By Jennifer Goetz Staff Writer

Imagine learning about farm animals, the food industry and the nonprofit sector all while living away from home and sticking to a strictly vegan diet.

This is exactly what Caitlin Flynn, a senior journalism and political science double major, did last August when she interned for Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

The nonprofit organization serves as a safe haven for rescued farm animals in need of rehabilitation.

Farm Sanctuary, which also has locations in Los Angeles and Orland, Calif., looks for employees, volunteers and interns who care about animal rights.

Fitting the part, the company hired Flynn as a human resources and communications intern over the summer.

I found out about (the internship) because the president (and co-founder), Gene Baur, was on The Daily Show a year or so back, Flynn said.

After watching the show, Flynn decided to purchase Baurs book, where she found the organization to be compelling and worthwhile.

Flynn is one of the many students that have interned with Farm Sanctuary.

Each year, the New York location provides a number of internships for students all over the world interested in nonprofits, communications, public relations and more.

While Flynn worked in an office, the nonprofit also searches for shelter interns to provide hands-on care for the animals.

Additionally, the internship can span anywhere from a month to three months, but according to Farm Sanctuarys website, interns who stay longer have greater opportunities.

(The New York location averages) around 90 individual participants in our program annually, said Holly McNulty, the director of resources and volunteer programs at the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen.

The 175-acre sanctuary also gives interns housing for the duration of their stay and provides volunteer interns an educational opportunity.

Interns have many learning opportunities, whether from conversations with staff or during weekly education presentations, McNulty said. We strive to help our interns use what they gain from their experience to continue to advocate for farm animals and encourage participants to identify how they can incorporate this into their daily lives moving forward.

While students gain educational experience through presentations and discussions, they also gain life experience by immersing themselves in the farms culture. Because the nonprofit is focused on supporting and protecting animal rights, interns are required to commit to a vegan lifestyle during their stay at Farm Sanctuary out of respect for the animals.

I think the best thing about the program is it pushes for progress, not perfection, Flynn said.

Farm Sanctuary brings awareness to issues facing farm animals and the issues of factory farming, which takes a toll on farm animals and the environment, as raising so many animals in one place pollutes our land, air and water, according to Farm Sancutarys website.

Farm Sanctuary is not a factory farm, and because none of the farms animal products are consumed, interns get to experience life on a farm that respects animals.

The cows are not milked, according to Flynn, and the chickens produce eggs at their natural pace, unlike most farms that feed chickens hormones to increase eggs production.

Flynn also said the animal rights organization has led her to be more conscious of her eating habits.

(My experience) made me more mindful of my day-to-day decisions, Flynn said.

Interns are not the only group of people interested in Farm Sanctuary. In fact, the nonprofit has earned attention from comedian Jon Stewart, his wife Tracey, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and actress Emily Deschanel.

We have regularly worked with celebrities throughout our 30 years from creating PSAs to participating in our events to being active on our board of directors, McNulty said.

Due to the efforts of Tracey and Jon Stewart, who proposed the idea last October, Farm Sanctuary will open a new location in Collingsworth, N.J., in 2018. Last year, the couple bought a farm with the intention of partnering with Farm Sanctuary. Since the new locations approval, the Stewarts plan to work with the organization throughout the process.

We are working with them in the early planning stages such as permitting and site development but hope to be open to the public sometime in 2018, McNulty said.

While the new location does not yet have plans to create an internship program, the nonprofit will eventually have volunteer opportunities, McNulty said.

Whether an intern or volunteer, the experience at Farm Sanctuary is unlike any other.

(Farm Sanctuary is) a great nonprofit organization and is a nation-wide entity that influences pop culture, legislation and the food industry, Flynn said. It is the kind of relentless organization that I think many of the politically and socially active students (at the College) would appreciate.

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[ April 2, 2017 ] Student goes vegan for internship at Farm Sanctuary Features - The Signal

Metro

Don't think vegans can run marathons? Think again Metro I asked members of the UK Vegan Runners group what experiences, tips and advice they had for me running my first marathonand first event as a vegan. I found that not only were they all passionate about their own vegan achievements, but that vegan ...

