Commze

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is a world renown establishment that is primarily known for its great collection that spans centuries, art genres and cultural perspectives of items. However, the museum is also focused on and greatly contributes to the continued development of new works and artists. Education and research is also a fundamental aspect of the organization. The progressive nature of this seemingly conservative establishment can be found not only among some of its rooms and hung across the walls but also on its ruff top. In fact, many of the hotel guests in some of the near by resorts may be able to see this new installation piece from their balcony windows.

This is just one of the works of art this is currently making the news and getting random attention throughout this great city, though it is also one of the most dynamic and complicated. The piece is titled Big Bambu: You Can’t, You Don’t and You Won’t Stop. The installation is made of bamboo and includes a suspended walkway above the roof. The entire project will last through the end of October and will continue to be worked on until the time it is dismantled. The most report indicated that intricate web of bamboo rose about twenty five feet into the air above the roof of the museum.

The ongoing installation project, conceived and constructed by Doug and Mike Starn , who happen to be identical twins, is anticipated to receive somewhere in the neighborhood of 400,000 viewers, though this projection is somewhat dependent on the weather. Meanwhile, some incredible tours will be offered, though it is important to understand that there is the possibility of experiencing some unexpected and sometimes severe cases of height anxiety and fear. In addition, there may be some physical and health restrictions related to participating in the tours.

You might not consider visiting New York for a nice meditative, relaxing time, but believe it or not, you can if you attend the New York Insight urban center . The NYI programs include talks, weekly sittings and courses as well as daylong, weekend retreats and workshops that integrated meditation teachings into every day life. They strive to be a center that reflects the vivid diversity of the city. The center is a place where anyone, of different ages, nationalities, cultures, sexual orientation, languages, ethnicities and spiritual and religious backgrounds – is welcome to begin or to deepen their meditation practice based on the teachings of the Buddha.

Insight meditation as taught and practiced at the New York Insight center is a way to develop wisdom and compassion, to cultivate mindfulness of the body from moment to moment, without judgments, distortions or projections, to see things as they are, to watch nativities weaken as you begin to cultivate a peacefulness in the mind and an openness of heart. The foundations of the practice include sitting meditation, in which you’ll learn to acquire steadiness of the mind and the ability to see deeply into the truth of your experience; walking meditation, in which you develop a greater awareness of your body in the present moment; and mindfulness in daily life, the art of conscious living. NYI offers a full schedule of talks, courses, sittings, retreats and workshops aimed at developing the art of mindful living. A majority of the programs are designed especially for beginners.

You’ll leave the comforts of your luxury New York City hotel and enter a light-filled loft space located near Herald Square , has become the physical and spiritual home of the community since it opened in 2004; with a main meditation room and a classroom, the center provides a safe space for spiritual inquiry. New York Insight Meditation Center is located on 28 West 27th Street on the 10th Floor.

Though many states are still buried deep in snow, there are many more than are experiencing the warmer weather of spring time.  With such nice weather, there is no excuse not to get out of the house and enjoy nature.  This week is National Park Week and to celebrate over 300 national parks are offering free admission as well as special events and programs for the kids.  It only runs through Sunday so make plans to take part.  For more information and to take advantage of this offer visit the ChicagoSunTimes.com.

For anyone traveling to or from Europe, the volcanic ash cloud that has been covering northern Europe for the last week has been more than just a hassle. It has caused thousands of flights to be rerouted, rescheduled, or cancelled. Many people on both sides of the Atlantic have been stranded with little hope that their flights will be resumed quickly. However, hope came today with announcements from Scotland, Germany, and several other countries that they will be resuming flights early this week, some even today. Though there have been some debates aviation authorities and airline executives who believe the continued hold on flights is unnecessary, everyone will be grateful when things return to normal. For the whole story, visit the LATimes.com.

The musical Next to Normal was recently announced as the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in drama. This came as a surprise to some people and was also seen as a somewhat controversial move on the part of the Pulitzer Board. This is because the board passed over all three of the official recommendations by the jury which included The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, by Kristoffer Diaz; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl, and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo by Rajiv Joseph.

Tourists who stay in New York may be impressed with the numerous stars that perform in these shows and the number of impressive awards and critical acclaim they receive, though they are frequently unconcerned with the politics of how the award system works.

In the case of the Pulitzer for drama, there have been some recent conflicts between the board and jury, though most of the theatre fans have only accepted the results and also have frequently celebrated them. This is largely due to the standard status quo structure of the award, which typically means that it goes to a mainstream attractive play. And with the case of Next to Normal, the issue seems less to do with the fact that it was this particular show that one, but with the manner in which it did so is what is troubling to some. Some of the controversy is due to the fact it was not part of the original choices of the jury as well as that many of the board members who ultimately chose this show saw it the night before the final vote was made.

