Houston Chinese Traditional Music Group presents "Heaven’s Melody: A Concert in Celebration of Buddhist Culture" "Heaven's Melody: Celebration of Buddhist Culture" presents the essence of Buddhist culture by playing famous hymns that enable listeners to explore deep feelings. Musical pieces like Precepts Concentration and Wisdom In Incense, Purifying Body of Budda and Temple's Bell Sound have been played for thousands of years and were recently arranged by famous modern composers including Wenjin Liu and Fuquan Zhang. Characterized by being soft, but not weak; pure, but not dry; still, but not sluggish; these tunes are said to be able to purify listeners' minds. In addition to Buddhist music, the concert encapsulates the finest Chinese folk music including Here Comes Spring, Never-ending Swirling Dance and Spring River. ... Continue reading →
Nearly 100 people died in Texas boating accidents over the last three years, with alcohol use being the leading contributor - though most victims also did not wear life jackets that could have prevented drowning, a Houston Chronicle analysis of reports and safety violations shows. The records from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department also indicate that from 2009 through 2011, about 10,200 Texas boaters didn't have enough, or any, life jackets on board and at least 2,700 children under the age of 13 were not wearing them as required by law. "It's unfortunate that there's probably a boating culture out there … a little bit different from driving your car. When you get into the boat, you're going to have fun," said Game Warden ... Continue reading →
Graduate candidates watch from the stands during the New York University commencement at Yankee Stadium on May 13, 2009. A recent change to who services student loans has caused problems for some borrowers. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images) The Department of Education has been transferring large batches of federal student loans to new loan-servicing companies — leaving in the lurch some borrowers who are suddenly encountering problems with their loans, such as payments that are mysteriously adjusted up or down. The switch, which has been going on for months and will ultimately include millions of loans, is mandated by a little-known provision tucked into the 2010 healthcare overhaul. Pushed by a consortium of nonprofit student loan companies, the provision forces the DOE to use nonprofit loan servicers. ... Continue reading →
Where are the danger zones at your home? Soil around homes can be contaminated with lead, even if you don't live near an old factory site. Most people are aware of the dangers of deteriorating lead-based paint. Less understood is the danger posed by soil contaminated from old factories, chipping paint and the tons of lead dust spewed for decades from the tailpipes of vehicles burning leaded gasoline. Lead dust builds up in the top few inches of the soil. If left undisturbed, it can remain there for hundreds of years. (Note: House photo is being used for illustrative purposes only. Credit: AbleStock.com/Thinkstock) HIDE Over the years, wind and rain can deposit lead particles on the roofs and sides of homes. These particles eventually drop ... Continue reading →
Asia society's tiger ball is freaking huge... http://t.co/X7yzF6r1 Continue reading →
When you enter a security line, tweet this message: #airportsecurity xxx in and when you leave the line, tweet: #airportsecurity xxx out where xxx is an airport code like "ord" or "lax". The airport code is optional for the second message. Also, "in" and "out" can come before or after the airport code. The following example will work too: I'm going to #airportsecurity in ord and I hope I make my flight. Continue reading →
Dear Newsroom Curmudgeon, I sometimes share your anxiety and occasionally share your concerns about some of the changes in journalism. I learned journalism in the old school, same as you. I am steeped in the same values of accuracy, fairness, dogged reporting and good writing that you cherish. But I’m having as much fun as I’ve ever had in more than 40 years in journalism, I have as high regard for my colleagues’ work as ever and I’m as optimistic as I’ve ever been about the future of journalism and the news business. If you would like work to be fun again, if you’d like to be optimistic again (or, if you never were, to finally be optimistic), I’m writing to tell you about the ... Continue reading →
