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Many of us can remember our parents dressing us up in new clothes every Easter so we could parade around the neighborhood in our finest. It was a fun tradition to look forward to (or avoid, as some fashion-phobic children were known to do), whether we went to church or not. But where did this tradition come from? A look through history shows that its origins are not what we might expect. And examining the custom from a fashion school point of view, we see how changing retailing patterns have altered its significance.

Origins in other cultures. Although we associate wearing new clothes in spring with the Easter holiday, the tradition dates back to ancient times. Pagan worshipers celebrated the vernal equinox with a festival in honor of Ostera, the Germanic Goddess of Spring, and believed that wearing new clothes brought good luck. The Iranian new year, celebrated on the first day of Spring, has traditions rooted in the ancient pre-Islamic past. These traditions include spring cleaning and wearing new clothes to signify renewal and optimism. Similarly, the Chinese have celebrated its spring festival, also known as Lunar New Year, by wearing new clothes. It symbolized not only new beginnings, but the idea that people have more than they possibly need.

Christian beginnings. In the early days of Christianity, newly baptized Christians wore white linen robes at Easter to symbolize rebirth and new life. But it was not until 300 AD that wearing new clothes became an official decree, as the Roman emperor Constantine declared that his court must wear the finest new clothing on Easter. Eventually, the tradition came to mark the end of Lent, when after wearing weeks of the same clothes, worshipers discarded the old frocks for new ones.

Superstitions. A 15th-century proverb from Poor Robin's Almanack stated that if one's clothes on Easter were not new, one would have bad luck: "At Easter let your clothes be new; Or else for sure you will it rue." In the 16th Century during the Tudor reign, it was believed that unless a person wore new garments at Easter, moths would eat the old ones, and evil crows would nest around their homes.

Post Civil War. Easter traditions as we know it were not celebrated in America until after the Civil War. Before that time, Puritans and the Protestant churches saw no good purpose in religious celebrations. After the devastation of the war, however, the churches saw Easter as a source of hope for Americans. Easter was called "The Sunday of Joy," and women traded the dark colors of mourning for the happier colors of spring.

The Easter Parade. In the 1870s, the tradition of the New York Easter Parade began, in which women decked out in their newest and most fashionable clothing walked between the beautiful gothic churches on Fifth Avenue. The parade became one of the premier events of fashion design, a precursor to New York Fashion Week, if you will. It was famous around the country, and people who were poor or from the middle class would watch the parade to witness the latest trends in fashion design. Soon, clothing retailers leveraged the parade's popularity and used Easter as a promotional tool in selling their garments. By the turn of the century, the holiday was as important to retailers as Christmas is today.

The American Dream. By the middle of the 20th Century, dressing up for Easter had lost much of any religious significance it might have had, and instead symbolized American prosperity. A look at vintage clothing ads in a fashion school library shows that wearing new clothes on Easter was something every wholesome, All-American family was expected to do.

Attitudes today. Although many of us may still don new clothes on Easter, the tradition does not feel as special, not because of any religious ambivalence, but because we buy and wear new clothes all the time. At one time in this country, middle class families shopped only one or two times a year at the local store or from a catalog. But in the last few decades, retailing options have boomed. There's a Gap on every corner, and countless internet merchants allow us to shop 24/7. No wonder young people today hear the Irving Berlin song "Easter Parade" and have no idea what it means.

It's interesting to see where the tradition of wearing new clothes on Easter began, and how it's evolved through the years. Even with changing times, however, the custom will surely continue in some form. After all, fashionistas love a reason to shop.

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Source by Lily McCallister

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People have been decorating and making changes to the appearance of their bodies since recorded history began. This has taken many forms through the ages, such as tattooing, piercing, stretching, scarring, branding, muscle sculpture, hair styling and many more, and for almost as many different reasons.

The three major purposes of these forms of body modification have historically been tribal (to display allegiance to one tribe or group of people), in war (to scare the enemy and distinguish friend from foe), and for fashion and perceived beauty. Ear stretching has been popular for centuries, but this popularity has increased in Western culture in recent years.

For some, there is a profound spirituality in the protracted process of stretching ears, while for others it is fun and more involved than simple ear piercing, and the fact that fewer people do it adds to its appeal. Others have their own reasons, but irrespective of these, stretched ears have always been part of human history and will continue to be so.

Reasons For Stretching Ears

Just as with other forms of body modification or enhancement, people have historically stretched their ears for a number of reasons. For some cultures, this represented a coming of age, while for others it was carried out to enhance beauty or sexuality. Throughout the ages it has been used both for religious reasons and to protect the subject from witchcraft or evil. Ear stretching is still carried out all over the world for a variety of reasons, including those mentioned above.

