. This equals $ 28.2 billion in 2010 dollars.

•The chances of falling and of being seriously injured in a fall increase with age. In 2009, the rate of fall injuries for adults 85 and older was almost four times that for adults 65 to 74.3.

•People age 75 and older who fall are four to five times more likely than those age 65 to 74 to be admitted to a long-term care facility for a year or longer.

•Women are more likely than men to be injured in a fall. In 2009, women were 58% more likely than men to suffer a nonfatal fall injury.

•Rates of fall-related fractures among older women are more than twice those for men.

•Over 90% of hip fractures are caused by falls. In 2007, there were 264,000 hip fractures and the rate for women was almost three times the rate for men.

•White women have significantly higher hip fracture rates than black women.

The CDC says that older adults can remain independent and reduce their chances of falling by:

•Exercising regularly. It is important that the exercises focus on increasing leg strength and improving balance, and that they get more challenging over time. Tai Chi programs are especially good.

•Asking their doctor or pharmacist to review their medicines-both prescription and over-the counter-to identify medicines that may cause side effects or interactions such as dizziness or drowsiness.

•Having their eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year and update their eyeglasses to maximize their vision. Consider getting a pair with single vision distance lenses for some activities such as walking outside.

•Making their homes safer by reducing tripping hazards, adding grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower and next to the toilet, adding stair railings and improving the lighting in their homes.

To lower their hip fracture risk, the CDC recommends that older adults:

•Get adequate calcium and vitamin D-from food and/or from supplements.

•Do weight bearing exercise.

•Get screened and treated for osteoporosis.

As you can see – falls are one of the biggest health issues for seniors – and perhaps the most preventable. And something that you can do something about – so please pass this article along to your favorite seniors.

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Various Sources of Citric Acid

susie — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:12:11 +0000

I bet many of us cannot do without a dash of tang to our food; be it seafood or roasted lamb, it is incomplete without a good squeeze of lemon. Even though lime has a relatively sour taste, it is consumed literally on a regular basis. What makes limes and sour fruits so irresistible? Most of the sour fruits contain varying amounts of citric acid, which makes the fruit more appealing, than those which are low in citric acid. Citric acid, as you might be acquainted, is a weak organic acid that works as a natural preservative and a popular flavor enhancer for most foods and beverages. Citric acid is one of the major compounds which deals with the production of energy in our body.

Sources of Citric Acid

As is known to most of us, the good old lime and the humble orange are excellent sources of citric acid. Limes and lemons lead the way with the highest concentration of citric acid and if you haven’t yet noticed, you can never have either of them without puckering your face. Besides these, fruits like tangerines, kumquats, pomelos, mandarins, grapefruits and uglis are rich sources of citric acid. However, sweet lime, has comparatively lesser amounts of the acid, as it tends to be more sweet than sour.

Who would think that berries would be good sources of citric acid? But the fact remains that berries which have a slight tangy taste contain citric acid; however, the concentration of citric acid in these fruits is lesser as compared to the citrus fruits. Among the berries that contain citric acid are: strawberries, raspberries, red and black currants, cherries, gooseberries and Indian gooseberry. As the name suggests, the Indian gooseberry is produced largely in the Indian subcontinent and is available in shopping malls.

You would be surprised to find so many fruit sources of citric acid; however most of these fruits have traces of citric acid and not concentrated amounts. Tamarind and pineapple have relatively higher amounts of citric acid. Other than that, mangoes, star fruit, plum, grapes, varieties of peaches, pomegranate, apricots, etc., also have some amount of citric acid. The Asian variety of pear, which has a tangy taste, is also considered to be a citrus source.

You are reading right – vegetables also constitute as sources of citric acid. Tomatoes, known for their tangy taste, top the list of vegetables rich in citric acid. Other vegetables rich in citric acid are broccoli, varieties of carrots, varieties of cayenne peppers, artichokes, lettuce, persimmons and rhubarb. Basically, all you’ve got to remember is that anything with a sour taste is a source of citric acid.

Under this category you are sure to find lemonades and juices made from the fruits enlisted above. Besides, you will also find jams and marmalades, sauces, wine and canned food, and not to forget, soda and cola. Pickled olives and canned food have certain amounts of citric acid as a preservative. Wine, which is made from grapes or any other fruit, is fermented using citric acid crystals which make it a perfect source of the acid.

Isn’t it fun when you get the benefits of citric acid without having to pucker your face when eating a tangy fruit or vegetable? Kids enjoy biting into fruit candies, and as an adult, I bet even you can’t resist the taste of a tangy candy. Besides candies, you also have cheese which is a fermentation byproduct, as well as sour bread varieties like rye bread and pumpernickel bread. Other than that, you will find some amount of citric acid in lozenges and jellies.

