Meme Therapy

An exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum recreates from the middle of last month the experience of visiting the palace of Versailles at its best, since Louis XIV moved the court there in 1682 until the monarchy was expelled with the French Revolution of 1789. Paintings , sculptures, tapestries, lamps and porcelain bring back the lavish atmosphere of the palace, which is visited by New Yorkers and tourists today.

Versallesque passion, however, does not reach the great pockets of New York. Or, at least, not to put a stack of millions for a mansion inspired by the pompous style of the French Bourbon. The number 163 East 64th Street, which has been described as the "Versailles in Manhattan," has been 15 years without finding a buyer.

Its exterior appearance is elegant, in red brick and limestone, neo-Georgian style. Inside, it evolves to a more overloaded and baroque character. It has an original English pine wood bookcase, a Louis XIV style drawing room with ten large canvases inspired by one of the most famous rooms of the Frick Collection - a New York museum in which it was the mansion of one of the richest families of the city- and bedrooms with grandiose headboards and drapes.

It is very possible that the style of the house does not convince everyone. The big drawback, however, seems its price. Its owner, Kenneth Laub, took it out for sale in 2003. In December 2007, he asked for 35 million dollars for it. It was a time of skyrocketing real estate prices, there were still months to go before the toxic mortgage crisis erupted. But that seemed too much for a house that has other shortcomings: it's not as close to Central Park as the billionaires on the Upper East Side like and it does not have much outside space (instead of the usual garden for these mansions, it has a terrace in the rooftop).

Since then, the mansion has passed from hand to hand from luxury real estate agencies. None of his most seasoned agents was able to find a buyer. And that its price has fallen off: in July 2011, it dropped to 29.95 million; in June 2013, at 27.5; in 2015 it had two falls: they asked for 25 and 23.9 million.

Laub, a 79-year-old commercial real estate millionaire, is perhaps aware that he is asking too much for the mansion. He bought it for $ 4 million in 1986 and at one point it seemed he did not mind keeping it if he did not do a big business. Did your emotional connection make you believe that its price is greater than what the market can afford? "If I put it too expensive, I do not care. If someone thinks it is worth what I believe, they will buy it. If not, they will not. And it is not the end of the world in any of the cases, "he said in an interview with" Observer "in 2009, when the label still said" 35 million. " Now, it seems that Laub changes his mind, and for the first time is in the market for less than 20 million: 19.75 million dollars.

Perhaps this last reduction will change the fate of a mansion that, in the New York real estate circle, is considered cursed.

Family Therapy is a therapeutic discipline that addresses intervention and treatment of the family as a whole. From the systemic point of view, the term is often used marital and family therapy, as it is understood that the object of intervention are family systems and subsystems. 

Family therapy can be developed from different fields, such as psychotherapy (supervised only by psychologists and psychiatrists), the psychoeducational or educational therapy, based on behavioral change through values ​​education and improvement of relationship skills (exercised both by psychologists and social workers, mediators, social workers, etc..) or experiential coaching.

There are different streams within systemic family therapy, such as the School of Milan, School of Palo Alto, or the Argentine psychiatrist Salvador Minuchin, who developed the structuralist approaches work with families (roles, communication , etc..), and that is one of the currents applied to social work with families with low incomes.

Four clients of the Brayton Purcell law firm will travel to the capitol to fight against proposed asbestos legislation (S. 852). Three have developed cancers due to asbestos exposure; the fourth is a widow whose husband died from asbestos-related cancer.

Four clients of the Brayton Purcell law firm will travel to our nation’s capitol next week to make their voices heard against S. 852. This unfair asbestos legislation would deny access to the courts for asbestos victims, who instead would be required to pursue their claims through an asbestos trust fund. Congressional analysts and other government experts predict that the trust fund would run out of money well before all asbestos victims could be compensated. Medical experts question the criteria that the bill uses to identify and classify the diseases related to asbestos.

One client, David Bakkie, was exposed to asbestos when he worked as an assembler, a lineman and a line construction supervisor. He is 50 years old and has two teenage sons, Christopher and Charles.

Last September, Mr. Bakkie was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that first attacks the membranes surrounding the lungs. The disease is caused by asbestos exposure.

