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We're sure that there have been many times over the course of your career or personal life, that you wished you had a second chance. On Chopped Redemption, four chefs recently had the opportunity avenge defeat from their first go-around. While she didn't win again, Chef Anastacia Song was gracious enough to answer our questions. Read on to learn more about her!
FP: Tell us about your experience on Chopped Redemption. How would you compare it to the first time you competed?
AS: Being on Chopped Redemption was SO MUCH MORE FUN than the first time. The first time around, I was riddled with anxiety; it's a new experience, competing for a healthy amount of money in a kitchen that's not yours. In addition, I had a lot more on the line the first time around. I was in a really horrible situation where walking into work (at the previous establishment) wasn't a pleasant experience for a myriad of reasons and I saw the monetary prize as a way out. Coming back for Redemption, I think you can definitely see a calmer, cooler Chef… one who knew what the routine was and what to expect. I certainly was a lot more comfortable in my own skin. I did yell at my staff for not telling me that the red hair made me look like Chucky… haha, C'est la vie. Hopefully, I was able to get a message across both times and was entertaining enough for viewers to watch.
FP: You definitely displayed your talent in the Chopped Kitchen! When you're at home, what are some of your favorite meals to cook for yourself? Or for friends?
AS: To be entirely honest, I don't cook much for myself. I practically live off of pre-made meals and nutritional shakes. My passion and joy for cooking truly stems from cooking for others, especially people that I care about. When I have friends over, I enjoy making fresh pastas, osso buco and porchetta. It also depends on who I'm cooking for.
I really enjoy introducing people to foods or cuisines they may hold stigmas about. The last meal I made werefor two friends who had never had Korean food before, so I made them a traditional Korean meal, family style. When I know I'm cooking for others, I pre-plan like I'm at work and put a lot of thought, prep and effort into the meal. When it's just me and the dog at home, it's Pizza Bagels & Hot Pockets all day!
FP: You can cook for us any time! 🙂 We've eaten in Jersey City before and know it's an established foodie area. Where are some of your favorite places to eat in JC? Or other places in NYC/NJ area?
AS: My favorite restaurant ever is Del Posto. I'm a diva, I know haha. Del Posto inspires me to strive for a higher class of meal. Unfortunately, chefs don't make the "Del Posto every night for dinner" kind of money. I'm a huge fan of seafood done simply and raw when possible. BCD Tofu House in K-Town is where I bring my Sous team to eat for some late night grubs, particularly for the marinated raw blue crab. Claw Daddy's in the LES and Cull & Pistol at Chelsea Market are my two go-to's as they are just so SOLID. Otherwise, in Manhattan, you can't beat just walking around Chinatown and walking into one of the million basement restaurants that are just moderately questionable at first glance but just AMAZING.
In Jersey City, my favorite restaurant, apart from Porta, would be Morgan's Fish Market on JFK Blvd. I love mom & pop joints. You walk in and see the matriarchs killing it in the kitchen. I've also always received great service. The food is simple, beautiful and so well done. DigiCafe (Caribbean cuisine) in JC is also a definite go-to for me… and they deliver. Same reasons. Everytime I've ordered food, a supremely sweet woman with a heavy accent calls me to confirm my order and the food is just so spot on. I envision her daughter waiting tables while she cooks some outstanding food.
FP: We always love learning about new places to eat! What are some of your guilty pleasures? We call them foodie pleasures, hence the name 😉
AS: I love sleep. WAY more than any adult rightfully should. I could hibernate like a bear for days and still crave sleep. Apart from that, vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles always makes me happy. You can't beat a classic.
FP: Can't go wrong with ice cream! Name 3 chefs you would enjoy cooking in the kitchen with and why. We hear you have a crush on Scott Conant 🙂
AS: Three chefs I would enjoy cooking with… I have to say Massimo Bottura for his contribution in Italian Cuisine, Martin Yan because he was my introduction into cooking. I grew up watching him cook on PBS and he was the first well known Asian chef on TV for me to really look up to.
Anthony Bourdain because, and I believe I speak for my generation of chefs, most if not all of us toiled and succeeded by reading Kitchen Nightmares during our 2 minute cigarette breaks between services or during family meals knowing we were not alone in our dreams of success while we spent the next 12 hours toiling, being yelled at, being burnt and cut and pushed our mind and bodies to absolute exhaustion for a vision of something bigger and greater.
Yes, I have the world's biggest crush on Scott Conant, as I believe many women do haha. I know he worked hard and passionately to succeed as a chef which on its' own is sexy as hell but the man has an outstanding smile. I wouldn't want to cook with him for the sole reason that I'd be an anxious mess and would probably screw up my mis en place. Having him as a judge during my first Chopped competition turned me back into a giggling teenager with a crush.
