Deathly Beliefs
Supernatural Phenomena exists in many different forms all over the world. Possession, apparitions, electronic voice phenomena, and ectoplasm are versions of paranormal activity most commonly experienced. There are many discoveries of this “next life” by people from all races, ages, and religions. It is obvious that the dead are trying to communicate to the living in any possible way that they can.
I believe in the existence of a unearthly life among the living. The evidence is overflowing and the experience from people around the world continues to grow every day. There is definitely something living alongside us. I think that much of the world today is beginning to see that ghosts are fact, not fictional characters that many have been lead to believe. The spirits that have yet to find their way into a higher place are left behind to roam the Earth searching for an answer to their problems and their questions.
One of the first recorded events of paranormal activity was in the 18th century when Emmanuel Swedenborg recalled that, “...a mist formed before his eyes and then separated into a silvery mass of snakes”, which eventually transformed into a figure claiming to be God (Blum 11). This was the beginning of the many activities to follow. After this vision, interest sprung from the souls of people. This was when people were beginning to look more into science and not religion. Leonora Piper, one of the first recorded mediums, sacrificed her body to spirits roaming the land by allowing them to use her as a tool to contact the living (Blum 188). Contacting the dead became popular to those who missed their loved ones or wanted to know more about a mysterious death.
Those who are able to contact the dead are said to have extra-sensory perception, or ESP. They are usually referred to as mediums. These men and women use their “sixth sense” to find a presence and make a connection with it in order to satisfy the spirit itself or their earthly connectors that are still living (Holzer 29). Mediums use their bodies as passageways for the spiritual world to use. Possession has been used for centuries to link the domains of the two beings. These events allow a spirit to take full control of a body.
Hans Holzer describes that “Ghosts[...] are the surviving emotional memories of people who have not been able to make the transition from their physical state into the world of the spirit...” (45). These spirits don't understand why they are dead and have to find someone to explain it to them (Holzer 45). People have only begun to realize that there are phantoms roaming the Earth. The reason of a spirit's eternal journey has barely even crossed the mind of the human race. These beings in our presence are in search for the pathway to the life they've been promised all of their lives.
There is a common thought that ghost will only appear at certain times, however, it is said that they will appear occasionally and usually at different times (Holzer 25). These bona fide ghosts stay around the places where they had died in their etheric body (Holzer 25). These souls are there This would mean that with several instances of recorded material there could possibly be a ghost there.
Paul Roland explains the 'Stone Tape' Theory as a ghost replaying the events it experiences previous to his or her death (60). He however then admits that this does not account for living apparitions or, more well known as, doppelgängers. A doppelgänger is a spiritual double that is projected from a living person. Usually these projections are used as anticipations of a person's thoughts or or wills. Such cases have been reported around the world.
Apparitions have been seen by many people. These specters have come for a variety of reasons. Brad Steiger compiled a book of recollections from people across the world. In these stories, ghosts came to: warn, say goodbye, and help. One story in particular told of an apparition of a man who kept a woman from her kitchen where a rapist was waiting for her (Steiger 188). Some apparitions have been said to walk in routine around certain places. The fact of their death has not completely hit them and they continue to retrace the steps of their previous life.
Electronic voice phenomena, or EVP, is recorded where paranormal activity occurs. The voices can speak of disturbing or calm messages. Usually found at higher frequencies than the human ear is able to hear, recordings must be turned up very loud to be heard.
Ectoplasm is a jelly-like substance that is excreted from a living piece of matter (Roland 33). The manifestation of ectoplasm is usually from a person with ESP that is being messed with by a spirit, however it can be anywhere in the atmosphere where a ghost has appeared, visible or not. One can usually feel this phenomena when walking and feeling as if a cobweb was on them.
Orbs, mists, and ghost lights are, in my opinion, seen as the attempt of a spirit to become an apparition. There is often a time where a figure can be seen within the sphere. One such occurrence was of a dog named Brownie, in which an orb was found in a photograph with the figure of Brownie within it's walls (Steiger 309). Other mists and lights have been recalled on highways or in graveyards.
Though most ghosts are seen to be harmless and not able to physically ever attack someone, there is always the poltergeist. “The word simply means “noisy ghost”...” explains Holzer (667). The poltergeist has been depicted in many films as harmful, but it is mostly just a spirit that moves things around and bothers a human with unwanted sounds. According to Holzer, a poltergeist is simply an uncontrolled sexual feeling that is released in an energetic and unknown phenomena (667). There was a test done in the 1930s where a medium was used on a poltergeist infested area and the medium excreted an ectoplasm that had a makeup that was “identical with seminal fluids” (667).
Spiritual photography is a very common phenomenon that people come up with when around haunted areas. Some specters aren't seen to the naked eye but are caught on camera, which can capture a very specific moment in time. Often this is the way that most people are able to view a ghostly image. An abundance of products from the camera has been released. All different types of supernatural phenomena are able to be printed from photography. There is a certain type of photography called materialization. In this type of photography, an image is seen on several pictures that are taken consecutively. When the photos are put together side by side or longitudinally they form an entity. One of the most famous materialization photographers was Hanna Hamilton, who would come up with ectoplasmic materializations in her pictures all the time (Holzer 752).
