SEATTLE, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced today that Alexa will be able to talk to Cortana, and Cortana will be able to talk to Alexa. You will be able to turn to your Echo device and say, “Alexa, open Cortana,” or turn to your Windows 10 device and say, “Cortana, open Alexa.”
Alexa customers will be able to access Cortana’s unique features like booking a meeting or accessing work calendars, reminding you to pick up flowers on your way home, or reading your work email – all using just your voice. Similarly, Cortana customers can ask Alexa to control their smart home devices, shop on Amazon.com, interact with many of the more than 20,000 skills built by third-party developers, and much more.
“Ensuring Cortana is available for our customers everywhere and across any device is a key priority for us,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “Bringing Cortana’s knowledge, Office 365 integration, commitments, and reminders to Alexa is a great step toward that goal.”
“The world is big and so multifaceted. There are going to be multiple successful intelligent agents, each with access to different sets of data and with different specialized skill areas. Together, their strengths will complement each other and provide customers with a richer and even more helpful experience,” said Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO, Amazon. “It’s great for Echo owners to get easy access to Cortana.”
Alexa and Cortana will begin talking to each other later this year.
Ridgewood NJ, according to federal prosecutors and court documents filed, Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez allegedly starting taking bribes from a wealthy donor Salomon Melgen shortly after he entered the Senate in 2006!
“The Government’s evidence at trial will demonstrate that, over time, the defendants’ bribery scheme grew in magnitude and breadth. The jury will hear testimony from a variety of individuals who witnessed the scheme unfold, including guests and pilots who were present for the lavish vacations Melgen furnished for Menendez, public officials that Menendez pressured on Melgen’s behalf, and Menendez staffers who helped carry out Menendez’s advocacy. In addition, the jury will see evidence of the defendants’ corrupt bargain in scores of contemporaneous communications between the defendants, their agents, and the officials they endeavored to influence, as well as records spanning everything from flight manifests and hotel bills to credit ”
Menendez’s bribery and corruption trial is set to begin next week. Justice Department prosecutors filed a new document Wednesday laying out their case against the New Jersey senator, as well as Dr. Salomon Melgen, his alleged co-conspirator. Melgen has already been convicted in a separate case of bilking Medicare but has not been sentenced yet.
Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce that the Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center is expanding its services to now offer Behavioral Sleep Coaching for children, from newborns to teens. The new service offers effective treatment for the psychosocial, psychological and environmental factors that commonly interfere with sleep.
“Sleep coaching utilizes proven approaches to build healthy sleep habits so that children can get a better night’s sleep,” said Stephanie Zandieh, M.D., M.S., Director of Pediatric Sleep Medicine at Valley. “Whether we are helping a child overcome his fear of the dark or teaching a toddler to fall asleep without her parent in the room, we work collaboratively with patients and their families to develop treatment plans that are uniquely suited to each child’s specific needs.”
Studies show that as many as 25 to 40 percent of children experience sleep difficulties such as stalling or protesting at bedtime, difficulty falling or staying asleep, or nighttime fears. If left untreated, these sleep problems can become chronic and lead to difficulties with learning, memory and concentration, declining academic performance, impulsivity/hyperactivity and poor emotional control. A child’s sleep problems can also disrupt the family and create negative parent-child dynamics.
“Proper sleep is essential to every child’s growth and development,” said Kim Cahill, R.N., M.S.N., A.P.N., CPNP-PC, who leads the Behavioral Sleep Coaching program. “Through face-to-face meetings and regular follow-up, we identify and eliminate the roadblocks that interfere with quality sleep, so that a child can feel great, have fun, learn more and perform his or her best.”
Fortunately, many sleep problems can be resolved through Behavioral Sleep Coaching. The underlying principle of the approach is that healthy sleep is a learned behavior. Valley’s experienced and knowledgeable team works with patients and their families to systematically introduce behavioral change, such as developing a consistent sleep schedule and a regular, relaxing bedtime routine. Families are involved at every step of care to help children attain the foundations of good sleep for the rest of their lives. Although each plan of care is unique, treatment can generally be completed in two to four sessions.
Dr. Zandieh and Ms. Cahill work collaboratively to accurately diagnose and treat sleep disorders. During an initial consultation, they will meet with patients and their families to obtain a complete medical and sleep history and perform a physical exam. If there are medical symptoms, such as snoring, increased body movements during sleep or excessive daytime sleepiness that are contributing to a child’s sleep problems, the child may first need specific medical treatment.
Dr. Zandieh is board-certified in sleep medicine, pediatric pulmonology, and pediatrics. As a pediatric sleep medicine specialist for more than 18 years, she has been devoted to providing comprehensive care to children from infancy to young adulthood.
Ms. Cahill has 17 years of experience in pediatric sleep medicine and is licensed through the New Jersey Board of Nursing and certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB), meeting the highest national standards for the care of pediatric patients.
Patients may be referred to the Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center by their pediatricians, other physicians, or parents may call directly to make an appointment. The Center is credentialed with most major insurance companies and sleep coaching services are generally covered by insurance. Please contact the Center for a list of participating insurance plans.
