FM Boston Radio

 

DATELINE:  BRAINTREE, MA�

Christopher Downey, President of Harbor Mortgage Solutions in Braintree, MA has announced their firmâ??s association with Liberty Reverse Mortgage, the fastest growing and third-largest originator of Reverse Mortgages in the nation.

 

Downey noted, â??Harbor Mortgage Solutionsâ?? relationship with Liberty Reverse Mortgage will help expand our services to senior homeowners, adding a more diversified portfolio of products from which to choose. This affiliation reaffirms our commitment to provide customized solutions for senior homeowners by broadening and deepening our ability to meet their needs.â?

 

Harbor Mortgage will act as a broker for Liberty Reverse Mortgage, adding their products to Harbor Mortgageâ??s existing product line. â??We chose to represent Liberty Reverse Mortgage because of a similarity in our approaches to our reverse mortgage clients, which takes into consideration what is best for each senior homeowner on an individual basis,â? continued Downey. â??Liberty Reverse Mortgage is a leader in the industry and has helped to institute best practice guidelines, which help all of us in the reverse mortgage industry better serve our clients.â?

 

The Reverse of Traditional Thinking

A reverse mortgage, essentially the opposite of a traditional or â??forwardâ? mortgage, can enable seniors to tap into accumulated equity without having to face ongoing payments. Unlike traditional mortgages where borrowers make monthly payments, in a reverse mortgage the cash flow is reversed, and the lender makes payments to the borrower.  This enables borrowers to use the tax free cash they receive in any way that they wish with no monthly payments due to the lender.

 

There are no minimum income, asset, or credit qualifications to meet and no effect on Social Security or Medicare benefits. The property must be the primary residence of the borrower and adequately insured and maintained, with real estate taxes kept current. As long as the borrower continues to live in the property the loan can never be called. Repayment is required if the home is sold, or when the last borrower permanently leaves the property, or passes away. At that time, the heirs can sell, or refinance, the property to pay off the loan.

 

Once the province of a few small banks and private lenders, the great majority of reverse mortgages today are provided through government-sponsored programs, namely the HUD/FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) and the Fannie Mae Home Keeper (HK) programs.

 

Harbor Mortgage Solutions, Inc.

Specializing in conventional residential and reverse mortgages, Harbor Mortgage Solutions, Inc. is located at 100 Grandview Road, Suite 105 in Braintree, MA 02184. George A. Downey, a past chairman of the Massachusetts Mortgage Association, founded family owned and operated Harbor Mortgage Solutions in 1978. His son Christopher Downey currently serves as President of Harbor Mortgage.

 

Assisted by a staff of experienced mortgage professionals, Harbor Mortgage Solutions is dedicated to providing customized service, obtaining the best possible solution for each individual client every time. An equal opportunity lender licensed in Massachusetts (license #MC0041) and Rhode Island (license #20041821LB), Harbor Mortgage Solutions is a member of the Massachusetts Mortgage Association, the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, and the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association, strictly subscribing to their rigid code of ethics. Harbor Mortgage Solutions is also an Educational Subscriber of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.

 

For additional information on services offered by Harbor Mortgage Solutions please call 781-843-5553 or 800-599-8700, or visit www.HarborMortgage.com.

 

 

 

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Related posts on Association
• ASIA PACIFIC LOTTERY ASSOCIATION
• Ad from the National Coffee Association 1984 | Health News

• Related posts on Expands
• Pioneer Surgical Technology expands Biologics Product Specialist …
• Aria Technologies expands into Perth market | Geo Blog

Bookmark To

In many cultures, wisdoms and traditions, the universe was set in motion by sound and vibration.

Because of this, it was believed that sound could be used to enhance one’s connection to Source energy, the Divine, God (or whatever name you choose to call it). Chanting, drumming and music in many other forms became important ways to transcend from the physical world into the spiritual realm of the Divine. In this transcended state, people were rewarded with healings, clear guidance and other spiritual gifts to aid them on their journeys.