The sport of Ghost Hunting has become more popular as updates have been made and more events have been discovered. Curiosity is taking over the human mind. We are beginning to really wonder about a world beyond our own and we want to pursue our imaginations. With new technology being produced and updated with every passing year, it's become easier to discover a wandering soul. The technology used can measure magnetic fields as well as temperature. An Electromagnetic Field Meter, or EMF Meter, can help to determine whether a specter is close by (Roland 188). “The normal EMF reading is between 0.5 and 1.5 milligauss...” therefore one can fully distinguish between the normal and the paranormal (Roland 188). High magnetic fields can be explained by presences as can watching a recording of a thermograph. Watching a figure move across a thermograph when no one else was there can only be explained by another presence within the area. There is debate between whether the digital or 35mm cameras are better for taking supernatural photos. Most traditional ghost hunters use the 35mm film cameras so that it's not so easy for critics to doubt their work (Roland 197). A digital DAT recorder is usually used by hunters so that the mechanical whirring of a cassette recorder won't be present (Roland 197). I think that this is a good idea because of the fact that EVP is usually very soft and most likely unheard. Infrared lights are highly needed instead of night-vision lights on a video camera (Roland 197). Because of the movement supernatural beings cause, motion detectors are needed for hunters (Roland 198). With movement, it is unmistakable to have when no one else is around on a scene. Having a camera there to catch the details is essential to the hunter so that he or she has the undeniable proof that they need. With all of this equipment, ghost hunters are able to find spirits even when they aren't expected to be there. This technology is used for every aspect known about the ghostly world. With these things helping us to find ghosts, it's allowing beliefs to expand and new things to be considered about the world.
The Ouija board is made up of a compilation of letters, numbers, and the two words “yes” and “no”. This is used to have a spirit communicate with the user by spelling out answers to be recorded. Most people find that Ouija boards summon darker spirits and therefore advise for them not to be used. The board has been “...marketed as a 'fun' game in which the 'players' consult the 'Mystifying Oracle'...” and this really appeals to a young and troublesome crowd (Roland 111). Roland says to end his Ouija Board excerpt, “However you view it, Ouija board spells danger.” (111).
A séance is commonly used for contacting those who have crossed over to the spiritual world. This performance usually attracted dangerous entities. Mediums would begin a ring of people around a table and they would frequently use candles or other relaxing tools to open the minds of the others. These ceremonies were generally seen as fake and attempts for mediums to make a living. The séance has, however, had some successful stories.
The scientific perception of the paranormal is very negative towards its existence. For years now, science has been trying to prove that a spiritual world does not coexist with the living world. “Quantum physics now theorize that subatomic particles, know as 'dark matter', combine to produce the illusion of solidity...” which is giving the opinion of believers a chance in the scientific world (Roland 96). Some encounters of paranormal activity cannot be explained by science yet cannot be ignored as inexplicable cases.
Religion has not been able to explain incidents that happen. The Scriptures told of Jesus' resurrection from the dead after being crucified. Roland tells of an instant in the Bible where Jesus said, “'People cannot see anything in the real realm unless they become it. In the realm of truth it is not as [with] human beings in the world, who see the sun without being the sun . . . Rather, if you have seen any things there, you have become those things.'” (16). This coming from Jesus Christ has to mean that there is the existence of an unearthly world. Roland uses a excerpt from Corinthians from St. Paul where he says, “'There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another . . . There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body.'” (16). This was to help explain that Jesus had risen from the dead. For those who do believe in God and trust the Bible, this is definitely proof that there is another type of being. There are many religions in which they practice out-of-body experiences, so Christianity is not the only religion that concerns these spiritual happenings. With all of the religions in the world, these beliefs in a spiritual world are know in almost all of them. The Hindu religion sees that the death of a person is not the end of their journey. Roland explains this saying “'All the diverse elements, in the end, go back to the course and are absorbed in it, as all waters are finally absorbed in the ocean...'” (12). Buddhists believe that when a death occurs, the soul of that body is left to search for a new one. Buddhism has seen, that when a being is unable to release itself from a physical state, a decent into a ghostly world occurs and is seen to them as Hell (Roland 12). With religions and science acknowledging the existence of supernatural phenomena who are we to disagree with them. What people look to is those two branches for a sign of intelligence.
The different types of technological measurements of paranormal activity, the sayings from the Bible, and the different scientific reasonings allow me to really believe in the existence of ghosts. There is overflowing evidence of another entity among us, and therefore it is nearly impossible to deny that existence. All of these different types of supernatural phenomena are seen by a number of different types of people. Everyone can't be a liar and so someone has to be telling the truth about these phenomenons. The thought of such denial to things that are put right under a person's nose is ludicrous. Ghosts are here and they obviously aren't going anywhere.
Works Cited
Blum, Deborah. Ghost Hunters. New York: The Penguin Press, 2006.
Holzer, Hans. Ghosts: True Encounters With The World Beyond. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers Inc., 1997
Roland, Paul. The Complete Book of Ghosts. New Jersey: Chartwell Books Inc., 2007
Steiger, Brad. Real Ghost, Restless Spirits, and Haunted Places. Canton: Visible Ink Press, 2003.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
English 10-15-2008
A Big World Grows Bigger
In the world today, a major challenge has come to be obesity. We face this every day. Obesity is the epidemic of the decade and it doesn't seem to be yielding for anything. As fast food restaurants have gained popularity, obesity has also become more “popular”. Obesity related diseases have grown as much as the deaths caused by obesity. The advertising industry is bigger than ever because of the mass advertisement from fast food restaurants. Not only is our generation affected, but so is the one to come.
McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, and Sonic are only a few of the major fast food chains. Each of these places are traps for parents and children. The parents find an easy way out of cooking and cleaning and a way to please their children fast. The children find a happiness in the restaurant and get hooked quickly. Whenever my youngest sister, Cassidy, is crying in the car, my mother will get her a Happy Meal to make her calm down. The fast food industry continues to grow no matter how many lawsuits they face. They have food appealing to all. The food is cheap and that appeals to the lower and middle class. Obesity rides these two classes to the point of death in many cases.