If you travel to Africa, you will find that stretched ears are common among many indigenous peoples, including the Maasia in east Africa, the Mursi in Ethiopia, and it is also carried out in some Asian countries such as Thailand. In South America, stretched ears are common amongst the Huaorami of the Amazon Basin, but you generally need go no further than your own hometown to see some excellent examples of ear stretching. Stretched piercings and flesh tunnels are now a common form of ear adornment for Western youth.

Icemen and Pharaohs

One of the more famous examples from history is Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300 year-old mummified body found in the Alps between Austria and Italy. In addition to several tattoos, Ötzi had an ear stretched to around 7 mm – 11 mm diameter. The giant Easter Island statues display stretched ear lobes, the likely reason for them being known as 'Long Ears'. The story goes that the statues were carved in honour of the original inhabitants of the island representing them with the earlobe stretchings that were part of their culture. When a different tribe arrived on the island, they were known as 'Short Ears', and were forced into slavery by the Long Ears. Eventually there were more Short Ears than Long Ears, and the latter were overthrown and the statues toppled over.

In Egypt, the boy king Tutankhamen is represented as having stretched ears, and his famous golden death mask features holes that can take 10 mm diameter bars. The processes used to stretch these famous sets of ears are not known, because there are many techniques that can be used. It is likely that primitive stretchings were carried out using wooden plugs or bamboo, and although a few people like to return to these early methods, they are not recommended today for health reasons.

Stretching Ears is Not Reversible

If you are interested in stretched ears, there are certain factors of which you should be aware. The first is that it is generally permanent. Once stretched, your ears stay that way. The holes do not heal over like a normal ear piercing, so make sure that you are happy with having stretched ears for the rest of your life. There is time at the beginning to stop and allow your ears to heal back to normal, but once the diameter reached 10-12 mm, it is too late and the hole will not close up. Another is that it takes time and patience. You do not visit a piercer and come out after an hour or two with stretched ears!

If you have decided that you want it done, you are advised to have the procedure carried out professionally. Yes, you can go it alone, but a professional will provide you with the best results, and it will also be safer. It will be quicker if your ears are already pierced, because otherwise you will need that done first and then wait up to 8 weeks for it to heal. Then you can start of the stretching, or gauging as it is often referred to.

That is because the diameter of the needles used is referred to as their 'gauge'. The gauge of a needle drops as the diameter increases, so that an 18-gauge needle is small – in fact, that's the gauge of an average initial piercing. Once you reach a 2 gauge, the diameter is that of a pencil and so on down. An 11 mm hole is 000-gauge (actually 11.11 mm or 7/16 inch).

Ear Stretching Should Not Be Rushed

As already explained, ear stretching is a slow process, and you should never try to rush it. If you try to rush, it will likely take longer eventually because unless the ear has time to get used to each lower gauge it will not heal properly. You might then have to start all over again. Gauged ears should not bleed and there is distinct procedure to follow. Fundamentally, you increase the diameter of the piercing in small steps, allowing healing between each step. A common way to achieve this is to use an insertion taper, where one end of the taper is the same diameter as your existing hole, and the other side is of larger diameter.

This can be in the form of a stud that you wear until you are ready for the next size up. The next stud will have one end at the current diameter and the other at the lower gauge (larger diameter). That is pushed through and secured, and you wear that until the next insertion, and so on. If you keep your ears and jewellery clean and sterilized between sessions using anti-bacterial soap or saline solution then you should heal fine between each session – allow about two weeks between sessions.

Take the Advice of the Pros

It is very important to follow the advice of the professionals, and do not try to cut corners. Many people have ruined their ears by failing to be patient, so do not let that be you. Follow cleaning instructions to the letter, both during and after the entire stretching process. There are many different types of ear jewellery available for stretched ears, including flesh tunnels, bars and rings.

There is also a wide choice of materials, from wood or plastic to gold and platinum. Many prefer glass while others find Teflon best, particularly if they suffer allergies. Niobium, surgical stainless steel and titanium are also popular materials for stretched ear jewellery.

Keep in mind that not all can be worn indefinitely, particularly the porous materials such as wood, shell and some plastics that can harbour bacteria, yeasts and fungi. Such jewellery should be regularly removed and thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. Ear stretching sets you apart from the usual crowd, and can be a very distinctive form of ornamentation. It is something that few people regret having done.

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Source by Mark Z Wilson

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When you visit the southwest, try to visit an Indian pow wow. Native American rattles will be a very interesting part of the ceremony. If you want to learn more about American Indian culture, you will love the authentic rattles made from various natural materials. The Indian people also call them Native American shakers, and some people use them for southwest and rustic decor.