Thousands of years later, science is proving these old mystical practices to have merit. Where, in the past, we thought that everything around us was solid, we are discovering that everything is in fact energy and that this energy is vibrating at different frequencies.

Science has proven that our thoughts also have vibrations and produce a frequency and these thoughts and vibrations draw unto us our life experiences and situations (through the “Law of Attraction”.)

We are told to visualize, use positive affirmations, affirmative prayer and other types of positive talk to change our vibration so that we can create and attract our desires. The problem is that these tools focus on only the conscious mind and that they don’t produce consistent results. That is because the conscious mind is only a small aspect of who and what we are.

In the classic book, Think and Grow Rich , Napoleon Hill talks about the necessity of bypassing the conscious mind and imprinting our desires into the subconscious. It is there that true and lasting change takes place. There is the birthplace of all manifestation and creation.

The iceberg is an excellent metaphor to explain this. The tip of the iceberg that is above the water is the conscious mind and everything we experience in the physical universe. Below the water level is that vast and unknown region called the subconscious mind. Stored within this region is the programming that runs our life. These are the limiting beliefs, false perceptions and unsupportive thoughts that limit us and attract things that are contradictory to our conscious desires.

If the conscious mind desires something but the subconscious doesn’t match those beliefs, there will be struggle and it will be next to impossible to create one’s desired outcome. For example, if on a conscious level you desire an ideal, uplifting and loving relationship, but there is ALSO a belief or perception that doesn’t believe you deserve it or that men or women can’t be trusted, it will be impossible for you to attract the type of relationship you truly want. They cancel each other out.

How can we change what we don’t know is there? Through vibration and frequencies in certain types of music…

A few years ago scientists (including Quantum Physicists) discovered vibrations and frequencies in my music that remove the “interrupters” that inhibit our connection to Source – this field of pure potentiality, the very energy that makes up the physical universe.

These scientists were able to demonstrate an instant measurable improvement in physical strength, health and vitality whenever people played my music! Through brain mapping they were able to show that my music created a brain state associated with heightened consciousness and reduced stress. They were also able to show that my music reduced the negative effects of “energy interrupters.”

“Energy interrupters” are anything that stops us from being able to tap into Source energy or our full potential. These scientists believe that the over 60,000 man-made chemicals in our air, food and water and the electro-magnetic fields produced by our electrical technology are in fact limiting our connection to that field of pure potentiality. The only way for humanity to reach its full potential is to enhance their connection to Source energy and their tests proved that my music is one amazingly simple way/tool to aid in this reconnection.

One of the head Quantum Physicists told me that out of all the “energy interrupters” in the universe, the most powerful interrupter is our own limiting thoughts and beliefs and that our thoughts and beliefs carve our reality, physical body and life experience. All of these limiting thoughts produced a vibration that attract “like” experiences and are the root cause of negative situations in our life and our health.

As a child I used to get upset that God never answered my prayers offering me guidance on what I needed to work on. Today I believe we get these answers everyday in our outer experiences. If we struggle with our weight, have relationship problems or have money issues (for example), each is a sign that points to what needs to be changed within ourselves. These are the notifications from the subconscious telling us what needs to be worked upon for our own evolution and growth. AND growth and evolution is the name of the game!

After these scientists made these remarkable discoveries about my music, my music itself began to evolve and grow. As a consequence, in my coaching work, I started composing music to certain blocks, limiting thoughts and false perceptions that many of my clients had in similar about life. (I found that we all have contradictory beliefs that get in the way of helping us easily and effortlessly create our desired results.) I called this new prescription type music “Harmonic Alignment.”

In the formation of the Harmonic Alignment process, I looked at what was showing up in my client’s life and the major challenges they were facing. Through this process and my client’s willingness to change, I started composing application specific pieces of music addressing these issues. Some examples include: Forgiveness, Self Love, Gratitude, Worthiness, Grounding – just to name a few. Within days my clients were seeing amazing results and breakthroughs in their lives! Financial opportunities showed up, people started to have romantic opportunities and their health dramatically improved.