FP: Half of FP (Allen) knows all about Chef Martin Yan for sure! If you could get on a plane tomorrow and visit any place just for its food, where would it be?
AS: If I could get on a plane tomorrow and visit any place just for its food, it would be Jamaica or any of the Islands. Caribbean/Jamaican Cuisine, Jerk chicken, Oxtail, all of it. I love it so f*cking much and I know so little about it. I'd love to learn more about a cuisine I have so few exposure with but so much love for.
FP: Did you say Jerk Chicken?! Yes please! If you weren't a chef, what would you be doing? What are some of your non-cooking interests and hobbies? We read that you have 26 tattoos.
AS: If I wasn't a chef, I might have been a doctor. I was on the path to eventually having a team call me Doctor instead of Chef and realized I didn't love it at all and gave it all up. It would be either that or I'd still be in the restaurant industry on a front of house team. I was a bartender and beverage director for quite a while until I realized my passion was to be found in the kitchen.
So, I have many tattoo's, yes and have recently started a sleeve which I am completely excited about. I spend a lot of my spare time playing with the love of my life; he's 16 pounds of furry, cuddley goodness – my dog, Oliver. I also enjoy drawing. I was quite the artist as a child so I doodle in my spare time. I have a deep passion for volunteer work. I try to spend a healthy amount of time volunteering at homeless shelters and do a lot of coaching for teens who need some help and direction which typically involves a lot of coaching for LGBT teens and kids who deal with bullying. I was bullied a lot as a kid and while I feel it made me a stronger person in the end, I also had moments where I felt so alone in the world. I can't fathom others feeling as low as I have at some points in my life. It means a lot to me to be able to impact someone positively, who might not be able to see how beautiful they are as a person and help them realize that they can be capable of so much more than they may perceive.
Apart from that, my biggest hobbies involve food. I love getting lost in various places and checking out restaurants, bakeries, cafe's and bars. I love discovering foods and environments that I may not otherwise be exposed to. I love reading chef-oriented books. Sous Chef: 24 Hours on the Line by Michael Gibney is a particular favorite of mine. I discovered it while I was a Sous Chef and the book was enlightening and empowering. I love getting new cookbooks regarding various different cuisines and techniques. One of the beautiful things about being a chef is that our culture is constantly changing and evolving. You can't be a master at being a Chef. There's always something new to learn, a new dish or technique or type of cuisine to learn about. This thirst for knowledge inspires me. Oddly enough, I like to read management books every now and then as well. Most cooks these days aspire to be a famous TV chef and don't realize that there's so much more to being a chef than just cooking a plate of food here and there. You may be able to think of an amazing meal, cook it and plate it and be ecstatic but being a Chef is being able to break down that meal, teach every aspect of it to someone else and have said team be excited to recreate that exact same plate hundreds of times – consistently. Being able to lead your team successfully, empower them and inspire them (to me) is the most important aspect of being a chef. You are a leader, a teacher, a psychologist, a coach, a cheerleader and an investigator all in one, all the time, every day… from your dishwashers and porters all the way to your sous team. Management books help me understand how to be a better leader for my team because my success as a Chef is due to their diligence, passion and hard work – not just my own.
FP: Thank you so much for your time! We enjoyed getting to know you and wish you continued success!
Editor's Note: When we first contacted Chef Anastacia regarding an interview, she was the Chef de Cuisine at Porta in Jersey City, NJ. Recently, we learned that she is now the Executive Chef at Martha in Fort Greene, Brooklyn!


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I have closed this position for no profit or loss. I entered it to play a risk rally. The rally happened, but I never made enough on this trade to take a profit — and it was more an equity than a risk rally. This was an instance where I should have believed one of my own sayings: one thing is not another thing. I should have played an equity rally by buying equities. I would still have been able to get out now, at the first sign of things turning around, but for a profit.
Trade Analysis: Short Treasuries
15 Thursday Jul 2010
Posted Trade Analysisin

subset: commoncrawl


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Hyperacute Valve Thrombosis After Transapical Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in a Patient With Polycythemia Vera
Author + information
- Received May 3, 2016
- Revision received May 6, 2016
- Accepted May 20, 2016
- Published online August 22, 2016.