For more information about The Valley Hospital Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center visit www.ValleyHealth.com/PediatricSleep. To make an appointment at the Center, please call 201-447-8152.
Ridgewood NJ, Niche put together a list of the best elementary schools for 2018. The 2018 Best Public Elementary Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, grade school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district.
Ridgewood School District placed very well with 6 schools in the top 100. Interesting to many residents they may not have placed in the order you would expect. The Six Ridgewood public schools are :
Have you sent in your membership renewal yet?! Or become a new member? The Historical Society and Schoolhouse Museum operate SOLELY on donations from caring people like you. We receive absolutely no aid from from the State or Village. It costs roughly $25,000 per year to keep our doors open. If you are able to help us, in any way, however large or small, we would be so very grateful! You will find a donation tab on our website, or stop in and see how wonderful we are while dropping off your donation in person 😉
Dear Ridgewood Resident,
Those actively involved in the Historical Society and the Schoolhouse Museum keep saying we are the best-kept secret in Ridgewood. The museum is Ridgewood’s very own and only museum, and we are working hard to make it less of a secret and more a recognized institution in the village. To that end, we have been changing our exhibits each year, and we are trying to bring in more visitors with programs above and beyond the exhibits.
If you haven’t visited our 2017 exhibit From the Revolutionary War to the Revolution of the of the 1960’s, please find time to visit. We also have three other small exhibits: A Tribute to the 19th Century Comedic Actor Joe Jefferson, 50 Small Things with Big Histories, and our permanent installation on farm tools.
Last fall we were busy with our cemetery walks, our celebration of all things apple, and a series of demonstrations by craftswomen. This spring we have had three great speakers: Bob Bracken on the Titanic, Chris Stout on Ridgewood’s Heroes, and Patricia Hans and her students sharing their research and creative responses to the stories they uncovered.
All of this, of course, is possible because of the participation and financial support of people like you who value the Ridgewood Historical Society’s efforts to preserve and share out local history. We want to keep the Schoolhouse Museum not only alive but flourishing, and hope you will join us as a supporter. Thank you for your commitment to the Ridgewood Historical Society.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I send our heartfelt appreciation for your support. We welcome you as a member of the society and look forward to seeing you at the museum soon!
Any reasonable person could have predicted this when analyzing the Affordable Care Act as written. Premiums rise, payments to physicians go down, and those who want to fix this law believe that increased subsidies to insurance companies will help. It is truly time to scrap ObamaCare and start over. Minimizing the federal role would be a great place to start , Alieta Eck, MD For Real Health Care Reform
Government control of healthcare is reducing access
by Dr. Deane Waldman and Jennifer Minjarez | Aug 29, 2017, 12:01 AM
The Affordable Care Act has made health insurance even more unaffordable than before Obamacare was enacted. Many insurers have lost hundreds of millions of dollars selling Obamacare insurance and have exited the market. The remaining insurance sellers are charging prices many cannot afford and are planning to raise rates an average of 19 percent.
To make the situation worse, payment schedules to doctors continue to go down, making care even less accessible.
Pelosi Statement Condemning Antifa Violence in Berkeley
August 31,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , Democrats finally begin to take antifa violence seriously and start to distance them selves.
San Francisco, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement denouncing the violent protests carried out this weekend in Berkeley, California:
“Our democracy has no room for inciting violence or endangering the public, no matter the ideology of those who commit such acts. The violent actions of people calling themselves antifa in Berkeley this weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation, and the perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted.
“In California, as across all of our great nation, we have deep reverence for the Constitutional right to peaceful dissent and free speech. Non-violence is fundamental to that right. Let us use this sad event to reaffirm that we must never fight hate with hate, and to remember the values of peace, openness and justice that represent the best of America.”
Ridgewood NJ, The PSE&G gas line construction project on E. Ridgewood Avenue will be going through the intersection of Pleasant Avenue on Thursday 8/31/17. The intersection will be completely closed to traffic in all directions from 7:00am to 5:00pm. Detours will be in place . Expect delays if traveling through the area.
CHORAL MASTER CLASS With Maestro Steven Fox, Music Director Saturday, September 16, 2017 Time: 1- 3pm Place: Bethlehem Lutheran Church 155 Linwood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ Cost: Be our Guest!! Maestro Steven Fox invites you to join Pro Arte Chorale in a MASTER CLASS of vocal exercise, singing techniques and a discussion of chorale repertoire. This complimentary master class will conclude with a rehearsal of various choral pieces from different periods, and in different styles, including Medieval Chant/Renaissance, Classical with element of Baroque, Romantic and Contemporary (20th Century). Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from, and sing with, Grammy-nominated Maestro Steven Fox and the Pro Arte Chorale!! To reserve your seat contact info@proartechorale.org or call 201-497-8400
file photo by Boyd Loving Sun, September 10, 2017 Time: 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM Location: Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, E Ridgewood Ave and Oak St
Ridgewood NJ, Paint Out in Downtown Ridgewood September 10 @ 12:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Call to Artists, Members and Friends of The Ridgewood Art Institute!
