The Litvak Legacy

Painting was the earliest art form which man took interest in. Certain cave paintings done in prehistoric era in France, Mexico and India bear the testimony of this fact. The sketches made by the prehistoric people in the cave paintings of Bhimbetka and Adamgarh in India are clearly visible even today and the colors applied are fresh and lively. Human disposition has always traversed the surrounding regions like moors, meadows, hills, rivers, seas, skies, clouds, people, animals, birds and so many other things. The colorfulness and the vibrancy of the surroundings inspired man to recreate the magic pf nature on the rocks, caves, walls, canvas, paper, cloths and various other surfaces. To give variety to the paintings created, man used various media like oil colors, water colors, pastel colors, naturally available colors and many more.

Painting art form produced some phenomenal and outstanding artists. Some great painters of all times are Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, Mansoor, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Dali, Pablo Picasso and M. F. Husain. These masters of painting specialized in different styles of paintings. During thousands of years’ existence of painting art form, hundreds of different styles of paintings emerged. Though only few of them became hugely popular around the world. Some of the most popular painting styles or school of paintings are Constructivism, Fauvism, Classicism, Abstract Art, Aboriginal Art, Aestheticism, Art Brut, Art Nouveau, Baroque, Byzantine Art, Cubism, Dada, Dragging, Encaustic, Paintings, Expressionism, Gothic Paintings, Impressionism, Mannerism, Marbling, Minimalism, Modernism, Neoclassicism, Orientalism, Primitivism, Ragging & Stippling, Realism, Spattering, Surrealism, Symbolism, Theorem Paintings And Wood Graining .

Tribal paintings and folk paintings have always had a distinct tinge in them. They have always attracted an art admirer for their simplicity, natural colors and locally existing themes. In India, several tribal and folk painting traditions have existed since very old times. Some renowned tribal and folk art forms are Madhubani paintings of Mithila, Bihar; Warli paintings of Thane, Maharashtra; Pata Chitra of Puri, Orissa; Phad paintings of Rajasthan etc.

For comprehensive information on paintings and related topics, please visit Ethnic Paintings

Summer is finally over and Apartment communities that maintained 90-100% occupancy levels throughout the summer have now been bombarded with new fall and winter time notices to vacate. Apartment communities pre-lease apartments based on their notices to vacate which are usually given 60-90 days out from the resident’s move date or lease end date.

Most long term tenants are being pushed out of their apartments with rental increases up to $200. Many of my clients recently call me discouraged stating that they have been a perfect resident for 5 years or more and dont understand why their aparmtent community is so anxious to “stick it to them” when it comes time to renew their leases.

The first question I ask them is how much they are paying currentlly ie; a client we’ll call Leslie that I am helping move currently. Leslie told me that she is paying $625 for a 740sf apartment in a community she has lived at for 5 years and is only 7 years old, and they want to raise her rent to $725.?The first thing I told her was that the community wanted to raise her rent $100 due to the fact that since she leased there 5 yrs ago?the market had completely changed. Unfortunately the only people that view long term occupants at an apartment community as an asset are the occupants themselves.

The truth of the matter is that Leslie and many others around Austin whom of which have been exemplary tenants are being viewed as a loss to their apartment communities. With a shortage of available apartments in Austin?the market has changed. For example 5 years ago in South Austin you could get a nice apartmnet at an A class property for between 6-$700. Now you cant even get near an A class property in South Austin for less than $900 and that would be for a 1 bedroom apartment. Availability pushes pricing. If a guy has 50 apartments available they lower prices and offer up a massive upfront concession ie; 1 month free 2 months free etc. But when a management company looks down and sees that they are 96% full which has been the case most of this summer and historically most summers then their rates rise to the market rates (the highest rates they can charge for a particular unit). Long term residents are being viewed as a loss and therefore pushed out.

The good news is that in the last two or three months there have been at least twenty new apartment communities open.? There are also at least 100 more on the horizon. This type of news and the historically slow fall and winter months are forcing apartment communities to drop their prices and drop them fast. There are at least twenty communities that I can think of right now that have dropped their prices $50-$75 in the last month from August pricing to compete with the new properties that have opened or are opening up in their vicinity.