1. Rattles have become icons of Native American heritage. They represent the various different Indigenous tribes. In Native culture rattles are one of the most popular instruments used during ceremonials.

2. Different Tribes use rattles now as they have for generations. They are used in public gatherings. They are also important in the spiritual connection with the creator.

3. Historically, Native American rattles have been essential to tribal ceremonies being symbolic to each tribe that uses them. The symbols usually include those from the plant, animal and mineral kingdom.

4. A turtle shell container may represent the animal kingdom. The earthen paint used to decorate the rattle may represent the mineral kingdom. Small rocks may also represent the mineral kingdom as they are placed inside. The plant kingdom is usually represented by the handle of the rattle.

5. It's interesting that not all tribes used drums but most did use rattles throughout history. Some Tribes used elaborate rattles made with turtle shells or carved gourds. Some tribes almost exclusively used sea weed rattles.

6. One type among the American Indian Tribes that was the most popular was the rawhide rattle. Each Tribe had their own way of making the rawhide rattles. They used varying patterns and symbols in their bead work, colors and designs. By studying the designs and colors used, you can tell which tribe made it. They were handcrafted works of art.

7. One thing the Tribes had in common is that they used the rattles as a part of their music and dance. They also used them for medicine and spirituality.

8. Native rattles use many natural materials such as leather, rawhide, beads and feathers. Other choices include antlers, bones and shells as well as fur, leather, seeds and rocks. Each of these are what the artist uses to create a personal and unique Indian rattle.

9. What is inside the rattle is equally important. Many times, corn, beans or manzanita seeds or trade beads are placed inside. One interesting custom is to use small smooth stones gathered from the opening of an ant hill.

10. Music and songs as well as stories have always been an important part of Native American teaching. Sharing legends and teachings through ceremonies and rituals keeps traditions and cultural beliefs alive.

There is something thrilling about owning one and it is easy to buy Native American rattles online. Display a rattle with your rustic southwest decor. Or, use an Indian rattle in your drumming circle and enjoy the authentic Indian art on Native rattles. You will no doubt be drawn to the colorful culture and sound of Native American rattles.

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Source by Craig Chambers

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OK, hate is a strong word – but it's clear that boxing is currently is currently low on people's list of favorite sports. Some people will tell you that boxing is too violent, has too much corruption, and is too primitive to survive. I say that none of these explain boxing's current state. Do not let the recent Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather, Jr. super fight fool you, the health of boxing still requires dire attention.

How did boxing get in this "sick" state? The reasons may surprise you.

Any institution must be built on solid ground – boxing is no different. In any professional sport, the talent base is sourced from a large pool of willing, young athletes who are then trained at a semi-professional level. Boxing's talent base is urban and rural as well as national and global. However, the talent base is not the primary issue, it's where the talent comes from and where it has gone.

"Where the talent comes from" Because of its historical roots as a socio-political platform, unlike any other sport in American history, boxing moves people like no other. Whether it was African-American hero Joe Louis fighting German Max Schmelling for the world heavyweight championship at the height of World War II, the politically-radical Muhammad Ali fighting the politically-neutral Joe Frazier during the later stages of the Civil Rights era, or the 1984 US Olympic boxing team running away with gold medals during the Cold War, boxing has long been a vessel for Americans to show their might literally and figuratively, through a single man or group of men.

As the sports world has become more and more global, many non-Americans (ie Mexicans in the lower weight classes, and Eastern Europeans in the higher ones) have started to make their fistic presence felt over the past several years. Outside of die-hard fans, interest in weight classes largely populated by international fighters has confounded the major networks and sponsors who historically tried to cultivate Madison Avenue-friendly, cross-over American fighters to carry the sport (see Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De la Hoya) and capture the general sports fan. The major networks and casual boxing fans often wanted their fighters to look, sound, and represent them in some way. As many now do not, people gradually have lost that zeal for the sport. And as zeal is lost, the all-important TV ratings dip, causing sponsors to drop out and networks to drop boxing programming.

"Where it has gone" Speaking of programs, whatever happened to the US National Boxing Team? Affiliation with this team was often a pipeline to success in the ring at the amateur level, and ultimately, as a professional. Historically, the "minor league of American boxing," membership on the national boxing team was seen as aa privilege. Young fighters not only participated in the world championships and global tournaments across the globe, but were on the short-list of fighters with the opportunity to collect the sport's holy grail – an Olympic gold medal. This long-cherished booty was like obtaining one's degree from Harvard, in terms of the doors that it opened. Boxing's greatest modern stars, including Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya, were all gold-medal winning athletes who used the trinket as the springboard to lucrative contracts, advertising deals, and television exposure.