Advertising has sky rocketed from the fast food industry. Low prices, flashy mascots, and convenient locations are all over the newspapers, magazines, television, Internet, and every other source of advertising. Almost every child knows what McDonald's is. When Cassidy was learning to read a few years ago, and ever since, she has read everything to us. On our way to Ohio to visit our grandparents, she read the different fast food billboards. She could recognize the different logos. She knows each fast food restaurant and what she gets each time.
Ronald McDonald is and continues to be a familiar childhood character. He gives toys to children who eat his delicious Happy Meals. Children love him. Parents love him. The children are drawn to such places because of Happy Meals, play lands, toys, colourful bags, and the animated mascots. In the movie “Super Size Me”, there is a scene in which they show children the pictures of several fast food mascots and then several important figures in the world. The children are able to identify each character, and often the restaurant they are affiliated with. They, however, fail to name the important figures, including Jesus Christ(Spurlock).
These children are being affected psychologically because of the toys in Kid's Meals. The children are rewarded for eating something unhealthy by receiving a toy. When the parent tells them that it's bad to eat them, the child is confused because they have associated the Kid's Meal with something done good. They also associate the Kid's Meal with happiness which causes them to eat when they are unhappy. This gives the child two ways of becoming obese. With all of the unhealthy fats in the food and without the exercise children need to lose all of the calories and excess fat, the child becomes obese. As they continue to add to this obesity, they lose the motivation to become healthy and exercise daily.
Obesity related diseases are a big deal in todays world. Several things caused by obesity are diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, arthritis, and strokes. Diabetes is a major illness in our lives today. It is spread genetically and it can be caused by high blood sugar, causing it to arise in people more often. Cardiovascular disease is caused by high cholesterol. The fats inside unhealthy food build up inside blood vessels and cause the blood flow to slow down. This will eventually end as a heart attack which could be fatal to the person. If the blood flow to the brain is constricted to the point of cutting off the blood supply to the brain, a stoke could occur. This could kill them or severely affect them with their ability to do anything. Paralysis is the worse possibility after a stroke. This would end every chance of ever becoming healthy again. Arthritis is another ailment caused by obesity. With all of the excess weight on a person, the bones will begin to be overwhelmed. The pressure put on the joints tire them and they are never relieved because the weight is never lifted. All of these diseases can cause death to the human all for being fat.
Schools are not helping the cause of obesity. Every school I have ever been to has constantly offered pizza, french fries, and other fat renowned foods. Physical Education has been decreased as years have gone by. In my middle school years, I had to have Physical Education every year for the entire year. When I asked my other sister, Standish, who is a seventh grader this year, about her year so far, she said that she is only allowed to take Physical Education for half of the year. I think that it is awful that the school is decreasing the amount of exercise in an adolescent environment. They aren't teaching these preteens about their health and the dangers of eating the foods that they were used to eating every day. I went to Cassidy's school just a few weeks ago and was taken aback by the number of obese children at that school. I was with the fourth graders and there was about one healthy looking child for every three obese children. When I looked around the table at the other parents who had come to eat lunch with their child, I noticed that every single one of them had brought their child a Happy Meal. Cassidy was sad that she didn't have a Happy Meal, and I leaned over and told her that she was healthier and smarter than every single child and parent there. I took Cassidy a well prepared meal from home and am happy to say that she ate all of it.
Obesity is a disgusting disease in today's world. It's sad to watch so many people succumb to the evils of fatty foods and the consequences that quickly follow them. Yet we all willingly give in to the pleasures of the mouthwatering taste of cheap, delicious food from our favourite fast food restaurants. We all enjoy the taste of the Dollar Menu. Obesity can be, and really should be, avoided. We all just have to be willing to take the necessary steps, not the drive-through, to get healthy.
Works Cited
Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Perf. Morgan Spurlock. 2004
In the world today, a major challenge has come to be obesity. We face this every day. Obesity is the epidemic of the decade and it doesn't seem to be yielding for anything. As fast food restaurants have gained popularity, obesity has also become more “popular”. Obesity related diseases have grown as much as the deaths caused by obesity. The advertising industry is bigger than ever because of the mass advertisement from fast food restaurants. Not only is our generation affected, but so is the one to come.
McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, and Sonic are only a few of the major fast food chains. Each of these places are traps for parents and children. The parents find an easy way out of cooking and cleaning and a way to please their children fast. The children find a happiness in the restaurant and get hooked quickly. Whenever my youngest sister, Cassidy, is crying in the car, my mother will get her a Happy Meal to make her calm down. The fast food industry continues to grow no matter how many lawsuits they face. They have food appealing to all. The food is cheap and that appeals to the lower and middle class. Obesity rides these two classes to the point of death in many cases.
Advertising has sky rocketed from the fast food industry. Low prices, flashy mascots, and convenient locations are all over the newspapers, magazines, television, Internet, and every other source of advertising. Almost every child knows what McDonald's is. When Cassidy was learning to read a few years ago, and ever since, she has read everything to us. On our way to Ohio to visit our grandparents, she read the different fast food billboards. She could recognize the different logos. She knows each fast food restaurant and what she gets each time.
Ronald McDonald is and continues to be a familiar childhood character. He gives toys to children who eat his delicious Happy Meals. Children love him. Parents love him. The children are drawn to such places because of Happy Meals, play lands, toys, colourful bags, and the animated mascots. In the movie “Super Size Me”, there is a scene in which they show children the pictures of several fast food mascots and then several important figures in the world. The children are able to identify each character, and often the restaurant they are affiliated with. They, however, fail to name the important figures, including Jesus Christ(Spurlock).