Ron Dutton is married and 51 years old. He has two daughters and a granddaughter. For many years, Mr. Dutton worked as a rigger on ships, a job that exposed him to asbestos. Like most other workers, he did not know about the danger to his health and was given no protection. Now he has asbestos–related colon cancer and asbestosis. Asbestosis is a progressive scarring of the lungs that is only caused by exposure to asbestos.

Mr. Dutton says that he is going to Washington to let the Senators know that workers who were exposed to asbestos have real illnesses and have the right to be compensated. He poses this question: “The government didn’t get in the way when asbestos manufacturers made huge profits, so why should it make it hard for people like me to be compensated when they become sick from asbestos products?”

Joan Nettler Kiss became a widow last year when her husband, John, died of metastatic colon cancer. An insulator for 35 years, John Kiss was an active member of the Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers Local 16 in San Francisco. He had worked in power plants, shipyards, and industrial and commercial sites throughout Northern California. He contracted asbestosis and colon cancer due to his exposure to asbestos at these jobs

After he retired as an insulator, Mr. Kiss began a second career as an investigator at Brayton Purcell because he wanted to help other asbestos victims. He was very proud of this job. His co–workers came to rely on his extensive knowledge of asbestos products and his ability to put clients at ease. Mr. Kiss eventually became the manager of the firm’s Investigations Department.

John Kiss had three children of his own and also helped raise two of Joan’s children. He was a proud grandfather to his eight grandchildren. He is sorely missed by his family, friends and co–workers.

Mr. George Goodyard is married with four daughters. For 34 years, he worked as a machinist in naval and private shipyards. He now has asbestosis and lung cancer as the result of his on–the–job exposure to asbestos. He has had part of his lung removed, and visits his doctor every three months for a check–up and X–rays. He receives a CAT scan every six months, and hopes that his condition does not deteriorate further.

“They knew about asbestos in 1970, but didn’t tell us anything about it,” Mr. Goodyard said. “We didn't know about the risks we were taking.” He also points out that even today, the insulation used in ships may be 30 to 40 years old and contain asbestos. The asbestos can be easily disturbed and become airborne, allowing workers to breathe in asbestos fibers.

Mr. Goodyard has a court date set for later this year. However, if S. 852 becomes law, his asbestos case could be thrown out, and he would have to apply to the asbestos trust fund program instead. The delay would be a hardship for Mr. Goodyard and his family. The asbestos trust fund will not be up and running immediately, and S. 852 creates an unwieldy bureaucracy that may not be efficient or effective.

S. 852 is extremely bad legislation that will help asbestos–related companies, but harm people with asbestos diseases. Please call or write to your Senators and urge them to vote NO on S. 852. The bill may come before the Senate in early February, so it is important to do this right away. You can find your Senators’ names, e–mails, and telephone numbers on the U. S. Senate web site at http://www. senate. gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm. cfm (http://www. senate. gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm. cfm)

The four clients are involved in these cases:

David Bakkie: David Bakkie vs. Asbestos Defendants, San Francisco Superior Court, No. 491129

Ron Dutton: Ronald Dutton and Terri Dutton vs. Asbestos Defendants, San Francisco Superior Court, No. 420971

Joan Nettler: Joan Nettler, et al vs. Asbestos Defendants, San Francisco Superior Court, No. 413663

George Goodyard: George Goodyard vs. Asbestos Defendants, San Francisco Superior Court, No. 434978

For over 20 years, Brayton Purcell has helped clients protect their legal rights in the face of devastating losses such as illness, injuries, and harm to family members. The law firm enjoys a national reputation for the high quality of its personal injury and product liability work, particularly in the area of asbestos litigation. For more information, call 415-898-1555 or visit the firm web site at http://www. braytonlaw. com (http://www. braytonlaw. com).

For information about asbestos and asbestos-related diseases, see the firm’s web sites, Mesothelioma Network, http://www. mesotheliomasite. com (http://www. mesotheliomasite. com) and Asbestos Network, http://www. asbestosnetwork. com (http://www. asbestosnetwork. com).

Viator to offset company travel and educate travelers in minimizing climate footprint.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 3, 2007

Viator. com, the leading online resource for researching and booking activities in 75 countries worldwide, has formed a partnership with Carbonfund. org to offset its company-related carbon emissions and help educate travelers about minimizing their carbon footprint on the environment.