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Don't think vegans can run marathons? Think again - Metro

Forbes

NFL Teams Reportedly Concerned About Colin Kaepernick's Commitment And Vegan Diet Forbes Throughout the Colin Kaepernick saga, his end game likely did include still being a free agent in April. While the 49ers' performance on the field declined quickly last season, Kaepernick still threw for 16 touchdowns, along with only four ... Kaepernick still looking for NFL work ... because of vegan diet?Modesto Bee (blog) Teams' latest excuse for not signing Kaepernick is their most laughable one yetFor The Win all 17 news articles »

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NFL Teams Reportedly Concerned About Colin Kaepernick's Commitment And Vegan Diet - Forbes

As a Hoosier, I often look on with jealousy at all the progressive vegan events occurring elsewhere around the country.

But all that changes this year with word that the Indy VegFest is back and bigger than ever under new leadership after a two-year hiatus.

The event will be held from noon to 7 p.m. April 29 in the Pan Am Pavilion at 201 S. Capitol Ave., in Indianapolis, according to Katelin Rupp, who took over the reins with her husband, Joe.

"Our event aims to appeal to and draw in a broad spectrum of attendees, including omnivores, vegans and vegetarians," she said.

This year's event is free and will feature more than 60 vendors and exhibitors and a diverse group of nine speakers, Rupp said. The day will also feature cooking demonstrations led by vegan chefs, free food samples and activities for children.

While the event is 100 percent vegan, Rupp said several of the vendors are not.

"We see this as an opportunity for them to showcase their vegan specialties and in return, hopefully attendees will demonstrate for them just how popular those options are," she said. "Based on feedback from consumers, our hope is that these businesses may be convinced to offer even more vegan products or food items."

Another goal of the event is to shed light on animal agriculture and the benefits of a vegan lifestyle for health, the environment and animals, Rupp said.

"VegFests create a great platform to attract people who may be curious about veganism, or are simply interested in incorporating more plant-based meals into their diets," she said.

A second Indiana VegFest is being organized for the fall in Fort Wayne, she said.

Indianapolis has one exclusively vegan restaurant (Three Carrots) and another (10th Street Diner) on the way this spring, Rupp said. The state capital also offers more than 200 restaurants with vegan menu options.

While the event is free, Rupp encourages anyone interested in attending to reserve tickets through Evenbrite.comto qualify for goodie bags and other giveaways.

Volunteers are also needed to work one or more two-hour shifts. Volunteers get a free T-shirt and goodie bag.

Read the original:

Vegan in the Region: Indy VegFest 2017 - nwitimes.com (blog)

Share This Article: Pietro Gallo says he makes the only vegan Tiramisu across California. Its called Tiramisu Italiano, covered in vegan custard and chocolate flakes with expresso cake inside. Photo by Cassia Pollock. By Cassia Pollock

Vegans have found a slice of heaven at Civico 1845 in San Diegos bustling Little Italy one of the only Italian restaurants to offer a full vegan menu with authentic, mouthwatering Italian meals.

The owners, native Italian brothers Dario and Pietro Gallo, started the place after moving to San Diego directlyfrom Consenza,Italy in the southern region of Calabria three and a half years ago.

A vegan himself, Pietro Gallo says this is one of the only Italian eateries offering a full vegan menu in all of California, while still offering traditional Italian meals with meat and dairy.

They offer a full vegan menu with diverse appetizers including eggplant meatballs, mushroom calamari and their most popular the Caprese Mozzarella with delicious heirloom tomatoes.

Their wine menu also includes seven vegan choices. Pietro recommended the Santa Chiara white wine imported from the Terre Nobili wine company in Calabria. The wine is considered vegan because it is filtered with special equipment that carefully avoids any cross contamination with animal products.

The Times of San Diego tried their three most popular dishes, along with their vegan bread which is served with a delicious pesto-like sauce. The light, fluffy bread is perfectly flavored when dipped into their sauce brimming with authentic Italian olive oil, garlic and natural seasonings.

Their top vegan dishes included our personal favorite, the traditional Italian eggplant parmigiana known as Melanzana alla Parmigiana. The eggplant is tender, soft and juicy. Its sprinkled with clusters of creamy, melt-in-your-mouth vegan mozzarella. Even if youre not a big fan of eggplant,a taste of this dish will change your mind.