Last but not the least, dry fruits like figs, prunes and raisins have a slight trace of citric acid. So if you are in the mood for some instant energy, turn to the jars of dry fruits and munch on some raisins or prunes. A word of caution though, go slow on citrus food if you are suffering from a heartburn, as it may have an adverse effect on your body.

The sources enlisted here may help your body produce energy; however, binging on too much of citrus fruits and vegetables could lead to tooth erosion. Besides, it is advisable that you check for symptoms of citric acid allergy, before you consume any of these fruits or vegetables. Excessive consumption of citric acid, especially lemons and limes can cause bones to erode, especially your knees making you wobbly in your later years. Precaution is always better than cure and you can always consume citrus foods in moderation.

Buzzle: Food & Drink

Is Your Man Marriage Material?

susie — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:51:27 +0000

His wardrobe is not an expanse of blue with a little black thrown in. He looks clean, shaves, cuts his nails and smells fresh regularly. He returns your calls and messages. He is chivalrous, but not in a Victorian manner. Speaking of manners, he has them in plenty! He totally understands your need for 3 pairs of stilettos in varying shades of mauve. Coming to think of it, he even understands mauve! Does this mean . . . ? Could it mean . . . ? Take this quiz, girl, and take it now!

Is He Marriage Material?

We all know how a good, single man is always unavailable. You seem to be one of those girls who probably finds herself with one of the more tolerable specimens of the opposite sex. Now, let’s not elevate his status and call you a lucky girl. Why don’t we call him intelligent instead? By the looks of it, you’ve nailed a decent Mars dweller. Take this quiz and find out if this one is for keeps.

You take him out to lunch to meet your friends for the first time. He:

A. Charms them out of their wits.
B. Arrives late, but has a genuine reason for doing so.
C. Spends the entire afternoon chatting up with your hottest friend.
D. Gets drunk and proves it to them that he can indeed belch out the alphabet.

You’re at the theater watching a movie, someone accidentally drops a tub of popcorn in his lap. He:

A. Gets intensely angry, but proceeds to the washroom to clean up and cool down.
B. Yells at the person, keeps grumbling throughout the movie.
C. Belts out abuses that make you cringe, storms out.
D. Turns a deep shade of beetroot. You bolt before the first punch hits the offender’s nose.

At his office party, you make a grand entry by tripping flat on your face, thanks to your 5-inch heels. He:

A. Grins and rushes to your side, takes you to a corner, makes light of the situation.
B. Still teases you about it, even though this happened five months ago.
C. Comes to your rescue, but you never get introduced to his boss.
D. Okay, he’s laughing. Really loud. Pointing and laughing. Still laughing. Why won’t he stop?

Spring-summer sale at the mall, you wish to refurbish your entire wardrobe. What happens next?

A. He makes faces occasionally, sometimes pretends to be interested, basically survives the ordeal.
B. He offers to give you a lift to the mall, but that’s about it.
C. He gets a “work” call and vanishes without informing you.
D. What shopping? Nothing can tear him away from his Xbox on a weekend.

It’s your night out with the girls. He’s forgotten all about it and cooks a meal for the two of you. What follows:

A. He admits his folly, refrigerates your share, wishes you a fun-filled night.
B. He drops you at your friend’s place, but you see a glint of remorse as you won’t spend the evening with him.
C. He makes puppy dog eyes at you, requesting you to stay.
D. He’s angry at himself for the waste of efforts.

Your work timings have changed, and you are concerned about your pet cat. Your first thought:

A. No sweat. My guy will feed her on his way home.
B. May be I could ask him to drop in and check up on her.
C. My friend next door could pitch in.
D. Oh my poor little Mimi!

His friends have nicknamed him:

A. The 4 a.m. friend.
B. The geek.
C. The whiney-nanny.
D. The serial dater.

What according to you is his biggest fear?

A. Losing all his friends.
B. Losing all his savings.
C. Losing all his hair.
D. Losing all the ‘data’ on his 1 TB portable hard drive.

His ideal weekend is spent:

A. Playing tennis/hiking/hitting the beach.
B. At home, relaxing.
C. Exploring the countryside.
D. Oooh! Pizza and beer, baby!

Your parents invite both of you for a home-cooked meal. The menu:

A. Les escargots au beurre, poulet á la moutard et au miel and crème brûlée. They slaved in the kitchen for hours!
B. Lobsters, because my guy loves them.
C. Macaroni and cheese.
D. Chinese take-out.

It’s his birthday and you’re confused about what to gift him. Your friends suggest:

A. A limited edition Omega Seamaster Bond 50 Years 41mm watch.
B. A bottle of Terre d’Hermes, shipped from Harrods.
C. A Swiss knife.
D. A shirt from Banana Republic.

