Discrimination??!!!

I am in-between jobs right now and have been attending interviews here and there...I am appalled at the kind of questions people ask, in their 'so called' rounds. In on of the interviews,she introduces herself as someone from recruitments, and chats me up for some time. I have an affable smile on my face and speak to her as cordially as possible. .....And then she goes, " So you have been married for 4 years now, so you will be keen to start a family, when do you plan to have a baby?? You know how girls are nowadays, either they get married or get pregnant...so are you going to tell me you are pregnant next month??".I want to scream out "That's none of your business!!!!" I dont want her to think i am insane or hysterical, so with great difficulty and a straight face, I try to smile and say "Dont you think you are getting too personal?" Dont get me wrong, am not being presumptuous here. I do understand that women have such personal commitments, and it can get difficult for the company to go through the whole recruitment rigamarole...but that doesnt mean you have the right to ask me blatant personal questions, and trivialise motherhood. Would you stay single and devote yourself to your current job for the rest of your life? If you would do that, its up to you...do what you want..rather, get a life!! :D ( btw, this topic alone continued for about 20 minutes...she asked me the same question in different ways!!!) This company works on saturdays, something I was not comfortable with...coz I have never worked on Saturdays so far...and will need to do a lot of adjusting in my personal life. So I had asked them if they are flexible about saturdays and if there is an option of working from home. This was something I had asked in the earlier round, so in the final round, one of the questions, the lady asks is that " You dont seem to be comfortable working on saturdays, so how can I be assured of 100 % commitment from you....wont you be thinking about your husband?" I wanted to laugh out loud. But I calmly answered that all of us are mature enough to balance our personal and professional lives well. Considering, I decide to take up this position, I am well aware of the Saturday-working part and would give my 100 % and work accordingly. ( I was thinking to myself, so does that mean that I wont think about my husband on other days!! Are you lost for a topic, or are you really being serious?? :D) A friend of mine was telling me that married women have been asked to certify that they are not pregnant at the time of joining their company. WHOA!!!!!! I am not a feminist in any sense, but what do you mean???? Single women will get married some time, married women will have kids sometime....does it mean it is the end of the world, in terms of their career?? It is a natural progression and even you wouldnt be here if your mom thought so! So quit being so silly and create an enviroment that truly provides fair and equal opportunity to both men as well as women. People are very funny and I am not really amused. I really hope I dont have to go through even more interesting conversations further...

BTW, I did'nt get that job, but I am joining somewhere else in a couple of days!! :-)

Getting Your Preschooler Ready To Learn To Read And Write

The human body art - beautiful woman artist pastes the chart
[人体艺术-美女艺术家贴图]
[人體藝術-美女藝術家貼圖]
[Искусствоо человеческого тела - красивейший художник женщинынаклеивает диаграмму]
[L'art de corps humain - la belle artiste de femme colle le diagramme]
[El arte del cuerpo humano - el artista hermoso de la mujer pega lacarta]








I recently took a class with my daughter I found very educational, and I thought I would share some of what I learned with you. The class was aimed at 3-5 year olds and was on helping preschoolers get ready to learn to read and write.

Obviously, and as any parent these days knows, one important thing to do is read regularly to your kids. However, only about half of the activities each day had to do with reading to the kids. The rest focused on helping the kids build the skills they will need as they learn how to read and write.

Muscle development is very important, but you can? just expect a preschooler to develop their hand and finger strength out of the blue. First they need to develop their larger muscles. The first class they had us doing wheelbarrows (holding the kids by their legs or ankles and having them walk on their hands) or throwing a balloon for the kids to hit with a stick they held with both hands, one hand on each end.

Tactile play was also very important. Play dough, sand, salt, even shaving cream were all used as example of things to use to encourage kids to do things with their hands. The different sensations really engaged the children? curiosity.

Some of the activities encouraged the kids to create their own stories. They warned all the parents to not change their children? words as they wrote them down. Sometimes they would have stamps or magazines to cut up to make pictures for the stories the kids would tell and have their parents write down, but there would also be crayons or markers so the kids could draw their own pictures.