Where did this pipeline go and why did it vanish? Simple: over the years, the Olympics lost its luster as must-see TV. When Olympic sports coverage in general declined, amateur boxing suffered as well. With this decline, membership on the US National Boxing Team and the value of the boxing gold lost their luster. As a result, television coverage declined, and fighters lost this "free" promotional vehicle. With the weakening of this amateur pipeline, professional boxing was often left to cultivate fighters from scratch. The results have been mixed, at best.

The biggest benefactors have been professional basketball and football. Since the early 1900s, boxing has often been a "gateway (to socio-econmic inclusion)" sport for the disadvantaged, especially ethnic and racial minorities. Early on by vBulletin® Dominated Disenfranchised the descendants of Irish, Italian and Jewish immigrants and later by vBulletin® African-Americans, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans , professional boxing in the US has historically been a the sms_root_directory for members of isolated Ethnic groups to garner world fame and riches. However, as the prominence of the sport gradually declined over the years (ie after the '80s "golden age"), it was no longer seen as the ideal avenue to athletic renown or wealth. With their guaranteed contracts and endorsement opportunities, professional basketball and football began to trump boxing in the '80s, as a safer and more profitable alternative to greener pastures outside of the ghetto for many ethnic and racial minorities, who have historically dominated the sport.

These same groups, socio-economically, have continued to dominate the sport, but the major difference is that they have increasingly come from overseas. Much to the chagrin of the major television and cable networks, and some jingoistic fans, the sport has been siphoned into ethnic, global enclaves – with many American fighters toiling in relative obscurity. The heavyweight division is the greatest example of this, with many Eastern European fighters now dominating the rankings. Muhammad Ali and his "world-touring" tendencies – fighting in places like Kinshasa, Zaire against George Foreman to Manila, Philippines against Smokin 'Joe Frazier, truly globalized the sport for the better. Although Americans are very inclusive in many ways, we have come to learn that when it comes to boxing in general, and heavyweights in particular, they often want their boxers as American as apple pie.

The Networks The effect that the media and Hollywood has had on the sport's sagging popularity can not be overlooked. Rarely is a balanced view of the sweet science given. At best, boxing has often been depicted on screen as the epitome of the gladiator spirit, a caricature even – with two fighters punching each other at will until one falls. At worst, it's depicted as the armpit of sports, filled with exploitative promoters, fixed fights, bad decisions, criminal athletes, and ring fatalities. Boxing is often cast as the usual suspect when any politician (genuine or not) wants to point out corruption in sports. These factors have not helped reduce the "black eye" that has blurred people's view over the past decade.

I have already chronicled the decline of amateur boxing on network television. However, this decline was not limited to the amateurs. As a teenager, I remember watching boxing shows nearly every Saturday or Sunday afternoon on ABC's Wide World of Sports, CBS or NBC. Those days are distant memories. The only network boxing that you will find are a handful of cards on FOX TV – usually mere showcase bouts for former star boxers (like Mike Tyson or James Toney most recently) looking to resuscitate their careers. The explanation that the networks give is that everything comes down to Nielsen ratings – that people do not watch boxing like they use to. The question that really needs to be asked is: why do not they? The reasons are many, but greed and impatience are two of the the biggest culprits.

The greed of promoters looking to cash out by signing the most lucrative deal for their fighter (s) has created a situation in which everyone is looking for that big, premium cable deal. Rather than take the long, hard road of fighting for shorter money on network television to build a following as many fighters had done pre-1990, the cable and PPV boon of the late 80s-early 90s created a new arena for fighters to fight less often and make more money. You can not blame the fighters, who are plying the most brutal trade in sports, with limited benefits and long-term security. However, this shortsighted business model being driven by the promoters and the cable network chieftains has adversely affected the long-term health of the sport. As the quantity of "pay" boxing has increased, the quality of fights has gone down. Due to infrequent fighting schedules, leading to rusty boxers and carefully selected matches for overly-protected "cash-cow" fighters, boxing fans are being victimized – paying to watch over-priced and over-hyped fights that do not live up to their billing. How many times have you heard someone say, "I can not believe that I shelled out $ 44.95 for this crap?"

Chronicled have the the I Reasons Broader Post why the sports world hates the sport, and it's going to take more than The Senator John McCain's Proposal for federal oversight or "few-and-far-Between" by mega-fights like Oscar De La Hoya vs. Mayweather floyd to stem this tide.