These children are being affected psychologically because of the toys in Kid's Meals. The children are rewarded for eating something unhealthy by receiving a toy. When the parent tells them that it's bad to eat them, the child is confused because they have associated the Kid's Meal with something done good. They also associate the Kid's Meal with happiness which causes them to eat when they are unhappy. This gives the child two ways of becoming obese. With all of the unhealthy fats in the food and without the exercise children need to lose all of the calories and excess fat, the child becomes obese. As they continue to add to this obesity, they lose the motivation to become healthy and exercise daily.
Obesity related diseases are a big deal in todays world. Several things caused by obesity are diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, arthritis, and strokes. Diabetes is a major illness in our lives today. It is spread genetically and it can be caused by high blood sugar, causing it to arise in people more often. Cardiovascular disease is caused by high cholesterol. The fats inside unhealthy food build up inside blood vessels and cause the blood flow to slow down. This will eventually end as a heart attack which could be fatal to the person. If the blood flow to the brain is constricted to the point of cutting off the blood supply to the brain, a stoke could occur. This could kill them or severely affect them with their ability to do anything. Paralysis is the worse possibility after a stroke. This would end every chance of ever becoming healthy again. Arthritis is another ailment caused by obesity. With all of the excess weight on a person, the bones will begin to be overwhelmed. The pressure put on the joints tire them and they are never relieved because the weight is never lifted. All of these diseases can cause death to the human all for being fat.
Schools are not helping the cause of obesity. Every school I have ever been to has constantly offered pizza, french fries, and other fat renowned foods. Physical Education has been decreased as years have gone by. In my middle school years, I had to have Physical Education every year for the entire year. When I asked my other sister, Standish, who is a seventh grader this year, about her year so far, she said that she is only allowed to take Physical Education for half of the year. I think that it is awful that the school is decreasing the amount of exercise in an adolescent environment. They aren't teaching these preteens about their health and the dangers of eating the foods that they were used to eating every day. I went to Cassidy's school just a few weeks ago and was taken aback by the number of obese children at that school. I was with the fourth graders and there was about one healthy looking child for every three obese children. When I looked around the table at the other parents who had come to eat lunch with their child, I noticed that every single one of them had brought their child a Happy Meal. Cassidy was sad that she didn't have a Happy Meal, and I leaned over and told her that she was healthier and smarter than every single child and parent there. I took Cassidy a well prepared meal from home and am happy to say that she ate all of it.
Obesity is a disgusting disease in today's world. It's sad to watch so many people succumb to the evils of fatty foods and the consequences that quickly follow them. Yet we all willingly give in to the pleasures of the mouthwatering taste of cheap, delicious food from our favourite fast food restaurants. We all enjoy the taste of the Dollar Menu. Obesity can be, and really should be, avoided. We all just have to be willing to take the necessary steps, not the drive-through, to get healthy.
Works Cited
Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. Perf. Morgan Spurlock. 2004
Music 10-08-2008
Michael Bublé
On October 4, 2008 at 8:00pm, I saw Michael Bublé at the Bi-Lo Center with my best friend and his mother. He played seventeen of his best songs with his jazz ensemble. The band consists of three trumpets, three saxophones, two trombones, a clarinet, a piano, a bass, drums, and guitar. The bongos and keyboard were used on select songs that called for them.
He started off his concert with my personal favourite song I'm Your Man which was composed by Leonard Cullen. This song has a very sly sound to it. The start is very instrumental with a trumpet duet and a solo for the saxophone. The lyrics were sung very smoothly and each note was anticipated. Then the trombone is added along with the clarinet. The beast is kept very steady with the bass and drums. There were some loud, pulsing 'shouts' in the music. There was a lot of repetition in this song for the music. I loved this piece because, not only is it my favourite song, but the difference it has from other songs. It makes you want to dance dramatically and fall to your knees singing along.
Composed by Franco Migliacci, Johnny Mercer, and Henry N. Mancini, It Had Better Be Tonight began with a saxophone solo and the trumpets echoed them. The piano is very homophonic with Michael during the song. There are also loud blasts of instruments throughout the work. The key change towards the end causes the beat to become smoother. The song is very salsa like because of the spice the bongos put into it. I didn't like this song too much because it was hard to understand and very messy to me.
Sway was definitely a crowd favourite. It was composed by Norman Gimbel and Pablo Beltran Ruiz. Again it had a salsa feel to it. The bongos and trumpets have a definite importance in this song. The sound is very loud for a majority of the time, but there is one break in the song for a few seconds. The trumpets lines are repeated the whole song. The music gives you the vision of swaying and dancing to the music. The music is fast the whole time. The mood is very vibrant and upbeat. It's pretty dissonant the, especially when the key changes. The piano is made very loud so as to match the dynamics of the rest of the instruments.
Me and Mrs. Jones was composed by Gary Gilbert, Kenneth Gamble, and Leon Huff. The whole song is very flowing. The bass starts off and keeps the same steady beat throughout the whole song. When the key changes close to the end of the song, the brass are introduced. The song is extremely consonant. The song gets loud during one instrumental section, but goes back to the soothing music at the chorus.
Sung by many different artists, Fever was composed for Michael Bublé by Eddie Cooley. The song has a bass solo for most of the song. When the brass are introduced, dynamics increase. The music makes you feel the fever rising as the song goes on. The end of the song goes back to the solo bass as Michael ends the song. The brass gives one last blast at the end. I love this song when Bublé sings it because the blasts from the brass give the song it's flame.
After talking to a small girl in the audience, Michael sang Call Me Irresponsible which was composed by James Van Heusen and Sammy Chan. Again the song starts with a bass solo. As this work continues on, the trumpets slowly get louder. The song is very bouncy and has you tapping your foot. The bass repeat the same notes the whole time. The piano has a very significant part in this song so that it will continue to flow. The most recognizable thing about the song is the dominant sound of the bass.