Author Information
- Augusto D'Onofrio, MD, PhDa,∗ (adonofrio{at}hotmail.it),
- Stefania Rizzo, MD, PhDa,
- Laura Besola, MDa,
- Giambattista Isabella, MDa,
- Valerio Rancitelli, MDb,
- Maria Luigia Randi, MD, PhDb,
- Elena Campello, MDb,
- Gianclaudio Falasco, MDc,
- Cristina Basso, MD, PhDa,
- Gaetano Thiene, MDa and
- Gino Gerosa, MDa
- aDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- bDepartment of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- cDepartment of Emergency and Urgency, Policlinico di Padova, Padova, Italy
- ↵∗Reprint requests and correspondence:
Dr. Augusto D'Onofrio, University of Padova, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
An 86-year-old woman with polycythemia vera (high allele burden of JAK2 V617F mutation: 95.3%) was referred for pulmonary edema due to severe aortic valve stenosis and was scheduled for transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Because hydroxyurea administration was interrupted because of retromalleolar ulcers, preoperative blood examinations showed severe thrombocytosis (1,500 × 109/l) and neutrophilic leukocytosis (24.6 × 109/l). Multiplate impedance aggregometry showed a slight increase in platelet aggregation with the ASPItest and the ADPtest and aggregation within normal limits with the TRAPtest (all by Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland); thromboelastometry showed increased maximal cloth firmness with the FIBTEM test and normal MCF with the EXTEM and with the INTEM tests (TEM International GmbH, Basel, Switzerland). The patient was not receiving anticoagulant agents or antiplatelet drugs, because an extremely high platelet count may lead to hemorrhagic complications because of acquired von Willebrand disease (1). Transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement with a SAPIEN 3 valve bioprosthesis (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) was performed with a good final result. Six hours later, the patient's hemodynamic status suddenly deteriorated, necessitating cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Transesophageal echocardiography showed massive thrombosis of the aortic valve bioprosthesis with severely reduced leaflet excursion (Figure 1A, Online Video 1). Percutaneous femorofemoral extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was positioned, but in a few minutes, acute thrombosis of the oxygenator occurred, necessitating complete heparinization and emergency replacement of the whole circuit. Coronary angiography was performed and showed patent coronary ostia with distal coronary embolization in the left anterior descending coronary artery (Figure 1B, Online Video 2). Despite maximal support, the patient died a few hours later of massive cerebral hemorrhage. At autopsy, the leaflets of the SAPIEN 3 bioprosthesis were blocked by massive white thrombosis, on both the aortic and ventricular sides (2–4) (Figure 1C). The bioprosthesis was well seated in the aortic root, without either coronary ostia obstruction or paravalvular leaks. On histological examination, the thrombus consisted predominantly of platelet aggregates in a fibrin network (Figure 1D). Occluding platelet emboli were found in the distal intramural small vessels of the anteroseptal ventricular myocardium.
For supplemental videos, please see the online version of this article.
Dr. D'Onofrio is a physician proctor for Edwards Lifesciences. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.
- Received May 3, 2016.
- Revision received May 6, 2016.
- Accepted May 20, 2016.
- American College of Cardiology Foundation


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Herewith the FiveThirtyEight polls-plus prediction model, by way of Mass. Numbers: … [Read more...]
Wonk Post: DOR Publishes 341 Newly-Approved Municipal Property Tax Rates
From the Boston Business Journal: As of this week, the state's Department of Revenue had published newly approved property-tax rates for 341 of the commonwealth's 351 municipalities, and lo and behold some 94 percent of those communities … [Read more...]
Baker Administration announces $50 million in budget cuts
On Friday, the Baker Administration announced $50 million in cuts to the state budget. Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore's letter to the Legislature announcing the cuts is here. The link to specific budget cuts by … [Read more...]
Wonk Post: Yearly averages of US Party Identification
From Gallup: ...the percentage of U.S. adults identifying as Democrats is now at the lowest point in the past 27 years, down from the prior low of 30% in 2014. Gallup's shift from in-person to telephone interviewing in 1988 complicates the … [Read more...]
Wonk Graphics: View of the biggest threat to the U.S. in the future
According to Gallup, 69% of the American public consider big government to be the biggest threat to the country in the future: Below are the breakdowns by political party: … [Read more...]
Wonk Graphics: Aggregate Polling for Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina Democratic Presidential Preference
From HuffPo/Pollster: Iowa: New Hampshire: South Carolina: … [Read more...]
Wonk Post: Republican-Conservative Base Shrinks
From Gallup: The percentage of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who describe themselves as both social and economic conservatives has dropped to 42%, the lowest level Gallup has measured since 2005. The second-largest group … [Read more...]