How to stop hate To regain the " love" of boxing, the Olympics need to be promoted more heavily by the networks carrying them, in order to cultivate American boxing stars. At the professional level, the networks need to carry more boxing cards in order to compete with the cable networks, including PPV. For one, we know that HBO and Showtime can not beat the pricing of ABC, CBS or NBC – hence the networks competitive advantage. If "free" television were to hire programmers who know boxing, slowly boost ratings among the die-hard fan niche, which will then lead to larger shows – cable television networks would be forced to re-think their model which often showcases single fighters at the expense of many fighters and exploits die-hard fans with a glut of pay-per-view cards to line their coffers.

If we start here, maybe we can get somewhere. If we do not, my beloved sport will go the way of the dinosaur, and there will be no Steven Spielberg to re-create it.

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Source by Ja Dawson

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The Statue of Liberty and Eiffel Tower are both wonders of the world. They are the iconic beauties of America and France. Both are tall and huge structures and it is interesting to know that the famous "Statue of Liberty" which is a well-loved symbol of hope and peace that was gifted to the American people by France.

The Statue of Liberty is a statue of pale lady holding a torch with her one hand raised and the other hand holding a book close to her chest. The statue is located in New York. The Eiffel Tower stands as one of the artistic beauties of Paris. It was designed by architect named Gustav Eiffel and was originally built in a three year time period from 1887 to 1889 for the Exposition Universelle which is known as the World's Fair. It was specially held in Paris to commemorate the birthday of the French Revolution which brought democracy to France.

France had supported the Americans in their struggle of freedom from the British rule and a formidable friendship developed between both countries during the American Revolution. The French were admired by this historical event of America's success of establishing a democratic government.

The appearance of Statue of Liberty was mainly influenced by the neoclassical artistic style of the 19th century. The idea to create a lady struck the minds of a small group of French intellectuals at a dinner party. Their talks were focused on the close relations between France and America and the voices of the guests expressed admiration and sympathy.

An interesting fact is that Gustav Eiffel who the creator of the famous Eiffel Tower was also the engineer for Statue of Liberty's complex skeleton. He wanted to build Eiffel Tower in the city of Barcelona in Spain for the Universal Exposition in 1888. However Barcelona thought that the tower was too expensive and did not fit the style of the city. The city hall of Barcelona voted against the proposal ultimately sending Gustav Eiffel to submit his plans to the city of Paris.

The height of the Statue of Liberty is 151 feet and 10 inches. The Eiffel Tower has a total height of 1,063 feet which includes the antenna of 79 feet high that was added years later.

Visitors can climb the Statue of Liberty to the balcony around the torch with the help of a steel ladder. Eiffel tower has three levels and it continues to be updated with new shops and restaurants and it has retained its essence from its initial days.

The Statue of Liberty is an attraction for tourists and the Eiffel Tower is known today as a cultural icon and one of France's most beloved landmarks.

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Source by Tauqeer Ul Hassan

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When Gerald Ford became the first un-elected President of the United States, he brought with him the hopes and dreams of the American people, who were tired of hearing about Watergate, and who were filled with humiliation and over the break-ins and lies and excuses they had heard from their elected officials. Most Americans wanted to see President Richard Nixon punished – for what he had done, and for what he had not done. Gerry Ford was an honorable man, one who had already served his country with distinction, so everyone assumed that he would "do the right thing," and punish Richard Nixon and his co-conspirators.

But that's not what happened. After agonizing over this decision, President Ford pardoned President Nixon for all crimes that he had committed against the American people. Why did he pardon him, instead of making him stand trial and go to jail? The answers may be found in his autobiography, "A Time To Heal: The Autobiography of Gerald R. Ford." In it he states:
"I agonized over the idea of ​​a pardon. But I was not motivated primarily by sympathy for his plight or by concern over the state of his health. It was the state of the country's health at home and around the world that worried me. I was very sure of what would happen if I let the charges against Nixon run their course. His story would overshadow everything else. It would be virtually impossible for me to direct public attention to anything else. America needed recovery, not revenge. The hate had to be drained and the healing begun. "

And so Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. Was that the right thing to do? Absolutely, because President Ford wanted healing for America. What is healing? Healing means "giving up the hope for a better or different yesterday." No matter what, Nixon had committed crimes against us, but even if he were sentenced to prison, we would not be able to re-live the past, so those crimes would not be erased or obliterated, no matter how much we wanted to travel back in time and begin all over again. What was done was done, and there was no going back.

Healing means "laying them gently down," not carrying the pains of the past on our shoulders so that they become a burden to us. Healing is not giving anyone else the power to control our lives, our destiny, our souls. When President Ford pardoned Richard Nixon, he knew that America had to move on, that we had to find a way let go of the past, to let go of our anger against Nixon, so that we could begin to create for ourselves a "new normal, "a future filled with hope and passion. What he desperately wanted us Americans to do was to say goodbye to Nixon and his cronies, and he thought the best way to do that would be to pardon him so that we could together move forward with strength and dignity.

