Friday, March 9, 2012

JCU Professors, I Commend You!

Recently, it has been in the news about how 47 John Carroll professors signed a letter urging Father Niehoff to accept the health care bill and amendments to it which would require insurers (in the case of Catholic employers) to cover the cost of birth control for its female employees.  I was ecstatic when I saw this article and thought way to go JCU, thanks for standing up for what you and I both believe in! I came across this article because of negative backlash in response to the professors moves and I would like to respond to those who oppose this movement.

For those of you who are opposed based on the fact that John Carroll is Catholic, did you ever stop to think that not every single person in its employ is? During my time at JCU I had professors whose religious identifications were not with Christianity. Myself not identifying as Catholic is a prime example that while JCU is a Jesuit University, not all who attend or work there share the same faith.

Secondly, to the JCU Alum in the Plain Dealer who said these professors should be the first to be fired because of their straying from Catholicism, please see point A above.  Also, John Carroll is a Liberal Arts college. During my time at JCU I was taught to continually question my beliefs and the beliefs of those around me. I was also taught on many occasions to stand up for what I believe in, regardless of how many people disagreed with me. These 47 professors stood up for what they believe to be right and true, and instead of condemning them they should be used as a prime example of what JCU stands for: diversity, freedom of opinon, and great strength for one's beliefs. I am a JCU Alum and I stand 100% behind these professors.


Oh, and P.S. for those of you who don't know, birth control is used for an array of medical reasons other than to prevent pregnancy, which would in fact make it a preventative medicine. 

Writing as an actual future? It's a possibility!

So today a friend of mine asked me if I could write a review for an album he produced. I said I'd try and being the nerd that I am quickly turned to my dear friend Google in order to learn what exactly I had to do.  I took notes, both on the process and on the album, and learned something crucial about myself today; i learned that I dearly missed writing, that life without writing is an unhappy one indeed. So my new goal is to write a new post everyday, okay well maybe one every week. But the crucial thing I rediscovered about myself today is my ability to write something and to write it well, a quality which I truly thought I was lacking since that horrific Fullbirght application experience. 

I know that was short, but don't fret, I'm attaching my music review too! And make sure you check out Moniere Nance because his music is kick ass!

      
  Moniere Nance’s “Beats Heart Love” Stands Out From the Rest


            “Beats Heart Love” is the perfect title for Moniere Nance’s debut album.  Each track is full of sick beats produced by Jim Agrippe, owner of Clubhouse Billionaire Records and Nance’s producer.  Every track, with the exception of one, pulled me into the song, and the intense and intriguing beats on each track had a lot to do with it. Once in the song though, Nance grabs you with lyrics that are intense both with visualization and content.  “Sky Is The Limit” had great beats and audio techniques as well as a truly inspirational message about wanting to succeed and the struggles that come with it.  “Curtain Call,” featuring Julie Holiday, carries a similar message. Nance expresses beautifully the struggles that many people share in wanting to succeed in order to support those who have always been there for you. The album carries great heart.
            While many of the songs are inspirational, there are also many that have great potential to be crossover hits.  “Lil Devils in Stilettos” has a fast paced beat that I can envision myself dancing to and catchy lyrics.  “Party In The Heights” comes off as a great club song. It’s got a sick beat and artfully used sound effects. It seems reminiscent of Shop Boyz “Party Like a Rock Star” with a new twist. The album’s last song, “Drink In My Hand,” is the perfect track to end the album.  It incorporates many of the themes present throughout the album and has a great tone of success and accomplishment.  “Beats Heart Love” shows that Moniere Nance stands out from the crowd. The content of his album makes me believe he truly can accomplish his goal of changing our world in a massive way.