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MARCH 30 - APRIL 5, 2022 • ANTON MEDIA GROUP
FULL RUN
LETTER TO THE EDITOR DEMOCRACY REQUIRES GETTING OFF OUR BUTTS administered the law among all relatives, boarders and workers on their land. Parents taught law and literacy to their children. In England, families contributed labor to the castle guard, just as in America, men rotated duty as night watchmen. Both democracies had extensive militia and jury duty requirements.
Today, Americans shirk even jury duty and can’t be bothered to vote in local elections. We have withdrawn from charitable causes, and civic, electoral and church participation. We are too busy with social media, video gaming, Netflix binging, on-line shopping, porno and the new sports gambling craze to be of
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Embracing 65 And All Its Glory
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VOL. 58
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Regents Changes Put Off BY JOSE
Paul DiSclafani pdisco23@aol.com
Publishers of Glen Cove/Oyster Bay Record Pilot Great Neck Record Manhasset Press Nassau Illustrated News Port Washington News Syosset-Jericho Tribune The Nassau Observer The Roslyn News
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LONG ISLAND LIVING
Karl V. Anton, Jr., Publisher, Anton Community Newspapers, 1984-2000
Editor and Publisher Angela Susan Anton
COLUMNS One of my earliest Massapequa Observer columns from 2017 broached a very personal subject for me. After writing a few columns about life in Massapequa, my editor liked them so much she asked me to keep submitting something every week. Although Massapequa is a beautiful place to live and raise a family, developing a Massapequa-themed column each week would not be easy. So, I reached into my bag of tricks and decided to submit a column about me. I submitted a humorous column with the catchy title of “The ‘S’ Word,” detailing my inner feelings about turning sixty. It turned out to be one of my most popular columns and helped launch my career as a columnist, broadening my pool of exciting subjects to talk about. In the five years since the publication of that column, I’ve had more than 230 columns published, won a bunch of Media Awards from the Press Club of Long Island (“Long Island Living” was voted best column in 2021), and published two books. Not too shabby, eh? But now, I stand on the precipice of turning 65. Many people from my generation never thought about getting this old. In our eyes, surviving until 65 meant an automatic end of our working days and transitioning into sweet retirement. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. First things first. For my age group, the Social Security retirement age for full benefits is 66 and a half, not 65. That moves the calendar out to August of 2023 for me. That doesn’t mean I will retire at that point; it just means I can. Of course, I could retire tomorrow if I want
service to our country and our fellow human beings. The shame falls squarely on business, political and even church leaders, who regularly invite us to lead highly privatized lives dedicated to their products, services and causes. Can’t we do better? Kim Shinkoskey
m After so much dis me confusio n State Ed cussion, the Ne and uc has mo ation Departmw York mentaril plan to y abando ent rai requirem se minimum ned its Math Re ents for its En passing gli standardgents exams ab sh and sco re which wa of 65. Th ove the of Educ s led by Comme plan, ati was the on MaryElle issioner n lat moveme est in what ha Elia, ing standnt towards ad s been a jus some ba ards, which ha ted testparents cklash from tea s faced alike. chers an d The de began in partment’s ini tia year priorMay 2014, rou tive gh a memo to Elia’s arriva ly a change was issued reg l, when to “aspir ard Brianna for the ational ing a Salinaro afo at one of which wo rementioned scores” her tourna ments (Ph dents rec uld have requirexams, otos sub English eive at least a ed stumitted by 75 on the Regents Brianna Math Re and an Salinaro ge 80 ) nts on , scores under Pe which falthe rfo rm ance Le Class of l ve high sch 2022, which wo l 4. The BY JENNI school ool during the uld enter ye 20 jfauci@ FE the first ar, would have 18-19 antonm R FAUCI class aff ediagro family rec ected. Hobeen up.com At an ag wever, daughte eived the news their fir e where most See REGE st slew of r’s life would be that their NTS on pa Brianna steps and lea babies take ph Salinaro ge 3 rn tal and ysical and so met with a Cerebral Salinaro was dia to walk, em me Heart Un, a current fresh grew up otional chall times men1, the Ma Palsy. At the ten gnosed with en , prepari iversity in Co man at Sacred ssapequ de with ph her childhood ges. As she nn ng to be a reside r age of ysi SPECIAL ever to come the ecticut, is nt and he and bu cal encounter was amassed SECTION co lly r INSIDE Paralym mpete in the first female to succuming by classm s, therapy Taekwo pic ates. b to her ndo “Growings. many tri Refusing up with bulation Cerebral s, Palsy See
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and begin collecting social security. Camps & As the youngest in my group Schools of friends, some have already retired. My wife turned in her papers to the New York City Police Department over ten years ago. They all talk about the freedom and the perks of benefits (it does not). no longer working. Somehow, turning 65 doesn’t But I’m still working. I have seem quite as traumatic as an excellent job with Northwell turning 60. I never worried that I’m in no rush to give up. about making it to 30, 40 or 50. I I had hoped that when I was was actualready to ly looking retire, my forward to wife and I those. But could travel 60 was a and do different things withstory, a out regard real shock for vacation to the days from system. It work. But wasn’t a even that is milestone being put Despite having many friends basking in on hold as retirement, columnist Paul DiSclafani will be birthday I waiting a year to put in for Social Security was looking I try and forward work out to. Now, I am secretly looking some back pain issues since forward to the next couple of falling off a step stool last April. milestones, mainly to see if I I signed up for Medicare can make it to them. last month, and suddenly, I’m Now that 60 is in the rearview paying more attention to those mirror, and 65 is here, I’m commercials with Joe Namath learning to embrace it. While and Jimmy JJ Walker. I wonworking out my back problems, dered if my zip code made me I’ve noticed people are very eligible for all those additional
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In Athens, young adults spent two years in public service. Many over 30 formed a huge city council to make laws for the population. In Rome, citizens had extensive and regular civic duties. Elected officials served only oneyear terms, so many would have the opportunity of being leaders. In Israel, land-owning parents
kind to someone with a cane. It’s like I’ve suddenly turned into a pretty girl. Guys open doors for you or politely ask you if you need help. Soon, I’ll get a handicap sticker for my car and become one of those guys who rage against people parking illegally in those spots. I’m blessed to have gotten this far in life, and I’m certainly not ready to punch out. I’ve got so much to look forward to (like my son Kevin’s wedding this year) and plenty of columns to write for you, dear reader. Thank you for tagging along with me on this journey we call life. We’ve got a lot more to talk about… Paul DiSclafani’s new book, A View From The Bench, is a collection of his favorite Long Island Living columns. It’s available wherever books are sold.
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