Wonk Post: Public Opinions of the Parties
From Gallup: Americans' party preferences are closely divided, with 43% identifying as Democrats or leaning Democratic and 41% identifying as Republicans or leaning Republican. The parties have been essentially tied since August, … [Read more...]
Breaking: House passes bill to restrict refugees
From the Washington Post: The House on Thursday overwhelmingly passed legislation aimed at tightening controls on refugees from Syria and Iraq, in what Republican leaders say is a swift and strong response to last week's terror attacks in … [Read more...]
Wonk Post: Polling Aggregates
Iowa Democratic Caucus: New Hampshire Democratic Primary: South Carolina Democratic Primary: … [Read more...]
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Roderich Gross
guest author
Roderich Groß received a Diploma degree in Computer Science from TU Dortmund University in 2001 and a PhD degree in Engineering Sciences from the Université libre de Bruxelles in 2007. From 2005 to 2009 he was a JSPS Fellow at Tokyo Institute of Technology, a Research Associate at University of Bristol, a Marie Curie Fellow at Unilever, and a Marie Curie Fellow at EPFL. Since 2010, he has been with the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering at the University of Sheffield, where he is currently a Senior Lecturer. His research interests include natural computing and distributed robotics. He has authored more than 80 publications on these topics. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and has served as an Associate Editor of Swarm Intelligence, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, and IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine and participated as a senior organizer in several international conferences and workshops.
Recent posts:


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Bearnamic Duo ~ George & Scott of Spathose
03 Sep
Meet our Bearnamic Duo, George and Scott! These two talented designers have melded a successful career and relationship together. We get the scoop from them on how they make it all work…
How did you guys meet?
"It was actually quite romantic, a bit like some sappy, romantic comedy movie… A frosty New England night, as snow drifted deeply with the strong December winds; It glistened like scattered diamonds amid the winter moon's glow…George's car was stuck in a snow bank, Scott happened by with his truck and the rest is history!"
How long have you been together?
"We are in our 25th year together! Most of that time (at least 20 years, has been spent working side by side ,day & night, 24/7, 365…well you get the idea!) We are the design team that make up the brand Spathose. Our work transcends the realm of ordinary style by forging fine art with fashion, thus conceiving more than an accessory; we have given rise to organic wearable sculpture with an industrial edge."
Was it love at first sight or did it take a few dates?
"There was definitely an immediate connection, but we both were a bit cautious in the beginning. After our third date though, we were inseparable!"
If you are cohabiting, how long did you date before you lived together?
"It didn't take long at all, within a month and we knew that we wanted to spend as much time with each other as possible. Since that time, we have not spent more than a few days apart! In the beginning, we both had regular jobs but soon realized that we wanted to work together at our own business."
What is it about your mate that attracted you so much?
George: "For me the eyes are truly that window into the soul, I looked deeply into his intense eyes and I immediately felt this attachment, I felt safe. Of course, it didn't hurt that he was brutally good looking with an amazing body!"
Scott: "The first time we met, I felt as though time stood still, I was captured in a moment that I never wanted to end. My heart started to race and felt as though it was being gripped by a vice on the verge of exploding… He captivated me is so many ways, his charming smile, adorable rosy cheeks that glistened from the snow, the bluest eyes that melted my heart, but what really clenched it all for me was beyond that physical attraction, it was his wit and ability to make me laugh…"
Do you have common interests?
"Our passion has always centered on the arts in some manner. Our first business together was faux finishing, back when we lived in the Philadelphia area. We also enjoyed home renovations and that quickly turned that into a business. Upon our move to Saint Petersburg FL 11 years ago, we decided to focus entirely on purchasing run down properties in blighted areas to remodel and turn them into income properties. Since the real estate crash, being ever resilient, we had to re-invent ourselves once again. That is how we started our present business and brand, Spathose.
Do you each have an interest that the other has none in?
"That's the dilemma of being business and life partners, it's tricky to be able to have separate lives! This was a struggle early on as our identities were merged into one. We were never thought of as individuals, but as a single entity. Both having strong personalities, we found that challenging to be reduced to this homogenized, collective version of ourselves. Understandably, being part of a brand, it's essential to promote as a team and since have found that delicate balance to insure our own distinctive personae are not swallowed by the whole!"
What's the secret to your successful relationship?
"In this internet fueled, new, next, now, built for planned obsolescence era of today, it seems that relationships have become disposable. The famous quote "For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice" might have very well been written specifically about human interactions. Not to say that every day has to be a struggle, but be prepared to truly live the word compromise! Something as wonderful and rewarding as a long term relationship is worth the hard work that goes with it! Communication is key! Also Laugh, laugh everyday…there is always love when there is laughter!"