For example the Wyndhaven apartments on Wells Branch. For years wyndhaven was only one of two A property options in the Wells Branch area. Their smallest 1 bdrm apartment 630sf was going for $769 a month. Then comes the Verde Oak Park apartments that opened a month or two ago right next door. The day Verde Oak Park opened their doors Wyndhaven went to $679 on the same floor plan. It still didnt help them though Verde Oak Park has a similar square footage for $710 Brand New Never Been Lived In! Then they were offering two months free upfront. Well if you average out the two months free over the lease term which was 13 months (aka a prorate) $1420 is the total concession or (special)?divided by the minimum lease term which was 13 months thats $1420 divided by?13 months equaling $109.23. The $109.23 is your average monthly concession. You then subtract the $109.23 from the monthly rental rate. $710 minus $109.23 equals $600.77 a month for 13 months. Plus these apartments contain granite countertops, washer and Dryer etc and are BRAND NEW and have NEVER BEEN LIVED in.

So, yes rental rates are dropping dramatically with the rise of new communities you just can’t be fooled by upfront numbers anymore. My advice is that you always contact a Real Estate professional procurement of leasing transactions for the consumer are always 100% FREE. And recommended. Yes rates are higher but if you look past the first picture of the rate being $710 when you’re pricerange is $650 and you end up at Wyndhaven which is over ten years old and a much lesser quality class A property?at $679 then the only one to blame is yourself. With the newer communities trying to fill up their properties they are offering great upfront concessions that will bring the rates back down.

You should always contact an apartment locator before looking at apartments on your own. If that apartment locator dosent find you the best deal available and you are not happy enough to move in then they dont get paid that is your insurance. Austin Apartment Guy would be glad to either help you find an apartment or counsel you on the leasing process. You can contact us through our website http://www.austinapartmentguy.com .?

The major concern many doctoral candidates have is the selection of dissertation topic. In some cases a topic just comes naturally out of past projects and coursework, but for most people it is a very hefty confront.

Selecting a topic is at the core of any dissertation help project, because the dissertation title is what drives the proposal, the prospectus, and dissertation. It’s better to pick the broad topic as early as possible, so that you get a chance to think about it in your research classes. The goal is to be familiar with the relevant literature on your broad topic. If you don’t have something in your job that is interesting, pick something that does fascinate you. Narrowing the actual research question will be done with your dissertation adviser and perhaps your committee because they will know what data you can access.

Here are some key points that will help you in selecting sparking dissertation ideas for your topic writing project.

Choose a Subject Area First — Then Chose Topic

The more information you consume in your broad subject area, the more patterns will emerge.

Make Sure The Topic Is Interesting

It is imperative that both you and your advisor are interested in your thesis/dissertation topic.



The Research Problem Must Be Worthy Of Your Time

Choosing dissertation titles that are compelling enough to sustain further research is critical.

Make Your Research Topic Original

The prerequisite for finding a new research topic is to be informed because most things have been studied before.

Choose a Solvable And Manageable Research Problem

It is important to select a problem that is narrow enough that you can address it or solve it in a reasonable period of time.

 

Functions of the Doctoral Dissertation Advisor

 

William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

Professor

PhD Program in Educational Leadership

The Whitlowe R. Green College of Education

The Texas A&M University System

Prairie View, Texas

Invited Visiting Lecturer

Oxford Round Table

Oriel College in the University of Oxford

Oxford, England

Distinguished Alumnus

Central Washington University

College of Education and Professional Studies

Ellensburg, Washington

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

The purpose of this article is to provide suggestions for doctoral dissertation advisors. The content was developed from discussions with colleagues, doctoral candidates, recipients of advanced degrees, and reviewing literature pertaining to doctoral studies. This article provides some general guidelines and practical functions for doctoral dissertation advisors.

 

 

Introduction

 

     Those who succeed in academic scholastic writing at the advanced levels typically write an excellent doctoral dissertation. In writing a dissertation, there appears to be an enjoyment of the constant flowing of ideas. At the doctoral level, mentors are critically important in helping their students complete the dissertation, and later in getting graduates published at the national level in refereed, juried, peer-reviewed scholarly journals.

 

 

 

 

Purpose of the Article

 

 The purpose of this article is to establish some basic functions of the doctoral dissertation advisor. Hopefully, the suggestions will help others in the doctoral advisement process.

 

 

Basic Functions of the Doctoral Dissertation Advisor

 

 The following suggestions are functions of a doctoral dissertation advisor:

 

1.      Keep a folder for each doctoral student. This will give you the opportunity to review previous and current work completed by the student. It will give you the opportunity to review your own comments. Reviewing the folder periodically enables you to firmly grasp the student’s concerns with conducting research.