Save this Date: September 10, 2017
Please join us to Paint Out in Downtown Ridgewood during The Ridgewood Guild’s Music Festival
• Register in the RAI tent located in the park from 12 to 1
• Paint from 1 to 3:30 (please note that the Music Festival
will take place in the park from 1 to 6)
• Join us along Ridgewood Ave. near the park to display and sell
(if desired) your plein air paintings from 4-6.
• Artists should bring their own easels and paint supplies*
• There is no registration fee – but donations will be appreciated!
Painting subjects will range from
musicians – to the crowd -to downtown scenes.
A great opportunity to share the day with family and friends too!
*Watch for more news to come about related RAI plein air
demos and instruction.
Ridgewood NJ, the CDC and multiple states are investigating a multistate outbreak of human Salmonella infections linked to contact with pet turtles.
Thirty-seven people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Agbeni have been reported from 13 states.
Illnesses started on dates ranging from March 1, 2017 to August 3, 2017 Of 33 people with available information, 16 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Twelve (32%) ill people are children 5 years of age or younger.
Epidemiologic and laboratory findings link the outbreak of human Salmonella Agbeni infections to contact with turtles or their environments, such as water from a turtle habitat.
In interviews, ill people answered questions about contact with animals during the week before becoming ill. Fifteen (45%) of the 33 people interviewed reported contact with turtles or their environments, such as water from a turtle habitat, before getting sick.
In interviews with 9 ill people about where their turtles came from, 6 reported buying a turtle from a flea market or street vendor, or receiving the turtle as a gift.
In 2015, state and local health officials collected samples from turtles at a street vendor. Whole genome sequencing(https://www.cdc.gov/pulsenet/pathogens/wgs.html) showed that the Salmonella Agbeni isolated from ill people in this outbreak is closely related genetically to the Salmonella Agbeni isolates from turtles. This close genetic relationship means that people in this outbreak are more likely to share a common source of infection.
Do not buy small turtles as pets or give them as gifts.
Since 1975, the FDA has banned selling and distributing turtles with shells less than 4 inches long as pets because they are often linked to Salmonella infections, especially in young children.
All turtles, regardless of size, can carry Salmonella bacteria even if they look healthy and clean. These outbreaks are a reminder to follow simple steps(https://www.cdc.gov/Features/salmonellafrogturtle/) to enjoy pet reptiles and keep your family healthy.
This outbreak is expected to continue since consumers might be unaware of the risk of Salmonella infection from small turtles. If properly cared for, turtles have a long life expectancy.
Nicholas Katzban, Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban Published 7:38 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 | Updated 8:41 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017
A Superior Court judge in Bergen County ruled Tuesday that a former Ridgewood councilman was not in conflict when he voted to rezone areas of downtown for multifamily homes, a council move that caught the ire of some residents who decried the push toward higher densities in their sleepy bedroom community.
Following four major amendments to the village’s master plan in 2015 that nearly tripled the allowable density in certain municipal zones, a group calling itself Ridgewood Citizens for Reasonable Development sued the Village Council, looking to block the ordinances that codified those amendments.
The group alleged that then-Mayor Paul Aronsohn and Councilman Albert Pucciarelli had discussed and approved the ordinances despite two separate conflicts of interest.
Cigars are kept in a state-of-the-art walk-in humidor. Enjoy Davidoff, Avo, Camacho, Padron, Ashton and many more. For pipe smokers, or those who roll their own cigarettes, we have over 40 fine tobacco blends, as well as a large selection of pipes. Experience a wide selection of cigars in one of our two lounges. Relax and unwind in our custom leather smoking chairs.
Waldwick NJ, Wanamaker Avenue, a middle-class neighborhood that according to residents has recently become infested with rats. After finding them all over their property some Waldwick residents say rats are taking over their neighborhood.
According to neighbors the first signs of the rats was in the spring, since then, the issue has begun to tailspin, with more and more neighbors reporting sightings of the animals, both dead and alive. Some have even set traps.
Residents claim the sudden invasion started with nearby construction of Waldwick Station a Russo Development and Terminal Construction Corporation project that began building an 111-unit apartment complex on Zazzetti Street, along the NJ Transit rail, last summer .
Ridgewood NJ, There are two events coming up in the Village. These events are designed to help us create a more connected and vibrant community. Numerous organizations are collaborating on this effort. The Village of Ridgewood has given their endorsement as has the Chamber of Commerce and The Ridgewood Guild.
The first event is a forum which will be held at the Ridgewood Public Library the evening of September 26. It is titled, Moving Forward Together: Fostering a Pedestrian Friendly Community. There are several panelists who will speak about the benefits of experiencing our village on foot. When we encourage residents to walk whenever possible we strengthen our bond as a community, we add to our personal health and well-being and we create a safer environment for pedestrians.
The second event is a village-wide, month-long walking initiative that will take place during October titled Walktoberfest. Guided walks are being scheduled to entice residents to learn more about our village and its businesses. There will be historic, architectural, food, fashion, beauty, parks, interfaith and municipal building tours available.
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