Probably the most interesting song, I've Got The World On A String was especially composed for Bublé by Harold Arlen and Ted Coehler. The drums, piano, and bass start this piece off while the band shouts the first line of the song addressing Michael personally. The key changes to and from the tonic key several times. In the middle of the song, the saxophone has a solo. By the end of the song, the band is singing the ending lines. The last few seconds is a quick crescendo and blast of brass. I liked Michael sharing the vocals with his band. I think that it's always important to share the main spotlight with the men who make him who he is.
Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Thompson composed Always On My Mind. The piano and bass are the only instruments used during the song. I deemed this work to be a basso continuo with vocals. The whole song is consonant. The theme is very apologetic, yet, hopeful. The piano gives you the feeling that Michael is trying to give you. The brass are never added into this piece. The song is soft and slow the whole time. I like this song because it has a way of clearing my mind.
Lost was composed by Alan Chang, Jann Arden, and, the man himself, Michael Bublé. The piano has a solo in the beginning, but the drums are added eventually. The brass, again, are left out. The dynamics vary greatly throughout, but it's mostly quiet. There is a very soothing feel to this song. The vocals blend into the music and it flows nicely. I like how the lyrics and music match and work together to make a great song. This song is the song that I listen to at night while I'm sleeping. It helps me to relax and be happy.
A great song composed by Anthony Newly and Leslie Bricusse is Feeling Good. Michael starts the song off with a vocal solo. Then all of the instruments are introduced at once with a huge mixture of blasts from each. When they've all done that, the bass and piano have a short solo with Michael. After the first chorus, all of the instruments come back in. When the instrumentals have the large solos and the key changes, the trumpets have crescendoing waves. The bass gives the image of Michael walking through the world he's describing, and the trumpets show his limbs moving and acknowledging each specific detail. Michael has to to a lot of run improvisation. I love this song because I can really sing and feel great.
Home was composed by Alan Chang, Amy Foster-Gillies, and Michael Bublé. This was a number one song when released. The drums, guitar, bass, and piano are the only instruments used for Home. The way the guitar is played gives a sort of country sound, but the bass keeps the jazz alive. While listening, you feel a desire and longing to be with your loved ones at home, and that's what the song is about. The consonance helps to sooth the soul and the relative softness of the song keeps you relaxed and thinking of your home. There is a steady tempo and everything ends in a cymbal fade. I like this song because it's so true about everyone wanting to be home and around those you love.
Composed by the very same Alan Chang, Amy Foster-Gillies, and Michael Bublé, Everything was another huge hit. The piano and guitar share a solo in the beginning. The song has a different sound for each verse. The beginning has a cutesy sound of young love. When the drums become a bit more prominent, a more adult feeling takes over. The mood represents an innocent love that grows into a strong bond between Michael and his woman. I liked this song because it related to me as a young woman in love.
Frank Magine, Phil Spitalny, and Walter Hirsch composed Bublé's version of Save The Last Dance. With another salsa type song, the bongos are used once more. The bongos and piano start and then are imitated by the brass. During the first verse, there is an acoustic guitar solo. In the middle of the song, there is a short rest for all of the instruments. There is a sound of chimes used to portray 'sparkling wine'. There are many things that are repeated over and over again. Then at the end, the beginning musical phrase is repeated for a final time. The bongos and bass are really the heartbeat of the song and keep everything going. The beginning starts soft, but everything gets louder as the song progresses. This song is really energetic.
How Sweet It Is was composed by Brian Holland, Eddie Holland, and Lamont Dozier. In my personal opinion, the music in this song sounds like a train. When Michael sings the word 'stop' the music has a brief rest. The music has three different trumpet parts. Two are solos and the other one plays with the rest of the band. The tempo never changed in this song. The trumpets get louder with each verse and have a solo with Michael to help emphasize the words he's singing. I like this song because my best friend and I dance around and sing along to it all of the time in our cars.
The duo Dean Kay Thompson and Kelly Gordon composed That's Life. There is a black female choir to help give the beginning of the song a gospel sound. The piano's piece is very jazzy and complicated. The saxophone plays a very significant part with the brass. When Michael sings about not quiting the choir emphasizes him by repeating his words. The trumpets play short, small blasts here and there towards the end of the song. This song was very interesting because I got to watch everyone get involved. The crowd clapped along with the song.
Freddy Mercury composed the first encore song Crazy Little Thing. There is a dominant drum part in this song. I get the feel of him trying to be like Elvis. The trumpets repeat their lines with a few extra things thrown in. The bass plays an extremely important piece. The guitar sounds very bluesy. The trumpets do a sharp run down and up when Michael finishes the chorus. During this run, the trumpets crescendo. There is a guitar solo in the middle of the song. Then the run again. After that, the bass drum is used to give a dramatic effect, and lets Michael emphasize the chorus. The crowd also claps along. When the key changes, the piano comes in and everything projects their sound more. I don't like the end of this song because it ends so abruptly.
The last song performed by Michael was Song For You which was composed by Leon Russell. The feeling you get from this song lets you know that he's done something wrong. It has a depressing sound almost. Then the piano sympathizes with Michael in a solo. When he begins to talk about his girls importance, you can feel his hope that she'll still love him. After the key change, the saxophone has a solo begging for her forgiveness. A dramatic sense comes out when he tells her what she means to him. When the dynamics get louder, he ends on an off key that leaves you waiting for more. The saxophone ends the song in a solo. I don't really like the off key at the end. I want to hear more.