 

2.      Keep track of emails that you send and other correspondence. Make certain that you communicate to students frequently. Not communicating with doctoral students is condescending and shows disrespect.

 

3.      Establish a personal, but professional relationship with your doctoral student advisees. Being a mentor is a very serious responsibility. See each of your students first as people. They have goals and aspirations just as you do.

 

4.      Develop your own style in dissertation advising. The best way to develop your own style is simply by doing it.

 

5.      Be positive in working with doctoral students on their dissertation. Make certain to provide feedback that is constructive and useful. Always strive to be positive and enthusiastic in working with doctoral students on their dissertations. Be cheerful, optimistic, and helpful. Direct advisees to relevant sources of information.

 

6.      Know your strengths, attributes, weaknesses, and limitations.

 

7.      Do you homework in working with each advisee. Make certain to study the dissertation topic your advisee is interested in developing.

 

8.      Think about your own dissertation experience. Avoid any mistakes that were made. Incorporate effective strategies that work.

 

9.      Encourage advisees to document what they want to do as a dissertation topic.

 

10.  Strive to make a difference as an advisor to your advisee. Model appropriate behavior.

11.  Make your presence matter in the life of the doctoral student.

 

12.  Accept the responsibility of doing a good job.

 

13.  Accept the fact you know more about writing a dissertation than your advisee.

 

14.  As an advisor, recognize the time when the dissertation topic must be revised or changed. Do not be afraid to tell an advisee when they are wasting time on something that will not work or is not relevant.

 

15.  Be ready to suggest to your advisee the need to shift the research time to other areas of the dissertation if you see the advisee bog down.

 

16.  Do not hesitate to tell the advisee to put more effort into the dissertation.

 

17.  Make certain to realize as an advisor there are many different strategies for writing a doctoral dissertation.

 

18.  Encourage doctoral students to talk with others who are writing their dissertation. They often can provide practical feedback and encouragement.

 

19.  Encourage doctoral students to communicate with others in different colleges or departments who are writing their dissertation.

 

20.  Encourage advisees to explore ideas beyond your suggestions.

 

21.  Tell your advisees how you like to work with them. If you need to work from an outline – tell the advisee. Let advisees know your own work habits.

 

22.  Remember, it is the advisee’s dissertation – not yours. They must do the work.

 

23.  If you are an inexperienced dissertation advisor, try to work with a colleague who has successful experience. As an advisor, you are there to help. Help as much as you possibly can.

 

24.  Be supportive of the advisee’s work. Use specific examples in telling advisees their work is good or not acceptable. Point out where the work needs improvement.

 

25.  Make certain you develop the habit of getting things back to students in a timely manner; hopefully, within five – ten business days. Through being diligent in your efforts, the advisee will keep focused. Read dissertation chapters at your earliest convenience. Do not let too much time elapse. Remember, you are a busy person and so is your advisee. Establish timelines with the advisee and meet them.

 

26.  Give your doctoral students the responsibility of meeting deadlines.

 

27.  Encourage students to contact you if you have taken too long to respond to them.

 

28.  As an advisor, give lots of suggestions. Be specific, exact, concise, detailed, and comprehensive in all aspects of your advising.

 

29.  Encourage your doctoral students to talk with their committee members throughout the entire process. Other committee members might suggest different approaches or a new study altogether. When this happens, meet with the advisee. Perhaps you will agree or disagree. Keep the dialogue open and positive.

 

30.  It is your duty to encourage your advisees to do the work that must be done to have a quality and professionally satisfying dissertation.

 

31.  Be available. If this means meeting with a doctoral student at a location other than the university, do it. Some advisees need a lot of attention, guidance, and direction. Others are self-directive. Be flexible and adaptable.

 

32.  The advisee should not hear major changes for the first time at the proposal defense.

 

33.  In giving guidance to your advisees, constantly prepare them for their proposal defense and ultimately defending their dissertation. This will keep them f
ocused.

 

34.  Do not take on the job of advisor if you do not intend to make it a priority. Dissertation advisement takes an enormous amount of time and commitment. During the entire process, it will be necessary for you to meet with the other members of the dissertation committee to discuss the progress of the doctoral student. 

 

35.  You want your students to tell you “I like the way you are always available, keep up the good work.”

 

36.  The doctoral student and advisor should consult someone other than the student’s committee members for special advising or expertise. 