Making a book for your child is pretty easy. Take a couple pieces of paper, fold them in half, then staple the folded ends together, keeping the staples near the edge. Most of the children loved creating their own books.

One very important thing I noticed during these classes is how differently each child learned. Some of it was very distinctly related to age; the younger children simply had no interest in some of the activities, but there were always plenty of options.

These classes really emphasized that you are teaching your child skills that will help them learn to read and write even when you are not actually teaching them anything at all about their letters. There are many skills that must be learned first.

Everything I learned in the class was something that could easily be done at home. One of my daughter? favorites, for example, was the day they had us fill a balloon with flour, then tie it off and let the kids squeeze it. Of course, my daughter wondered why I couldn? make the balloon big, and I don? know if she really believed my explanation. But she did have a blast squeezing it, which builds those hand and finger muscles so necessary for learning to write.

Helping your preschooler get ready to read and write is really not terribly difficult. Just take a little time and encourage them to play with things that build the muscles they will need and, of course, read to them every day.

Financial and Political Problems Plague the Troubled St. Lou

The human body art - beautiful woman artist pastes the chart
[人体艺术-美女艺术家贴图]
[人體藝術-美女藝術家貼圖]
[Искусствоо человеческого тела - красивейший художник женщинынаклеивает диаграмму]
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[El arte del cuerpo humano - el artista hermoso de la mujer pega lacarta]







The 2006-2007 school year for the St Louis schools brings with
it a financial deficit and accreditation problems carried over
from the previous board majority. Additionally, superintendent
Creg Williams' proposed budget was voted down on June 13,
so currently there is no budget for the upcoming school year.

Financial Deficit

The current financial deficit was caused by the state, when
it refused to honor its contract with the St Louis schools
under the desegregation agreement of 1999. Abruptly
during the 2002-2003 school year, the state cut off the
funding and flatly refused to honor the agreement to pay
the required funding -- and has not paid a cent since.

The St Louis schools sued the state and won the lawsuit
in circuit court. The state appealed the decision and has
been dragging out the process ever since, delaying any
decision on the appeal. The total amount in arrears that
the state owes the St Louis schools is more than $120
million. This is the sole cause of the deficit for the
upcoming school year.

Politics within the St Louis Schools

Adding to the financial troubles are the political problems
that began in 2003, when board control of the St Louis
schools was taken over by members loyal to Mayor
Francis Slay. Voter support that was previously enjoyed
by the St Louis schools was almost immediately lost.

There was nearly three years of disastrous performance in
the St Louis schools. This majority essentially gave control
of the St Louis schools to the New York management,
consulting firm they hired, which resulted in the following:

* There were three different superintendents within just one
budget year; * They closed 16 schools without regard to
educational or community considerations, basing their
decisions solely upon the recommendations of a Houston
subcontractor; and * In the first two years, the learning
environment deteriorated to the point of the whole system
being exposed to losing accreditation -- they lost 25
accreditation points.

Before 2003, the students were making steady academic
progress over the previous four years. Additionally, the St
Louis schools were close to regaining full state accreditation,
falling short by only two accreditation points.

The current St Louis schools board majority gained control
in April of 2006. Though overall improvements are expected
in the next few years, the St Louis schools legacy from the
last board majority is a poor learning environment, larger
class sizes, greater reliance on uncertified substitute
teachers, serious student discipline problems, and poor
staff morale. What improvements have been made during
the short tenure of the new majority have been greatly
overshadowed by the problems.

Budget Voted Down

The budget for the 2006-2007 school year proposed by the St
Louis schools superintendent was shot down due to its broad
spending of nearly $500 million with no coherent, detailed plan
of action, oversight or accountability.

Williams must trim down his proposed budget or locate new
funding sources to support it, as well as create a detailed plan
with oversight and accountability. The St Louis schools board
believes that the public, parents and the board have a right to
know how scarce monies are being spent.

Currently, the most urgent need for the St Louis schools is a
measurable plan for solving the current problems, while providing
the greatest possible opportunities for learning within a
dependable and stable educational environment.

Article written by Patricia Hawke.