Next to Normal is playing at the Booth Theatre on West 45th Street and opened about one year ago on April 15 of 2009. The show is a face paced musical that deals with the crisis faced by one family who is dealing with some mental health issues. The show is a riveting sound and spectacle experience and the stage is structured so that the action takes place on three stories. The set serves as a home, a doctor’s office and also a school. Audiences typically walk away from this show feeling a strong sense of having been entertained as well as exploring various thoughts that were inspired by some of the issues and circumstances that are presented. Meanwhile the music is engaging and the lyrics are smart and memorable.

I don’t watch the news that often; frankly I find it rather depressing.  However, when I was skimming through some stuff online I found this article.  It tells the story of dad, Albert  Snyder, who is suing the Westboro Baptist Church for protesting his Marine son’s funeral.  The group has some extreme beliefs when it comes to war and the causes of death; this is not the first time they have done this.  Regardless of whether or not you believe in the Iraq War, it seems like there should be uncrossable line when it comes to protesting soldiers funerals.

The proceedings have brought into serious debate the extent of our 1^st Amendment rights and the results will end up effecting us all sooner or later.

As we venture further into the glory of spring, cities across the nation continue to experience extremes and differing degrees of weather. This aspect of this time of the year is just one of the many reasons people are continually drawn to visit Miami a city that frequently experiences some of the most beautiful weather in the country. This is also just one of the many reasons while spring break in Miami is one of the main annual vacation destinations and for many people has taken on the status of a rite of passage.

The weather in Miami during the spring can typically be extremely beautiful. It doesn’t reach some of the high temperatures that can be found during the summer, though the afternoons are gorgeous and there will still be plenty of sun. Interestingly, it is actually the spring months in Miami that constitute the sunniest days of the year. The temperatures remain mild and the humidity is not very high during this time, which contributes to an almost ideal climate. In addition, it is a time of year when the city is not overly saturated with tourist and winter visitors, though there is that infamous spring break week, it still makes spring a great time to be in Miami.

Although spring sees some of the sunniest days of the year in Miami, this week in particular will experience some possible rain and thunder showers. The temperatures will still reach around 83 degrees on Monday and Tuesday though this is when the city will see its highest chance for showers. Wednesday will also be in the low 80s and see another chance for rain, though not as much as the first two days. Later in the week it will cool down into the high 70s, and the sky should remain partly cloudy with no rain. The temperatures are typical to an April afternoon though generally tourists, residents and any other person in the city can expect nice amounts of sunny afternoons.

So, this is currently one of the most popular videos of YouTube; although I have to say I find it rather random.  It is strangely reminiscent of the song Barbie Girl by Aqua that came out in the 90’s.  Anyway, I welcome your comments.

If you are one of the 14 million people currently looking for a job, you may be in luck.  The U.S. Labor Department just released their most recent Unemployment report and things are looking good.  There was a significant increase in jobs specifically in the retail, restaurants, hotels, and transportation industries.  While some numbers are down from last month, there is still significant improvement from last year and the start of the recession.  To read more of the report, click here.

Bethesda, Maryland is located just northwest of Washington DC and is a beautiful town in its own right. Much of the atmosphere remains orientated to a peaceful and quiet little town as it continues to grow in popularity and residential status. In addition, it is an incredibly attractive alternative to living in Washington and many people find it to be a great place to raise their family while they establish and continue their careers in Washington. Meanwhile, Bethesda has a great deal to offer on its own right and there is a great deal to do and see. Tourists in the Washington area frequently prefer to find their accommodations in Bethesda and base their trip from this small town.

The town of Bethesda is known for having some of the highest educated residents in the country. This helps to create an overall atmosphere that recognized the importance of educating and starting it early. There are numerous public primary, middle and high schools as well as some great private schools. In total there are eight private schools in the town and three public high schools. The Walt Whitman HS , Walter Johnson HS and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS are the three public institutions. In addition, there is a federally funded health science university.

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences has a major purpose of educating students who will serve in the Medical Corps of the Armed Forces. The institution prepares students not only to provide necessary medical services and treatments but also do perform their jobs while serving in the Army, Air Force, Marines or Navy. The programs offered by the school include the F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Nursing. This is a well respected educational institution and one of the top programs focused on service training. Within the unincorporated boundaries of this small Maryland town, there are numerous quality educational institutions and the community has a strong awareness of the importance of these.