 

37.  Help your advisee when there is a need to clarify the dissertation topic.

 

38.  Try to obtain adequate funding for your advisee’s research.

 

39.  Link students with similar dissertation topics together.

 

40.  During the advisement process, dissertation advisors should mentor students by helping them to prepare manuscripts for publication in national, refereed, peer reviewed journals.

 

41.  Consider or recommend doctoral students for university responsibilities, such as facilitating classes when professors are unavailable, and giving examinations at distance learning facilities. This gives them experiences in higher education.

 

42.  Involve doctoral students with coordinating orientation sessions for new students.

 

43.  As a dissertation advisor, develop an approval form for both the proposal and dissertation defense that must be signed by all committee members prior to scheduling a formal meeting. By doing so, the committee members agree the student is ready to present and defend.

 

 

Concluding Remarks

 

     In conclusion, the purpose of this article was to establish some general functions of a dissertation advisor. There are numerous functions of a dissertation advisor and these are only a few. In addition, my intention was to provide some general guidelines for thoughtful consideration. Perhaps, you can add to the list.

 

 

References

 

Dave, R. (2007 December).  Quality time with your dissertation. Retrieved December 4,

2007, from the Association for Support of Graduate Students Website:   http://www.asgs.org/

Eastwood, J.S. (2000). Comprehensive editing. Retrieved December 2, 2007, from

            www.jeastwood.com

Jensen, S. (2000). Dissertation news. Retrieved December 3, 2007, from

            http://www.dissertationdoctor.com

________________________________________________________________________

Formatted by Dr. Mary Alice Kritsonis, National Research and Manuscript Preparation Editor, National FORUM Journals, Houston, Texas    www.nationalforum.com

William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

 

Dr. Kritsonis Lectures at the University of Oxford, Oxford, England

 

In 2005, Dr. Kritsonis was an Invited Visiting Lecturer at the Oxford Round Table at Oriel College in the University of Oxford, Oxford, England.  His lecture was entitled the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning.

 

Dr. Kritsonis Recognized as Distinguished Alumnus

 

         In 2004, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis was recognized as the Central Washington University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Education and Professional Studies.  Dr. Kritsonis was nominated by alumni, former students, friends, faculty, and staff.  Final selection was made by the Alumni Association Board of Directors.  Recipients are CWU graduates of 20 years or more and are recognized for achievement in their professional field and have made a positive contribution to society.  For the second consecutive year, U.S. News and World Report placed Central Washington University among the top elite public institutions in the west.  CWU was 12th on the list in the 2006 On-Line Education of “America’s Best Colleges.”

  

 

Educational Background

 

          Dr. William Allan Kritsonis earned his BA in 1969 from Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington.  In 1971, he earned his M.Ed. from Seattle Pacific University.  In 1976, he earned his PhD from the University of Iowa.  In 1981, he was a Visiting Scholar at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, and in 1987 was a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California. In June 2008, Dr. Kritsonis received the Doctor of Humane Letters, School of Graduate Studies from Southern Christian University. The ceremony was held at the Hilton Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

Professional Experience

 

Dr. Kritsonis began his career as a teacher.  He has served education as a principal, superintendent of schools, director of student teaching and field experiences, invited guest professor, author, consultant, editor-in-chief, and publisher.  Dr. Kritsonis has earned tenure as a professor at the highest academic rank at two major universities.

 

Books – Articles – Lectures – Workshops

 

     Dr. Kritsonis lectures and conducts seminars and workshops on a variety of topics.  He is author of more than 500 articles in professional journals and several books.  His popular book SCHOOL DISCIPLINE: The Art of Survival is scheduled for its fourth edition.  He is the author of the textbook William Kritsonis, PhD on Schooling that is used by many professors at colleges and universities throughout the nation and abroad. 

 In 2007, Dr. Kritsonis’ version of the book of Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning (858 pages) was published in the United States of America in cooperation with partial financial support of Visiting Lecturers, Oxford Round Table (2005).  The book is the product of a collaborative twenty-four year effort started in 1978 with the late Dr. Philip H. Phenix.  Dr. Kritsonis was in continuous communication with Dr. Phenix until his death in 2002.

 In 2007, Dr. Kritsonis was the lead author of the textbook Practical Applications of Educational Research and Basic Statistics.  The text provides practical content knowledge in research for graduate students at the doctoral and master’s levels.