I loved every aspect of the concert. I was disappointed when he didn't sing my favourite song, but I think that he made up for it. I was able to dance with my best friend to our favourite songs. We both are singers and love Michael Bublé. There weren't any mess ups that I noticed. I didn't think that there would be, because it is jazz and improvising is an important aspect of jazz. You need to be able to distinguish the trumpet and saxophone to really get attached to the music. I enjoyed this concert and all of it's perks.
On October 4, 2008 at 8:00pm, I saw Michael Bublé at the Bi-Lo Center with my best friend and his mother. He played seventeen of his best songs with his jazz ensemble. The band consists of three trumpets, three saxophones, two trombones, a clarinet, a piano, a bass, drums, and guitar. The bongos and keyboard were used on select songs that called for them.
He started off his concert with my personal favourite song I'm Your Man which was composed by Leonard Cullen. This song has a very sly sound to it. The start is very instrumental with a trumpet duet and a solo for the saxophone. The lyrics were sung very smoothly and each note was anticipated. Then the trombone is added along with the clarinet. The beast is kept very steady with the bass and drums. There were some loud, pulsing 'shouts' in the music. There was a lot of repetition in this song for the music. I loved this piece because, not only is it my favourite song, but the difference it has from other songs. It makes you want to dance dramatically and fall to your knees singing along.
Composed by Franco Migliacci, Johnny Mercer, and Henry N. Mancini, It Had Better Be Tonight began with a saxophone solo and the trumpets echoed them. The piano is very homophonic with Michael during the song. There are also loud blasts of instruments throughout the work. The key change towards the end causes the beat to become smoother. The song is very salsa like because of the spice the bongos put into it. I didn't like this song too much because it was hard to understand and very messy to me.
Sway was definitely a crowd favourite. It was composed by Norman Gimbel and Pablo Beltran Ruiz. Again it had a salsa feel to it. The bongos and trumpets have a definite importance in this song. The sound is very loud for a majority of the time, but there is one break in the song for a few seconds. The trumpets lines are repeated the whole song. The music gives you the vision of swaying and dancing to the music. The music is fast the whole time. The mood is very vibrant and upbeat. It's pretty dissonant the, especially when the key changes. The piano is made very loud so as to match the dynamics of the rest of the instruments.
Me and Mrs. Jones was composed by Gary Gilbert, Kenneth Gamble, and Leon Huff. The whole song is very flowing. The bass starts off and keeps the same steady beat throughout the whole song. When the key changes close to the end of the song, the brass are introduced. The song is extremely consonant. The song gets loud during one instrumental section, but goes back to the soothing music at the chorus.
Sung by many different artists, Fever was composed for Michael Bublé by Eddie Cooley. The song has a bass solo for most of the song. When the brass are introduced, dynamics increase. The music makes you feel the fever rising as the song goes on. The end of the song goes back to the solo bass as Michael ends the song. The brass gives one last blast at the end. I love this song when Bublé sings it because the blasts from the brass give the song it's flame.
After talking to a small girl in the audience, Michael sang Call Me Irresponsible which was composed by James Van Heusen and Sammy Chan. Again the song starts with a bass solo. As this work continues on, the trumpets slowly get louder. The song is very bouncy and has you tapping your foot. The bass repeat the same notes the whole time. The piano has a very significant part in this song so that it will continue to flow. The most recognizable thing about the song is the dominant sound of the bass.
Probably the most interesting song, I've Got The World On A String was especially composed for Bublé by Harold Arlen and Ted Coehler. The drums, piano, and bass start this piece off while the band shouts the first line of the song addressing Michael personally. The key changes to and from the tonic key several times. In the middle of the song, the saxophone has a solo. By the end of the song, the band is singing the ending lines. The last few seconds is a quick crescendo and blast of brass. I liked Michael sharing the vocals with his band. I think that it's always important to share the main spotlight with the men who make him who he is.
Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Thompson composed Always On My Mind. The piano and bass are the only instruments used during the song. I deemed this work to be a basso continuo with vocals. The whole song is consonant. The theme is very apologetic, yet, hopeful. The piano gives you the feeling that Michael is trying to give you. The brass are never added into this piece. The song is soft and slow the whole time. I like this song because it has a way of clearing my mind.
Lost was composed by Alan Chang, Jann Arden, and, the man himself, Michael Bublé. The piano has a solo in the beginning, but the drums are added eventually. The brass, again, are left out. The dynamics vary greatly throughout, but it's mostly quiet. There is a very soothing feel to this song. The vocals blend into the music and it flows nicely. I like how the lyrics and music match and work together to make a great song. This song is the song that I listen to at night while I'm sleeping. It helps me to relax and be happy.
A great song composed by Anthony Newly and Leslie Bricusse is Feeling Good. Michael starts the song off with a vocal solo. Then all of the instruments are introduced at once with a huge mixture of blasts from each. When they've all done that, the bass and piano have a short solo with Michael. After the first chorus, all of the instruments come back in. When the instrumentals have the large solos and the key changes, the trumpets have crescendoing waves. The bass gives the image of Michael walking through the world he's describing, and the trumpets show his limbs moving and acknowledging each specific detail. Michael has to to a lot of run improvisation. I love this song because I can really sing and feel great.
Home was composed by Alan Chang, Amy Foster-Gillies, and Michael Bublé. This was a number one song when released. The drums, guitar, bass, and piano are the only instruments used for Home. The way the guitar is played gives a sort of country sound, but the bass keeps the jazz alive. While listening, you feel a desire and longing to be with your loved ones at home, and that's what the song is about. The consonance helps to sooth the soul and the relative softness of the song keeps you relaxed and thinking of your home. There is a steady tempo and everything ends in a cymbal fade. I like this song because it's so true about everyone wanting to be home and around those you love.