Their house-made Ravioli filled with truffle wild mushrooms sauce, known as Ravioli Boscaiola was a close second. The mushrooms are juicy and tender, and the ravioli noodles are made from scratch without any animal products. The sauce blends the rich creamy flavor of wild mushrooms with satisfying noodles.

Any vegans looking for the classic sausage lasagna will find equal satisfaction in their Lasagna Romagnola. The vegan sausage has achieved the flavor of real meat, or as close as humanly possible. It looks, tastes and satisfies Italian cravings for lasagna regardless of your dietary preferences.

Perhaps, the biggest challenge for vegans will be saving room for desert. Our personal favorite was the pistachio gelato which will transport food-lovers to another world of creamy gelato goodness. Theflavor is profoundly pleasingto the senses. It doesnt matter if youre lactose intolerant because they make this with zero dairy products. Chocolate connoisseurs should also try their vegan Gelato Tartufo an Italian dark cacao gelato stuffed with caramel chocolate.

Besides that, you cant miss their unique vegan Tiramisu. Its covered in a special custard, sprinkled with chocolate flakes. Just wait until you discover the crisp spongy espresso cake hidden inside.

Im the only one who makes vegan Tiramisu in all of California, so its a big challengeEverything is a challenge, Pietro told the Times of San Diego.

The Gallo brothers have clearlyrisen to this challenge. They use simple ingredients like tomato sauce, Italian olive oil and garlic. Pietro explained there are separate equipment facilities for the vegan cooks and the regular cooks, to prevent any cross contamination of ingredients.

It was important for me being a vegan, said Pietro. I couldnt work in a business where there is just meat and cheese.

His hard work creating a vegan menu paid off for the Gallo brothers with the vegan customers accounting for 30 percent of the restaurants overall revenue since Civico 1845 opened in July 2015.

The first customer we got was a vegan, Pietro told the Times of San Diego.

We are just one or two restaurantsin all of the country with Italian vegan. Its a rare option. Our food is very authentic first of all, because we are Italian 100 percent, said Pietro.

The place is a rare treasure for both vegans and non-vegans, as well as anyone with various dietary restrictions. Pietro makes his own pasta without eggs or dairy products, drawing some inspiration from his mothers healthy cooking.

Authentic Italian food is very healthy, said Pietro. Our mama raised us with always healthy food like beans, vegetables, seafood. We used to eat cheese just once a week.

Pietro says they import all their important ingredients from Italy including salt, olive oiland wine.

There is no compromise. We use Italian recipes and its very healthy, Pietro noted with pride.

Altogether, Civico 1845 provides a blissful, inclusive dining experience for all of San Diego that accommodates a diverse range of dietary needs. Thegreatest challenge foodies and vegans alike will face at this Italian restaurant islimiting themselves to a few dishes, when there are too many delicious dishes to choose from.

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Rare Vegan Italian Cuisine Flourishes at Civico 1845 in SD's Little Italy - Times of San Diego

Photo: [emailprotected]_foods

The Impossible Burger tastes, looks, and, oozes so similarly to its beefy counterpart that even meat-lovingchefs like Momofukus David Chang have startedslinging plant-protein patties.

Up untilnow, however, it was possible to count the number of places you couldactually order a bleeding vegan burger on one handjustPublic House (in San Francisco), Bareburger (at its Washington Square Park location in New York City), and Crossroads Kitchen (in Los Angeles). But Fast Companyreceived word this weekthatmore than 1,000 restaurants are planning to add Impossible Burgers to their menusby spring.

Impossible Foodswill soon be producing a million pounds of its vegan ground beef per month.

Thats becauseImpossible Foodswill soon be producing a million pounds of its vegan ground beef per monthit just opened a third factory to ensure that it can meet the increase in demand.

As predicted, plant protein is going to be a major wellness trend of 2017, and Impossible Foods expansion is a harbinger ofthe healthier direction the restaurantscenes headed inbut if you need another, just look at the line outside a By Chloe for confirmation.

Speaking of vegan food, here are the top five frozen veggie burgers (based on taste and nutrition). Or if youre more in the mood for Mexican, these (healthy!) nachos will satisfy your craving.