Any advice for a dating couple?
"Never define your relationship on someone else's views, values, or morals; it can be destructive.
You are the only one that knows your true feelings.
Create a friendship bond that grows beyond the physicality and the bedroom.
Never try to stagnate the other person from their journey in life.
Spathose Website
Photo credits:
BWL Photography
Thee Photo Ninja
Rossie Newson Photography
Downtown Carol Photography
Brentwood Photography
Creative Loafing


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Things to know about Santa Fe High School, just south of Houston
On Friday morning Santa Fe High School was the site of a deadly active shooter incident, the details of which are still being revealed. The school, a part of the Santa Fe Independent School District, is located along Highway 6. Santa Fe is located in Galveston County between Alvin and Galveston.
THE LATEST: 'Multiple fatalities' reported at Santa Fe High School shooting
The school day at Santa Fe begins at 7:10 a.m. and concludes at 2:25 p.m. daily. The population of the student body is around 1,500 students. According to the most recent Texas Education Agency data, the school's demographics are predominantly Caucasian and Hispanic. At least 24 percent of students have been termed economically disadvantaged.
Earlier this year the school was under a precautionary lockdown after there had been a report of popping sounds in the area thought to be from a firearm. That lockdown was lifted by the end of the school day after law enforcement determined there was no danger. Tensions in the country were still very raw in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
READ MORE: Houston-area media reporting fatalities from school shooting
Santa Fe Junior High School and two elementary schools, Dan J. Kubacak and Roy J. Wollam, are also part of the school district.
Graduation for SFHS is set for June 1 and preparation for next week's final exams were underway when the shooting broke out Friday morning.


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Data visualization assesses the changing program of events at the Olympics over time
Today's data visualizations and infographics brought to you by Yellowfin; now making Business Intelligence even easier.
Fashion is a funny thing. It rarely makes sense, and is almost never based on grounds of logic or practicality.
Thanks to our first London 2012 inspired Olympic blog post – Dissecting female participation at the Olympic Games with infographics & data visualization – we know that this year's Games will play host to over 14,000 athletes competing across some 300 event categories. But, despite this impressive array of events and majestic display of athletic diversity, something's amiss – literally. While you might be aware of the well-publicized inclusion of new events and event categories (such as 2012's inclusion of women's boxing), did you know that many events have made quiet exists from the Olympic program? Apparently, they just fell out of fashion.
A note on definition: 'Event categories' signify an area of competition (such as 'track and field'), whereas an 'event' denotes a single pursuit (such as the men's 100 meter sprint).
All events vs decommissioned events over time at the Summer Games (1896 – 2008)
Note: The below chart is fully interactive. Simply click on any of the years to drill into the detail and discover which events have been removed.
While some early fluctuation is evident, where a number of events bit-the-dust in the Olympics' foundational years, it's fairly clear – as a general rule – that many more events have been added than removed from the Games' schedule – see event count below.
It's also evident that a greater number events have been dumped from the Olympic roster in recent competitions – this may well have to do with the introduction of femal equivalent sports (eg soccer becomes male soccer and female soccer respectively).
So which events have missed out on selection for London 2012?
Olympic events discontinued at the Summer Games (1896 – 2008)
There's been a plethora of events that have endured the unpleasant misfortune of being retired from the Games' roster by the IOC since Olympic competition began in 1896. The below table simply offers a selection of the – in retrospect – more comical discontinued activities.
Note: The below table is fully interactive. Simply click on any of the listed events to drill into the detail and discover which athletes won medals in these now defunct Olympic rivalries. This table only represents a selection of the Games' now nonoperational events.
Among the more – by contemporary Olympic standards – odd events, were Dueling Pistol (OH&S concern much!?), Music: Composition for Orchestra, Architectural Design, and the good old Tug of War. It seems that the developmental years of the Olympics harbored a far more liberal and artistic definition of "games".
Other chuckle-worthy obsolete events included the men's Obstacle Race (Swimming), men's Plunge for Distance (Diving), Sculpture, Croquet, Literature and Designs for Town Planning.
Interestingly, the Games surrounded by major military operations – especially World War I – comprised a great assortment (or overabundance) of shooting events of varying obscurities, such as the Small-bore Rifle (Moving Target).
Also, did you know that the original five-day Modern Pentathlon was removed from competition and replaced by a streamlined, more audience-friendly, one-day version for Atlanta's 1996 Olympics? The Modern Pentathlon is also the only event to be created specifically for the modern Olympics – that is, it did not exist prior to the commencement of Olympic competition. Despite the immediate reintroduction of the revised Modern Pentathlon for the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, the competition is widely tipped to be made redundant beyond the 2012 Games.
