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Shayla’s Grocery Store Article and photo by Ella Mae Howard For one hundred and twelve years, the Ashland Mercantile has been part of the small southeastern Montana town of Ashland. The Merc, as it is known by locals, started out as a grocery store in a two story wood frame building on the east side of Ashland’s main street. Today, the business of
the Merc is still groceries and it is still in the same building. The list of Merc owners is short. Joe Holtz, one of the early owners sold it to Tom and Cecil Moore in 1944. In Beyond Echoing Footsteps, 2010, Nancy Nordeen, daughter of the Moore’s wrote: “Since it was a general store it provided a variety of merchandise from canned goods, produce, and meats to dry goods. As a baby I would sleep in one of the glass show cases in the store as my parents worked.” In the mid-seventies, the Moores listed the Merc for sale in the Billings Gazette. This ad enticed Gordon and Shayla Hagen to make the 635-mile move from White, North Dakota to Ashland, Montana to add their name to the list of Merc owners. The Hagen’s had been vacationing in Yellowstone National Park in 1975, picked up the Gazette, and when they got home Gordon read about a
small grocery store for sale in Ashland. Soon, he convinced himself that he wanted to see the store, got in the family car, and headed back to Montana. He saw the store, visited with the Moores, and liked the story. Gordon returned to North Dakota intent on convincing Shayla to leave their small gas station in White for the Ashland Mercantile. Shayla had clerked and stocked shelves in small town grocery stores, and knew how much hard work and time they took, so her first inclination was not to leave her life in White for the Ashland Mercantile. But four months after seeing the ad, the Hagen’s were on their way. Shayla says, “I will never forget the day, December 15, 1975, southeastern Montana had been hit with a bad snowstorm, the Lame Deer Divide was icy and I was petrified. Oh yea! I had my doubts.” After owning the store for six months, the Hagens concluded they had made a mistake. They wrote an ad to sell the store. But, as Shayla very quickly says, “It was only for sale for two months.” The Hagens pulled the ad, mostly because the store had started to feel like home for the young blue-eyed woman from North Dakota. “I had fallen in love (Continued on page 40)
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PAGE 4 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Too Many Mistakes!
Montana Senior News A Barrett-Whitman Publication
P.O. Box 3363 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3363 406-761-0305 or 800-672-8477 FAX 406-761-8358 montanaseniornews.com email: montsrnews@bresnan.net The Montana Senior News is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October and December at 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Montana. The mail subscription rate is $8.00 per year (6 issues). The Montana Senior News is written to serve the reading interests of mature Montanans of all ages. Readers are encouraged to contribute interesting material. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. All copy appearing in the Montana Senior News is protected by copyright and may be reprinted only with the written permission of the publisher. Advertising copy should be received or space reserved by the 5th of the month preceding the month of publication.
Jack W. Love, Jr., Publisher/Editor Colleen Paduano Kathleen McGregor Lisa Gebo Jonathan Rimmel Peter Thornburg Sherrie Smith
I am disappointed or “gobsmacked” as my British-Irish cousin, a teacher in middle school in County Leitrim, Ireland might write it, that I could not for the life of me locate the continuation to Bill Hall’s otherwise fine article, Another Defense Department, which began on your page 56 of the Oct/Nov issue. Imagine my profound sadness. Is there any way – in this lifetime or maybe the next – to locate the continuation and or the end of this article? With all best wishes from The Big Apple, John F. Early New York, New York PS: You can also imagine my shock and dismay when I read Mark Fee’s article on historical movies on page 54 and found Henry III when it should have been Henry VIII. ED: Indeed, the end of Bill Hall’s Another Defense Department article was not continued after page 56. It appears in its entirety starting on
page 14 of this issue. Regarding the Henry VIII typo, there can be only one solution – off with our heads! Our apologies to all of our readers for the inconveniences.
