What is the meaning of life? Search me, but where cosmic queries are concerned, here’s a new one: If humans are becoming as easily manipulated by digital impulses as are robots, is that a form of evolution or devolution? We marvel at the onset of artificial intelligence (AI) as if it’s right around the corner. It’s not. It’s here, painting each of us into a corner of our own making. In almost every digital device we touch, artificial intelligence is modifying our behavior and our thought process. It is ...

Since decorating mistakes can be very costly and time consuming, I always urge my clients to do their homework before undertaking any redecorating project. What kind of homework?  A good way to begin is to flip through design and decorating magazines, and visit websites dedicated to interior décor. Start collecting pictures of various design products and styles that appeal to you and you can visualize as your own.  Once you start identifying colors, designs, and various furnishings that illustrate your dream room, ...

Dear Dr. Linda, We have a son entering ninth grade and we’re truly concerned. He’s a nice kid but doesn’t get the best grades. It’s not because he can’t do the work. We actually don’t know what it is. But when we talk to him about it, he always—and we mean always—blames someone else for the low grades. It began around fifth grade so, at first, we believed him, but it continued all through middle school. We’ve grounded him, had meetings with the teachers, you name it. It never stopped.

Dana Stahl, a learning specialist and educational consultant, will address educational questions and concerns that parents may have regarding their children’s academic development and progress in school. Topics can center on such concerns as how to handle homework dilemmas or what questions to ask at a Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) or Committee on Special Education (CSE) meeting. Questions can range from “How best do parents advocate for their children?” to “How do parents interpret formal tests that ...

National Save for Retirement Week was observed Oct. 18 – 24 this year. And this week has some weight behind it, as it is recognized by the U.S. Senate for its importance in encouraging Americans to prepare themselves financially for retirement. Are you doing all you can? Many of your peers aren’t. About a third of working adults have no retirement savings or pension, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve. And more than half of workers report that the total value of their household’s savings and investments, ...

If my father were alive today, just the mention of the current Republican Party and Donald Trump would leave him utterly disgusted.  A truck driver and union man (with a charitable soul), he was a progressive for more than 50 years before that term became fashionable.  He believed that the purpose of government was to make life for its citizens better, not harder; and that the power of government should be used to foster advancements in science and technology, economic development, and social organization. Social Security, ...

2 Hollowbrook Place, Cortlandt $550,000.00 This unique 3 family home boasts tremendous curb appeal with a stone and brick exterior. Each unit offers 2 spacious bedrooms, 1 updated full bath, updated kitchens, separate entrances and separate patios. Two of the three units have beautiful brick and stone fireplaces that create a warm and cozy atmosphere in the living rooms. There is plenty of backyard space for tenants to use and ample parking via 1 car attached garage, driveway, gravel parking lot on side of house. Additional unit used ...

Whenever my husband goes out of town, I cheat. I figure, what he doesn’t know, won’t hurt him, and since there’s no way for him to find out that I cheated, why not have some fun while he’s out of town? Do I feel guilty about this? Maybe a bit. But only because I know that my indiscretions may eventually catch up with me in the end. You see, I don’t just have one lover. I have two—Ben and Jerry. It’s true, I’m supposed to be dairy-free. Wheat-free, too. It’s not that I’m allergic ...

We spend so much time teaching our children not to bully one another and not to gossip, but all too often adults don’t practice what they preach, especially given the often toxic and viral nature of social media. Given the series of events last week regarding a disputed story involving the Somers girls and Yorktown boys lacrosse players, it seems that Somers school administrators were bullied into making premature statements. Many people are so quick to judge—and to judge publicly—without any deference to due process ...

The eminent German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said the greatest thing ever: “Without music, life would be a mistake.”  I don’t always agree with eminent German philosophers, but on this front, I believe that ol’ Friedrich was spot-on. Music has played a huge role in my life and I truly believe it has saved me from the darkest depths of despair. Those of us who grew up in the Golden Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll often refer to that music as the soundtrack of our lives. Kids having to use ...