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It's about to get way easier to order a bleeding vegan burger - Well+Good

By David Jones | 04/03/2017 12:10am Caroline Japal / Alabama Crimson White

Smushed between Icon and Chucks Fishis a lesser-known local spot, Big Daddys Mediterranean Grill and Hookah Bar, on Greensboro Avenue. Despite many being unaware of its existence, this hole-in-the-wall restauranthas been serving up Mediterranean food and a wide range of hookah flavors since 2008.

The front of the restaurant is a small kitchen area where customers can order food or hookah, flavored tobacco,and see their food being made. Amira Totah, daughter of Big Daddys owner Hani Totah, can often be found in this part of the restaurant taking orders and making the specialty Mediterranean cuisine.

A couple of our most popular items are the gyros and chicken shawarma wraps, said AmiraTotah, who is a sophomore majoring incommunicative disorders.

Big Daddys lives up to its name as a Mediterranean grill by offering a large number of Mediterranean foods. However, the menu has many American choices as well.

People order the chicken wings and the Philly cheesesteak a lot, too, AmiraTotah said.

Along with the food menu, Big Daddys has a newly expanded menu of hookah flavors for customers to choose from. The menu has specialty flavors ranging from grape to Red Bull. Big Daddys is the only hookah bar in Tuscaloosa,which is a draw for many patrons.

Further into the restaurant is a much different area which serves as the hookah bar where most patrons go to smoke their hookah and eat. This larger back area is a dimly lit room filled with cushioned seating, a large TV, a speaker system and a strong wifi signal.

Customersare free to change the channel, find something on Netflix or plug their phones into the speaker system to play music of their choice.

We try to create a chill atmosphere and diverse hangout spot, AmiraTotah said. People will come here to just hang out, do homework, or have a fun night.

For many students, the versatility of the restaurant is what draws them in. That, coupled withthe late hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights makes Big Daddy's an attraction for Nick Bomar, a sophomore telecommunication and film major and frequent customer.

I cant think of a better place to go if it is late and Im just trying to chill and eat or smoke with a group of people, Bomar said. I think if more people knew about it, it would constantly be packed out.

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Big Daddy's serves up hookah, mediterranean cuisine and relaxing atmosphere - The University of Alabama Crimson White

For centuries, people have slowed their breathing to calm their minds. For some of us, this takes the form of meditation or yoga; for others, it's 10 deep breaths before a panic attack sets in.

Regardless of what you call it, scientific evidence has backed upthe fact that our breath can induce a feeling of tranquillity - although no one has ever been able to figure out exactly how that happens. Now, researchers think they might have finally found the answer, pinpointing a small group of neurons in the brain stems of mice that connect the breath with feelings of calm.

To be clear, the research so far is limited to mice - scientists are yet to replicate the results in humans.

But the mouse brain has many similarities to the human brain, so it's a good starting point that could begin to explain on a physical level how practices such as meditation and pranayama yoga can bring on feelings of calm and euphoria.

"This study is intriguing because it provides a cellular and molecular understanding of how that might work," said lead researcher Mark Krasnow from Stanford University School of Medicine.

The group of cells in question belongs to thepre-Btzinger complex, an area of neurons deep within the brain stem that are known to fire each time we breathe in or out - like a breathing pacemaker.

This structure was first discovered in mice back in 1991, but a similar structure has also been found in humans.

"The respiratory pacemaker has, in some respects, a tougher job than its counterpart in the heart," said Krasnow.

"Unlike the heart's one-dimensional, slow-to-fast continuum, there are many distinct types of breaths: regular, excited, sighing, yawning, gasping, sleeping, laughing, sobbing."

"We wondered if different subtypes of neurons within the respiratory control centre might be in charge of generating these different types of breath," he added.

Last year, Krasnow and his team found evidence that a small group of neurons within this pre-Btzinger complex were solely responsible for generating sighs - without them, mice never sighed, and when they were simulated, the animals couldn't stop sighing.

In this latest paper, they found a separate group of neurons in the complex that have a more zen function - they appear to regulate states of calm and arousal in response to our breath.

To figure this out, the team identified two genetic markers called Cdh9 and Dbx1 that they noted were active in the pre-Btzinger complex and appeared to be linked to breathing.

They then genetically engineered mice without any of the neurons that expressed these two genes - taking out a subpopulation of about 175 neurons in the brain stem.