You wish to fix a double date along with your sibling. Your sibling responds by:

A. Inviting both of you over at his/her place. Your man is part of the family now.
B. Making dinner reservations for the next weekend.
C. He/she will get back to me after a few days.
D. He/she hasn’t called back.

The Verdict

There’s hardly a woman around who isn’t interested in shoes. So as a defining factor, I’ve decided to assign a shoe style to each category that will help you look at your man in a completely different light. Here goes . . .

Mostly As	Mostly Bs	Mostly Cs	Mostly Ds
For starters, have you checked if he’s an alien? He takes you shopping, genuinely comes to your rescue when you’re embarrassed, your friends love him, and so does your family. Hey, if your cat trusts him, there is no reason you shouldn’t. So if you keep getting visions of a three-tiered white cake, I don’t blame you. Why do I think this man is like a wedge heel? It’s fine to wear it at work, and transforms into fabulous party footwear if you want it to. And, it won’t hurt you even after a full night of dancing! What more can you ask for in life?	So you’ve nailed a nice guy. It’s fine to have the occasional quirk or two. Maybe punctuality is not his strongest point, and at times you think he’s a little too cagey with his money. In the end what matters the most is how you feel about living with these quirks for the rest of your life. Can you do it? Won’t be such a bad idea to keep dating and see if you feel the same after a few months down the line. This man reminds me of the ballerina – flat and insipid, yet chic and comfortable. A safe choice, though, considering the dearth of decent, single men out there.	Hmm . . . so you’re with a person who probably has a slight temper problem, is a little vain, kind of flirtatious. You think you love this person, and if marriage is on your mind, well, good for you. But before you start picking a wedding dress, take in the opinion of your family and friends who are sure to tell you that you definitely deserve better. He’s like those red pumps in your closet. I’m sure you love them deeply, but looking at their limited utility should make you ponder. You couldn’t think of him as Mr. Perfect, but as Mr. Perfect-for-now.	You’re with a guy who is fine with making a fool of himself in public, freely takes potshots at you, and is worth a Chinese take-out from your parents’ point of view. If you happen to be dating him for the sake of dating, there is nothing wrong with it. If you seem to fancy him deeply, nothing’s wrong with that either. We’re all allowed to have our type, as long as he makes us happy. His worth in shoes? He’s too tacky to be measured in terms of footwear, but if you insist – cheap, rubber flip-flops. Good enough for a weekend on the beach. Nothing more, nothing less.

This fun quiz is exactly like its name; it’s meant to be fun. I do hope all you girls had a nice time taking it. And as far as equating the man in your life with footwear is concerned, my sincerest apologies. I really didn’t mean to offend any of the shoes in your closet!

Buzzle: Home & Lifestyle

Iran’s Ahmadinejad Signals Willingness to Discuss Nuclear Program with West

susie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:32:25 +0000

The Associated Press is reporting that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is prepared to sit down with nuclear agency officials from the U.N. and Western powers to discuss Iran’s controversial nuclear program. In recent speeches, the Iranian leader has suggested that his country has been long willing to negotiate with the West regarding its nuclear program. “It is you who come up with excuses each time and issue resolutions on the verge of talks so that negotiations collapse,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Kerman, Iran, earlier today. “Why should we shun talks? Why and how should a party that has logic and is right shun talks? It is evident that those who resort to coercion are opposed to talks and always bring pretexts and blame us instead.”

A senior-level nuclear team from the U.N. is expected to arrive in Tehran later this week, but it remains unclear exactly how far Iran is willing to go in offering transparency regarding its nuclear endeavors. With international economic sanctions increasing and Iran’s economy showing cracks from the pressure, it seems reasonable that Ahmadinejad would want to initiate talks. Of course, with the sanctions already in place, he’s likely going to hold very little leverage in any negotiating process.

Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to the increasing sanctions aimed at limiting the country’s ability to sell its oil in the global marketplace. But the presence of U.S., British and French Naval forces have made it highly unlikely that Iran will follow through with its threat. The coming weeks will probably shed some much-needed light on the realities of the Iranian nuclear program, and exactly how far President Ahmadinejad is willing to go to continue its pursuit.

Buzzle: National & World News

BlackBerry Revival Requires Sure Touch – Wall Street Journal

susie — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:12:27 +0000

By ROLFE WINKLER

WSJ ‘Heard on the Street’ columnist Rolfe Winkler makes a stop on Mean Street to discuss the executive shakeup at Research In Motion and whether the change in leadership is enough to correct the course of the company. Photo: AP.

For Research In Motion, this weekend was all about research in demotion.

Unfortunately for investors, the departure of Co-Chief Executives Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie came with no obvious shift in the BlackBerry maker’s strategy. Ultimately, to save the company, new CEO Thorsten Heins may have to get more radical and exit from handsets completely.