Event by category over time at the Summer Games (1896 – 2008)
We've established that the number of Olympic events has, generally, risen over time. But what about the number of event categories – has the number of event categories risen over time too? Or have the number of categories stagnated, or decreased, while the number of events within each category have multiplied?
Well, it appears that both the number of total events and number of event categories have grown since the inaugural Games of 1896. As previously pointed out, the tumultuous nature of the first few decades of Olympic competition was categorized by the rapid inclusion and exclusion of events. After this initial period of disruption, event categories have been gradually introduced, reintroduced or abandoned – and in far fewer numbers. Table Tennis and Taekwondo are examples of recent additions.
Also, the marked rise within the above graph indicates the addition of new Olympic events within existing event categories.
Event by category as a percentage over time at the Summer Games (1896 – 2008)
However, assessing the rise and fall of event by category over time as a percentage gives a better indication of the dominance / popularity of specific types of sporting endeavors compared to others. In short, it's easier to visualize fluctuations within, and between, event categories. And, it's easier to assess the impact of those fluctuations on the appearance of the overall Olympic schedule.
For example, we can see that the event category 'Track and Field' only comprised 16 percent of total Olympic events at Beijing (2008), compared to 22 percent of the total events held at the first modern Summer Games in Athens. Conversely, the category of 'Swimming' made-up 11 percent of all events in 2008, and only seven percent of total events in 1896.
Where to next?
Stand-by for our continuing series of Olympic data blogs, appearing daily until London's Closing Ceremony (12 August).


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The weekend is nearly here. I cannot wait. How about you? I'm done with this week. Friday cannot come soon enough. We are throwing a bit of a soiree...35 or so people for Sushi Night. Something fun for everybody from the adults to the kids. I'll try to take pics throughout the night. Sake and cameras may not mix. Promises to entertaining no matter what! House work and prep have been the priorities the last couple of days, but I did manage to continue my literature themed fall/Halloween decor out to the front door. Nothing fancy here, but it helps to set the stage.
I will be adding more to the front porch through put the weekend to continue the theme.
I wonder if I will be able to find a cauldron?
Linking up


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Involuntary Transportation Hold Now an Option for Individuals in Mental Health Crisis
As of today, the Involuntary Transportation for Immediate Screening Hold is an option for professionals to get an individual who is in a mental health crisis -- but will not go voluntarily or doesn't clearly meet 72-Hour Hold criteria -- from the community to a facility with walk-in services.
>>> You can find a fact sheet here about the Involuntary Transportation Hold, which includes the questions and answers below.
>>> The legal M-0.5 form used to facilitate the hold is here.
Why was the Transportation Hold Created?
There was no involuntary option for an individual in a mental health crisis to receive mental health services unless they met 72-Hour Hold criteria (imminent danger to self or others or gravely disabled). Senate Bill 17-207 added a section in statute that established the Involuntary Transportation for Immediate Screening Hold.
Who Can Place a Transportation Hold?
An Intervening Professional, statutorily defined as:
- A certified peace officer
- A professional person (person licensed to practice medicine, licensed psychologist)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Registered Nurse*
- Licensed Professional Counselor*
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist*
- Licensed Addiction Counselor*
*Who by reason of postgraduate education and additional preparation has gained knowledge, judgment and skill in psychiatric or mental health nursing or psychiatric or clinical mental health therapy, forensic psychotherapy, or the evaluation of mental health disorders.
Resource Options Prior to Placing an Involuntary Transportation Hold
- The least restrictive means of providing care should always be used. Voluntary services should be pursued before involuntary services (Transportation Hold or 72-Hour Hold):
- Persuade the individual to seek mental health services voluntarily at a walk-in center.
- Contact mobile crisis services; they are required to be there within two hours (rural) or one hour (urban).
- Access co-responder programs (law enforcement-behavioral health professional partnerships).
- If you need additional resource consultation with a behavioral health professional, call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255.
For additional information about the Involuntary Transportation Hold, contact Ryan Templeton (303.866.7405, firstname.lastname@example.com) or Pamela Neu (303.866.7408, email@example.com).
This summer, OBH will disseminate a training curriculum for first responders (including law enforcement, emergency medical services, co-responders and others) that will provide instruction and information to prevent the use of jails, lockup or other detention facilities when a person has committed no crime but is experiencing a mental health crisis. This training is another piece of SB 17-207.
To share feedback about any services at facilities licensed or designated by the Office of Behavioral Health, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 303.866.7524.