Composed by the very same Alan Chang, Amy Foster-Gillies, and Michael Bublé, Everything was another huge hit. The piano and guitar share a solo in the beginning. The song has a different sound for each verse. The beginning has a cutesy sound of young love. When the drums become a bit more prominent, a more adult feeling takes over. The mood represents an innocent love that grows into a strong bond between Michael and his woman. I liked this song because it related to me as a young woman in love.
Frank Magine, Phil Spitalny, and Walter Hirsch composed Bublé's version of Save The Last Dance. With another salsa type song, the bongos are used once more. The bongos and piano start and then are imitated by the brass. During the first verse, there is an acoustic guitar solo. In the middle of the song, there is a short rest for all of the instruments. There is a sound of chimes used to portray 'sparkling wine'. There are many things that are repeated over and over again. Then at the end, the beginning musical phrase is repeated for a final time. The bongos and bass are really the heartbeat of the song and keep everything going. The beginning starts soft, but everything gets louder as the song progresses. This song is really energetic.
How Sweet It Is was composed by Brian Holland, Eddie Holland, and Lamont Dozier. In my personal opinion, the music in this song sounds like a train. When Michael sings the word 'stop' the music has a brief rest. The music has three different trumpet parts. Two are solos and the other one plays with the rest of the band. The tempo never changed in this song. The trumpets get louder with each verse and have a solo with Michael to help emphasize the words he's singing. I like this song because my best friend and I dance around and sing along to it all of the time in our cars.
The duo Dean Kay Thompson and Kelly Gordon composed That's Life. There is a black female choir to help give the beginning of the song a gospel sound. The piano's piece is very jazzy and complicated. The saxophone plays a very significant part with the brass. When Michael sings about not quiting the choir emphasizes him by repeating his words. The trumpets play short, small blasts here and there towards the end of the song. This song was very interesting because I got to watch everyone get involved. The crowd clapped along with the song.
Freddy Mercury composed the first encore song Crazy Little Thing. There is a dominant drum part in this song. I get the feel of him trying to be like Elvis. The trumpets repeat their lines with a few extra things thrown in. The bass plays an extremely important piece. The guitar sounds very bluesy. The trumpets do a sharp run down and up when Michael finishes the chorus. During this run, the trumpets crescendo. There is a guitar solo in the middle of the song. Then the run again. After that, the bass drum is used to give a dramatic effect, and lets Michael emphasize the chorus. The crowd also claps along. When the key changes, the piano comes in and everything projects their sound more. I don't like the end of this song because it ends so abruptly.
The last song performed by Michael was Song For You which was composed by Leon Russell. The feeling you get from this song lets you know that he's done something wrong. It has a depressing sound almost. Then the piano sympathizes with Michael in a solo. When he begins to talk about his girls importance, you can feel his hope that she'll still love him. After the key change, the saxophone has a solo begging for her forgiveness. A dramatic sense comes out when he tells her what she means to him. When the dynamics get louder, he ends on an off key that leaves you waiting for more. The saxophone ends the song in a solo. I don't really like the off key at the end. I want to hear more.
I loved every aspect of the concert. I was disappointed when he didn't sing my favourite song, but I think that he made up for it. I was able to dance with my best friend to our favourite songs. We both are singers and love Michael Bublé. There weren't any mess ups that I noticed. I didn't think that there would be, because it is jazz and improvising is an important aspect of jazz. You need to be able to distinguish the trumpet and saxophone to really get attached to the music. I enjoyed this concert and all of it's perks.
English 10-01-2008
Matthew Capelli
Matthew Capelli was the turning point in my life because he changed my entire being for the better. He made me more sociable, strengthened my Christianity, and increased my belief in myself. He was able to relate to me in a way that no one else could. He made me feel like I really did have a place to be. I was given hope in a hopeless world. I learned more from him in four days than I was able to learn in my four years of high school. I learned lessons that will stick by my side for the rest of my life.
Matthew Capelli works for Michelin in the tire testing division. We met at a summer program called Business Week where groups of teenagers form 'companies' and compete for the best market. He and I clicked from the very beginning. Matthew was the beginning of the life I will lead until I die.
Just a few years ago, I was shy and anti-social. I wanted to talk to people, but I just didn't know how. Matthew knew I ate alone, walked alone, and did everything alone. Two days into Business Week, he sat at my usual breakfast table and struck up a conversation. That day, I made friends with the best person you could ever possibly meet. He helped me open up, not only to him, but to all of the other adult supervisors. I was able to talk to them how I had wished to and I couldn't stop. Everything that came to mind just flew on out of my mouth and I was comfortable saying it. When it was time to leave, I made a vow to myself that the next year, I would make friends on my own. This past summer, I made more friends than I could have imagined. I became the 'CEO' of my 'company' and was able to introduce some of the guest speakers. I had a special conversation with him thanking him for everything that he had ever done for me. I told him about how my senior year had gone and about all of the accomplishments I had achieved. He was proud of the both of us.
Matthew was, and still is, a very religious man. Every morning, he got up and led a Devotional at 7:30 in the morning. When he and I first talked, we mostly talked about Christ and his plan for us. I am Catholic, but never had I been introduced to a way of worship quite like Matthews. He sang his praise and said his prayers as if God were his best friend. I, being raised as a devout Catholic, had learned about sincere and secretive prayer. I was inspired by his free spirit and outspoken Christianity. I went to Devotional when he began talking to me. In this week, he told me the story of his life and how the Lord saved him from going down the wrong path. He taught me how to pray over my meals with a personal touch. We would pray over each meal together and thank Him afterwards. Matthew saved me from a life I was going into. He reintroduced me to God and renewed my Faith in Him.