Sends Articles To Friends My sister in Froid, Montana sends me many clippings out of your paper. I enjoy having them, and I send them to friends who enjoy them too. So we all want to thank you for your fine newspaper. I’m sending along a few clippings that I have picked up along the way and over time. They may not be as good as yours, so use them or throw them away. Thanks so much. Mary Hilla Mesquite, Nevada Correction: Regarding Learning for your Lifetime – Great Falls College MSU that appeared on page 5 of the October/November 2013 issue, the correct contact phone number is 406-268-3734. That article also appears in this issue on page 5. MSN
Helping Others Is Easy With United Way This is the time of year when various charities are encouraging community members to dig into their pockets to help those in need. Do you have a favorite charity you have given to faithfully over the years? Have you considered a deferred gift to give at some future date? Planned giving or a deferred gift may be defined as a method of supporting non-profit organizations and charities that enables donors to make larger gifts than they could make from their income. Two of the most popular tools for planned giving are a bequest or a living trust. A bequest just makes a simple designation of the gift of an asset
(cash, real property, securities, etc.) in your will or trust and costs nothing during your lifetime. They are easy and revocable if your situation changes. A living trust avoids probate, and all you do is name your chosen charity as a beneficiary. Your charity will not be qualified to provide legal, tax, or investment advice, so consult with your legal and financial advisors before making any gift. For more information on planned giving and to receive The Ultimate Quick Reference Planned Giving Pocket Guide visit success@plannedgiving.com, call 800-873-9203, or write to Planned Giving.Com, 1288 Valley Forge Road, Suite 82, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 19460. MSN
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Contributing Writers Bob Campbell Connie Daugherty Clare Hafferman Sue Hart Kim Thielman-Ibes Gail Jokerst Bernice Karnop Craig Larcom Liz Larcom Michael McGough Jack McNeel Dianna Troyer © 2013
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Bringing Mental Illness Out Of The Shadows Is Important By Bob Campbell One in five Montana families will have a family member in crisis with a mental disorder. Whether depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, or a posttraumatic condition, these families will confront a frightening behavior in a loved one. Unlike a physical injury or a contracted illness, mental illness may not be obvious. Fortunately, over the past forty years science has made incredible advances enabling a psychiatrist to diagnose brain impairment and select medications to affect brain circuitry. Each year we learn more about the brain and improve the lives of those who suffer from mental illness. Montana has a high rate of suicide among people of all ages, especially teenagers suffering from depression. Today there is no reason for the fear or stigma and if symptoms appear, treatment must be sought. Montana is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and in most urban areas
information and regular meetings are available. The new federal regulations require health insurance policies to include mental illness coverage to reduce the number of individuals who remain untreated. If you need information on how to deal with a mental illness, you can reach the Montana NAMI office by e-mailing info@nami.org. For veterans psychiatric services are available at Fort Harrison in Helena. Call 1-800-273-8255 for information. A recent change in Montana law makes it easier to allow an emergency evaluation of a person who appears unable to meet their basic needs of clothing, shelter, food, health, or safety. This replaces the former requirement that a person had to pose a threat of immediate harm to themselves or others before an evaluation could be conducted. The good news is that Montana is becoming stronger in meeting the challenges of mental illness that many families face. MSN
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Make Learning A Lifelong Goal With Great Falls College MSU As we get older, it is our intention to continue our education; however, unless we consciously make it a priority, it becomes easy to put off in lieu of what we perceive to be more important. But, when you think about it, learning is vital to keeping our lives interesting and fulfilling and to keep up with the constant changes surrounding us. With the New Year approaching, this is the perfect opportunity to make one of your New Year’s resolutions a commitment to learning something new! Great Falls College MSU Outreach offers you many short, fun, and stress-free courses through our non-credit, Community Enrichment Program – just the ticket for learning new skills, hobbies, or
just to have fun and meet new friends! We have recently expanded our offerings to include cooking, woodworking, and a variety of fitness and dance classes. Even if you live outside Great Falls or are otherwise unable to participate in face-to-face courses, you still have options. There are literally hundreds of online, instructor-facilitated courses to choose from through ed2go, including courses like Getting Paid to Travel, Writing Your Life Story, or Speed Spanish. All you need is the Internet and you can study anytime, anywhere! Call TODAY 406-268-3734 or VISIT outreach. gfcmsu.edu to learn how to begin your journey with lifelong learning! MSN
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Reflecting on our families from our adult perspective can be an emotional experience. Recalling our parents’ – with their habits, values, and idiosyncrasies – gives considerable insight into the factors that have shaped us over the years. This issue’s Remember When selection is by Michael Gartner, Pulitzer Prize winner and former president of NBC, who has graciously allowed us to print his A Life Without Left Turns, first published several years ago in USA Today. We hope you are inspired and touched by this very thoughtful and heartfelt story. Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections, contributions describing fictional or non-fictional accounts from the “Good ol’ Days” or reflections on life in general. Contributions may be stories, letters, artwork, poetry, etc. Photos may be included. Each issue of the Montana Senior News features the contributions deemed best by our staff. The contributor of the winning entry receives a $25 cash prize. We look forward to receiving your contributions for our February/March 2014 issue. Mail your correspondence to Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403; email to montsrnews@bresnan.net; or call 1-800-672-8477 or 406-761-0305. Visit us online at montanaseniornews.com.