Through the Harmonic Alignment process I’m able to produce offsetting frequencies that null and void the negative effects of many limiting thoughts and beliefs. For example, let’s say I had a thought in my subconscious that said I am not good enough and that this thought produced a frequency of +4. Through the Harmonic Alignment process I discovered that I could produce a -4 vibration, offsetting the effects of the limiting thought, thereby changing the vibration of the individual. I now create musical prescriptions and personal musical mantras for my clients to help them produce the vibration they are seeking. Change your vibration and you instantly change your life!

Once we change our vibration, we open the door for miracles to occur and for us to step into our power and ability to effortlessly create our desired results and open the door for more joy and lasting fulfillment!

Change does not have to be a difficult and drawn out process. In fact, it can happen instantly!

I had a client that had major issues around the subject of creating a relationship. One day she confronted me and said, “You expect me to do nothing and have this man simply walk up to my door and knock?” A week later she called me in the middle of the day to let me know that she had met the most interesting man and that he had literally walked up to her door and knocked! She was amazed.

On top of that, through the work I was able to demonstrate how her energy had shifted and that her voice was producing the same frequencies as the music and that SHE was actually empowering people through her voice. As a coach and CFO she was now impacting the people she worked with in positive ways she had never dreamed possible!

Another client had a rental property that had been empty for over six months. Her bills and expenses were doubling and she was dealing with a huge amount of stress and anxiety. Through the process, she discovered certain beliefs that were negatively impacting her ability to sell or lease the property. Through the Harmonic Alignment musical prescriptions she was able to over write those limiting beliefs and perceptions. Within a week she leased her place with minimal effort. She continued to use the music to sell a piece of land and later to help her quickly recover from major surgery.

We live in rapidly changing times and sound is emerging as a powerful tool for empowering our lives. Now through the power of the Harmonic Alignment music you can literally change your vibration by offsetting the limiting thoughts, beliefs and perceptions that are preventing you from realizing and utilizing your magnificence, divinity and infinite power. Now by simply playing music in the environment you can begin to create a more vital, successful, healthy, passionate and fulfilling life!

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Related posts on Change
• Lakers Links: Things Likely To Change | Lake Show Life | A Los …
• The Financial Media, Game Change and Trading | SMB Capital – Day …

Bookmark To

why save sex till marriage also marriage counseling fort morgan co and topics on couples counseling therapy massachusetts

An inspiring account of one woman’s determination to hold on to her marriage against all the odds. Summary: In this era of disposable relationships Carol displayed the determined faithfulness that Christians should be renowned for. For 26 years Carol and Dave had a very special marriage. Then Dave inexplicably and dramatically changed. He became deeply embittered against Carol and finally walked out on her. His behavior was so obnoxious that many friends and counselors – even Carol�s fundamentalist pastor – counseled divorce. Instead Carol continued to look to God. After almost two year’s separation Dave returned home yet still he avoided Carol not even lifting a finger to help when she was totally bedridden due to cancer treatment. Drawing upon the supernatural resources of Almighty God Carol fought natural feelings of resentment and prayerfully continued to persevere with the marriage. Now five years after the crisis began Dave has undergone a painfully slow but vast improvement and Carol displaying the very faith in God that has brought her this far is believing that even greater things are ahead for their marriage.

Discover proven methods to getting your marriage back on track – Even if you are struggling to communicate with your spouse and are the only one who wants to work on it!

Put an end to the stress and anxiety of not knowing what to do to save your troubled marriage >> Click here now >>

Getting help for a troubled marriage can be overwhelming. Many times one partner refuses to get help for the troubled marriage and just seems to isolate ‘hoping things will get better’. Here are some ways in which you might find some relief.

If you’re looking for advice to save a marriage there are many ways to find what you need. There are many books talk about saving your marriage and are authored by experts in the relationship field. There are also many self-improvement classes offered in most cities across America that deal with advice to save a marriage and how to become happier in your relationship.