My self esteem has always been pretty low. I could never read a paper aloud or do a presentation without shaking or severely messing up. During Business Week, they had Talent Night. Matthew was the head of Talent Night and I wanted to show him my talent to perform. I brought my talent on my USB drive. It was an animation with stick people singing and dancing to the song 'I Like to Move It, Move It'. I showed the animation to Matthew and he loved it. The only problem was that there was no way I was getting up on a stage in front of 200 people to introduce it. Matthew took care of that in a heartbeat. That night, he got up of that stage and told them that I had made something special for them but I was shy. He had them give me a huge round of applause beforehand. Before the animation, I was so nervous that the audience wasn't going to like it. I was so nervous about their reaction. During the presentation, the crowd was dancing and hollering along with the song. After it was finished, I turned around to acknowledge the clapping and saw a standing ovation. When I faced them, the sounds of the cheering sent a feeling through me that I had never had before. Right then, I had never been more proud of myself. I had people talking to me and congratulating me all night. They commented that they would have never guessed that about me. My senior year, I did many more animations and videos for my projects in school. I uploaded them onto YouTube and sent the links to Matthew to have him approval.
In the end, Matthew was the inspiration that changed my life forever. He is everything that I want to be. I can only hope that I am able to change someone who was like me in the way that he was able to change me. I still keep in contact with him through email and he continues to inspire me to this day. He will forever have a special place in my heart. The man who ended the life I had known and replaced it with a new and improved one.
Psychology 9-23-2008
Transorbital Lobotomy Experiment
My hypothesis is clearly stated that the transorbital lobotomy does not cure or reduce symptoms of schizophrenia. I do not think that the insertion of long, sharp picks will fix anything neurological. With my independent variable being the lobotomy itself and the dependent variable being the reaction of the patients after the lobotomy has or, in some cases, has not been performed.
I will have two groups of fifty schizophrenia patients each. The groups will be chosen at randoms so as to have a representative sample. They will be fully notified that there is a group who will go under the actual lobotomy and there is another group that will be taken under the same procedure but not have the full lobotomy. That way they won't be able to tell if they have had the lobotomy or not and will have to tell their true feelings because they will not know if they have actually had the lobotomy or not.
Each group will have a Schizophrenic Symptom Checklist filled out about them by a nurse and then they will be taken in random order for 15 minutes each.
When a patient is to receive the lobotomy, they will be put to sleep and then have a leucotome inserted into the transorbital cavity and then stuck through the top of the skull at the same angle for every patient and then pushed thirty degrees to the left and right. The leucotome will then be eased out and the eye will be covered with gauze. This will be done with each eye socket.
When a patient is not to receive the lobotomy, they will be put to sleep and then have a leucotome inserted into the transobital cavity but only placed to the top of the cavity and not through the skull. The leucotome will then be eased out and the eye will be covered with gauze. This will also be done with each eye socket.
Each individual will be given their own separate room with no medication for the exception of a pain killer. The room will have one way windows so that I may be able to observe their visible behavior. They will all be under the watch of nurses that have no idea which patients have had the lobotomy and which ones haven't. Using the double-blind procedure will keep the patients from trying to answer the 'right' way. The same nurse that filled out the Schizophrenic Symptom Checklist for a patient will fill out another one the next day for the patient again. After each patient has been observed and had another Schizophrenic Symptom Checklist filled out about them, a group of scientists that also don't know which ones have had the lobotomy will analyze the data and decide if each patient had gotten better. After much consideration of the observations, I will reveal to the scientists which ones have actually had the lobotomy and which ones haven't. We will then finalize whether the lobotomy had effective results.
My hypothesis is clearly stated that the transorbital lobotomy does not cure or reduce symptoms of schizophrenia. I do not think that the insertion of long, sharp picks will fix anything neurological. With my independent variable being the lobotomy itself and the dependent variable being the reaction of the patients after the lobotomy has or, in some cases, has not been performed.
I will have two groups of fifty schizophrenia patients each. The groups will be chosen at randoms so as to have a representative sample. They will be fully notified that there is a group who will go under the actual lobotomy and there is another group that will be taken under the same procedure but not have the full lobotomy. That way they won't be able to tell if they have had the lobotomy or not and will have to tell their true feelings because they will not know if they have actually had the lobotomy or not.
Each group will have a Schizophrenic Symptom Checklist filled out about them by a nurse and then they will be taken in random order for 15 minutes each.
When a patient is to receive the lobotomy, they will be put to sleep and then have a leucotome inserted into the transorbital cavity and then stuck through the top of the skull at the same angle for every patient and then pushed thirty degrees to the left and right. The leucotome will then be eased out and the eye will be covered with gauze. This will be done with each eye socket.
When a patient is not to receive the lobotomy, they will be put to sleep and then have a leucotome inserted into the transobital cavity but only placed to the top of the cavity and not through the skull. The leucotome will then be eased out and the eye will be covered with gauze. This will also be done with each eye socket.
Each individual will be given their own separate room with no medication for the exception of a pain killer. The room will have one way windows so that I may be able to observe their visible behavior. They will all be under the watch of nurses that have no idea which patients have had the lobotomy and which ones haven't. Using the double-blind procedure will keep the patients from trying to answer the 'right' way. The same nurse that filled out the Schizophrenic Symptom Checklist for a patient will fill out another one the next day for the patient again. After each patient has been observed and had another Schizophrenic Symptom Checklist filled out about them, a group of scientists that also don't know which ones have had the lobotomy will analyze the data and decide if each patient had gotten better. After much consideration of the observations, I will reveal to the scientists which ones have actually had the lobotomy and which ones haven't. We will then finalize whether the lobotomy had effective results.
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