A life without left turns By Michael Gartner My father never drove a car. Well, that’s not quite right. I should say I never saw him drive a car. He quit driving in 1927, when he was 25 years old, and the last car he drove was a 1926 Whippet. “In those days,” he told me when he was in his 90s, “to drive a car you had to do things with your hands, and do things with your feet, and look every which way, and I decided you could walk through life and enjoy it or drive through life and miss it.” At which point my mother, a sometimes-salty Irishwoman, chimed in: “Oh, bull___!” she said. “He hit a horse.” “Well,” my father said, “there was that, too.” So my brother and I grew up in a household without a car. The neighbors Carl Gartner in 1934 all had cars – the Kollingses next door had a green 1941 Dodge, the VanLaninghams across the street a gray 1936 Plymouth, the Hopsons two doors down a 1941 Ford – but we had none. My father, a newspaperman in Des Moines, would take the streetcar to work and, often as not, walk the 3 miles home. If he took the streetcar home, my mother and brother and I would walk the three blocks to the streetcar stop, meet him and walk home together.
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Our 1950 Chevy My brother, David, was born in 1935, and I was born in 1938, and sometimes, at dinner, we’d ask how come all the neighbors had cars but we had none. “No one in the family drives,� my mother would explain, and that was that. But, sometimes, my father would say, “But as soon as one of you boys turns 16, we’ll get one.� It was as if he wasn’t sure which one of us would turn 16 first. But, sure enough, my brother turned 16 before I did, so in 1951 my parents bought a used 1950 Chevrolet from a friend who ran the parts department at a Chevy dealership downtown. It was a four-door, white model, stick shift, fender skirts, loaded with everything, and, since my parents didn’t drive, it more or less became my brother’s car. Having a car but not being able to drive didn’t bother my father, but it didn’t make sense to my mother. So in 1952, when she was 43 years old, she asked a friend to teach her to drive. She learned in a nearby cemetery, the place where I learned to drive the following year and where, a generation later, I took my two sons to practice driving. The cemetery probably was my father’s idea. “Who can your mother hurt in the cemetery?� I remember him saying once. For the next 45 years or so, until she was 90, my mother was the driver in the family. Neither she nor my father had any sense of direction, but he loaded up on maps – though they seldom left the city limits – and appointed himself navigator. It seemed to work. The ritual walk to church Still, they both continued to walk a lot. My mother was a devout Catholic, and my father an equally devout agnostic, an arrangement that didn’t seem to bother either of them through their 75 years of marriage. (Yes, 75 years, and they were deeply in love the entire time.) He retired when he was 70, and nearly every morning for the next 20 years or so, he would walk with her the mile to St. Augustin’s Church. She would walk down and sit in the front pew, and he would wait in the back until he saw which of the parish’s two priests was on duty that morning. If it was the pastor, my father then would go out and take a 2-mile walk, meeting my mother at the end of the service and walking her home. If it was the assistant pastor, he’d take just a 1-mile walk and then head back to the church. He called the priests “Father Fast� and “Father Slow.� After he retired, my father almost always accompanied my mother whenever she drove anywhere, even if he had no reason to go along. If she were going to the beauty parlor, he’d sit in the car and read, or go take a stroll or, if it was summer, have her keep the engine running so he could listen to the Cubs game on the radio. (In the evening,
then, when I’d stop by, he’d explain: “The Cubs lost again. The millionaire on second base made a bad throw to the millionaire on first base, so the multimillionaire on third base scored.�) If she were going to the grocery store, he would go along to carry the bags out – and to make sure she loaded up on ice cream. As I said, he was always the navigator, and once, when he was 95 and she was 88 and still driving, he said to me, “Do you want to know the secret of a long life?� “I guess so,� I said, knowing it probably would be something bizarre. “No left turns,� he said. “What?� I asked. “No left turns,� he repeated. “Several years ago, your mother and I read an article that said most accidents that old people are in happen when they turn left in front of oncoming traffic. As you get older, your eyesight worsens, and you can lose your depth perception, it said. So your mother and I decided never again to make a left turn.� “What?� I said again. “No left turns,� he said. “Think about it. Three rights are the same as a left, and that’s a lot safer. So we always make three rights.� “You’re kidding!� I said, and I turned to my mother for support. “No,� she said, “your father is right. We make three rights. It works.� But then she added, “Except when your father loses count.� I was driving at the time, and I almost drove off the road as I started laughing. “Loses count?� I asked. “Yes,� my father admitted, “that sometimes happens. But it’s not a problem. You just make seven rights, and you’re okay again.� I couldn’t resist. “Do you ever go for 11?� I asked. “No,� he said. “If we miss it at seven, we just come home and call it a bad day. Besides, noth-