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Aaron Paul Applauded for Emmy Speech, Fashion; Giancarlo Esposito on Tonight Show
This week, Aaron Paul triumphs on Emmy night and is applauded for both his speech and fashion, while Giancarlo Esposito is a guest on The Tonight Show. Plus The Daily Beast likes the Emmys' Breaking Bad spoof. Read on for more Breaking Bad news.
• The Huffington Post thinks Aaron Paul's Emmy speech for his win for best supporting actor included one of the evening's most quotable moments, when he thanked Vince Gilligan "for not killing me off." The San Jose Mercury News chooses Paul as one of the ceremony's best dressed because he "cleans up quite well. Plus, he looks so dang happy."
• According to the Los Angeles Times, Aaron Paul expected Giancarlo Esposito to triumph in their category. Meanwhile, Esposito tells The Hollywood Reporter that the "best man won." The hug between Paul and Esposito after Paul was announced the winner was one of Hollywood.com's best moments of the Emmys.
• Giancarlo Esposito visits Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, talking about his background and Gus. He says, "Since Breaking Bad, life has changed for me. People call me 'sir' everywhere I go."
• The Daily Beast calls Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul's spoof of Breaking Bad, à la The Andy Griffith Show, at the Emmys "one of the funnier moments of the night," and Today.com thought it was one of the evening's funniest skits.
• E! Online interviews Aaron Paul after his Emmy win for best supporting actor. Beforehand, on the red carpet, Paul speaks with Extra about the chances of a Breaking Bad movie happening once the series wraps up — and Digital Spy reports that Paul is protective of Jesse.
• RJ Mitte kept a video diary of his time at the Emmys for New York — and it features cameos by Dean Norris and Aaron Paul, who wishes he had some scenes on the show with Mitte ("It's upsetting. It doesn't make sense").
• Dean Norris tells Popsugar that Breaking Bad has "penetrated the cultural Zeitgeist in a way that we didn't think was possible the first two years" after garnering both critical acclaim and fan support.
• Bob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks discuss Mike's death with TVLine. Odenkirk points out that Mike "was the only guy living in reality."
• "I hope everybody's not dead!" Betsy Brandt says to Popsugar about how the series will end. Brandt elaborates to Celebuzz: "I've always said that I want Walt to win, whatever that means. But it gets harder to want Walt to win every season." Aaron Paul tells Wetpaint the series will not have a "fairy-tale ending" and shares with Popsugar that he thinks Jesse "deserves to survive" the end of the show. Anna Gunn wonders to Wetpaint if Skyler and Walt "will be able to sort of maybe rebuild what has been so damaged. I hope so, but I don't know." She also tells Popsugar that she wants all the characters to be alive at the end.
• GoComics has a "Biographic" of Bryan Cranston that highlights his life and career in comic-strip form.
• Breaking Bad won three Gold Derby TV awards: best drama series, best drama actor (for Bryan Cranston), and best drama supporting actor (for Giancarlo Esposito).
• Rian Johnson says in a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" Q. & A. that Vince Gilligan recruited him to direct two Breaking Bad episodes because he was a fan of Johnson's film, Brick. Johnson shares with Television Without Pity that he came up with the image of Skyler's dress billowing around her in the pool in Season 5, Episode 4, "Fifty-One." Also New York speaks with Johnson, who's glad he's not directing any more episodes "since I get to just watch it as a fan."
• The National of the Middle East deems Bryan Cranston's portrayal of Walt's Mr. Chips-to-Scarface transformation "nothing short of extraordinary."
• According to Entertainment Weekly, Dean Norris will guest star on the upcoming season of NBC's Whitney, playing the dad of Whitney's boyfriend.
• The Beverly Hills Courier speaks with Anna Gunn about her interest in opera, including her two favorites, Mozart's Magic Flute and Don Giovanni.
• The New York Times reports that a reunion of the cast and producers of Fox's Ben Stiller Show at next month's New York Comedy Festival will include Bob Odenkirk.
• According to TVLine, Giancarlo Esposito will reprise his role as Pierce's brother in a Season 4 episode of NBC's Community.Read More


text:
I got home late last night. "Late" being nearly 10 p.m. on a work night. Greeted like a returning hero of sorts.
I was back.
I did it.
Part of me thinks this shouldn't be such a big deal, and a week-long business trip to an industry conference shouldn't elicit praise and celebration. But part of me also knows that I did good work on this trip, I made good connections, and I made a positive difference in the world, in however small a way.