When someone dies, or divorces, we need to move on in our lives, without them, and this is a difficult task indeed. Sometimes we want to keep them around so just so we can be angry with them, as if that anger will ease our pain and sorrow. It will not, but we think that it will, so we continue to make them the focus of our lives. How often do we give too much power to those who have hurt and embarrassed us? How many times have you heard a woman talk about her "ex," about how he mistreated her and cheated on her and had only contempt and scorn for her? Well, perhaps that is all true, and I do not mean any disrespect, but "now what?" How long will she focus on his behavior in the past as a way of not moving forward in her life? Will her anger help her move forward? I suspect not, as many of us already know from personal experience. We all need to let the past remain in the past, not to carry it with us into the present. Because the future depends on our saying goodbye to those burdens which have paralyzed us and which have not allowed us to create a future filled with hope and love. Want to stay living in the past? Fine, but you will never ever heal from your wounds that way, and you will never feel the joy of creating a new life for yourself. Healing takes guts, as Gerry Ford showed us. It's not easy and it's not quick, but it is necessary.

More from his biography: "When it was done it was an unbelievable lifting of a burden from my shoulders. I felt very certain that I had made the right decision, and I was confident that I could now proceed without being harassed by Nixon or his problems any more. "
When someone leaves our lives, the right thing to do is to forgive them, to issue them a pardon, as President Ford did. When we can do that, we can move ahead "from mourning to morning." It works for America as a nation, and it works for us as individuals. Gerald Ford did the right thing to pardon Richard Nixon, and it's just one more reason that he remains so beloved to so many.

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Source by Dr.

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Music has been evolving since its creation. This evolution of music has led to a vast variety of music that all people can enjoy. Artists who make good music, are praised and revered for their talents, and recently this has lead to many aspiring musicians who want to acquire fame and fortune through their music. In the United States music in constantly evolving, and in recent years this evolution of music has sped up to a very fast rate. Music has evolved for many reasons including, improved technology, and change in culture, and a desire to create something new.

Primarily change in music has been related to the culture. During the Middle Ages music everyday music was located in two places, the church and the tavern. This was not a good atmosphere for good music to bloom. However during the Baroque period, 1600-1750, wealthy people began to hire musicians to compose music for them. These patrons would pay the musicians to compose and play music for the patrons enjoyment, and for entertainment at his or her parties. Music did not change very much in Europe for a long time. In America music was began to evolve in its own way. This new country had a culture of its own and this was reflected in its music and dancing. One of the main styles of music originated in Detroit, and it is called big band. It is called big band, because a large band was used to create snappy, catchy tunes. This style of music soon became popular in Europe as well as America in the 1920s. Big band music was very positive for America as a means of enjoyment and entertainment.

Adolf Rickenbacker invented the electric guitar in the later 1920s and in doing so he changed music forever. This was the first time that people began to use electricity to amplify their instruments. Furthermore with the invention of the electric guitar came the birth of Jazz music. Before the electric guitar came onto the scene it was nearly impossible to incorporate a guitar into band music because it was not loud enough, but the electric guitar solved the volume issue. African Americans strongly connect rhythm with their music. This can be seen in the tribal music of Africa which consists of drumming and singing. African Americans took hold of the electric guitar and used it to throw poppy grooves over the brass instruments and Jazz was born. Jazz was a type of music that spoke out as a bit of a rebellion against the culture. It was nothing like the music that was played in church, and it was perfect for dancing to. African Americans took hold of Jazz and made it a part of their culture. However racism still ran deep in the American culture and many whites dislike jazz music simply because it was generally performed by black musicians. However white musicians began to play the songs originally written and performed by African Americans, once this began to occur more whites began to appreciate Jazz. Somehow certain whites thought it was OK to listen to Jazz as long as it was performed by other whites. Overall Jazz music was very positive for the American culture because it helped give pride to the African Americans.

As long as the culture continues to change their will be a reflection of this in the music that is composed. America in particular has a culture that is always changing and growing, and this will, and has, lead to a continuing change in music. Rock n Roll came onto the scene in the late 40s and from its start it was about rebellion. The word "rock," as used in Rock n Roll, means to shake things up, and the word "roll" is slang for sexual intercourse. Rolling Stone argued that Elvis Presley's hit "That's alright mama" 1954, was the first Rock n Roll song, but this is very debatable. In the 1950s the youth were moving out from the post war era, and moving into a culture of fun loving freedom. Elvis Presley hit the scene wielding his electric guitar and rocking to catchy tunes. Although by today's standards Presley's music is considered tame, in the 1950s he was on the cutting edge of adolescent rebellion. Presley was criticized for gyrating his pelvis during performances, this and his "dirty" lyrics led to a few of his songs being banned from certain radio stations. Elvis could not be stopped and his popularity continued to grow wildly. The culture continued to change with the introduction of birth control during the 60s and this led to hippie era which was deeply rooted in music, particularly folk and rock n roll. Hippies were all about having "free love" which meant that you should be able to have sex with whomever, wherever, and whenever you wanted, as long as you were not hurting anyone else. The Hippie movement has had very negative effects on society, and it was fueled by rock n roll music.