Interestingly, the mice without these neurons still breathed normally, but with key one difference - they breathed more slowly than normal mice.

"I was initially disappointed," said Kevin Yackle, one of the research team, now at the University of California, San Francisco.

But after a few days, the team noticed something else strange going on - the mice without the Cdh9 and Dbx1 neurons were extraordinarily calm compared to their control group peers. They still showed varieties of breathing, but they were all at a much slower pace.

"If you put them in a novel environment, which normally stimulates lots of sniffing and exploration," said Yackle, "they would just sit around grooming themselves." For mice, that's taken as evidence of a zen state of mind.

"We were totally surprised," Yackle told Diana Kwon over at Scientific American."It certainly wasn't something we expected to find."

Upon further investigation, the team found evidence that the neurons were forming connections with thelocus coeruleus - a region of the brain stem that's involved in modulating arousal and emotion, and is responsible for waking us up at night and triggering anxiety and distress.

The team concluded that rather than regulating breathing, this little group of neurons was responding to it and reporting their findings to the locus coeruleus so that it could regulate our mood in response.

"If something's impairing or accelerating your breathing, you need to know right away," said Krasnow. "These 175 neurons, which tell the rest of the brain what's going on, are absolutely critical."

You can see below the pathway (green) that directly connects the brain's breathing centre to the arousal centre and the rest of the brain.

Krasnow Lab

The work is definitely a promising step forward, but we need to keep in mind that there's still a lot we have to learn about how the pre-Btzinger complex works, particular in humans.

Still, the new paper raises the possibility that "any form of practice - from yoga, pranayama to meditation - that is actively manipulating respiration might be using this pathway to regulate some aspects of arousal," neurobiologist Antoine Lutz from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, who wasn't involved in the research, toldScientific American.

While other teams will now need to pursue this research further in mice and eventually humans, Krasnow and his team are now continuing to get a better understanding of what other secrets could be hiding in the pre-Btzinger complex.

"The pre-Btzinger complex now appears to play a key role in the effects of breathing on arousal and emotion, such as seen during meditation," said Feldman.

"We're hopeful that understanding this centre's function will lead to therapies for stress, depression and other negative emotions."

The research has been published inScience.

Excerpt from:

Scientists think they've pinpointed the group of brain cells that ... - ScienceAlert

KOCHI: Some 12 months ago Lija Gijo, executive director of Bless Retirement Living, an high-end retirement village near Aluva, received a call from the BBC asking if the companys retirement homes will be available for shooting a documentary. At that time, our retirement homes were still under construction, recollects Lija. The liaison officer made a follow-up call in June last year to inquire on the status of the project.

We had scheduled the soft launch of the project on August 20, which I told her. They came here and interacted with the elderly community at our home on the launch day. Within one month, on September 20, the BBC crew and its celebrity cast were here for one full days shooting, she explains. We are talking about The Real Marigold Hotel- series two, the multi-award winning travel documentary series from BBC which was shot in Kochi. The four-part series, which concluded on March 24, is inspired by, but unrelated to the blockbuster film, The Real Marigold Hotel, is to test if eight celebrity cast will consider spending their sunset years in Kochi.

Embarking on the journey of the lifetime were eight British celebrities-- entertainer Lionel Blair, actress Amanda Barrie, snooker champion Dennis Taylor, TV personality Rustie Lee, Doctor Miriam Stoppard, presenter Bill Oddie, singer Sheila Ferguson and actor Paul Nicholas. We chose Kochi as it is the best way to access as much as possible of Kerala and southern India as possible. It had great connections, charming accommodation, impressive medical care, access to the best of Kerala such as the backwaters and beaches, and interesting festivals and festivities in our filming period, says David Vallance, series editor of The Real Marigold Hotel.

The shooting lasted for one-month, and the crew stayed at Fort Kochis Le Colonial, probably Asias oldest colonial house dating back to 1506. I do think India will be an eye-opener for them. Most people, when they come to India, either love it or hate it. But you are never indifferent to it, Smita, manager of Le Colonial, says in the first episode. Kochi-based yoga guru S Rajendran, who has conducted workshops in the US, Israel and Dubai, was entrusted with the task of training the celebrity particpants on the Indian physical and mental excercise regimen. I conducted yoga sessions on six out of the eight members. I helped them with stretching, simple and basic asanas, pranayama and deep relaxation. They were happy with the outcome, Rajendran says.