How To Make Art School Work For You

The human body art - beautiful woman artist pastes the chart
[人体艺术-美女艺术家贴图]
[人體藝術-美女藝術家貼圖]
[Искусствоо человеческого тела - красивейший художник женщинынаклеивает диаграмму]
[L'art de corps humain - la belle artiste de femme colle le diagramme]
[El arte del cuerpo humano - el artista hermoso de la mujer pega lacarta]





When I was in school I had a graphic design professor ?a very smart individual who graduated from Yale and whose expertise was fonts. I spent two hours a day for an entire semester building fonts with a pencil and a clipboard. As the professor did not know how to use a computer, he did not require any of his students to either. This class was boring, but what was worse is that it was completely useless.

Rarely is a real company going to pay for a font. They are going to pay for business cards, logos, web sites, CDROMs and commercials but not a font. Many professors at prestigious schools with good reputations are relics of a past age. Graphic design requires technology, and technologies change and adapt. Oftentimes those that teach graphic design remain stagnant and enforce archaic concepts and methods. Academic graphic design is much closer to fine art than commercial graphic design (the type that makes money).

Avoid classes with names like ?he History of Byzantine Graphic Design,??he Stencil as Design Tool?or ?imension in Design.?br />
You should design your schedule around your portfolio, your web site and your resume. The best classes are those that teach software and can provide tangible art that employers will want to see. Look at the want ads and then look at your schedule. If the class teaches or requires Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Flash, or HTML then take it immediately. Look for teachers who have worked in the world of graphic design and understand concepts like deadlines, client needs, and real world application.

The most important way to jumpstart your career is by establishing a web site early and constantly adding to it and improving it. Your web site should be the crown jewel of your arts education. If you can improve the site each year by adding flash animation or streaming video then you will have a job magnet when you are ready to graduate.

A college degree is a wonderful thing to have, but sometimes software certification is more important for finding a job. A Flash developer certification from Macromedia can lead to a job much faster than a graphic design degree from even the best university. Software certification can open doors that a degree cannot. You have four years of art school to learn and improve yourself. You will never again have the time and resources to pursue certifications. The best part is that you can probably receive academic credit for anything that you do if you just fill out a little of the correct paperwork.

In a state of flux!!!

Weekend was very eventful, at the same time relaxed??!! confused?? so am I! I am absolutely in a state of flux, about what is ideal? I am waiting to see a lot of things settle down!! :-) So that i can move on confidently sans worries....

Had an interesting conversation with S, when we both went for a long drive ,late at night on a whim about forgiving someone...as they say, "To err is human, to forgive is divine". Well, I am definitely human!!! I can forget easily...forgiving is way too far!!!

Philadelphia Schools Partner With The Community

The human body art - beautiful woman artist pastes the chart
[人体艺术-美女艺术家贴图]
[人體藝術-美女藝術家貼圖]
[Искусствоо человеческого тела - красивейший художник женщинынаклеивает диаграмму]
[L'art de corps humain - la belle artiste de femme colle le diagramme]
[El arte del cuerpo humano - el artista hermoso de la mujer pega lacarta]







MBA Online (Master's of Business Administration)

Online MBA (Master's of Business Administration) programs allow for flexible long-term or short-term studies - 16 months, in some cases - to earn an MBA degree online. Courses offer combinations of web-based learning modules for at-home study; team learning, which allows for interaction with fellow students and teammates; and in-person learning, with virtual learning technology.

Programs in Online MBA allow for concentrations in different areas of study, such as accounting, management, finance, and risk management. Courses are designed to develop and enhance skills necessary for business, organizational management, and public service. Courses in Online MBA programs concentrate on business development, managing fiscal resources, and organizational philosophies.

Online MBA programs develop management skills, assessment skills, and understanding of theories and principles that determine business practices. Courses will allow students to practice making decisions to solve a broad range of problems that may arise in various areas of business operations. Studies in Online MBA programs provide students with the knowledge, skills, and outlook necessary for leadership and performance with creativity, ethics, and effectiveness within any organization or industry.

