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Monday, November 27, 2006
A few of my favorite inspiring things
This got me to thinking about who and what have inspired me,pop culture wise,over the years and still today. So,without further ado,here's a list of my personal inspirations:
HEART: I'm not a High Fidelity kind of music lover but I know what I like when I hear it. Over the years,tough and tender tunesmiths like Pat Benatar,Joan Jett and Pink get my toes tapping and my head banging but the Wilson sisters of Heart are the ones I'd most like to be. Their mix of hard rock with romance can sooth the most savage of beasts,plus they are the original Hair Metal Band,in my opinion. Those girls could whield the hairspray and the mike as well as any guy group did:
BETTE MIDLER:I'm talking old school Bette-the raunchy,rollicking gal who would appear onstage as mermaid Delores Del Rio in a wheelchair and before Cher was even Moonstruck,rocked the silver screen as The Rose. She was bold,brassy and full of good humor. Bette loved to playact the diva(kind of a Miss Piggy made human)and while she still has a great set of pipes,I miss the wacky,anti-Steisand version of her that I grew up with:
V: Many people will name such miniseries as Roots,The Winds of War or even North & South as their favorites but on my list,one of the top slots goes to V. V(and it's sequel,The Final Battle)tells the allegorical tale of alien Visitors who subtly take over the earth in a Nazi like fashion which rallies together a cross section of folks to form a resistance movement. True,some of it is a tad hokey but having a sci fi battle for the fate of humanity on the small screen back then was pretty cool:
A spin-off weekly tv show followed briefly that kept many of the actors from both miniseries,including Jane Badler who played Diana,the most vicious Visitor of them all. Whether she was sweet talking suckers into going along with her evil plans,swallowing down live animals in one gulp or dishing out mind control torture sessions,she was the bitch from beyond that you loved to hate.
I,CLAUDIUS:The first PBS show(besides Sesame Street and other kiddie fare)that I really got into was this adaptation of Robert Graves' novels about the rise and fall of the ruling families of the Roman Empire,as seen by Claudius,an overlooked yet brilliant man who used his physical shortcomings to survive the bloodbath politics of his kin. With such great actors as Derek Jacobi,Sian Phillips and John Hurt as Caligula,this miniseries made ancient history as enjoyable as any soap opera:
FRANKENSTEIN: Boris Karloff was one of the best horror movie actors ever(sorry,Lugosi fans)and his Frankenstein films still hold up today as classics. While Bride of Frankenstein is considered the best of the bunch(I adore Dr.Pretorious),the first film is what started it all. True,Karloff doesn't say much but his body language speaks volumes:
SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES: The animated fairy tale that all others aspire to. What I truly love about this movie is the Wicked Queen-that girl is poison! Yes, Snow White and all her forest friends are cute and sweet but the Wicked Queen is evily awesome. She's a determined woman who's not shy about getting her hands dirty to achieve her goals and a stylish dresser to boot:
JANE EYRE: I read this book dozens of times as a kid and while I haven't picked it up lately(making my way thru her sister Anne's Tenant of Wildfell Hall at the moment),my library would feel incomplete without it. Orphans seem exotic to kids who have both of their parents with them growing up(as I did)and to me,Jane Eyre was a orphan survival story,not this big gothic romance.
It is a good love story(if you like gloom and scary first wives rattling around the attic)but it's Jane resolve to face whatever lies in her path headon that really makes her such a wonderful heroine for the ages.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: Comedian Fannie Flagg's first novel(later retitled Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man)introduces you to Daisy Fay Harper,a spirited and sassy 11 year old girl in Mississippi of 1952 who keeps her head held high despite her father's get rich quick schemes that backfire with piazzaz,being mocked by Kay Bob Benson(the local Nellie Olsen)and the breakdown of her parent's marriage.
Daisy's sage extends to 1959,when she is competing in the Miss Mississippi pagent mainly to win a scholarship that'll take her to New York. Along the way,she makes some pretty unique friends such as Peachy Wigham,a black undertaker with an albino assistant,Vernon Mooseburger,a boy who went bald before high school and Billy Bundy,a preacher who cooks up a resurrection scheme with Daisy's father. By what ever name you call it,this book is a real humdinger of a read.
Well,that's just a hint of what floats my boat. Please feel free to share some of your own inspirations with the rest of the class. Props and dioramas are acceptable but not mandatory for your presentation.
3 comments:
- Pop Culture Diva said...
What a great topic! Here are mine.
ABBA-they are fun and very 70 Euro pop
70s soul-I got this from my dad but I love Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway and the older guys Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding
The Way We Were-I love the idea that love isn't enough to keep a relationship together. Bittersweet.
The Color Purple-this gets more meaningful everytime I see it.
Any musical-I love the musicals especially All That Jazz, Fame and Cabaret.
After School Specials and Schoolhouse Rocks-They shaped my early belief system and taught me that "3" is the magic number.
I wanted to be Nia Peeples for a long time. The show sucked compared to the movie but it fed my love of dance and music.
Jane Eyre-My fave as well.
- Monday, 27 November, 2006
- Robin Brande said...
Lady T, I forgot all about "V"! What a blast from the past.
PCD, I'm with you on After School Specials and Schoolhouse Rock. My favorite was "Figure 8"--such a beautiful song, and loved watching the girl figure skate. I wanted to be her. Also loved "Conjunction Junction" and "We the People" (I still know the words to the preamble of the Constitution, thanks to that).
Books--both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights were great--those moody, brooding men who seemed so romantic then, and now seem so high-maintenance I'd run far and fast from them in real life.
Music--The Carpenters, The Beach Boys, Bread, America, and Barry Manilow (do NOT judge me).
Movies--those great Kurt Russell teen/college movies like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" and "Now You See Him Now You Don't." The kids in those movies always seemed so cool and smart and fun. Also loved any Disney movie involving kids and their pets--dogs, cheetahs, lions, whatever.
I could go on and on. What a fun idea, LT!
- Monday, 27 November, 2006
- lady t said...
I knew I liked you guys for a reason! PCD, I dig ABBA,Schoolhouse Rock(which taught me my 5 times table),Afterschool specials and All That Jazz(Jessica Lange as the Angel of Death was so cool),too.
Robin,I can't mock your Manilow love since I still have a fondness for Copacabana(Manilow does look a bit scary these days-Botox or a nip/tuck?). I had 8 tracks as a kid and one of my favorites was a Best of The Carpenters collection-Karen had a sweet set of pipes,too bad she didn't just eat a sandwich once and awhile:(
One of my favorite Disney flicks was Candleshoe,with Jodie Foster and Helen Hayes-I dug those spunky kid heroine type of movies.
- Tuesday, 28 November, 2006
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Who cares if you're only good at one thing and do it over and over again? Award yourself, or someone else, for their consistency, because it's hard to do the same thing twice.
Silver pin with black enamel fill.
Non-slip black rubber clutch.
This item normally ships out within two business days.
This item qualifies for our $5 standard domestic shipping.

subset: commoncrawl


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Mid Century Modern Sectional Arrangement Ideas
Mid century modern sectional – The house should be furnished for the convenience of all members of the family. There is a need to modernize your home furnishings to be able to live comfortably. More modern furnishings you better your life will be. The living room is one of the most visited parts of the house. This is the place where you receive your house guests.
It is important to equip it with furniture mid century modern sectional. A chair that has a length of fabric back and arms were intended for more than one person as the sofa should be placed in the living room for visitors. This is one of the most important furniture that a person must have at the house. Sofa is one of the important furniture in the living room. This is the reason why there is a need to choose the best sofa online or in the market. Modern furniture such as a sofa can provide families and guest houses with comfort when sitting it.
12 Picture Gallery: Mid Century Modern Sectional Arrangement Ideas
Cozy mid century modern sectional
There are different types of sofas mid century modern sectional that you can choose. There are sofas made of leather and thick carpets among others with different styles and colors. They display a wide range of designs. Modern sofas have a great handset and the remaining large back to provide more convenience to users. You can sit on it relaxing while entertaining visitors or when you want to relax and watch TV shows.
This post topic: Modern Ideas


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Plush Bat Pillow | DIY Halloween Toy
Tis the season for DIY! Grab some simple craft supplies -- mainly, felt -- and let's do this! Of course, if you have a sewing machine and VERY BASIC sewing skills, this DIY project just got faster and easier! But no worries, you can totally hand stitch this, it will just take a bit more time!
Here's what you need...
- Felt
- Scissors
- Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
- Stuffing