Through its partnership with Carbonfund, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting climate change education, carbon offsets and green power, Viator is targeting a 100 percent carbon-neutral corporate environment. As part of its roadmap to reach its goal, Viator will offset its corporate travel - estimated at 1.2 million miles in 2007 - with renewable energy credits, and minimize business-related CO2 emissions through conservation practices and more conscientious technology purchases. As an e-commerce business, Viator's operations are virtually paper-free and involve limited shipping, often associated with high CO2 emissions.

Viator will also serve as an information source for travelers who want to learn more about carbon offsetting and environmental sustainability. As Viator's customers research and book destination activities, they will also have the opportunity to link to Carbonfund. org to offset their travel-related emissions, and any CO2 emissions related to their annual household carbon footprint.

"At Viator we are passionate about travel, but also sensitive to the effects many types of travel can have on our environment," said Rod Cuthbert, CEO and founder of Viator. com. "As a global travel company, we have an important responsibility to neutralize our impact on the environment while also helping our customers around the world minimize theirs. Carbonfund. org is an ideal partner and we're excited to join with them to work toward a solution to this very complex problem."

"Carbonfund. org is thrilled to partner with Viator in the fight against climate change," said Carbonfund. org Executive Director Eric Carlson. "Climate change affects every one of us, we are all responsible for it and we all must be part of the solution. Viator's leadership is further proof that protecting our climate is good for the environment and business."

Many of the products in Viator's range of more than 5,000 destination activities have low-to-no impact on the environment they explore. Walking and hiking tours, bicycle tours and Segway excursions (battery operated) are all increasingly popular (and aerobic) ways to explore a destination that help to minimize any environmental impact.

About Viator

Viator is the world's leading online resource for travel experiences - the things you do when you get there - providing access to more than 5,000 sightseeing tours, attractions and activities in 450-plus destinations in more than 75 countries, as well as customer reviews, star ratings and the Viator Travel Blog. Viator -- the Latin word for traveler -- offers online consumers a one-stop shop to plan, research and book trip activities that meet a variety of tastes and preferences, including sightseeing tours, theater tickets, soft adventure trips, attraction passes, wine and culinary excursions, and many "well kept secrets" off the beaten path. Viator's in-house travel experts help take the guess work out of planning by hand-picking respected and trusted local operators to ensure a quality experience, value and service. Viator, founded in 1995, sells its products directly to consumers at www. viator. com and through its growing global network of more than 4,000 affiliates that include major hotel and airline companies, online travel agencies, city-specific sites and more. Viator is headquartered in San Francisco with regional offices in Sydney, London and Las Vegas.

About Carbonfund. org

Carbonfund. org is the country's leading carbon reduction and offset organization. Carbonfund. org educates the public about the dangers of climate change and makes it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact. Carbonfund. org is reducing the threat of climate change by promoting cost-effective carbon reductions and supporting renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects globally that reduce and offset carbon dioxide emissions. Carbonfund. org works with over 100 corporate and non-profit partners including the National Wildlife Federation, Dell, IMD, Ovation Travel Group and Working Assets.

St. Charles Consulting Group Launches Virtual Classroom Service for U. S. Accounting Firms, Delivers High-Impact, Cost-Effective Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

Accountants experience the interactive benefits of live CPE training via a shared web-browser window, while eliminating travel, reducing opportunity costs, and minimizing program expense.

Saint Charles, IL (PRWEB) July 28, 2010

The St. Charles Consulting Group brings its proven CPE expertise to live classroom training on the web, delivering key benefits to clients:

St. Charles virtual classroom programs bring learners together online in a shared web-browser window, running audio and video along with presentation slides. When well designed, virtual classroom programs (also called webcasts and webinars) provide an interactive experience where learners can electronically “raise their hands,” react to surveys and polls, post online questions for presenters, and access handouts and other learning resources. The programs are designed to meet all CPE standards.

St. Charles partners with client firms to create virtual classroom programs with the latest content, instructional approaches, and webcast technology. “We complement what the client brings to the table,” according to St. Charles’ managing partner, Phil Davis. “As in most things related to training, one size does not fit all, and it is important to customize the solution to the specific needs of each firm.” Davis noted that, if an accounting firm does not already have a webcast delivery platform, St. Charles can deploy a state-of-the-art tool that has been endorsed by NASBA to meet all CPE requirements.