I was courteous to my colleagues in the convention center. I was kind to the poor on the streets. I was considerate of the hospitality staff, wherever I went. And I actually convinced professional peers who have been afraid of the folks in my department, that we are here to help, and their opinion matters.
I met with wary almost-strangers, and parted ways with new friends.
Actually, come to think of it, I think this should elicit praise and celebration.
Gandhi and Mother Teresa might have done more. Albert Schweitzer and Dorothy Day probably would have done more. But for where I was, and what I did, I did alright.
Best of all, I did no harm. Which is a far sight more than many people do. And I looked people in the eye when they talked to me. Unless, of course, they were culturally uncomfortable with that. In that case, I looked away. Didn't intrude. Either way, it was fine.
Thinking back, I will say that I had some very dark hours, on that trip. There I was, 2000 miles from home, sleeping in a very uncomfortable bed, off my daily routine, surrounded by people who all seemed to know each other, some of whom couldn't be bothered to give me the time of day and actually ditched me several times. Assholes. And they sit right across the hall from me at work.
What the hell was I doing there? I asked myself more than once, at the end of long days, when the fatigue caught up with me and I couldn't muster enough mojo to feel much of anything about anything other than dread and depression. Start of the day –> mucho moxie. End of the day –> zip, nada, zilch. It's a rough, rough ride, going from way-way up to way-way down in the space of 18 hours, with your joints aching and screaming, your lower back in knots, your neck and shoulders a mass of tender ropes, your head pounding non-stop… And doing it four nights running.
So, I did the only thing I could — I went out for long walks after convention hours, then went back to my room and drew a hot bath and soaked till the pain was eased, and I could sleep.
In those minutes, as I was debating whether to numb my pain with Advil or get my mind off it with a walk… fighting off that gut-wrenching loneliness that comes from talking to your Beloved (or a good friend) and hearing their voice and knowing they are a looooong plane ride away, and as good as their voice sounds, it's nothing like having them There Beside You… god, that hurts.
But then the thought came to me that this was a valuable experience to have. For as painful and as awkward as things were for me, I was probably not alone. I was at a conference filled with thousands of people who were also far from home, and many of them may have felt exactly the same way — all by their lonesome in a strange place, without the ones they loved nearby. And there were the ones from other countries and other cultures, speaking a different language and eating different foods and interacting in ways other than what they were used to… for them it must have been even harder.
And so I used it. I used that feeling, that pain, that anguish. I "sat in it" as my therapist friends like to describe it. I marinated in it. I didn't turn on the television, I didn't listen to my iPod. I just sat with it and felt it and knew it was real… and knew that there were countless other people in the world around me who were feeling very much like me, right at that same moment.
And I took that feeling, that sense, that experience, and I did something with it. I carried it with me, as I went out into the world, attending sessions at this conference, meeting people and talking with them — both officially and just by-the-by. I took that sense of loneliness, that isolation, and I acted as though each person I ran into felt exactly that same way. And when I caught their eye – or they caught mine – my suspicions were confirmed. And they appreciated the smile. Or the handshake. Or the nod.
See, here's the thing for me… I've got my issues. Who doesn't? But when I take those issues, those pains, those sorrows, and I do something with them, they completely transform my experience. They turn me from a lonely heart looking for love in all the wrong places, to a human being offering other lonely hearts the kind of compassion and human connection you can't often get in this techno-virtual world, where the most contact some people have with the rest of the world comes from a few hours spent on Facebook.
And as I simply went through the motions of being courteous and kind and considerate to everyone I met, doing the same sorts of things over and over — holding a door open, nodding hello, smiling and giving someone's hand a firm shake — I felt like I was coming back to myself. Instead of staying lost in the malaise of my own isolation, when I put the focus on someone and something other than my own insecurity and loneliness, I found the isolation lifting, dissipating, fading to the background. It was always there, but it almost didn't matter — except for the fact that it made me more aware of the isolation that others were probably feeling, every bit as much as myself.
And in that doing, I became something other than what I was in the silence of my hotel room. In that doing, I found a sort of redemption — not only for me, but for those others, as well. Perhaps even for the others whom those others encountered later on each day. Doing my part to not let my insecurity and self-consciousness get the better of me, turned me into a 'pebble ambassador' of sorts — toss me in the human pond and see what happens to the ripples.
The more I did it, the better I felt. And by the time I left, the anxiety and fear and self-conscious insecurity and loneliness had all but gone away. They were always there in the background, sure, but it almost didn't matter… except to remind me how the rest of the world just might have been feeling — and perhaps even moreso than me.
I'm fading, now. Fading fast. Time to sleep. I've earned it.