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While generally, I'm skeptical of "rules of thumb," sometimes they do bear out as reasonable. Notably, most of the "rules of thumb" I use show the assumptions are generally correct after ample research and publications show a regression to a mean, or after years of work experience seem to also show a regression to a mean.
Real estate operating expenses tend to be an area where rules of thumb are particularly useful. You may have noticed or read that the operating expense for multifamily housing tends to start out at 30%-35% of gross revenue, and over time migrate to 40%-45%. For midscale hotels, that operating expense tends to be 70%. For full service hotels, the operating expense is generally 75%. If borrowers are using lower operating expenses, then in all likelihood they are underestimating the cost of operating the property.
Another interesting heuristic that comes to bear in the underwriting world is the debt-to-net worth ratio in Commercial/Industrial loans. Generally speaking, we don't like to see debt-to-net worth greater than 3.00x for contractors or service providers, and we like to see the same ratio remain less than 1.50x for capital intensive industries. Why do contractors differ from a capital intensive operation? A contractor's balance sheet will be primarily receivables and payables, most of which will be satisfied within 30-90 days. Therefore, they can deleverage rapidly. However, when net worth is tied up in capital expenditures like equipment and machinery, those assets do not readily convert to cash to satisfy liabilities on the other side of the balance sheet. Therefore, their leverage is more permanent, suggesting we want to see less leverage from them overall.
Another rule of thumb in Commercial Real Estate lending has to do with leverage and collateral values. The less marketable real estate may be, the lower loan-to-value (LTV) you will find. For example, there is always a need for multifamily housing in a healthy community, so the property will always have interested investors. The LTV of these properties might be as acceptably high as 80%. Office and retail properties may be a bit less marketable, so we ratchet our LTV back to 75%. Perhaps industrial properties are even a little less marketable, because they come in an odd variety of shapes and inconsistent build-outs, so we take the LTV back to 70%. Then we have "special purpose properties," which can only be used for narrowly specified purposes without significant investment to change those characteristics, like a medical office, private school, or restaurant. We may bring our LTV back to 65% in those cases.
Having these industry benchmarks in your back pocket makes you more powerful in the business lending world, because you can more quickly identify potential problems or get a grasp of the proper credit structure immediately. And of course, if a proposed loan does not conform rigidly to these rules, there may be a good reason to make an exception. However, there should be a strong mitigating reason to make an exception, as exceptions should not be granted simply to provide a reason to book the loan!


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Metro Welcomes New Managing Director
Joe Gfaller
The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus
A cautionary tale about our impact on the environment and the creatures who live in it, this is a storytelling tour-de-force in a new, original play. Read more...
It's a Wonderful Life
Experience the excitement, imagination and camaraderie of this story that resonates as much today as it did over seventy years ago. Read more...
Ghost runs for all the wrong reasons until he meets Coach who sees something in him: crazy raw talent. Read more...
Lead support for Metro Theater Company's Education Programs is generously provided by the Centene Charitable Foundation.


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Mediterranean Landscape Dynamics Project
"Landuse and Landscape Socioecology in the Mediterranean Basin: A Natural Laboratory for the Study of the Long-Term Interaction of Human and Natural Systems."
This international, interdisciplinary research project models the long-term dynamics of human landuse and Mediterranean landscapes. Beginning in Fall 2004, modeling efforts have focued on eastern Spain and western Jordan, encompassing much of the range of environmental variability across the Mediterranean region.
The project examines long-term socioecological processes that shaped Mediterranean landscapes, from the beginning of farming to the beginning of complex civilization.
- Miller, Alexandra
- 3 Barton, C. Michael
- 2 Bergin, Sean M.
- 1 Hill, J. Brett
- 1 Mayer, G. R.
- 1 McClure, Sarah
- 1 Mitasova, H.
- more
- 1 Sarjoughian, H. S.
- 1 Schmich, Steven
- 1 Ullah, Isaac I. T.
- 1 Wentz, Elizabeth
- 4 English
Mime Type
Resource Type
- 4 Text
- 4 Public
Date Range
2008 2010
- Computational Modeling for Socioecological Systems Science
- Paleoclimate Modeling and the Drivers of Early Neolithic Expansion in Mediterranean Europe
- Simulating the long-term effects of agropastoral landuse decisions: a computational modeling approach to the Prepottery/Pottery Neolithic transition in northern Jordan
- Integrating Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Ecological Modeling: Issues and Directions
- Modeling of Agropastoral Human Activities Using Agent-Based Simulation
- Contributors
- Barton, C. Michael, Ullah, Isaac I. T., Mayer, G. R., et al.
- Created Date
- 2010
- Contributors
- Bergin, Sean M., Miller, Alexandra
- Created Date
- 2009
- Contributors
- Miller, Alexandra, Barton, C. Michael, Schmich, Steven, et al.
- Created Date
- 2008
- Contributors
- Hill, J. Brett, Miller, Alexandra, Wentz, Elizabeth, et al.
- Created Date
- 2008


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Thomas Fuss '16, Lacrosse, Sociology Major
Q: What is your favorite class experience/ professor experience at Wittenberg?
A: My favorite class experience at Wittenberg was senior thesis with Dr. Wagner. Senior thesis is a tough course that combined everything I learned and worked toward into a paper that I would present at the end of the semester. Dr. Wagner is a brilliant and hard-working professor who does not stop making you think. Teaching the class is a challenge because every student has a different topic, which requires a different understanding. The class was challenging, but she was there every step of the way. Overall I believe this course was fundamental and a great experience during my time at Wittenberg.
Q: Why do you enjoy being a Wittenberg Tiger?
A: I enjoy being a Wittenberg Tiger because we have the honor to play at a special school. Coaches, players, athletic staff, and professors comment on my performance as well as the team's performance. It's a great feeling knowing that many people watch games and follow our sports team as much as they do.
Q: To you, what does it mean to Tiger Up?
A: Tiger Up means to come together and give 100 percent effort. Although we have a diverse campus with many sports, hearing Tiger Up brings us together because it has a common understanding and value among students and alumni.
Q: What is the most valuable thing you have learned through your sport that is applicable to life?
A: I think the most valuable thing I have learned through my sport is the understanding and applying the ability to bounce back. Before lacing my cleats and stepping onto the field I know I won't make every pass or score every shot I take. As I have progressed my career I had to acknowledge that fact and that same idea has translated into school as well. It is my ability to bounce back positively after a bad test, practice, or game.
Q: What do you see yourself doing after Witt?
A: Fortunately, I have a position at Amazon after graduating from Wittenberg. I believe not only my courses, but the lessons I have learned on the field have put me on this path. If possible, I want to continue working with student athletes and coach while operating a business one day.
Q: After your time at Wittenberg, how will you pass the light on to others?
A: I will pass the light on to others by not only striving to do my best, but give the best version of myself to others. Often times we hold back, because the other person is not giving 100 percent effort. If both parties give 100 percent effort all the time the bar can only be raised and goals can be achieved. My goal is to light the path of another and create a desire in them to be perform to the best of their abilities.
Compiled By: Carley Sullivan '16, Senior Woman Administrator Student Assistant