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 7
NEW! GOLD RUSH EXHIBIT The Jefferson County Museum
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PAGE 8 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
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ing in life is so important it can’t be put off another day or another week.” My mother was never in an accident, but one evening she handed me her car keys and said she had decided to quit driving. That was in 1999, when she was 90. She lived four more years, until 2003. My father died the next year, at 102. They both died in the bungalow they had moved into in 1937 and bought a few years later for $3,000. (Sixty years later, my brother and I paid $8,000 to have a shower put in the tiny bathroom – the house had never had one. My father would have died then and there if he knew the shower cost nearly three times what he paid for the house.) He continued to walk daily – he had me get him a treadmill when he was 101 because he was afraid he’d fall on the icy sidewalks but wanted to keep exercising – and he was of sound mind and sound body until the moment he died. A happy life One September afternoon in 2004, he and my son went with me when I had to give a talk in a neighboring town, and it was clear to all three of us that he was wearing out, though we had the usual wide-ranging conversation about politics and newspapers and things in the news. A few weeks earlier, he had told my son, “You know, Mike, the first hundred years are a lot easier than the second hundred.” At one point in our drive that Saturday,
he said, “You know, I’m probably not going to live much longer.” “You’re probably right,” I said. “Why would you say that?” he countered, somewhat irritated. “Because you’re 102 years old,” I said. “Yes,” he said, “you’re right.” He stayed in bed all the next day. That night, I suggested to my son and daughter that we sit up with him through the night. He appreciated it, he said, though at one point, apparently seeing us look gloomy, he said, “I would like to make an announcement. No one in this room is dead yet.” An hour or so later, he spoke his last words: “I want you to know,” he said, clearly and lucidly, “that I am in no pain. I am very comfortable. And I have had as happy a life as anyone on this earth could ever have.” A short time later, he died. I miss him a lot, and I think about him a lot. I’ve wondered now and then how it was that my family and I were so lucky that he lived so long. I can’t figure out if it was because he walked through life. Michael Gartner, 75, lives in Des Moines, where he is principal owner of the Iowa Cubs baseball team. He’s a former president of NBC News, a former editor of newspapers large and small, and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. MSN
“Real Men Drink Pink” – Young Brothers Create Farmers Market Business A Story from Western Sustainability Exchange “Real Men Drink Pink” read signs pinned to the shirts of two brothers selling lemonade at Western Sustainability Exchange’s (WSE) Livingston Farmers Market. Cody, 13, and Braxton, 10, have not let age get in the way of starting a business. You can find the two bothers wandering through the crowds of the Farmers Market promoting their pink lemonade. Several vendors sell fresh lemonade and attract long lines at their booths. People can avoid the lines if they order directly from Cody and Braxton. The two originally
came up with their idea at a YES camp for Young Entrepreneurs run by Western Sustainability Exchange. There, kids learn business fundamentals, profitability, and sustainable practices in business. WSE then mentors interested children to gain real-world experience by selling products at the Livingston Farmers Market. This is just one of the innovative programs WSE implements to conserve what is best about the West. The organization has been working for the last 19 years to ensure that our spectacular open spaces, wildlife habitat, and farm and ranching heritage will be there for the future generations. To learn more and support WSE’s work visit www.westernsustainabilityexchange.org or call 406-222-0730. MSN