New Technology was introduced in the 1960s-70s that paved the way for many new styles. This technology was the use of digital effects that were placed into songs. This technology was brought into the center of pop culture with disco music. Disco Music has a strong melody with deep beats that are perfect for dancing. This type of dancing is not technical in nature people of all different skill levels could participate. However the adolescent culture of the time was split between the pop sound of the disco, and the cool rebellion of rock n roll. Most of these changes in music have been due to the culture, and more directly the culture of the youth. Although people of all ages enjoy the music it is primarily the adolescents that were and are shaping the music in the 20th century and beyond.

The effect of the music on the cultures is hard to place in a strictly positive or negative light. Of the examples of music trends given earlier, some were positive and some were negative. However it can not be said that they are wholly good or wholly bad. These changes in music reflected the culture that they were brought into, and often these changes brought about good and bad reform. There are some fads in music that many would argue are completely negative, such as rap. The vast majority of rap music that is played on the radio is full of explicit content, and because of this is receives a bad wrap. Rap music is often inspired by gangster life, but people do not consider that when these people are writing music instead of starting fights on the street. Although rap music is often inappropriate it has given people the African American youth something constructive to do with their time, that will not lead them to being perceived as losers by the other gangsters. Therefore rap has both positive and negative aspects as do must trends in music.

America has started several trends and fads in regards to music, and they will continue to do so. Since America is a melting pot of cultures there is a huge wealth of new music that will become apparent as more time passes. If there was to be a standstill in the music industry, there would need to be a standstill in the culture. However the culture of the American youth has been constantly changing at an increasing pace. With all of this change there is no sign that the music industry is going to slow down. New songs are always going to be composed, and new styles of music will always be coming to the surface of the musical world. The study of the popular music in a culture gives a person deep insight on the values ​​of the culture, because a populations culture is directly linked to their music.

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Source by John Severin

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Many people suffer from acrophobia, better known as a fear of heights. If you have this problem, do not be sad because you are not alone. More than 26 million American people suffer from one type phobia or another, including this one.

According to researchers, acrophobia can cause a man or woman to fear things related to being far from the ground. For instance, they may equally fear simply climbing a ladder or being on a high floor of a building. Many people struggling with this problem need to overcome their fear of heights.

Unfortunately, some people thought that it is just an actual part of how a person is and believe there is no cure for it. Whereas, if an acrophobic person is left untreated, she or he becomes miserable and his or her social life can suffer. If you want to get rid of this condition, then here are some simple tips on how to overcome fear of heights.

Method # 1. Overcome fear of heights with hypnosis

We know that a person's fear of heights makes she or he takes care when in dealing with potentially dangerous situation. The worst things will come when this situation becomes overwhelming. It can be both limiting and debilitating.

Hypnosis is one of the greatest methods that will give a sufferer the powerful energy to recondition his automatic response. This way they will literally be training themselves to associate feelings of comfort with a situation that was previously associated with fear.

The hypnotherapy combines indirect and direct suggestion to bring about the desired effect. With a wonderfully easy induction and natural progression after that, hypnosis allows a person to settle easily and quickly into a state of deep relaxation.

Method # 2. Overcome fear of heights with natural remedies

Natural remedies can also play a major and positive role in helping you deal with your fear of heights or altophobia. Many companies offering various products, but make sure to determining all of these items should non-addictive, safe, without side-effects and FDA-registered.

The ingredients of natural herbal remedies containing homeopathic ingredients to relive nausea and dizziness and can improve inner ear balance. They can also alleviate sensations and disorientation of swaying or spinning. Generally, natural herbal remedies are presented in small dissolvable tablets available at drug stores.

Method # 3. Overcome fear of heights with do an activity that involves heights

Of course, this option may seem ludicrous and not recommended for everyone. For those who want to take the high challenge, then this way is a great start. You can try bungee jumping, skydiving or going with your family members on a high roller coaster. But, if you are not that kind of person, take smaller steps such as standing on the top step of a ladder. No matter what methods you stick with it for good, as long as keep-making progress you will out of this condition.

Well, having fear of heights is not nightmare anymore since many methods can overcome this situation. Be patient and focus with yourself. Keep in mind that your fear will not disappear overnight. It needs effort, energy, and process. It is possible to get over your phobia and have it be a distant memory. Do not give up.