With Online MBA programs, you can learn from professors who regularly teach in classrooms, use the same textbooks as used for the regular campus classroom courses, and earn the same degree as students earn in campus settings.

You can find an Online MBA program of study that meets your needs by searching the many options right here at www.schoolsgalore.com.

Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find MBA Online at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools

An 8-Year-Old's Marching Orders for the Upcoming School Yea

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[人体艺术-美女艺术家贴图]
[人體藝術-美女藝術家貼圖]
[Искусствоо человеческого тела - красивейший художник женщинынаклеивает диаграмму]
[L'art de corps humain - la belle artiste de femme colle le diagramme]
[El arte del cuerpo humano - el artista hermoso de la mujer pega lacarta]





In my opinion, based on my own personal experience, kids function best when they're real clear about exactly what's expected of them in any given situation or under any particular set of circumstances.

Every year since he began school, in the day or two prior to the beginning of each new school year, I've sat down with my son, who's now eight years old, to "lay down the law", so to speak, about exactly what I expected of him in school and to issue him his "marching orders" for the upcoming school year.

This year won't be any exception. Although my expectations for him haven't changed over the last few years, with a new school year about to begin, I've been thinking about them in preparation for our annual talk and thought I'd share them with you.

Here they are:

Expectation #1 - I expect him to behave himself and treat others as he'd like to be treated.

The first and single, most important thing I expect of him in school is to be polite, mind his manners, and treat others as he'd like to be treated.

All three elements of this expectation are very closely related and because he understands *why* they're important, he has no trouble whatsoever living up to them.

Here's why...

One summer day, shortly before he started school, we were driving somewhere (probably a toy store :-)), when, seemingly out of nowhere, he asked me what I knew about this "God thing", as he phrased it.

As simply as I could put it, I shared with him my personal belief...

Essentially...

That One is All and All is One. That one Intelligent Substance manifests itself as what appears to be many elements of the material world.

Simply put...

We're all made from the same Stuff, a Thinking Stuff.

After I finished my simplified explanation of this concept, he sat there quietly for a moment or two, staring out the car window, then he looked at me and said...

"Daddy, that makes sense!"

And, with "ah-ha" written all over his face, he added...

"So that's why you're always telling me to love my neighbor as myself and to treat other people the way I want to be treated, because we're all one, right Daddy"

At age five...

He got it! :-)

Expectation #2 - I expect him to do his best.

Unlike many, if not most, parents and teachers, I could care less what his grades in school are...

Really!

You should see the look on people's faces, especially his teachers, when I tell them this. :-)

So, what do I expect

Simple...

I expect him to put everything he's got into everything he does and do the best work he can do.

Throughout his writings, Wallace D. Wattles, best known for his classic masterpiece "The Science of Getting Rich", repeatedly stresses the importance of doing all you can do each day and doing each separate act in the most perfect manner possible.

That's *exactly* what I expect of him!

If, everyday, he does *all* he can do that day and if, everyday, he does each separate thing he does in school in the most *perfect* manner possible, with the purpose of learning...

And that, in the opinion of his teachers and/or the school system, earns him an "A"...

Great!

If it earns him a "B"...

Great!

If it earns him a "C"...

Great!

If it earns him a "D"...

Great!

If it earns him an "F"...

Great...

I really don't care! :-)

Why

Because doing everything you can do each day and doing each separate thing you do in the most perfect manner possible with a purpose is the secret to success in anything and if he just learns this one lesson and applies it, he'll be successful in life regardless of what his grades in school are.

Expectation #3 - I expect him to have fun.

Life is meant to be fun, not a bore, and I expect him to have fun in school.

Now...

Please understand...

I don't expect him to be the "class clown" or a "wise guy"...

But, I do expect him to look for ways to make his "work" fun.

If he learns how to make his "work" fun, he'll never have to "work" a day in his entire life.

Well...

There you have them...

My eight-year-old's "marching orders" for the upcoming school year.

In prior school years, because he's been very clear about exactly what I expected of him in school and because he's been very clear about exactly why I expected those things of him, he's never failed to live up to my expectations and make me very proud of him...

I don't expect this school year to be any different. :-)