            In 2008, Dr. Kritsonis’ book Non-Renewal of Public School Personnel Contracts: Selected Supreme and District Court Decisions in Accordance with the Due Process of Law is scheduled for publication by The Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, New York.

           Dr. Kritsonis’ seminar and workshop on Writing for Professional Publication has been very popular with both professors and practitioners.  Persons in attendance generate an article to be published in a refereed journal at the national or international levels.

           Dr. Kritsonis has traveled and lectured throughout the United States and world-wide.  Some recent international tours include Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Monte Carlo, England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Poland, Germany, and many more.

 

 

 Founder of National FORUM Journals – Over 4,000 Professors Published

 

          Dr. Kritsonis is founder of NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS (since 1983).  These publications represent a group of highly respected scholarly academic periodicals.  Over 4,000 writers have been published in these refereed, peer-reviewed periodicals.  In 1983, he founded the National FORUM of Educational Administration and Supervision – now acclaimed by many as the United States’ leading recognized scholarly academic refereed journal in educational administration, leadership, and supervision.

          In 1987, Dr. Kritsonis founded the National FORUM of Applied Educational Research Journal whose aim is to conjoin the efforts of applied educational researchers world-wide with those of practitioners in education.  He founded the National FORUM of Teacher Education Journal, National FORUM of Special Education Journal, National FORUM of Multicultural Issues Journal, International Journal of Scholarly Academic Intellectual Diversity, International Journal of Management, Business, and Administration, and the DOCTORAL FORUM – National Journal for Publishing and Mentoring Doctoral Student Research. The DOCTORAL FORUM is the only refereed journal in America committed to publishing doctoral students while they are enrolled in course work in their doctoral programs. In 1997, he established the Online Journal Division of National FORUM Journals that publishes academic scholarly refereed articles daily on the website: www.nationalforum.com.  Over 500 professors have published online.  In January 2007, Dr. Kritsonis established Focus: On Colleges, Universities, and Schools.

 

Professorial Roles

 

          Dr. Kritsonis has served in professorial roles at Central Washington University, Washington; Salisbury State University, Maryland; Northwestern State University, Louisiana; McNeese State University, Louisiana; and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge in the Department of Administrative and Foundational Services.                                          

     In 2006, Dr. Kritsonis published two articles in the Two-Volume Set of the Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration published by SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, California. He is a National Reviewer for the Journal of Research on Leadership, University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA).

     In 2007, Dr. Kritsonis has been invited to write a history and philosophy of education for the ABC-CLIO Encyclopedia of World History.

           Currently, Dr. Kritsonis is Professor of Educational Leadership at Prairie Vi
ew A&M University – Member of the Texas A&M University System.  He teaches in the newly established PhD Program in Educational Leadership.  Dr. Kritsonis taught the Inaugural class session in the doctoral program at the start of the fall 2004 academic year. In October 2006, Dr. Kritsonis chaired the first doctoral student to earn a PhD in Educational Leadership at Prairie View A&M University.  He lives in Houston, Texas.

Instructions for Oral Care during chemotherapy

It is necessary that you understand the importance of good oral hygiene and preventive care before, during, and after chemotherapy.

The purpose of chemotherapy is to reduce the growth of tumor cells.  Unfortunately, tissues in the mouth are affected by chemotherapy and special care should be taken to help prevent infections in the mouth.

Ways of preventing these problems start with an examination by a dentist.  If any dental procedures are necessary before chemotherapy, they usually can be done while the bone can heal properly.

For more information and photos check our site: www.penchasdentistry.com

Common Side Effects

Dry Mouth is very common after the first week of therapy and may persist as a permanent effect.  This depends on how and what type of drugs are given.  This will vary from patient to patient. Mouth Ulcers are a common occurrence during chemotherapy.  Sometimes, these ulcers are preventable by simple oral hygiene care and a cautious diet.  These may occur on the lips, tongue, and roof of mouth and inside the check. Swollen gums are another side effect that may occur if tartar has accumulated around and below the gum line of your teeth. Dental Abscesses can occur if broken or impacted teeth are present during chemotherapy.

Oral Hygiene

A soft toothbrush held like a pen can be used carefully during chemotherapy.  If the mouth is too sore to use a toothbrush, a folded square gauze pad can be moistened with water and gently wiped over the surfaces of the teeth and/ or gums instead.

Rinsing the mouth with a salt and soda solution will remove food and debris which tends to accumulate in the mouth.  (This is made by adding one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda to one quart of water).  This solution can be used as often as necessary to provide a clean oral environment.