“In the current business environment,” in Davis’ view, “accounting firms can’t afford to sacrifice the quality of training. But, at the same time, they also can’t afford to train in the resource-intensive ways of the past. Virtual classrooms offer the best of both worlds – quality training at a manageable cost.”

St. Charles assigns top industry talent with skill sets as needed to steer accounting firm clients through any and all aspects of virtual classroom program design, development, and delivery.

About the St. Charles Consulting Group

The St. Charles Consulting Group is known for its expertise in providing innovative and highly effective learning solutions. The firm, based in St. Charles, Illinois, is rooted in Arthur Andersen’s “gold standard” training organization. It was founded in 2002 by two former Arthur Andersen partners who held global leadership roles.

St. Charles operates out of 3 locations – St. Charles, Dallas, and San Francisco. It currently has 4 partners, 35 fulltime personnel, and a network of over 200 consultants and 250 executive coaches. Over half of its consultants are experts in the field of learning, including learning strategy, curriculum development, instructional design, eLearning production, and program delivery. St. Charles is also deeply skilled in organization development, knowledge services, and workforce planning.

One Thousand Origami Cranes, Without the Paper

The peace crane is a familiar origami form. What makes the work of award-winning polymer clay artist Judy Dunn different is that her cranes are folded from polymer clay rather than paper. On October 23, 2006, Dunn folded her 1000th crane from polymer clay. The cranes are a symbol of peace, prosperity, fidelity and long life, and Japanese legend has it that by folding 1000 cranes, a wish will be granted by the gods.

Acton, MA (PRWEB) October 25, 2006

Origami is the ancient Japanese art of folding a sheet of paper into various forms. Polymer clay artist Judy Dunn of Acton, Massachusetts has put a new twist into this ancient art form. On October 23, 2006 she folded her one thousandth crane, but not from paper. This crane was the 1000th crane Dunn had folded from polymer clay.

About six years ago Dunn began an attempt to fold 1000 cranes the traditional way, from paper. She had learned of the legend that folding 1000 cranes would grant the folder a wish from the gods. Dunn also learned of the the story of Sudako. Sadako was a little girl in Japan who contracted leukemia from exposure to the radiation of the atomic bomb. She attempted to fold 1000 cranes to be granted a wish of healing. Although Sadako was not able to fold 1000 cranes before her death, a peace memorial resides in Hiroshima in Sudako's honor, and for all children who died as a result of the atomic bomb. People from around the world send 1000 cranes to the memorial each year, with the wish for world peace. All these ideas were in Dunn's mind as she folded the cranes. Over time she had folded several hundred cranes.

But in the spring of 2003, Dunn started working with polymer clay. Her fascination with the material became immediate. The versatility of the medium, and wide palette of colors appealed to her artistic sense. Yet almost from the beginning Dunn was asking, "Can I fold a crane?" After some experimenting, Dunn figured out how to do what seemed impossible. Fold a crane from clay, and cure it. Creating a durable, sculptural crane, using the same folds she used to create a paper crane.

"Part of the enjoyment of making cranes from clay is doing all the decorative work on the surface of the clay, prior to folding the crane," says Dunn. "Each crane ends up being unique because of this process."

The other thing that keeps Dunn folding cranes is the stories and people's connections to the cranes. There was the pair of gold cranes purchased for a parent's fiftieth wedding anniversary. Or the crane that traveled to China as a gift to the foster mother for a newly adopted daughter. Or the connection that was made with a family in Indiana who lost a son/nephew/husband to the war in Iraq. He loved origami and folded cranes to hand out to the kids in Iraq. The crane has become a symbol to memorialize his spirit for this family. "It is a gift to be able to create something that I love doing that also has so many rich emotional connections for people. It is what keeps me folding cranes," says Dunn.

Dunn is an award-winning polymer clay artist who also creates one of a kind jewelry and sculptural vessels from polymer clay and metal clay. Her work has appeared in several national publications. Dunn's work can be found in galleries and shops across the country, and at the several fine art and craft shows she does each year. Her work can be seen on her website, www. judydunn. net.