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Source by Trevor Johnson

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You've decided that you want to learn to play bridge. Every year thousands of people take up playing bridge – it's fun, it's sociable, it's a challenge. But there are several different bridge systems. How do you decide which system to learn and what are the obvious differences?

There are two main systems that are played. Acol bridge and American Standard bridge. As a general rule, Acol is the system that is played in the UK, Ireland and Australia, whilst American Standard bridge is widely played around the world.

A wee aside – when I started learning I was convinced that Acol was an acronym and that each letter must mean something. It is not and they do not! It's named after the road in London where it's originators used to meet and where they developed the system.

Many people learn to play bridge by attending classes. If you are going to join a class, then you probably will not have a choice of which system to learn. If you then progress to joining a local bridge club, again you probably will not have a choice and your club will play whichever system is widely used in your country.

It gets a little more complicated if you want to learn to play bridge online – and if you intend to join an online bridge playing community. Some sites offer a choice of systems. Some do not. So it might be worth doing a little research and identifying the site where you want to play before signing up for your online lessons.

So what are the main differences?

The most obvious difference, lies in one part of the initial bidding. This makes it easy to decide which system is being played. It's the point range required for an opening bid of 1NT (one No Trumps). In Acol bridge an opening bid of 1NT means you hold a balanced hand with 12 – 14 points. In American Standard bridge the same opening bid would mean your hands is balanced but contains 15 – 17 points.

The points are worked out in the same way. Before the bidding commences each player adds up the points in their hand. They count 4 points for each ace they hold, 3 points for each king, 2 points for each queen and 1 point for each jack.

The next difference comes if a player wants to make an opening bid of 1 of a major suit. There are four suits in a pack of cards, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. They are ranked in that order, with spades and hearts being the major suits and diamonds and clubs being the minor suits.

In Acol bridge a player will make an opening bid of 1 of a major suit if they hold 4 (or more) cards in that suit. So an opening bid of, say, 1 Heart, tells your partner than you hold at least 4 cards in that suit.

In American Standard bridge it is most common to play 5 card majors. In other words, an opening bid of 1 of a major suit tells your partner than you hold at least 5 cards in that suit. If a player only holds 4 cards in either major suit they will commonly make a minor suit opening bid – which just tells their partner that they do not hold a 5 card major.

In AS bridge it is common to include length points when valuing your hand. This means adding one extra point for each card held above four in a suit. Acol bridge players rarely include length points. Both systems offer the opportunity to add shortage points (additional points for short or void suits) for some bids. AS players would then count shortage points instead of length points.

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Source by Poppy R Smith

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In Native American astrology, there are twelve Native American zodiac signs based on the medicine wheel and they make up a twelve-month calendar. For each month, there is a corresponding animal sign, and this animal sign contributes to the character traits of the person born under that Native American zodiac sign.

But Native American spirituality suggests that these animals also offer themselves as spirit companions for those born under that sign. They make themselves available to help each person learn life lessons, develop more desirable characteristics and heal in whatever way helps them grow and become the people they were meant to be.

This article series has taken a look at each of the twelve Native American zodiac signs and in this article, we will examine the sturgeon. If you were born between July 23rd and August 22nd, you were born under the sign of the sturgeon totem.

Spiritual Traits

From the sturgeon, you can learn how to persevere no matter how difficult the situation, how to stay true to your course, you can strengthen your determination and learn about depth and knowledge.

Sturgeon Totem Character Traits

"Individuals born under the sign of the sturgeon, considered to be one of the strongest signs in Native American astrology, are dominant, spontaneous, creative and extroverted. These people were born to lead. They possess grace and dignity, and they have an expansive personality. Ambitious and strong-willed, they are positive and confident in their abilities. These people know what they want in life and they get it. "- Deborah Durbin, Simply Native American Astrology

Does this sound familiar?

If you were born under this sign, you are not easily discouraged and will persist to achieve your goal. You can keep going in even the toughest circumstances. You can be quite stubborn, too, in your persistence, and in other ways. Sometimes, you just refuse to hear the other person's side of things.

But you also are kind and generous and though you determine to succeed, you do not want to do so at someone else's expense.

You are meant to lead but do not function well on a team. Faced with teamwork, you often will end up taking charge.

Generally, you have positive expectations, but sometimes react badly when things do not turn out as you expected. At times like those, it helps to have loved ones around to encourage you and this often helps to restore your self-confidence.

Professions

You are likely to rise to the top in business or commerce but may have standards too high for politics. Any career that offers leadership and advancement would be of benefit.

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Source by Jeanine Byers