Like you saw in the title I was in your situation. My husband wanted a divorce but I wanted to save my marriage. I thought I could do just anything to save my marriage. In the end I did stop my divorce from happening and my husband loves me more than ever now. I’d like to tell you how I achieved this.

Should you get out now or stay and fight for your marriage is not a hard choice to make. Of course you should do what’s best for you your spouse and kids if you have any and that is save your marriage starting today. There are couples who have survived serious marital problems like Bob and Sherry. Read more here.

The only thing worse than being a couple struggling to find ways to repair a marriage in trouble is to be a person struggling to save a marriage that their spouse has no interest in saving. Attempting to salvage a marriage on the rocks is never easy but for those of you searching for ways to save a marriage that do not require participation from both partners it can be extremely difficult.

You know something… you wouldn’t believe the amount of people these days that are practically crying out the words.. ‘Can someone pleeease help!! I need help saving my marriage!’ Unfortunately for these poor couples the happy life they once thought was possible for them has slowly but surely began to fade away into the distance… perhaps never to return again!

Bookmark To

The City of Boston has been publicized by the many achievements the city has accomplished in areas such as its culture, first rate educational facilities, successful sports industry and also its place in the beginning of the history of United States.  Tourism in Boston blooms, with over 12 million visitors per year who comes to enjoy the many attractions the city has to offer.

One of the attractions that fall into the categories of history as well as beauty and grandeur is the Boston Common.  It is an affix for the Emerald Necklace which is an arrangement of linked parks that twists through parts of Boston.

Boston Common has a history that dates back to 1634, where it served as an ordinary field serving as a place for public hangings along with being used for military purposes.  In 1817, the scaffolds were removed and cattle browsed the fields until it was outlawed in 1830. The park was also used by personalities such as Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II and Gloria Steinman to give speeches to the public. Presently it is a public park used leisurely by the community.

There are a few historical monuments to be viewed at the park that are located throughout.  George F Parkman who contributed five million dollars for the preservation of the park has a monument build in remembrance in 1912 called the Parkman Bandstand. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Flagstaff Hill serves as an honouring monument for Civil War troops.

Garden Brewer donated the Brewer Fountain in 1868, which shows the mythical figures of Neptune, Galatea, Amphitrite and Acis in bronze. It is a precise copy of the fountain designed for the World Exposition by the French artist Liénard in 1855.  The Central Burying Ground is one of the oldest graveyards in Boston and many graves of British and American causalities from the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, can be found here.  The Frog Pond is available for childrenâ??s enjoyment in the summer, and during winter times it is used for skating.

The main highlight of the Boston Common is the Freedom Trail, which is a four kilometre long route that goes through downtown Boston, passing 16 historical landmarks of the city. It is the best attraction for the tourists as it takes you through some of the most valued museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship and other markers that contribute to giving you a truly American experience.

It is a city that is never dull. If you are staying at a Boston hotel, you will yearn a luxury hotel Boston, to rest after an adventurerâ??s day. In the heart of it all, the Taj Boston is situated with easy access to the Boston Common as well as other attractions such as the Theatre District, The Museum of Fine Arts, The Museum of Science, The Childrenâ??s Museum, and the Fenway Park.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• Related posts on Boston
• Watch Boston Celtics vs Toronto Raptors NBA Live Stream online …
• Boston Romance | Alan Ilagan

• Related posts on Common
• Tips For Common Problems With Businesses In Tough Economy – Cool …
• Common Law: Witness to a murder, cross-examination | What the …

Bookmark To

A home purchase is probably one of the biggest investments that an individual, or a family for that matter, would ever make in their lifetime. Some may settle for such an investment only once in their lives, conduct home renovation or home remodeling projects from time to time, then stick to the property for a very long time. Some people may be blessed more than others and would have more opportunities to upgrade their current abode to a bigger and much better unit or property. Others, such as entrepreneurs and investors, may consider buying and selling homes a lucrative business and would do this often and on a regular basis.