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2011 Research
Dream Recall Frequency (DRF) has been used in many studies throughout psychology. Studies have shown correlations between moods and DRF (Schredl, M. et al. 2009; Tart, C. T. 1962); however, few correlations have been made regarding the increase of DRF by electronic media, such as video games. In this experiment participants were given questionnaires and dream journals to track their abilities to recall nocturnal dreams.
Lipases catalyze the hydrolysis of fats to form glycerol and fatty acids. Secreted lipases have been implicated as virulence factors in some pathogens. Previously a gene encoding a secretory lipase from the human protozoan pathogen Leishmania donovani was identified and characterized however, experimental evidence to support the biological role of secreted lipases in Leishmania sp. remains to be elucidated. The goal of this project was to express the secretory lipase gene, LdLIP3, from L. donovani and characterize its lipolytic activity.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by deposits of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) and insoluble hyperphosphorylated Tau protein. Cathepsin D (CTSD) is the main lysosomal protease and it has been suggested as hyperphosphorylated Tau-degradating enzyme. Oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO) and its derivatives, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) are greatly generated during altered states, such as AD. Oxidants can react with proteins causing post-translational modifications, such as S-nitrosylation and S-glutathionylation. Therefore, we hypothesize that oxidants generated during several stages of AD, cause post-translational modifications on CTSD, leading to its inactivation.
Soil organic matter (SOM) stability is thought to be dependent almost entirely on temperature, moisture, and microbial dynamics. While soil physical factors are also known determinants of SOM decomposition, proportionally little work has attempted to determine how these factors could regulate future rates of CO2 release from soils under a changing climate. Here, paired lab-field experiments explore the effects of change in the physical environment and carbon dioxide (CO2) respiration of SOM in mineral soil from an 80-year old red spruce forest stand in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Treatment of neurological disease has been impeded by limited drug diffusion across the blood-brain barrier. Convection-enhanced delivery is a drug administration method that can be used to treat diseases of the central nervous system by directly injecting a drug into a patient's brain and allowing the drug to circumvent the blood-brain barrier. However, the transport of a drug in a patient's brain following convection-enhanced delivery is often difficult to predict due to the brain's anisotropic properties, which differ according to direction of measurement.
Leishmania is a group of trypanosomatid protozoan parasites that exist in two morphological forms: a promastigote form within their insect vector and an amastigote form in the mammalian host. To study gene expression in these two distinct lifecycle forms, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) experiments were used to determine the copy number of control gene transcripts in the two lifecycle form populations. The goal of the current study was to clone the β-tubulin gene from Leishmania donovani and evaluate its role as a reference control for RT-qPCR gene expression studies.
Most reef building corals require seawater with low nutrients and sediment loads to thrive. On coral reefs around the world, increases in run-off and its constituent pollutants are damaging and killing reef building corals due to poor coastal zone management practices. In the marine environment, mangroves provide protection for coral reefs by filtering sediments and absorbing nutrients from run-off. On Bonaire, Ritterocereus griseus, a common cactus species, has the potential to act as a natural filter, analogous to mangroves in the marine environment, on hillsides where run-off is problematic.
Language provides insight into individuals' perceptions, needs, and desires; in addition, stress has been shown to influence how others perceive an individual. In the current study, we investigated the impact of stress on language. The ninety-four participants enrolled were asked to complete a speech about the body part of theirs that they liked the least. Speeches were transcribed and entered into linguistic software where a percentage of specific word use of the whole speech sample was analyzed.
The Deepwater Horizon spill was one of the largest oil spills in recorded history, depositing more than 2.6 million gallons of oil a day over the course of 84 days into the Gulf of Mexico, and with it considerable unprecedented problems and concerns. With an eventual total of 172 million gallons leaked into the Gulf, the Deepwater Horizon spill disrupted the ecology and deeply affected wildlife populations along 690 miles of U.S. coastline.Although the volume of oil spilled from the Exxon Valdez tanker represents only a small fraction of that from Deepwater Horizon, Exxon Valdez cleanup efforts took decades and the effects of the spill on wildlife are still being observed today.
Throughout the past 20 years, a prostate cancer screening pathway has been constructed and refined to diagnose prostate cancer. Although one primary pathway for screening prostate cancer has been developed and refined within the past 20 years, there remain many problems with this pathway, including a general lack of sensitivity and specificity; an inability to diagnose the progression of the disease; a significant risk presented to screening patients resulting from confirmatory diagnostic testing; and a lack of evidence supporting the reduction in prostate cancer mortality resulting from screening.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has one of the highest incidence and mortality rates of any infectious disease, with more than 33 million people infected worldwide. Specifically, HIV causes the destruction of helper T cells, ultimately resulting in the suppression of the immune system and leaving its human host susceptible to countless other pathogenic agents. The development of an effective HIV vaccine has continued for more than 20 years. But the use of preventative vaccines using traditional vaccine technologies, which have proven successful for other diseases, has thus far failed with HIV.
Since the discovery that amnesiacs retained certain forms of unconscious learning and memory, implicit memory research has grown immensely over the past several decades. This review discusses two of the most intriguing questions in implicit memory research: how we think it works and why it is important to human behaviour. Using priming as an example, this paper surveys how historic behavioural studies have revealed how implicit memory differs from explicit memory.
Pediatric obesity is considered a major public health problem in the United States today. Because excess body fat is associated with various health risks, clinicians and researchers have been investigating effective ways to reduce the incidence of pediatric obesity. To identify at-risk individuals, the U.S. health care community encourages the use of Body Mass Index (BMI),defined as weight/height2 (kg/m2),to classify children and adolescents into different health risk categories, including overweight and obese. However, the scientific validity of using BMI in pediatric population is questionable, even though BMI may be desirable as a means of tracking the growth patterns of individual children and adolescents in order to identify potential health problems.
This project develops an imaging/navigational tool to assist in detecting flaws in the germanium detectors for the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment. After imaging the detector surface with a precise imaging and measuring device, software was developed to stitch the resulting images together, applying any necessary rotations, offsets, and averaging to produce a smooth image of the whole detector. These images are tiled appropriately for the Google Maps API to use as a navigation tool, allowing inspectors to smoothly zoom and pan across the detector surface and detect flaws on the surface of the detector.
A high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is under development by the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Its design emphasizes electrical power production which may potentially be coupled with process heat for hydrogen production and other industrial applications. NGNP is considering a helical-coil steam generator for the primary heat transport loop heat exchanger based on its increased heat transfer and compactness when compared to other steam generators.
The objective of this research was to test the in vitro anti-angiogenic activity of auraptene, a coumarin from citrus peel oil. We tested the ability of auraptene to inhibit in vitro angiogenesis using vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC) growth stimulation.
The metabolic process of glutamate synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is governed by a functional model that assumes extramitochondrial localization of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). In S. cerevisiae, GDH exists as three isozymes: Gdh1p and Gdh3p, which are NADP-dependent, and Gdh2p, which is NAD-dependent. Previous work has suggested nuclear and/or cytosolic localization, but definitive data are lacking. We attempted to determine the subcellular localization of the three GDH isozymes by enzymatic activity.
Organ transplants save the lives of thousands of people every year, and continuing research is making that process increasingly safe. The main problem with organ transplantation is the organ rejection that occurs if the recipient immune system is not compatible with the donor cells. This causes organ failure, and long-term immunosuppression is often required. While this immunosuppression keeps the allograft healthy, it has serious side effects on both the organ and immune systems of the recipient. Further research into immunosuppression can lead to safer transplants methods and post-surgical therapies. The ultimate goal of this research is to create an environment of complete tolerance, allowing the immunosuppression to be stopped with no ill effects.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a life-threatening disease in which the contents of the abdomen encroach upon the heart and lungs of the developing fetus. Despite many advances in managing the condition, it still persists as a major cause of neonatal death in newborns with severe respiratory failure. This review provides a brief context of CDH including its impact, clinical manifestations, and current management & limitations.
Psychological testing has been used in several industries since the 19th century. At this time, over 100,000 tests are being produced annually with no signs of slowing down. The Armed Services Vocation Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB, was produced by and promptly distributed by the Department of Defense (DOD) to promote career exploration. Currently, over one million men and women each year take this test to determine their career choice. Weaknesses of the exam include lack of parental consent, possible self-doubt, and elimination of postsecondary attendance. Further studies are needed to determine the exact negative repercussions. Errors notwithstanding, the ASVAB is a solid examination with proven successful track record. Future endeavors in this exam should only address the two issues previously stated.


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Harvey Fierstein had just finished watching a preview on Wednesday night of his new play, "Casa Valentina," when he tried, without much success, to make his way to the exit.
So many well-wishers stopped him as he slowly made his way up the aisle — two middle-aged African-American women in front of him, two elderly white women behind them, the actor Joel Grey — that another theatergoer soon lost his patience. "Move it!" he yelled at the 59-year-old playwright.
Mr. Fierstein kept on chatting away.
Twenty minutes later, after a brief notes session with the cast and the show's director, Joe Mantello, Mr. Fierstein walked across the street to the Glass House Tavern in Midtown, where he had booked a room for a preopening celebration.
In the front, the playwright Terrence McNally was dining with the veteran gay activist David Mixner.
"Do you know each other?" Mr. McNally said, eager to introduce them.
"We've never met," Mr. Fierstein said. "But we're friends on Facebook."
Mr. Fierstein has been writing about men in drag for more than 30 years, from the central character in his breakthrough play, "Torch Song Trilogy," which opened on Broadway in 1982, to the female impersonators in last year's Tony-winning musical "Kinky Boots."
But his latest play brings a new twist to that theme, telling the story of a Catskills resort in the '50s and '60s where all the men dressed as women, despite most of them being straight.
"My whole life, I've never really separated gender and sexuality as much as I had to going into this world," said Mr. Fierstein, heading back to his seat.
In the back, the cast was slowly trickling in. The men had their makeup off and most were virtually unrecognizable after two and a half hours onstage in drag. (The two female members of the cast, Mare Winningham and Lisa Emery, were also there.)
"Let me introduce you to this homosexual," Mr. Fierstein said, walking over to Tom McGowan, a burly actor who plays Bessie and who is, in fact, straight. "He gets all the parts I want."
Then Mr. Fierstein went to say hello to Katherine Cummings (a 79-year-old veteran of the original Casa Susanna, the inspiration for the play, who has since fully transitioned to being female). From there, he moved to another cast member, Gabriel Ebert, who was eager to discuss Mr. Fierstein's own experiences with cross-dressing in the '70s and '80s.
"I was young and I was working for Andy Warhol," Mr. Fierstein said. "I was scared and it was a mask." (And, he said: "I don't even like dressing up in men's clothes. Women's clothes are twice as hard.")
Throughout the next hour, the booze flowed, but Mr. Fierstein contented himself with a Diet Coke, which has been his drink of choice since he gave up alcohol in the mid-'90s.
"I was a mean drunk," he said. "At the end of my drinking, I was doing half a gallon a day of Southern Comfort."
Being sober has enabled him to be far more productive, he said, not to mention that he can now drive himself home from cast parties.
Around 11:30 p.m., Mr. Fierstein left the restaurant and made his way down Eighth Avenue, where he got more attention than a career politician, a virtual mayor for gay theater types.
First, he ran into one of the musicians from "Kinky Boots," who was headed home after a show. After that came kisses and hugs with a man who turned out to be the stage manager of "Bullets Over Broadway." Mr. Fierstein then encountered Jeff Kalpak, a marketing strategist who produced and directed the Drama Desk Awards for many years.
As it happened, Mr. Kalpak had a story about a cross-dresser he knew. "He was married," Mr. Kalpak said. "But he loved dressing up."
Mr. Fierstein humored Mr. Kalpak for a couple of minutes before giving a signature signoff. "We have to stop running into each other on the street," he said. "Get a job."