With a change at the top, investors were excited the door might even be open for a possible sale of the company. Yet shares dropped about 7%, to below $ 16, in Monday trading after Mr. Heins said he doesn’t plan a big break with the past. His focus, he said, will be improving both product development and marketing to consumers.

Research in Motion has gone to a single CEO, but will the rest of the rest of its corporate strategy evolve with it? Spencer Ante discusses on digits.

But what good is a catchy slogan if RIM doesn’t have any smartphones worth buying? Having stubbornly stuck to keyboard-based BlackBerrys, RIM can’t compete with flashier touch-based devices from the likes of Apple and Samsung. As those two have separated from the pack, the smartphone business has become a two-horse race, says analyst Neil Mawston of Strategy Analytics. It is possible RIM’s market-share decline may have turned into a free-fall in the fourth quarter in the face of big sales from Apple’s new iPhone 4S.

Like his predecessors, Mr. Heins is staking the company’s future on a new operating system. Originally expected in its smartphones early this year, RIM now says not to expect those phones until the end of 2012. That launch date, if RIM can meet it, would be nearly six years behind the first iPhone.

On the present course, it isn’t hard to see RIM turning into another handset flameout like Palm. RIM hopes its new operating system will reinvigorate its products and perhaps appeal to other handset makers interested in licensing it. Yet two mobile operating systems, Apple’s iOS and Google‘s Android, already dominate the market. And Microsoft‘s Windows Phone, being distributed widely on Nokia’s handsets, is likely to emerge as the third. There seems little room for a fourth.

Even if RIM doesn’t want to sell itself, there is still hope for shareholders. Network outages aside, the company tends to deliver email more quickly, efficiently and securely than rivals through its proprietary network of servers. Subscription fees paid by BlackBerry users to access this network generate a bit more than $ 3 a share of earnings per year, estimates Jefferies Research analyst Peter Misek, while handsets now contribute little to no profit. Of course, if BlackBerry devices disappear, so will this revenue stream. The solution, argues Mr. Misek, could be to offer the BlackBerry email experience to iPhone and Android users for a fee.

In that scenario, BlackBerry would lose a key selling point for its devices, meaning RIM might have to scale back its handset business.

It would be a risky path. Yet it may grow increasingly appealing if RIM continues to slide.

Write to Rolfe Winkler at rolfe.winkler@wsj.com

Sci/Tech – Google News

Teaching Music Appreciation: First Day of Class Tips

susie — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:26:47 +0000

When I first started teaching Music Appreciation, I struggled with engaging students in some of the earlier classes related to basic concepts and early music. However, by changing the tone of the very first class, I have been able to set a tone for the course that inspires students to allow themselves to be moved by the music as well as challenging them to think critically about the pieces being studied. Here are some tips for how to approach the first class of a Music Appreciation course:

Create space for students to share their personal involvement and interest in music. I begin the class by having a brief open discussion to determine a bit about the student’s prior musical experience and their interest in particular genres. I then share a bit about my involvement with music so they know why I am qualified to teach the course and to help them understand my passion for the subject.
Share a favorite piece. Some feel it is important to teach courses related to the creative arts with no bias toward personal favorites, however I feel the first class is a great time to share a piece that particularly resonates with me as a way to inspire the class to personally identify with particular composers. I often play Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, first discussing the history of fanfares, and then commenting on how Copland composed this piece for everyone rather than royalty, elevating our “common” experiences to a level that in the past had been reserved for members of nobility.
Begin a discussion related to “talented listening”. In Aaron Copland’s treatise Music and Imagination, he states “listening is a talent, and like any other talent or gift, we possess it in varying degrees. I have found among music-lovers a marked tendency to underestimate and mistrust this talent, rather than to overestimate it… I should say that there are two principal requisites for talented listening: first, the ability to open oneself up to musical experience; and secondly, the ability to evaluate critically that experience…Listening implies an inborn talent of some degree, which, again like any other talent, can be trained and developed.” After sharing this quote, begin a discussion related to what it means to “open oneself up to musical experience” and to “evaluate critically.”
Challenge students’ critical thinking skills by asking them to define music. Rather than diving directly into some of the basic concepts held in early chapters of most music appreciation texts, first give students a few minute to come up with their own definition of music, and then lead a class discussion to determine shared concepts students noted and to establish a class definition of music. Then further challenge students by playing pieces that might challenge their definition, such as pieces without a melody of changing pitches,such as Steve Reich’s Clapping Music, and John Cage’s silent and controversial work 4’33″.

By utilizing these tips you will provide an opportunity for students to share their experience with music, express your personal passion, inspire students to develop their inborn talent for listening, and challenge students to think critically about the nature of music. Students leave the first class session better understanding the way you would like them to approach listening, and empowered to better express their opinion and analyze the works and concepts that will be discussed in the rest of the course.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION:

The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.

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