The current financial crisis has put a dent to the housing industry and has affected median home prices tremendously, whether you are located in California or in Boston, Massachusetts. The market is now more competitive than ever as a rash of foreclosure properties are also vying for positions in the market. The only option left to homeowners is to increase the value of their homes in order to compete in the market. The best way for them to have such an increase is through home renovation.

People looking for a new home are not only looking at the price tags prospective homes carry but on several other factors. Most would try to look at such factors and elements whenever they conduct ocular inspections on a prospective home, and most would simply be turned off and walk away if they see that the home they are looking at failed to satisfy their expectations.

The following home improvement tips focus on certain areas in the home that most home buyers would take into consideration in their home selection process.

Home Renovation Tips that Can Increase Your Home Value

* Curb appeal or what the external areas in your house would look like would be the first window that prospective homebuyers would look for in a home. Great landscaping and an awesome lawn never fails to catch the attention of people passing by and those seeking for a new home would definitely want to set foot inside a home with a great looking exterior such as the one you have.

* Part of the curb appeal that homes could give to prospective buyers would be the external sections of the house. An intrinsic part of your home renovation work should also focus on the exteriors of the house including walls, windows, terraces, etc. Home improvements may include repainting of surfaces or a complete change of exterior material including stone or marble.

* A big increase to your home value can be achieved by improving your roof. Investing on a totally new roof would not be such a bad idea if you have the finances for it. The quick returns in terms of raising the home value significantly may be well worth the investment.

* From the exteriors, your home remodeling project to increase the value of your home should now move to the interiors. Walls and other surfaces would be the first eye-catchers so you definitely have to invest in repainting, change of materials or enhancing surfaces and countertops.

* Home renovation would not be complete if there would be no significant change in the flooring. It would be wise to consider moving away from the use of carpets and linoleum as floor covering and move on to ceramic tiles, stone, laminated floors or the natural beauty of hardwood. Such changes would swell your home value significantly.

* Kitchen remodeling and bathroom remodeling are some focus areas that you would need to consider to drastically lift the value of your home and catapult it to the next level. Custom home builders can help you design and build such awesome changes in your home that can be competitive against most modern and stylish homes.

Home renovation will definitely cost the homeowners a significant amount for investment but the returns would be far more significant in terms of raising the value of the home to a much higher level.

Bookmark To

Music is considered as the gift of God. It gives peace and relief in our daily life. It brings true colours in our life. Music videos are one of the sources to find the melodious music and your favourite songs. However, the variety and intensity of the music has seen a dramatic change in recent past. Now, we can see more and more pop songs and other party songs The TV channels and different internet sites also focus more on such kind of music. At the same time, music is not only an art now. It has taken the shape of a charismatic profession in many ways. People have started making their career in music industry. It is flourishing and giving employment to millions of people.

A music video is the collection of films, videos and songs that is made for entertaining the people who love music. You can find such videos in a music library where a wide variety of the latest hit videos are available. Online music stores are a new concept where music can be found online. Going to a regular music shop is often not so easy for many considering it is a time taking process. People can find a number of ways to find the great music and the options available to them are many. Internet is one of the most preferred choices these days. You can find the same quality and variety of music that you have been finding in your local store. The main disadvantage involved in purchasing a music video from the nearby store is that if you like any song and want to listen to that song, you will have to buy the whole album. Online music stores offer you any single song any time. You don’t need to buy the whole album in this case.

Online sites provide you the opportunity to listen to your favourite songs through a number of sites. To save your money, you can always download a variety of favourite songs to your personal computer or save in a CD/DVD. These sites also provide the option to save your preferred songs directly in your computer and listen to it with the help of several MP3 players that have been installed on your computer. It gives you a complete liberty to listen songs on your conditions, in your way.

The biggest advantage of the online music stores is that it is available all time during day or night. You can enjoy your desired music without any time restrictions. It has gone beyond the geographical, demographic or political boundary. You can obtain songs of any country, society and in any language. However, TV music channels do play the hit songs, but you may have to wait for the VJ to play your favourite song. It feels really tedious to listen to the same song which is repeated time and again. Certainly, music websites offers a lot of fun to the music lovers. All kind of features and functions which are common to the normal mp 3 player are available with the online music sites too. The option of Play, Rewind, Forward, skip and replay give the real fun of listening music here.