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LAX in Los Angeles is the US's 'most innovative large-hub airport', but that accolade isn't a new thing: the hub has a history of innovation
The American Association of Airport Executives has selected Los Angeles International (LAX) as the recipient of its 2019 award as the country's most innovative large-hub…..
Switzerland once again heads the Global Innovation Index, but shifts in the global innovation landscape are materialising and some middle-income economies are on the rise
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Forget driverless cars, 'Stan' is already using robotics to reinvent valet parking
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Have you heard of Guillermo Rigondeaux? Probably not. Let me tell you about Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Probably the greatest amateur boxer of all time, the Cuban defector holds a pre-professional record of, I am absolutely not kidding here, 463-12. Of those losses, his last was in 2003, six years before his defection to the United States. During that lengthy amateur career, he was a rock star in his native Cuba; the country doesn't technically allow athletes to make money from playing sports (hence not only the frequent defections to the United States, but the seemingly incongruous notion of "amateurs" competing well into their 30s), but the government highly values its star performers and rewards them accordingly: Rigondeaux never had to worry about money for himself or his family, as the Castro regime provided him with a plush residence, a sizeable (if unofficial) income and even a Lamborghini.
In 2007, however, Gamboa and current top-ranked pro Erislandy Lara failed to show for their scheduled fights at the 2007 Pan-American games, sparking rumors that they would follow the example of fellow 2004 Cuban Olympians Yan Bathelemy, Odlanier Solis and Yuriorkis Gamboa in defecting to the United States and turning professional. For Rigondeaux, however, this was a false start; he surrendered to police in Brazil and, despite expressing a desire to return to Cuba of his own free will, he was banned from competing for his home country for the rest of his life. His hand finally forced, Rigondeaux finally, officially, defected in 2009.
The arrival of a great, near-legendary amateur like "Rigo" is cause for much fanfare in the professional boxing world, though it does come with more than a modicum of caution. Odlanier Solis, for example, was a heavyweight sensation upon his defection, but, as a result of some truly freakish bad luck and his own personal lackadaisical training habits, he's been seen as something of a bust: he beat world-class competition during his stellar amateur career, including defeats of Russian powerhouse Sultan Ibragimov twice, and a rare TKO of future professional heavyweight king David Haye.
In the pro ranks, he defeated Ray Austin and Monte Barrett on his way to a shot at Vitali Klitschko, but had to retire in the first round after a fluke knee injury. He's recorded some losses in recent years, but lost his last two fights to credible journeyman fighter Tony Thompson.
Amateurs bring a different game to the table, no more so than someone like Rigondeaux, who had been competing and winning at such a high level for so long. See, while KOs and TKOs are not unheard-of in amateur boxing, it's not really the first priority: the focus is on scoring points, so pinpoint accuracy and evasive technique are prized and honed. The transition from amateur to professional is, in that respect, interesting to witness.
Rigondeaux, stylistically, managed it pretty well, winning his first 11 fights, eight of them by some form of stoppage. Despite that, the fairly soft-spoken boxer garnered a reputation as "boring," and while that designation is in no way fair, it's not difficult to see why: though operating with pinpoint accuracy, Rigondeaux is not a volume puncher, preferring instead to feel out and study an opponent, getting their timing down, and then counter-punching them to death. So while there's a payoff at the end, the route is not terribly exciting.
Because of this, the top-tier champions at 122 pounds consistently refused to face him, not directly citing, but implying a high-risk (Rigondeaux is, again, worlds ahead of most other fighters on the planet in terms of technique) yet low-reward (he doesn't bring in a lot of money, is not very popular, etc.) scenario. Rigondeaux, though, continued to plug away and win in dominant fashion, until finally someone was forced to step up and face him.
That someone was the sensational Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire, who was riding a 12-year winning streak, and hadn't lost since only his second professional fight. Famed for his ridiculous handspeed and monster left hook, Donaire was thought to be a compelling matchup for Rigo, and one that would truly gauge whether or not the Cuban could hang with the upper-tier, power-punching monsters of his division.
The fight wasn't even close. Rigondeaux gave Donaire a boxing lesson, avoiding most of the Filipino's punches and himself landing almost at will. And though he couldn't finish Donaire, Rigondeaux visibly hurt him in the final round, punctuating a dominant victory.
Oddly enough, this is where it all went downhill for Rigondeaux. Boxing is a mix of the worst elements of both business and politics, and the butt-hurt factor is strong here; grudges are held almost indefinitely, and Rigondeaux was immediately, if unofficially, blacklisted for damaging a known commodity and money-maker in Donaire, an immensely popular fighter. Since then, Donaire has gone on to several high-profile fights, including a second win over former rival Vic Darchinyan and a losing, yet lucrative, effort to Nicholas Walters.
Rigondeaux, on the other hand, is in limbo. After the Donaire win, he rattled off three more victories against Joseph Agbeko, Sod Kokietgym and Hisashi Amagasa, known to most boxing fans as Who, Who, and WHO? And despite, again, finishing the latter two fights inside the distance, he hasn't been able to get another fight since this past December. Not only that, since other top-ranked fighters refuse to face him and the WBO and WBA (sanctioning bodies of the two major titles he holds) won't sanction his fights against the opponents who are willing to face him, he's been stripped of his belts due to "inactivity."
The WBO's decision is particularly, spectacularly infuriating, since they will now order a fight between Cesar Juarez and Nonito Donaire for the vacant title. What do you think the over-under is on Donaire's team granting Rigondeaux at shot at that title if he wins?
At 35 years old, Rigondeaux is still in top physical shape and appears to be all but unaffected by his age, but it is still a major concern for his future prospects, and his window for making a big impact on the sport is gradually shrinking. If nothing changes, he may become just about the greatest footnote in the history of sports.


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Nike Air Jordan 12 - "Japan"
- Product Code: BV8016-445
Available in:
Jordan Brand is once again paying homage to Japan with the Air Jordan 12, which originally has design elements from the Japanese flag's rising sun, with an upcoming "International Flight" Collection. Dressed in a College Navy, Sail and University Red color scheme. This Air Jordan 12 features an Obsidian upper covered in debossed floral print. A Sail reptile-textured leather overlay, printed inner lining, Red logos and Japanese lettering on the heel tabs completes the design.
Tags: nike, basketball, jordans


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Stylish gifts ideas for dogs
Dog accessories can often be practical, bland and boring. As a designer, I am a fussy kind of fellow and refuse to compromise on style.
I've scoured the interweb to find some of the coolest pieces that would be perfect to pop in your dog's Christmas stocking this year.
Grid Dog Blanket by Pipolli, $40
- Watermelon Collar by Zee Dog, from £9
- Party Glitter Bow Tie by Pup Tart, £8
- FOODIE Collar Charm by Growlees, £10
- Little Monster Dog Hat by All You Need Is Pug, £21
- George's Gingerbread Bones Dog Treats by Fetch & Follow, £3
- Free Hugs Collar Tag by Hello Harriet, £12
- Moonstruck Chambray Rope Lead by Notyers, $50
- Orchid dog bandana by The Foggy Dog, $28
- Custom Dog Portrait Pillow by Helen Penny, £145
- Hustle Reversible Pet Bed by Fuzzyard, £40
Canvas Pet Tote by Love Thy Beast, $160
Flamingo Toy by Love Thy Beast, $22
MILO marble Dog Bowl by Ful-l, €89
Grid Colourblock Dog Sweater by Bauhound, $55
Please do leave a comment if you know of any other stylish dog brands! I am always on the lookout.


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Newry-Armagh: Sinn Féin increases share in banker seat
Mickey Brady secures 48% of vote and over 5,000 more first preferences than in 2015
Sinn Féin's Mickey Brady, right, and Chris Hazzard celebrate their election. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Sinn Féin managed to increase its share of the vote in Newry-Armagh as it retained the area's Westminster seat for the fourth time in a row.
There had been little expectation of an upset ahead of the election in what has become a banker seat for the party over the past decade-and-a-half, and sitting MP Mickey Brady duly delivered with an increased majority compared with the last parliamentary contest two years ago.
He secured 48 per cent of the overall vote, attracting over 5,000 more first preferences compared with his last runaway success in 2015.
The veteran politician thought it fitting to quote hunger striker Bobby Sands on the site of the former Long Kesh detention centre, telling supporters: "We are seeing the rising of the moon tonight."
Mr Brady rebutted criticisms over Sinn Féin's abstentionist policy in the UK parliament, and hailed a "great night" for the party.
"Our mandate has increased, and this is a great night for Sinn Féin. The momentum from March [Stormont Assembly elections] has carried on, and continues to carry on.
"People have talked a lot tonight about abstentionism – it's not a factor in our constituency, people vote for us, for who we are, for what we are. We are the go-to party," he said.
It was a disappointing night for Social Democratic and Labour Party MLA Justin McNulty, who pulled in just over 9,000 votes.
This figure – down 3,000 on his performance in 2015 – is somewhat instructive of shifting voter allegiance between the parties in the area, and Sinn Féin's impressive showing was undoubtedly aided by a 4 per cent boost in turnout.
During his concession speech former All-Ireland football champion Mr McNulty used a sporting analogy to sum up the task faced by himself and his colleagues, saying they were playing "up the hill and against the breeze".
Unionist parties could not agree on an electoral pact in the constituency in advance of this election, and this was reflected in the results as Democratic Unionist Party MLA William Irwin finished a distant second on 13,000 votes.
This was far behind the 16,000 preferences won by Ulster Unionist Party candidate Danny Kennedy who stood as the sole unionist candidate for the seat in 2015. His party colleague Sam Nicholson managed just over a quarter of that figure this time around.
Recent Westminster elections
2010 – Conor Murphy (Sinn Féin) defeated SDLP's Dominic Bradley (18,857 votes to 10,526).
2015 – Mickey Brady (Sinn Féin) beat UUP's Danny Kennedy (20,488 to 16,312).