And what was the experience all about for the celebrities, who are all on the wrong side of 55? The cast enjoyed exploring Kochi, its culture and people. Some of the cast were particularly impressed by the beautiful backwaters, visiting the Kerala Kathakali Centre to watch traditional dance performances and experiencing a traditional Keralan wedding, says David Vallance, the series editor. In The Real Marigold Hotel- series 1, telecast in January 2016, a different set of celebrities explored retirement living in Jaipur. The series which is inspired by 2011 movie, which starred Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilson. In the movie, they moved to India for their golden years.

The four-part series on Kochi is already seeing a big impact on the UK residents, who are exploring the possibility of settling down in the Queen of the Arabian Sea for their sunset years. Says Lija, executive director of Bless Retirement Living: We have received at least 40-45 enquiries from the UK after The Marigold series. There are minor irritants though. For instance, the regulations will allow only 6-month visa for British residents, and they need to re-apply after every six months. We are discussing with our legal advisor on resolving the issue and see if senior UK residents can stay at our facility for the rest of their lives.

Link:

Post-retirement spots: Celebs try out Kochi - The New Indian Express

Alice Cooper (seen here performing in Milwaukee in 2013) returns to town tonight for "Spend the Night with Alice Cooper." (Photo: David Bernacchi)

Published Oct. 6, 2016 at 6:06 p.m.

As a perfect kickoff to the Halloween month, legendary rocker Alice Cooper is bringing his grandly outrageous brand of performance to the Milwaukee (or "Mill-e-wah-que") Theatre stage on Thursday night.

Before then, Steve Palec got to chat with Cooper today on his WKLH radio show. Here is a transcript of their conversation, chatting about Cooper's biggest hits, hitting the links, the friendly and unfriendly competition among rock stars in the early days, working with Gene Wilder and 'tis the season politics.

Steve Palec: I know that you come to Milwaukee often, but the pressing question is: When youre here, does that mean you head north to Whistling Straits or Blackwolf Run, or are you going west to Erin Hills?

Alice Cooper: I dont know if were gonna have time to do that; I think its only one show there in Milwaukee. It might be Bluemound.

Nothing wrong with that!

Thats a good country club, yeah.

One thing I have always wanted to ask you: "Billion Dollar Babies" was an album that I wore out including the cover; I wore out that wallet. I listened to it over and over. It was my very first concert. It was seminal. There was not a wasted second on that album. I could go on and on and on, but Id like to know how it fits into your mythology. How do you feel about that album today, decades later?

That was our first No. 1 album. "Schools Out" was No. 1 in England, and "Schools Out" was No. 2 in the United States, but "Billion Dollar Babies" was No. 1.

So would you say it was life-altering?

Yeah, it was, because we never ever thought we would have a No. 1. It was one of those perfect times; it was the right sound, the right band, at the right time. Bob Ezrin, who produced us, would never let us put a filler on an album. In other words, every song that goes on an album, as far as he was concerned, had to be a song that looked like a gem. Every album weve ever done with Bob, hes very, very particular so are we about everyth

Published Nov. 20, 2015 at 6:06 p.m.

I just heard U2s "Pride (In the Name of Love)," the band's 1984 song about the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Whenever I hear the lyrics ...

Early morning, April fourShot rings out in the Memphis skyFree at last, they took your lifeThey could not take your pride

I cant help but remember that April 4 in 1968.

When I was a kid growing up on the Northwest Side of Milwaukee, whenever I had a little extra spending money beyond my consistent forays to buy candy or baseball cards, I couldnt wait to get Downtown. And it seemed that aside from unloading my snow shoveling income for a pair of Bucks tickets in the winter, the only time I was flush with cash was right after my birthday on April 3rd. Those trips were also pretty consistent.

With my $10 or $15 secured deep within my off brand jeans, I would with semi-full knowledge of my parents take the #64 bus east on Capitol Drive, remaining diligent on the lookout for Fond du Lac Avenue where I knew I would have to transfer. There were probably times I was so nervous about losing my transfer ticket that I ran the risk of rubbing off the ink.