UK music stores are famous for its variety of songs and other music categories. The online version of the store is ahead of that. You can find the hit songs of famous UK Pop stars as well as the artists from the other parts of the world. The UK music stores in the UK are getting huge popularity these days. People like such a concept as they can listen to songs, download them and share with their friends. All these are available at a very reasonable cost which makes it more profitable deal. Rupizcompare.co.uk is one of the unique portals that give you such an opportunity. Now enjoy the music that you always wanted to have and share your thoughts with your friends.

Bookmark To

With a large number of affordable housing options being offered through Boston foreclosures, home buyers can avail the amazing opportunity of owning a home in the US State of Massachusetts at a great bargain deal. So if you are on the lookout for a suitable property within a modest budget, investing in a foreclosed home could be an ideal option for you.

Why to invest in a property in Boston?

• Low interest housing loans – Home buyers can benefits from a wide range of low interest loans provided by the state housing department of Massachusetts.

• Down payment assistance – In order to help prospective buyers in purchasing foreclosed homes easily there are also various schemes offering down payment assistance facilities.

• Top notch education facilities – Known as the “Athens of America” the city is home to some of the best educational institutions in the country including the Boston University, Massachusetts College of Art, New England Conservatory of Music and several others.

• Premium health care – The Longwood Medical and Academic Area in the city offers premium health care and medical research facilities including Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

How to buy a suitable home through Boston foreclosures?

As the foreclosure buying process varies from other real estate ventures, the following instructions will be helpful for prospective buyers in purchasing a foreclosed home successfully through Boston foreclosures:

1. Learn about the local foreclosure laws – As the process of buying foreclosed homes vary throughout the US, get in touch with a lawyer or a realtor and learn about the local foreclosure laws in the region.

2. Get the latest listings – Get the most updated information on suitable Boston foreclosures through online tracking services, real estate and bank websites, county records office and local and state newspaper classifieds.

3. Keep a track of suitable properties – Keep a close track of properties and select the offers that closely match your housing needs and budget.

4. Zero in on the best deal – Now pick out the best bargain deal in the lot by intensively comparing the features with the asking prices of the selected Boston foreclosures.

5. Inspect the neighborhood and property – Before making a final decision, ensure that the property is located in a good neighborhood and the house is free of liens by getting a professional inspection done.

6. Negotiate – Finally, negotiate with the sellers for a lower down payment as well as reduced closing costs to get the best value deal.

With their prime locations and highly affordable asking prices, buying a property through Boston foreclosures is a very profitable venture on the whole.

Bookmark To

Do you like to know what’s happening at the right moment while working or doing something else?

Have you ever dreamed of downloading BBC radio, and save it into your iPod? Want to share those interesting news with your friends via iPod?

But now, technology is power which drives the world forward greatly and makes our life more easily and beautiful. Wondershare Streaming Audio Recorder is designed to download any web radio station or streaming music service. Get perfectly separated high quality MP3 files, manually edit the ID3 information. Record from BBC Radio Audio, GUBA, iTunes, MySpace, Napster,Rhapsody, Yahoo, Music Match Radio, AOL Radio, NPC, RTVE ,Pandora.

Part 1: How to download BBC radio with BBC radio Ripper?

Step1:Download and install Wondershare Streaming Audio Recorder, it’s a professional BBC radio Ripper.The BBC radio Ripper provides FREE but FULL FUNCTION trial for 7 days.

Step 2: Launch Streaming Audio recorder. And click “Setting” to set the output path and output music format as MP3, WAV, WMA or M4A.Before download BBC radio, you can set the output path and the output music format as MP3, WMA, WAV, AC3, M4A, AAC, OGG, APE etc. The default format is MP3.

Part 2: How to save BBC radio on to iPod through iTunes?