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Land continues to top the list of business in the Village of West Jefferson.
Council discussed a number of legislative actions Monday regarding development projects in the village. One, titled Project Maple, has yet to go public with details but the second, pertaining to Project Condor, deals with the upcoming Amazon facility.
With council's approval, John Mitchell, Public Service Director for the village, is entering an agreement with Choice One Engineering to provide administrative services during construction improvements to the intersection of S.R. 29 and U.S. 40. The resolution was approved at a cost not exceed $56,000.
"ODOT has given it over to us so West Jefferson will be the permitting municipality for the project," Mitchell said. "There will be a number of changes at that intersection and along 40 including a roundabout and two traffic signals."
Council also heard the first reading of a second petition to narrow Veterans Way from 33 ft. to 24.6 ft. The topic had gone before council previously in May when John Harmyer of Fisher Cast Steel Products, Inc., filed the first petition. At the time, the entire scope of the project was not detailed in the initial petition, prompting Harmyer to draft a second one.
Since the legislation was on its first reading before council, no vote was taken.
Council also voted to temporarily waive Section 549.09 of the village codified ordinances which would allow bow hunting on certain land within the village.
"Managing deer populations is an important part of managing forests," said Karen Seidel of the Nature Conservancy, who spoke at the meeting. "Issues arise and vary from crop damage to vehicle damage to diseases."
Seidel said the program will be done by lottery and there will be six hunters per two-week period. Hunters are welcome to enter into all nine hunts but must attend the meeting for the hunt to enter the drawing.
Ohio's regular deer archery season begins Sept. 29.
In other regular meeting action Monday, council:
• Proclaimed September 2018 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the village. Mayor Ray Martin read out a proclamation highlighting the importance of awareness.
• Authorized various supplemental appropriations in the General Fund as well as Capital Projects and the water treatment plant.
• Approved a supplemental appropriation of $15,000 to the village pool fund.
• Approved a supplemental appropriation of $15,000 for new sound and recording equipment for council chambers.


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Meet SIL's leadership team and discover how we empower
innovation-driven organizations in the consumer space to develop
robust and sustained innovation.
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Partnerships + Services
Learn about the types of organizations and corresponding
services offered by Summit Innovation Labs.
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SIL is open to collaborating with industry and academia on
these key research areas.
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3 Step Innovation
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innovation based on your resources and objectives.
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text: A soft tone of peach not only cheerful but immensely popular amongst fashionistas. The Silk Panache is a Maheshwar Kurta collection and the style is a work of pure art. The extremely detailed embroidery enhances the beauty of the garment and of the lady who adorns it. It is accompanied by a straight pant which is equally admirable. Grab those eyeballs with this soothing shade at any festive occasion!


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City of Long Beach
Public Information Office
411 W. Ocean Blvd,
Long Beach, CA 90802
Press Release #
Power Outage Remains for Approximately 70 SCE Customers in Downtown Long Beach
Kerry Gerot
(562) 618-8612
Acting Public Information Officer
City Manager's Office
Arturo M. Sanchez
(562) 279-3102
Deputy City Manager
City Manager's Office
As of 4:30 a.m., approximately 70 SCE customers remain without power. Affected customers are limited to an area bounded by Lily to the north, Pacific to the west, Tribune to the east, and Nardo Way to the south. This is down from a height of 30,000 customers who were without power during the outage, which began on Thursday July 30, 2015 at around 4:00 p.m. Late on Friday July 31 SCE began assessing the potential to use generator power to temporarily restore power to the affected area. This approach proved successful last night and resulted in power being restored to approximately 190 of the 260 customers that were without service.
SCE will continue to connect customers with generators and expect to have all customers restored to service by Saturday afternoon. SCE is currently using 10 generators to serve businesses and residents. As the underground network system is restored, SCE will transition these customers off the generators. When this happens, they will experience a short power outage, which could last up to 45 minutes.
During the day on Friday July 31, SCE crews, accompanied by Long Beach Police Officers, inspected 300 underground vaults throughout downtown Long Beach. All but four were inspected. The remaining four vaults are inaccessible at this time, and will be inspected as soon as possible. The inspections were an effort to identify any challenges that could cause further loss of power. Officers directed traffic during the inspections and monitored vehicular and pedestrian safety. Based on information from the inspections, crews have already started making repairs and have been working through the night on the repairs to the system. There are more than 75 crews, which is over 150 technical staff, working on repairs.
SCE encourages customers in Long Beach to make every effort to conserve use of electricity as we continue to return the system to its full operational capacity.
Residents who remain in need can continue to obtain water, ice, snacks, and flashlights at Cesar Chavez Park starting at 8am on Saturday. Cesar Chavez Park is located at 4th Street and Golden Avenue. The supplies are being distributed near the Jenny Orepeza Community Center.
For the latest updates, follow the City of Long Beach and City departments on Twitter @LongBeachCity, @LBFD, @LBPD, @SCE and @LongBeachPW, use the hashtag #lbPWRout2. Also see www.longbeach.gov for more information.
For more news, pictures, videos and announcements of what's happening in Long Beach, 'Like' us on Facebook at


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My whole life I have suffered from social anxiety.
It's something that would surprise a lot of people. I am a social extrovert. I am often the loudest (sometimes obnoxiously so) and most outgoing person in most rooms. I get my energy from interacting with others. And yet those same situations cause me anxiety.
Talk about a catch 22.
I have had social anxiety ever since I was a kid. It used to be bad. Outside of a few best friends, I wasn't able to spend time in social settings with friends outside of work. The first time I hung out in an unstructured group setting (not a birthday party or a sports practice etc.) was my freshman year of high school.
The weird thing was that it was never the act of being social or the event itself. It was the anticipation of being in a social setting that caused the anxiety ahead of time. Once I got there, I was fine. In fact, I was more than fine. Being social is when I am at my best.
Luckily, I was able to get help. My parents had the resources to pay for me to see a psychologist when I was in middle school. Vocalizing my internal thoughts made a huge difference. Often my own self-talk sounded laughable when said out-loud. By talking about my feelings with an objective third party, I was slowly able to shift the way I talked with myself. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to get help and it breaks my heart that asking for help with mental health still seems to be so stigmatized by our society. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today without it. Healthy, happy, and (mostly) well-adjusted.
But that doesn't mean I still don't get anxious sometimes. Anyone who has dealt with anxiety will understand what I am talking about. The anxiety never really goes away. You just learn to deal with it.
For me, the best strategy was "faking it till I made it". Every time I threw myself into a social setting I was anxious about, the little voice in my head telling me I wasn't good enough whispered a little bit more quietly. I acted like I was confident and before long I started to actually feel confident. Over time that little voice went away almost completely.
But it still crops its head up every now and again.
Especially when it comes to networking.
I don't know what it is, but networking has always given me a spot of trouble. I guess it is just the fact that I generally don't know anyone at all. True or not, I have this idea in my head that everyone else knows each other and it is easy to get intimidated by that.
Now, you can see why this is a problem.
As a venture capital investor, networking is a big part of my job.
Cultivating a network of relationships with entrepreneurs and other investors is one of the keys to success in this career. It's not always easy, but I have come up with a few strategies that help me and that may help other people.
Learn someone's story
The biggest improvement in my ability to network came after re-framing the entire activity. A former colleague of mine was always getting drinks with people after work or meeting up with people in his network for lunch. Most of these connections were people he had met briefly or only a couple of times previously. I had no idea how he did it. When I finally asked him how he was able to network so effectively his response was to tell me that he just liked "hearing people's story." As soon as I heard that it was like the clouds parted. I love meeting new people and learning about their story. Ever since I reframed networking as getting to hear people's stories, instead of focusing on how to present my own, it has gotten exponentially easier and more fun!
An inch wide and a mile deep
Another big key has been focusing on quality over quantity when it came to social connections. I would get overwhelmed by feeling like I would never be able to talk to everyone at an event. So now I don't even try. I focus on trying to make a smaller amount of deeper connections. I would rather have two 20-minute conversations than eight 5-minute conversations. Aside from just taking the pressure off, I also think this is just a much more effective way to network. If you have a superficial conversation with someone for 5-minutes, you will get lost in the noise. Talk to someone for 20-minutes about the harmonica or the frequency of lightning strikes around the globe and you can be sure that you will stand out.
Go with a friend
When in doubt, guilt-trip a buddy to going with you. Just knowing that you know at least 1 person in a crowd makes a ton of difference. Even if you split up once you get there, it is comforting to know you have a security blanket of someone you already know to talk to in case you need it. And if the event sucks, at least you have someone to laugh about it with.
Nobody cares what you say
This may sound a little depressing at first, but I actually think it is really empowering. The beauty of being in a social setting where you don't know anyone is just that, nobody knows you. If you say something stupid or put your foot in your mouth, guess what? Chances are that you never have to see those people again if you don't want to. Maybe you aren't quite as prolific in putting your foot in your mouth as I am, but the logic even works for boring superficial conversations. Don't stress about making an impact on every person you talk to. See point number 2 above. If you aren't jiving someone and you just can't get them to bite, don't stress. They won't remember.
**For the record, I think this tip has a ton of applications outside of networking, especially when it comes to creating content online. People are too afraid of what other people will think about what they say. The truth is, if you say something dumb (like I have many times), no one will care (unless you say something really, really dumb or offensive). On the flip side, make some interesting points and people will take notice. Minimum downside. Maximum upside.
Pick a color, any color
This is a fun one that I picked up from a podcast. If you are anxious about a networking event, pick a color. When you get to the event, talk to everyone there who is wearing that color. It's that simple. I don't know why, but for some reason having a mission when you walk into an even (talk to everyone wearing green) really helps. I enjoy this one so much I even went as far as to buy 6-sided dice on Amazon that have different colors on each side. Before any networking event, I roll the die and try to talk to everyone wearing whatever that color is. I don't know why this one works, but it does. Give it a try.
Go against the grain
I picked this one up from Tim Ferris. When you get to an event, look where everyone is focused. It may be the food table or a celebrity whose attention everyone is trying to get. Ok now see that group focus? Head in the exact opposite direction. It is tough to stand out in a crowd. Give yourself the best possible opportunity you can by going against the grain and doing stuff other people aren't. This means going to the more esoteric info sessions. It means doing the weirder activities. If you are doing things differently than everyone else, people will take notice. And even better, you will see the other people who are doing the same. Those are the people you want to talk with.
Hopefully this post is as helpful for you to read as it is for me to write. Mental health is hard. Talking about it makes it less so.
As with most things, overcoming anxiety is a slow and painful process.
Each step feels like you aren't making any progress.
It's only when you look back that you see how far you've come.


