“The giant hogweed is a stunning plant–reaching up to 12 feet tall with flowers as big as umbrellas– but it’s also dangerous. Its sap can cause third degree burns and blindness and New York environmental officials are worried the plant is spreading across the state at an alarming rate … “If the sap gets on your skin and it’s exposed to sunlight . . . you end up with third-degree burns, oozing and scars,” Naja Kraus, the DEC’s Giant Hogweed Program coordinator, told The New York Post , adding, “If it gets in your eyes, you can go blind.””

“Hydraulic fracturing is commonly applied to wells drilled in low permeability reservoir rock. An estimated 90 percent of the natural gas wells in the United States use hydraulic fracturing to produce gas at economic rates. The fluid injected into the rock can be water, gels, foams, and compressed gases, including nitrogen, carbon dioxide and air. Various types of proppant are used, including sand, resin-coated sand, and man-made ceramics, depending on the type of permeability or grain strength needed. Sand containing naturally radioactive minerals is sometimes used so that the fracture trace along the wellbore can be measured…” Wikipedia.org

“Customers of Nyack’s Water Department are being cautioned to boil their water before using it for drinking or cooking, possibly for the next three to five days, because of levels of bacteria that exceed health standards, according to a notice by the village. Water department crews, in response to the problem, are raising chlorine levels in the water at the Nyack treatment plant in West Nyack and they are flushing sections of the water system. About 15,000 customers–in Nyack, South Nyack, Central Nyack and the Palisades Center in West Nyack, NY–are affected.”

“Pondicherry is a retail gift shop on the Woodstock Village Green founded by Julian Lines. They sell handicrafts from the international community of Auroville , along with yoga related clothing, books and music. Many of their clothes are made from hemp and organic cotton. Some of their suppliers include: Of the Earth, Blue Canoe, Pantropic, Indigenous Design and GAIAM. They’re located on the Village Green at the center of Woodstock, NY.”

Cathryn Platine, the principle founder of the Cybeline Revival writes, “Our theology starts from the simplest basis: That the Divine Feminine principle is the basis of the universe. That all of us, all that we encounter is Her in the aggregate. We are all the Great Mother learning about Herself. From this simple beginning springs our organizational models, our rituals, the principles of what we call Wholistic Feminism, our mission of charitable outreach and indeed the way we, as Cybelines, live our lives. We are sometimes called the “scholarly Cybelines” because we have invested many years of strict historical research in order to embrace the essence of what proved to be literally the oldest surviving religion in the world. The world centre of our Religion is in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York at the foot of the Kaaterskill Clove.” The Maetreum is currently being targeted by the town in a religious discrimination case. Please check out the links below the article.

“The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural, effortless process practiced 15-20 minutes twice daily while sitting comfortably with eyes closed. It is unique among techniques of meditation, distinguished by its effortlessness, naturalness and profound effectiveness. The Transcendental Meditation® Program regularly holds FREE introductory talks on the Transcendental Meditation program in Westchester County and other nearby areas. Their main office located in Katonah, NY.”

“The Urban Zen Foundation creates, connects, and collaborates to raise awareness and inspire change in the areas of well-being, preserving cultures, and empowering children. We design forums, partner with existing organizations and bring together experts to define solutions and implement action. The Urban Zen Foundation was founded by Donna Karan.”

In Manhattan, NY, major players in the diabetic community such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the American Diabetes Association as well as newly developed charities like Diabetic Rockstar/Fight-It.org will be present at the United Nations to observe and voice their concerns about various pressing issues. Some organizations like JDRF and ADA are well seasoned veterans of World Diabetes Day events. However this will be a first for Diabetic Rockstar, or DR as its loyal and passionate members affectionately refer to it. DR is a unique charity that accrued over one thousand members in less than a year, and continues to grow, gaining new members everyday.

Have you ever heard footsteps, but no one was there or everyone was in bed fast asleep? Does your dog bark at something persistently that’s not there, or your cat avoid a certain area in your home?… If you have answered yes to some of these questions, you’re not alone! Many people have experienced these phenomena, but now there’s someone you can call, at no cost, to resolve the disturbances…Kathy O’Donnell and Karen Darby appear to be your average Bedford residents; both are blond and dress normally, nothing like the Ghostbusters jumpsuits and backpacks sported by Bill Murray and Dan Ackroyd in the ‘80’s blockbuster movie. They are just two suburban New York women, with an extraordinary gift they refer to as ‘a calling’… “We’re just here to offer a service.”