Things to avoid

Avoid foods that have a rough consistency such as:  tortilla chips, fried foods, nuts, etc. Avoid wearing complete dentures during chemotherapy, as this will promote nausea and vomiting.  Wearing dentures will also promote development of mouth ulcers Avoid a prolonged dry mouth which may tend to develop during sleep.  Keep plenty of water at bedside. Avoid carbonated beverages and juices that are acidic like grapefruit or orange juice. Avoid high alcohol containing mouthwashes like Listerine or Scope.  Use only the salt and soda solution. If vomiting occurs, rinse with soda and salt solution; this will neutralize the stomach acid.  Prolonged contact of stomach acid in the mouth will cause mouth ulcers.

Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in not only Texas but the country. With more homes being built and people moving in, it’s no wonder that lots of people are looking for things to do in Austin. If you are looking for somewhere to go or something to do that won’t break the budget, look no further than these free activities in and around Austin.

Texas State Capitol

The Texas State Capitol is a great place to visit at least once, especially if you have school age children. The capital is located at 1100 Congress Avenue. There are daily tours of the Capitol building and morning tours of the Governor’s Mansion, all for free. The Capitol grounds contain 22 acres with 17 monuments in addition to the Capitol building itself.

The Congress Avenue Bats

For this free activity, you’ll have to time your visit between March and early Fall. Each summer approximately 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats come to Austin and comprise the largest urban bat colony in North America. They reside underneath the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue bridge. Stand on the bridge near dusk and then witness the bats come out after dark.

University of Texas Campus and Museums

The UT campus itself is a great place to visit for free. The campus is historic for its architecture and history. View the University of Texas tower and the Littlefield Fountain. The Harry Ransom Center is a free museum that houses the world’s first photograph and an authentic copy of the Gutenberg bible. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum also houses many historical and cultural exhibits. Finally, UT is home of the Texas Memorial Museum which includes real dinosaur tracks.

Zilker Botanical Gardens

This garden park is located in the Barton Springs area and houses 21 acres of park. There are many themed gardens on the grounds, including romantic rose garden, the butterfly garden and the Japanese garden. There is also a prehistoric garden that reflects this areas past as a major dinosaur roaming grounds during the Cretaceous period.

Blues on the Green

If you’re blues music enthusiast, you’ll appreciate this free concert series every summer. Sponsered by 107.1 KGSR, Blues on the Green is normally held in Zilker Park (although 2009’s festivities were in Waterloo Park due to construction projects). Local musicians like Marcia Ball, Los Lonely Boys and Jimmy Vaughan have all been part of the event in the past.

Hartman Foundation Concerts in the Park

During the months of May through August you can catch this free concert series held at the Hartman Concert Park. Classical music, pops, jazz and film scores are played by ensembles from the Austin Symphony.

Movies in the Park at Republic Square

The Austin Parks foundation sponsors this event each summer at Republic Square Park. The films are projected onto an outdoor screen and residents are encouraged to bring their blankets, lawn chairs and picnic tables. The movies start at dusk.

Nothing can ruin home ownership more than having a conflict with one of your neighbors. If you’ve ever been unlucky enough to end up in a situation like this, you know that it doesn’t make life easy. Your home should be your castle but if you’re not able to relax you won’t be able to enjoy it. You can start off on the right foot by using the following tips.

1.Be nice but keep your distance

No one wants to be harassed by a nosy neighbor the moment they come home. A friendly hello and wave across the lawn shows that you care without being too intruding into their personal space. As much as you might like to be best friends with whoever is living next door, your neighbor may not want the same thing. Use their response to judge whether or not to take things further.

2.Be respectful of their property especially when it comes to pets

Not everyone is a dog or cat person. If you have pets, it’s very important that you keep your animals off of their lawn. If your animal happens to make a mess on your neighbor’s lawn, be sure to clean it up quickly and try to do better in keeping your pet on your side.

3.Keep your lawn nice

Having the shabbiest lawn on the block is a surefire way to make your neighbors resent you. Poorly kept front lawns can reduce resell value of everyone’s home in the vicinity and it will make you stand out like a sore thumb. Take steps to keep the front of your home in line with everyone else’s.

4.Respect your neighbors’ privacy

Even though you live next door what happens in your neighbors’ yard and in their home is their business. If you can tell they are having a barbecue, don’t invite yourself over. Don’t ask overly personal questions when it is obvious that you are just casual acquaintances. By respecting their privacy, you can be sure that they’ll respect yours as well.