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Transmit information rapidly – up to 867 megabits per second (Mbps) – with the BAT867-R industrial wireless access level. A mid-end 802.11ac Wave 2 AP for medium and enormous deployments; this indoor Wi-Fi access level offers high throughput and a seamless user expertise. There are many traditional new methods to enhance online enterprise focus by using Instagram.
The Samsung Entry Point is a small however highly effective Access Level with an exclusive built-in monitoring module to improve coverage, minimize shadow areas and deal with wi-fi network security weak points with the suitable mixture of antennas for the environment it's put in in. The Samsung offers a wide range of products resembling safety AP, IoT AP, Mesh outdoor AP, 802,11ac Wave2 AP.
Apart from safety, you additionally want to pay attention to the channel your wireless network is broadcasted on. NetSpot's uncover mode can gather every detail about surrounding wireless networks and presents the collected knowledge as an interactive table, permitting you to see which wi-fi channels are busy probably the most.
The AP1130 is a strong and high performance access point, designed for high bandwidth out of doors wi-fi environments. Set up of these a number of product and YFGW410 in a single field wireless subnet requires direct connection or the connection via IEEE1588PTP foundation products.


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Rising Star India Digital Auditions: Today on the live show of Rising Star India Episode 5 a good news came from the show. It is another chance who have missed the opportunity to participate in Rising Star India TV Show Launched on colors the February. An announcement has been made by show hosts Meiyang Chang and Raghav Juyal for all the viewers who are looking for their turn to enter in India's most popular reality tv show this week via Digital Auditions Round.
Today the live voting for auditions have been ended for show contestants and it's now the time to introduce more contestants via Digital Auditions Rising Star Show, and steps are very simple to follow:
Download Colors TV app and register for the Rising Star Digital auditions, upload a song of yours of length up to 60 seconds. After the successful entries selected by the show, new contestants will be called up on the show to give the live performance and grab their chance to become India's first Rising Star.


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- About us
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The MiSE - Ministry of Economic Development - has published the third series of FAQs "CLARIFICATIONS IN THE FIELD OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDING"Concerning the application of the Ministerial Decrees of the 26 2015 (implementation of the 90 / 2013 Act, which in turn incorporates the European directive 2010 / 31 / CE on energy performance in buildings).
In particular the 3.19 FAQ goes to fill the gap in the formula in the 1 Annex of Legislative Decree 28 / 2011, which unfairly discriminated the technology of gas conditioning.
As known the Legislative Decree 28 / 2011 prescribes today that the 50% of the thermal needs of buildings is satisfied by renewable energy. This value is certainly challenging and designers today need all the tools available to achieve it. However an incorrect evaluation of the energy captured by the gas heat pumps - for a lack in the annex - it made their application unjustly difficult.
Finally, today the evaluation of renewable energy captured by gas heat pumps is evaluated equally.
In short, the method for calculating the share of renewable energy captured by the heat pump (indicated in the 1 annex of Legislative Decree 28 / 2011) is carried out in this way:
- For electric heat pumps, the calculation is made on the COP, ie on the basis of the electricity consumed by the heat pump, then on the basis of the final energy of the same.
- For gas heat pumps, the calculation is now to be performed on the basis of the GUE, divided by the average national conversion yield, thus putting the two technologies on the same level.
The previous distortion was finally corrected, which evaluated the electrical pdc on the basis of the final energy and the gas ones on the basis of the primary energy.
For comparison, consider that already the 16 DM February 2016 "Thermal Account", at the 2 Annex, 2 paragraph, correctly computed the final energies for both technologies.
To eliminate what appears to be an error also linked to the age of the provision (the 28 Directive "FER" from which the D.Lgs. 28 / 2011 derives from 2009) Climgas, collaborating with CTI - Italian Thermotechnical Committee, has prepared a specific FAQ (the 3.19) to correctly compute the FER share from heat pumps to gas, and now published by the MiSE on its site.
Click here for the second series of FAQs on the 26 DM 2015 DMs published on the MiSE website
Click here for the first series of FAQs on the 26 DM 2015 DMs published on the MiSE website
Click here to open the MiSE page dedicated to energy efficiency in buildings


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Bandcamp Profile
Nick Steadman - Bass
Jim Ash - Vocals
Bert Arseneau - Drums
Turncoat Bio:
Since their debut in late 2014, Turncoat has worked hard to make a name all their own. Taking influence from 80's hardcore punk with a mix of thrash, Turncoat has set a pace of searing guitar style, pounding drums and unforgettable vocals. All the while remaining true to the solid foundation that hardcore was built upon. Bringing to light personal, and everyday struggles in a way that is impossible to ignore. Following the release of their debut single "Growing Up", Turncoat has wasted no time hitting the road. Touring most of the United States in their first year. With no peak to their potential ,Turncoat has been relentlessly pushing to reach every corner of the hardcore community. Telling it like it is to anyone who will listen. As the band prepares to release their self titled EP the group continues to remain on the road hitting new grounds and breaking down barriers.


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Living in Mexico City, you'll want to take advantage of all the amazing sites nearby. Just a stone's throw away, you'll find a bevy of cultural and historical wonders. There are dozens of day trips you could take from Mexico City, but we've narrowed it down to top five to satisfy your desire for adventure and cultural exploration.Read More
As companies become more global, employees find themselves relocating more often for their careers. In particular, Latin America has seen an influx of relocating employees and business travelers. However, despite this recent trend, many visitors still have misnomers about the region and tend to feel uneasy when put on an international assignment in Latin America, particularly in Mexico.Read More


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I'm pretty sure I did something this week that I've never done while training. Well, I know for sure I did one thing I've never done during training, which is to run 40 miles in a single run. But I also think this is the first time I've had a single long run exceed my mileage for the rest of the week (40 miles on Sunday vs. 38.8 for the six days prior). It probably happened when I ran the Lean Horse 50 last year, but that wasn't a training run, it was a goal race. Regardless, since I already killed the suspense and mentioned the 40 miler, here's how the rest of the week shook out.
Monday - Rest. Played basketball at lunchtime.
Tuesday - 9 miles. Nothing spectacular, but I did feel pretty good.
Wednesday - 8.6 miles with 8 hill intervals. It was snowing pretty hard, but it was warm enough that it wasn't sticking to the streets. The hill I ran was about 2/10 of a mile long and basically I sprinted up it and then jogged back down for recovery and repeated.
Thursday - 10.1 miles. It was overcast when I started and then about 4 miles in I felt a few rain drops and then it started sleeting.....hard. Sleet hurts. Especially in the eyes.
Friday - 6.1 miles. Recovery.
Saturday - 5 miles. More recovery. Didn't have time for my long run on Saturday (like I would prefer) because of soccer/rugby/grocery shopping. I know the "didn't have time" excuse is a classic when it comes to running, but when your planned run is going to last about 6.5 hours, then it becomes a valid excuse.
Sunday - 40 miles. My goal when I started training for the Lean Horse 100 was to get in at least three runs of 40 miles or more. This was the first of those and, with the Bighorn 50 just a month away, would also serve as my longest long run before that race. As with my other long runs, I implemented a run/walk ratio of 10 minutes to 2 minutes right from the start. I had my hydration pack with 70 oz. of water, a handheld bottle with 22 oz. of Perpetuem, a gel flask filled with Hammer Gel and some S-caps to prevent cramping. I started off with two big loops of just over 10 miles each and ended up back at home after 21 miles so I could refill the Perpetuem bottle and gel flask and top off my water pack. Then I headed out for an 18 mile loop that would bring me within spitting distance of 40 when I got back to town. As might be expected, things started getting a little rough during that last big loop. At around 32 miles, my stomach started expressing some dissatisfaction with the way things were going. Oddly enough, the slight nausea was only noticeable when I was walking. Once I started running again, my stomach felt fine, but of course by that point my legs were also bitching, especially when I was running so it was pretty much damned if I do, damned if I don't. Regardless, I made it back to town, ran an extra mile to get to 40 and was done, 6:26:21 (9:40 pace) after I started. If I had run 10 more miles at that pace, I would've broken my 50 mile PR by 90 minutes.
Two big positives from this run were that my pace was pretty steady throughout. Yeah, it drifted slightly toward the end, but my running pace didn't drift too much....early on I was running at about 9:00 pace and toward the end it was more like 9:10. I think my walking pace is actually where I started to slow down some as I was getting lazy toward the end and not pushing the walking pace as hard as I did early on. The other positive is that I didn't really feel that bad afterward. In fact, after sitting for awhile and watching a couple of periods of the Sharks-Blackhawks game, I got up and mowed the lawn and today my legs don't really feel any worse than they do after a 20 miler.
Total - 78.8 miles
All in all, a really good week. My legs felt great during the weekday runs and I was able to hammer out a solid long run. This is a week where I feel like I made some progress, which is good because a couple of weeks ago that wasn't the case.
Coming up this week is my first big race of the year, the Alkali Creek Trail Run on Sunday (which also happens to be my birthday). Alkali Cr. is the first race in the 2010 Black Hills Trail Series. I'm not really sure what to expect mostly because it's so hard to predict who will show up competition-wise. I could be anywhere from top 3 to barely top 10. One advantage is that I know the course since I've run it twice in the last month and a half. But, I'm still not sure I've got my trail legs going as well as they could be, especially since the winter-like weather kept me off the trails all of last week, so the entirely uphill first half might take its toll. I guess there's only one way to find out...