Sometimes with a friend or occasionally with my younger brother (not my neighbor Gino Salomone; his parents wouldnt let him go with me), we would wait for that next bus in a manner unfathomable to the current existence of a ride within minutes available to todays adolescents with a phone and Uber app.

I had very little comprehension of where Downtown started and ended, but I sure knew Wisconsin Avenue was what to look for. I pretty much knew it by seeing statutes of old guys on horses. Same statues I probably drive by a hundred times a week now without even noticing.

First stop was always The Moon Fun Shop, where I risked spending all my money on the necessities that only they had such as fake cigarettes, tricks, counter-culture items such as political pins and other harmless clutter. I loved that place.

Next, we would usually wander

Published May 5, 2014 at 3:39 p.m.

Can I run something by you guys?

I am well aware that I have faults, enemies, shortcomings, sins and I get very excited when I eat and forget to chew. As a quasi-media member, the general public has a right to remind me of those issues and I can take it But please do not ever question my patriotism I grew up happily pledging allegiance to the flag.

Ive traveled the world and have no doubt that the United States of America is the best country on earth. I pay my taxes (although I do usually file an extension). I love the USA. And I always stand and remove my hat for the national anthem. Always. And if I am not holding both a beer and hot dog, I will often put my hand on my heart, as well.

Now, a couple of my other faults include being passive-aggressive, as well as vindictive. So while at a sporting event I will tend to get more frustrated than vocal when I see people oblivious to the disrespect they show by not standing for the anthem. I might glare and imagine tripping them later, but its not my nature to say anything. I can cut a little more slack to those standing but still wearing hats.

Maybe they just don't remember they have it on or I have mistaken their headwear for their actual hair, But again, I am not the guy that will yell out "Hey Rob Ford, what the hell is wrong with you, put the crack pipe down and stand up?" (By the way, Rob Ford gets a pass if it is a Blue Jays game.)

Watching the Brewers on TV the other day I saw a guy standing next to the woman singing "God Bless America" (more on that later) with his hat on while eating french fries. Really?

If it is the national anthem, you SHOULD stand up. You of course live in the USA. In Cuba or some Soviet remnant country like Cubeskestan, you risk being taken away and disappearing for a lot less. Of course, you do have freedom here and you can in fact make the conscious choice to remain seating. And if it is a conscious protest, then I will respect that.

But, you also have the choice to walk around

Published Jan. 2, 2014 at 2:16 p.m.

No one on their deathbed ever said, "I regret all the time I spent watching TV."

While I have a lot of divergent interests including commercial real estate, radio, sports, music, family, food, working out and drinking with Andy Tarnoff I undoubtedly spend more time watching TV than any other activity in my life.

So as the calendar changes to another year, I found myself reflecting on the past year of my TV viewing.

I just accidentally watched "The Blacklist." James Spader is awesome and does what most of us can't: wear a fedora.

I always cringe when HBO series have their season finales. "Veep," "Eastbound & Down," "Real Time with Bill Maher," "The Newsroom," "True Blood" and especially you Nucky. It doesn't get much better than "Boardwalk Empire."

I am glad I am not exclusive to HBO. I really like "Nurse Jackie," and "Masters of Sex" might just be my new favorite show.

The hardest thing I do every morning is get out of bed. I couldn't do it without Susan and Nicole and Marianne and Sally and Kim and Jessica and Caitlin.

"NCIS" is a guilty pleasure. And no, I am not yet retired.

I have been enjoying "Packers Live with Larry McCarren." It's sincere (is that finger thing a special effect?). Plus, I have memorized and sing along with their two great songs, "Chalk Talk" and "In The Huddle."

I also enjoy "Brewers Live" after games hoping to see if Davey Nelson says something Shakespearean.

Ron Swanson makes "Parks and Rec" worthy of whatThursdayTV used to be. Meanwhile,I don't know why "Whitney" got cancelled instead of Cummings' other show, "Two Broke Girls." I can watch it, but I don't listen to what they say.

I admit to still watching "Two and a Half Men," and I also watch "Anger Management." I watch and like "Mike & Molly," and"The Mindy Project" is just plan good.There's something about Mindy.

Recently binge-watched "Scandal" on demand. I get it. It's good. So is On Demand.

I go back and forth between "The Daily Show" and Colbert

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Today is the day I go vegan for good - OnMilwaukee.com