5.Be sure to thank them if they do a favor for you.

If you notice that your neighbor removed a weed from your flower bed or if they brought over mis-delivered mail, be sure to thank them. These small positive interactions can lead to more friendly communication later on. If they do something big for you, like check your mail or water your plants while you are away, thank them with a gift certificate to a local coffee shop or something similar.

6.Look for opportunities to be helpful  

If your neighbor has done something nice for you, look for opportunity to return the favor. Bring in their paper from the sidewalk or offer to feed their dog if they need someone to. As long as you can be helpful without overstepping the lines of privacy, you should take steps to do so.

Of course, your individual situation with your neighbor may differ, but as long as you follow the spirit of these suggestions you’ll be able to maintain a good relationship with your neighbors.

Dr. Phil McGraw is a well known television personality. He has also gained a lot of fame as an author, a psychologist and also a dietician. Lets have a look at the life and career of Dr. Phil – one of the leading idols in the world of celebrity psychologists.

Phillip Calvin McGraw, also known as Dr. Phil, was born on September 1, 1950. Dr. Phil has gained popularity from his famous television show.  He is an author, a psychologist as well as a dietitian who currently hosts the famous show ‘Dr. Phil’ on television. Many of us who are thinking of becoming a psychologist or establishing a career in psychology admire Dr. Phil as our idol.  He is among the top psychologists who has made their way to the top. He was first able to gain celebrity status after appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show in the late 19th century. After that there has been no looking back for Dr. Phil.  He has been regarded by various people as their role model.

There is no doubt that he has been covered with variety of controversies and criticism throughout his life but the respect that he had gained in the eyes of millions of people speaks for itself. He was just an ordinary man who was born in Vinita, Oklahoma. He has two older sisters and one younger sister.

Dr. Phil has graduated from the Midwestern State University after completing his bachelor’s degree with psychology as his major subject. He then studied further to earn a master’s degree in the experimental psychology in the year 1976 and also completed his PhD in the clinical psychology in year 1979 from the University of North Texas. In the University of North Texas, Dr. Phil wrote his thesis on the subject of Rheumatoid Arthritis. He also had his own construction business that he used to manage with the help of his brother-in-law.  

After completing his internship in PhD, he joined his father and his elder brother and started practicing as a private psychologist.

In 1983, Dr. Phil and his father joined Thelma Box, a successful businesswoman from Texas in presenting the ‘Pathways’ seminars. These seminars are described as ‘an experience-based training which allows individuals to achieve and create their own results’. Their partnership ended when Dr. Phil apparently went behind their backs and sold off his stock in the seminar company without informing either his father or Ms. Box.

In the year 1989, The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists imposed disciplinary sanctions against Dr. Phil for conducting an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a female client, whom he had also employed in his office, contrary to the code of ethics prescribed by the licensing board. Dr. Phil was then asked to take an ethics class, clear a jurisprudence exam, complete a physical evaluation, undergo a psychological evaluation and have his practice supervised for one year so as to get his license back. However, Dr. Phil refused to comply and so he is not allowed to practice psychology anywhere.

In 1990, Dr. Phil joined up with the lawyer Gary Dobbs and founded Courtroom Sciences Inc. This is a trial consulting firm which went on to become quite a profitable enterprise. The company advises Fortune 500 companies and injured plaintiffs in different ways to go about obtaining a settlement.

In 1995, Dr. Phil’s company advised Oprah Winfrey to prepare for her Amarillo Texas Beef trial. Oprah was so impressed by his work, that she invited him on her show. His appearance became a huge success, and Dr. Phil became a regular weekly figure on Oprah. In 2002, Dr. Phil formed Peteski Productions and launched his own daily show titled ‘Dr. Phil’ where he tackles a variety of issues and gives advice.

In 2003, Dr. Phil entered the weight loss business – launching a variety of shakes, energy bars, and diet supplements to aid weight loss. However, this venture met with a lot of criticism and the company was also sued by several customers.

Dr. Phil’s show however, has its share of fans. This show has also led to several spin-off shows which only add to the glory of the original Dr. Phil show.

It is no doubt that Dr. Phil has had a very checkered career, but he continues to entertain and help people with his homely and well rounded advice on his show. Perhaps, that is why he still has such a fan following and why he is considered to be an idol by many.