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A former BT employee has received £3,000 compensation for the hearing loss/tinnitus he suffered because of his work.
What Happened?
Mr X, during the course of his 22 years of employment at BT, worked with 'green set' and 'yellow set' oscillators - devices that transmit a constant high-pitched sound through a headset, allowing the user to listen for changes in tone to track faults in the cables.
About 10 to 12 years ago, he began to experience tinnitus and hearing loss, and the condition has gradually worsened. He now has to turn the TV or radio up loudly to hear it, struggles to follow conversations (particularly if there's a lot of background noise) and has to cope with a constant buzzing noise in both of his ears.
What Did Irwin Mitchell Find?
Sarah Tagg, a specialist industrial illness lawyer from Irwin Mitchell's Sheffield office representing Mr X, said: "Around 200,000 people in the UK suffer from noise-induced hearing problems, including tinnitus, partial deafness and a complete loss of hearing.
"Every day at Irwin Mitchell we see work related hearing damage severely affecting people's lives and businesses have a duty of care to do more to protect workers. In so many cases, people would not have suffered hearing damage had they have been given relatively inexpensive protection and equipment and we hope BT has learned from this particular case.
"Mr X was never warned or advised about the dangers of noise-induced hearing loss or provided with the appropriate protective equipment during the course of his employment at BT. He will need to start wearing a hearing aid in the next few years and will have to suffer with tinnitus for the rest of his life".
What Was The Outcome?
BT admitted that the green sets and unmodified yellow sets oscillators have caused hearing loss and tinnitus to a large number of users, and has now replaced both oscillators with an adapted model.
Mr X also received £3000 in compensation, funds that we hope will help towards the cost of a hearing aid and improve the quality of his life.
Irwin Mitchell has now represented over 300 former engineers who have used the oscillators while working for BT and other communications companies. If you have been affected by work-related hearing loss and would like to talk to us about making a claim, call us on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online.
If you or a loved one has suffered from hearing damage such as acoustic shock, tinnitus, and noise-induced hearing loss caused by conditions at work our solicitors could help you claim compensation. See our Industrial Disease Claims page for more information.
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At Downtown Psychological Services, we have designed a simple process for connecting you to the right therapist. After you contact us by phone or email, we will schedule you for a free, 15-minute phone consultation to find out what brings you to therapy and to answer any questions you have about our practice.
Following that discussion, we will assign you the therapist who best fits your needs and preferences. We believe, first and foremost, that comfort with your therapist is of the utmost importance to a successful therapeutic relationship. In rare instances, you may feel the dynamic is not working for you after a few meetings. If this arises, we will help you find another therapist in our practice or elsewhere. Our main goal is to ensure the relationship is right for you so that you can connect with and open up to your therapist so you get the most out of the process.
Michael C. Klein, PhD
I am a clinical psychologist with 13 years of experience treating adults for a variety of concerns in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. I am a Co-Founder, Executive Director, and Senior Psychologist at Downtown Psychological Services, PC, a psychotherapy practice specializing in adult treatment with a focus on mental health and academic issues on college campuses. I completed my doctorate in clinical psychology at Long Island University - Brooklyn campus in 2006 and began working as a staff psychologist at NYU's Counseling and Behavioral Health Center.
During this time, I was co-director of a national project aimed at improving depression care on college campuses (www.ncdp.nyu.edu). I soon realized how much I enjoyed working with young adults and opened a private practice where I could do more in-depth psychotherapy work. While building the practice, I continued to advance my knowledge and skills through post-doctoral training at the Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity (IPSS). I recently graduated and became a certified psychoanalyst in 2019. I continue to focus on working with young adults, many of whom are undergraduate and graduate students. I have treated hundreds of students and other adults utilizing short-term and long-term psychotherapy approaches. I have a particular interest in helping highly creative people and competitive individuals who actively strive to master a field of interest or domain (e.g. cooking, writing, artists, athletes) and attain their goals of peak performance.
Melissa Tihinen, LCSW
I'm a Co-Founder of Downtown Psychological Services where I also serve as the Director of Operations and a Senior Therapist. Therapeutically, I strive to assist individuals and couples in understanding how early attachment dynamics in their families impact their current-day coping strategies, relationships, and way of relating to the world. I have extensive experience working with adults on various concerns including life transitions, depression, anxiety, sexual assault/abuse, relationship difficulties, trauma, LGBTQ+ concerns, and substance use.
As a Certified EFT Couples Therapist, I help couples overcome conflict and distress arising from negative cycles of interaction. I work to facilitate truthful conversations that involve both partners recognizing their contributions to the dynamic and learning to express their wants and needs in more productive ways.
In working with individuals who have experienced trauma, I will often suggest that we utilize Somatic Experiencing, which focuses on how the body, especially the nervous system, metabolizes trauma. In SE, we work to pay attention to how the body holds trauma in an attempt to help the nervous system re-regulate.
I hold a Master of Social Work from New York University and a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Gender Studies from The George Washington University. After receiving my MSW, I continued my post-graduate work in psychoanalysis at the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center. Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked in student affairs at several universities and enjoy working with undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, I worked as an advocate for survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence for over 15 years in a variety of capacities.
Rachel Aedan, LMSW
There is suffering in life. Yet, within each of us exists the possibility of living in ways that feel less anguished, more fulfilled, and more deeply connected to ourselves and others. Therapy can be a meaningful method that moves us towards whatever our goals may be by tapping into our unrealized potential.
I aim to provide a space that allows for the development of psychological growth while also offering tools to reduce symptoms and enrich everyday life. My clinical training includes work at the Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Study Center where I explored with clients how attachment dynamics and narratives of the past play a role in patterns of thought and behavior. I bring this attachment based lens to working with couples as well.
I have additional experience utilizing trauma-informed interventions with child and adult survivors of physical and sexual abuse, as well as depression, anxiety, and grief. My work integrates these approaches and also draws on my training as a meditation teacher where I have studied how mindfulness and compassion practices affect the brain and nervous system.
I hold a Master of Social Work from Fordham University and a Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College. I welcome working with adults navigating various concerns around trauma, family of origin, relationships, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, grief, and existential questions.
Alex Buckner, PsyD
I am a staff therapist at Downtown Psychological Services and pursued my undergraduate education at Tulane University in New Orleans, shortly after Hurricane Katrina struck. This experience in New Orleans was invaluable in helping me see the suffering in many parts of the U.S and all over the world. This suffering, along with my desire to help people find their way out of suffering, inspired me to become a psychologist.
I completed my doctoral studies at Yeshiva University's Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, where I received my doctorate degree in clinical psychology. During my time at Yeshiva, I gained extensive experience in individual, couples, and family therapy, as well as psychological testing and assessment. I have worked with individuals at NYU's counseling center, multiple community mental health clinics, and both short-term and long-term psychiatric hospitals.
I have received thorough training in DBT and specialize in treating individuals with borderline personality disorder using this approach. I have received thorough training in psychodynamic therapy and draw from this approach in treating individuals with issues such as identity formation, emerging adulthood, relationships, LGBTQ concerns, substance use disorders, and anxiety and depression. In addition to individual treatment, I completed training in Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy and work with couples to identify and resolve unhelpful patterns within their relationship.
Lauren Ginsberg, LCSW
Lauren Ginsberg, LCSW is a Consultant at Downtown Psychological Services providing clinical guidance to DPS Staff Therapists. Lauren is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Psychoanalyst in private practice for over 12 years. A graduate of New York University School of Social Work, Lauren has worked in a variety of clinical settings since 1996, most recently as a clinician at NYU's Counseling and Behavioral Health Center.
Lauren's practice continues to focus on working with young adults addressing issues with relationships, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and trauma. She works with both individuals and couples utilizing a variety of approaches in both short-term and long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. Lauren brings a depth of understanding through her psychodynamic/psychoanalytic training while including a breadth of skills including mindfulness-based modalities and hypnotherapy. Lauren sees patients through her private practice in Manhattan.
Brooke Greene, PhD
I find therapy to be a valuable space for reflection, connection, and growth and embrace the opportunity to construct such a space with my clients. I bring a warm, empathetic presence and a desire to understand my clients deeply as we work together towards the change they desire in their lives.