Step 1: Please select the recorded file in the recording list firstly, and then click “Add to”to add the file into iTunes.

Step 2: Click File and select Add File to Library to locate your mp3 or mp4 files. Please see the picture.

 The added files will be automatically classified in the Music or Movies Category under LIBRARY.

Step 3:Click My IPOD under the DEVICEs firstly.

And tick “Manually manage music and videos” option in the Summary window.

Step 4:Click Music or Movies under LIBRARY again, and drag the recorded music from the library file list to My IPOD.

Step 5:Then click “Recently Added” under MY IPOD, you can enjoy the files in the right file list. 

From:download bbc radio to iPod

Bookmark To

The idea that studying music improves the social development of a child is not a new one, but at last there is incontrovertible evidence from a study conducted out of the University of Toronto.

The study, published in the August issue of Psychological Science was led by Dr. E. Glenn Schellenberg, and examined the effect of extra-curricular activities on the intellectual and social development of six-year-old children. A group of 144 children were recruited through an ad in a local newspaper and assigned randomly to one of four activities: piano lessons, voice lessons, drama lessons, or no lessons.

Two types of music lessons were offered in order to be able to generalize the results, while the groups receiving drama lessons or no lessons were considered control groups in order to test the effect of music lessons over other art lessons requiring similar skill sets and nothing at all. The activities were provided for one year.

The participating children were given IQ tests before and after the lessons. The results of this study revealed that increases in IQ from pre- to post-test were larger in the music groups than in the two others. Generally these increases occurred across IQ subtests, index scores, and academic achievement.

While music teachers across the country greeted the new research enthusiastically, in fact, many other studies have previously shown a correlation between music study and academic achievement.

In 1997, well known music researchers Frances Rauscher, Gordon Shaw and their team at the University of California (Irvine) reported that music training is far superior to computer instruction in dramatically enhancing children’s abstract reasoning skills, the skills necessary for learning math and science. A group led by the same two scientists had earlier showed that after eight months of piano lessons, preschoolers showed a 46 percent boost in their spatial reasoning IQ.

The March 1999 issue of Neurological Research published a report by another group of researchers, also at the University of California (Irvine), who found that second-grade students given four months of piano keyboard training, as well as time playing newly designed computer software, scored 27% higher on proportional math and fractions tests than other children.

Students with coursework and experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT, according to a Profile of Program Test Takers released by the Princeton, NJ, College Entrance Examination Board in 2001. This report stated that students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts participation.

Another part of this same study shows that longer music study means higher SAT scores. For example, students participating in the arts for two years averaged 29 points higher on the verbal portion and 18 points higher on the math portion of the SAT than students with no coursework or experience in the arts. Students with four or more years in the arts scored 57 points higher and 39 points higher on the verbal and math portions respectively than students with no arts coursework.

Another study also found support for a relationship between math achievement and participation in instrumental music instruction. The researchers found that students who participated in instrumental music instruction in high school took on the average 2.9 more advanced math courses then did students who did not participate.

In fact, various studies over the last 10 years suggest teaching kids music can heighten their aptitude for math, reading, and engineering. (One explanation for improved ability in mathematics is that music theory is based on mathematical truths. Rhythms are divided into fractions – half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes. Scales have eight tones, and the steps between them follow an equation.)

A McGill University study in 1998 found that pattern recognition and mental representation scores improved significantly for students given piano instruction over a three-year period. The researchers also found that self-esteem and musical skills measures improved for the students given piano instruction.

And data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 revealed music participants received more academic honors and awards than non-music students, and that the percentage of music participants receiving As, As/Bs, and Bs was higher than the percentage of non- participants receiving those grades.

In 1994, a report entitled “The Case For Music Study In Schools” was printed in Phi Delta Kappan, the professional print journal for education. It included details of research conducted by physician and biologist Lewis Thomas, who studied the undergraduate majors of medical school applicants. Thomas found that 66 percent of music majors who applied to medical school were admitted, the highest percentage of any group.