I hold a PhD in clinical psychology from the City University of New York Graduate Center. In addition to work in hospitals and community mental health centers, I have five years of experience working in college counseling centers, including (among others) those at New York University, Fordham University, and Pace. In my work with individuals, couples, and groups, I draw upon psychodynamic, systemic, and skills-based approaches to increase clients' resilience and sense of fulfillment in multiple aspects of their lives.
I enjoy working with clients presenting with a wide range of concerns including depression, anxiety, relationship challenges, grief, sexual assault/abuse, substance use concerns, traumatic/difficult past experiences, and concerns related to navigating identities of all types. Offering an environment that is affirming to LGBTQ+ clients is particularly important to me.
In addition to my training in psychology, I hold a PhD in political science from Columbia University. My background in political science reflects my interest in the impact of political and social structures on the lives of my clients. I am also well-acquainted with the challenges of academic life and eager to assist students navigating related concerns.
Joshua Halpenny Nguyen, LMSW
I want to help people in their personal journeys of self-discovery, self-exploration, and healing.
Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked in a variety of roles including as a clothing designer, a personal trainer, and a safer-sex educator for queer Asian Pacific Islander men. The culmination of all of these experiences led me towards becoming a psychotherapist, as I learned about how individuals see themselves, how they understand themselves in the world, and how they relate to others.
I enjoy working with adults of various backgrounds and identities. I feel especially comfortable working with people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals and couples around identity, sexuality, coming out, and relationships. As a queer man myself, I have my own experiences to draw on around these areas. Additionally, I understand how important connection is in the therapeutic alliance and strive to create a comfortable environment for the individuals and couples I see.
Sometimes life teaches us that relationships are painful, difficult and just downright confusing. The experience of opening up in therapy can be daunting, so it is important to me to create a collaborative process in which we work together to establish what our working relationship looks like in our sessions.. I treat every client I see with careful attention to their individual needs. Additionally, I hope each client can discover where they would like their journey to lead through our work together as I believe knowing that is the key to uncovering our best lives.
Diana Liao, LMHC
I believe that healing and growth happen when one is truly heard.
As a therapist, I can provide a safe and nonjudgmental space to support this process and help you move past fears and obstacles that may be getting in the way of your success and happiness.
I help adults work through life transitions, as well as challenges related to school, career/finances, relationships, identity, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and trauma. As a second generation Asian-American, I'm especially attuned to issues of belonging and marginalization, and the complexities that arise from navigating cultural differences.
I'm dedicated to helping people achieve goals such as deepening self-awareness, overcoming unhelpful patterns, learning effective coping methods, and building emotional resilience. Depending on your needs, we'll explore approaches from the insight-oriented and solutions-focused to the philosophical and mindfulness-based. Teletherapy is also an option.
Besides my formal training as a mental health counselor, I also have a background in advertising, marketing, and photography. I continue to be inspired by the power of narrative in therapeutic work and would be honored to help you reshape your life story to create more balance, meaning, and fulfillment.
Jessica LaHood, LCSW
I deeply believe in each of our innate drives toward healing and wellness. At times we need support to find our way along this path; this is where therapy can be an essential tool. I employ a collaborative approach to support the development of curiosity and compassion for one's whole self. In therapy we tune into the body's wisdom, foster acceptance of ourselves in the present moment, and reshape narratives of our past.
I am a psychotherapist with nearly a decade of experience in the field. My background is in treating adult and child survivors of trauma, as well as those experiencing anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and distress related to life transitions.
I have been a staff therapist with Downtown Psychological Services since 2017. Prior to this, my experience included work as a trauma therapist at Safe Horizon Counseling Center, where I utilized evidence-based treatment modalities to address the impact of trauma on individuals. I also trained as a psychodynamic therapist at the Karen Horney Clinic, where I supported individuals' ability to draw insight into the ways their past impacted their present.
In addition to my psychotherapy background, I draw from training as a yoga instructor at Abhyasa Yoga Center and in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction at Mindful Harlem to support those I work with in reconnecting with their bodies. I also integrate into my work Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, a body-oriented talk therapy aimed at developing mindfulness of our somatic responses, building internal resources and processing traumatic memory.
Alexandra Robbins, LCSW
I believe you are the expert in your own life. My approach to therapy is collaborative, and together we will work to explore the aspects of your life that are most important to you. Understanding that New York City can be a challenging place, I always strive to cultivate a warm, caring, and safe space that is judgment-free to help my clients explore the depth of their identities and develop into the best version of themselves. Additionally, I have a deep appreciation for dreams and often use dream work to explore aspects of the psyche to expand awareness of oneself. I believe that through a compassionate and supportive therapeutic relationship, lasting change is possible.
I joined Downtown Psychological Services P.C. as a Staff Therapist in 2015 and hold a Masters of Social Work from New York University and a B.S.Ed from The University of Miami where I studied psychology and education. I am also currently completing a postgraduate certificate in psychodynamic psychotherapy from The Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy.
I have experience providing psychotherapy to various populations of adults, including those with severe mental illnesses, people working through substance misuse, concerns about body image, people from the LGBTQ+ community, and both undergraduate and graduate students with a variety of presenting concerns.
Maureen Sheridan, LMSW
I am passionate about helping adults across the racial, ethnic, gender, age, and socioeconomic spectrum deal with difficulties ranging from trauma, depression, anxiety, and sexual assault/abuse, to relationship conflict, intimate partner violence, and significant life transitions. I have a particular interest in women's health and parenthood and have completed post-graduate training specializing in body image concerns and eating issues and am currently pursuing a certificate in maternal mental health.
My style can be best described as compassionate, interactive, and direct. I draw from a variety of perspectives including psychodynamic, relational, trauma-informed, and dialectical behavioral therapies (DBT)..
I hold a Master's Degree in Social Work from Rutgers University and a Master of Science in Higher Education from Syracuse University. I have continued to advance my knowledge through various post-graduate trainings through the Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis, The Linehan Institute, and the Women's Therapy Centre Institute. In addition to my experience as a clinician, I spent 20 years in the university setting, where I managed programs that provide support and advocacy services for students in crisis.
Stephanie Sorensen, PsyD
I am a Staff Psychologist with Downtown Psychological Services. I hold a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Yeshiva University.
Over the course of my training and career, I have worked with individuals, couples and families in inpatient, day program, and outpatient settings, including Montefiore Medical Center, Long Island Jewish Hospital/Northwell Health, St. Luke's Hospital, Mt. Sinai-Elmhurst Hospital, Marymount Manhattan College, and UWS Therapy Group. Prior to becoming a psychologist, I engaged my passion for literature through a career in book publishing. I am interested personally and professionally in the creative process. I am an avid reader and an appreciator of dance and visual arts.
My overarching goal is to help people make changes in order to shape their lives in accordance with their values. In my work with individuals, I consider diagnoses such as anxiety and depression within the context of current life stressors, including major transitions such as career changes, relationship beginnings and endings, parenthood, loss, or adverse or traumatic events.
My approach in working with couples is to consider each individual's contributions and reactions in negative interactions, and facilitate the expression of needs and empathic responsiveness.
My manner is warm, engaged, flexible and solution-oriented. I use systemic, existential, interpersonal, attachment-oriented and cognitive-behavioral approaches. I enjoy working with young adults who are seeking to create their own path, overcome painful experiences from the past, or improve their relationships with family and friends.
Suzanne Sorrentino, LCSW
I am a staff therapist and supervisor with Downtown Psychological Services, where I help adults at various stages of life navigate concerns related to career, relationships, health, family, and life's many challenges..
I enjoy working with young adults from across the cultural, socio-economic and identity spectrums, helping them face struggles with anxiety, depression, identity development, procrastination, perfectionism, adjustment, relationship issues, and other upheavals.
My approach is to work collaboratively and actively with individuals in a friendly environment to help them gain awareness of and change unhelpful or unproductive patterns and habits that may be causing them distress. My hope is to assist people in living their lives with greater ease and in keeping with their personal values and goals. Additionally, I am interested in the intersection of mindfulness and psychology, which brings an emphasis on helping people cultivate self-compassion and acceptance.
I hold a Master's Degree in Social Work from New York University and have advanced training in psychodynamic techniques from the National Institute for the Psychotherapies and in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) from the Beck Institute. I have some additional training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy. I have a long-standing mindfulness practice and training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
While working part-time with DPS, I also work part-time in the Counseling and Wellness Center at Marymount Manhattan College, where I provide psychotherapy and teach mindfulness meditation.