The same report asserted that the very best engineers and technical designers in the Silicon Valley industry were, almost without exception, practicing musicians.

The world’s top academic countries also place a high value on music education. In a study of the ability of fourteen year-old science students in seventeen countries, the top three countries were Hungary, the Netherlands, and Japan. All three include music throughout the curriculum from kindergarten through high school.

St. Augustine Bronx elementary school, about to fail in 1984, implemented an intensive music program, and today 90 percent of the school’s students are reading at or above grade level. And a ten-year study at UCLA tracked more than 25,000 students, and showed that music making improves test scores. Regardless of socio-economic background, music-making students get higher marks in standardized tests than those who had no music involvement. The test scores studied were not only standardized tests, such as the SAT, but also in reading proficiency exams.

Music training helps under-achievers as well, according to research published in Nature magazine in May 1996. In Rhode Island, researchers studied eight public school first grade classes. Half of the classes became “test arts” groups, receiving ongoing music and visual arts training. In kindergarten, this group had lagged behind in scholastic performance. After seven months, the students were given a standardized test. The “test arts” group had caught up to their fellow students in reading and surpassed their classmates in math by 22 percent. In the second year of the project, the arts students widened this margin even further. Students were also evaluated on attitude and behavior. Classroom teachers noted improvement in these areas also.

In 2005, it appears the pace of scientific research into music making has never been greater. The most recent evidence from the University of Toronto confirms what many other researchers have already detected – that music boosts brainpower, academic achievement,socialization skills, and emotional health.

It’s logical, when you think about it. People who learn to play an instruments are in groups—bands, choirs, orchestras, combos, worship teams, etc. And working and making music with others is bound to help relateabilty with people and foster close bonds with fellow musicians.

So it appears that learning to play music, whether guitar, piano, or some other instrument, actually does contribute to your ability to “win friends and influence people.”

Bookmark To

The City of Boston has been publicized by the many achievements the city has accomplished in areas such as its culture, first rate educational facilities, successful sports industry and also its place in the beginning of the history of United States.  Tourism in Boston blooms, with over 12 million visitors per year who comes to enjoy the many attractions the city has to offer.

One of the attractions that fall into the categories of history as well as beauty and grandeur is the Boston Common.  It is an affix for the Emerald Necklace which is an arrangement of linked parks that twists through parts of Boston.

Boston Common has a history that dates back to 1634, where it served as an ordinary field serving as a place for public hangings along with being used for military purposes.  In 1817, the scaffolds were removed and cattle browsed the fields until it was outlawed in 1830. The park was also used by personalities such as Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II and Gloria Steinman to give speeches to the public. Presently it is a public park used leisurely by the community.

There are a few historical monuments to be viewed at the park that are located throughout.  George F Parkman who contributed five million dollars for the preservation of the park has a monument build in remembrance in 1912 called the Parkman Bandstand. The Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Flagstaff Hill serves as an honouring monument for Civil War troops.

Garden Brewer donated the Brewer Fountain in 1868, which shows the mythical figures of Neptune, Galatea, Amphitrite and Acis in bronze. It is a precise copy of the fountain designed for the World Exposition by the French artist Liénard in 1855.  The Central Burying Ground is one of the oldest graveyards in Boston and many graves of British and American causalities from the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, can be found here.  The Frog Pond is available for children’s enjoyment in the summer, and during winter times it is used for skating.

The main highlight of the Boston Common is the Freedom Trail, which is a four kilometre long route that goes through downtown Boston, passing 16 historical landmarks of the city. It is the best attraction for the tourists as it takes you through some of the most valued museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship and other markers that contribute to giving you a truly American experience.

It is a city that is never dull. If you are staying at a Boston hotel, you will yearn a luxury hotel Boston, to rest after an adventurer’s day. In the heart of it all, the Taj Boston is situated with easy access to the Boston Common as well as other attractions such as the Theatre District, The Museum of Fine Arts, The Museum of Science, The Children’s Museum, and the Fenway Park.

Bookmark To