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Sweet Thunder by Ivan Doig; Riverhead Books; New York, 2013 Reviewed by Connie Daugherty In his latest novel, Sweet Thunder, Ivan Doig brings back Morrie Morgan, whom we met in Whistling Season and became reacquainted with in Doig’s first Butte book, Work Song. Butte, “this tortured, boastful, inventive, grudgeridden, wise-cracking city built not upon bedrock but copper ore… fairly got under everyone’s skin, including mine.” However, it is obligation – an invitation difficult to refuse – and necessity from lack of money and a job, not love of the dirty old town that brings Morrie Morgan back to Butte. Once again, Doig’s juxtaposition of Shakespeare, Greek mythology, and literature with the rough and tumble mines, bars, and brothels acknowledges the complex personality of Butte. Like many of Doig’s novels, place becomes an integral part – almost a unique character – in the story. The labor vs. management conflict and the Anaconda Copper Mining Company’s political control over the entire state for more years than anyone cares to admit is standard Butte history. In Sweet Thunder, Doig deals with this history in a witty romp of word play that sets this novel apart from other Butte stories – it is history; it is political commentary; but mostly it is just a fun read for a winter evening. As the newspaper editorial writers exchange insults, the action builds. The year is 1920, prohibition is still the law if not the reality – speakeasies and gambling are not-so-secret parts of everyday life. Labor has won some battles, but not the war. It is a legislative year and Morrie’s old friend, Jared Evans, is a representative from Butte. Once again, Morrie finds himself enlisted in the battle between the Anaconda Company bosses, the miners, and the Montana state legislature. In the middle of it all, the full story of his past is about to catch up with him threatening everything he values most, including his year-old marriage. He cannot hide, he does not want to run, and his charm is wearing thin with the people who count. “How does it happen with such regularity?” Morrie wonders. “As if the Adam and Eve of my family tree, situations seek me out. With the best intentions in the world, I find myself catapulted far out of the ordinary… was this my role in life?” This time the circumstances include the inheritance of an old Butte mansion that is more of a money pit than a blessing. Needing to generate some income, Morrie finds himself charmed into writing an editorial column for a small independent newspaper determined to make a statement against the Anaconda Company, “where clubs and bullets are not required.” A seemingly safe enough endeavor, and one for which Morrie seems surprisingly adept. “I had been searched out by a fitting profession at last. For I stepped… down the sloping streets of Butte to the newspaper office each day with a hum in my heart and words flowing in my head. I was
in the thick of the crusade against the Anaconda Copper Mining Company.” However, the game of words quickly becomes serious as Morrie’s jabs begin to hit at the heart of the company owned newspaper. The pen may indeed be mightier than the sword, but swords – and mine explosions – can kill more effectively. When one of the more outspoken miners is killed in a suspicious underground explosion, Morrie discovers something else about his newly found career and himself. “I was one of those. A newspaperman” with “the hunger of the newsman to be first with the story. To tell the reading public this story of the Hill, before the Post could bury it away on page eight in the death notices.” Instead of reporting the story, Morrie writes a scathing editorial that is just short of libel all but accusing the company of orchestrating the accident. Maybe in his enthusiasm he has gone too far this time. Powerful companies have powerful connections in high and far away places. Even though writing under a pseudonym, Morrie’s involvement and notoriety have thrown him in the limelight and once again into danger. A chance walk through a hidden Butte neighborhood, and a case of mistaken identity – Morrie apparently resembles a secret and successful bootlegger – only adds to his problems. “I always want my battles in life to be bloodless. In the tricky situations that somehow find me, and I them, so far I had managed that, although with some escapes narrower than was comfortable.” But as Morrie keeps jabbing at the hornet’s nest that is the Anaconda Copper Mining Company he is bound to get stung. And this time that sting could be deadly even if outwardly bloodless. As the truth about Morrie’s past comes to light, everything he has worked for is suddenly threatened. This time it is not only Morrie’s future that is at stake but also the lives and future of all the people who have become so important in his life. With the Anaconda Company bosses, the Chicago mob, and the local bootleggers all out to get even with Morrie, something is bound to come crashing down around him. Ivan Doig, one of Montana’s favorite authors, has done it again. Sweet Thunder is everything we expect a Doig novel to be and more. Those of you who read Work Song will be happy to see many familiar characters return in Sweet Thunder, which reads very much like a sequel to the previous Butte book, yet can also stand alone. Those of you who already know and love Doig’s writing will not be disappointed and if you have never read an Ivan Doig book, what better place to start than a book set in Butte – the city with more stories than any other in Montana has. Ivan Doig, one of the west’s premier writers, has received seven regional bookseller awards, the Evans Biography Award, and the Wallace Stegner Award as well as several others. His work has been translated into Spanish, Japanese, German, and Finnish. MSN
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Holiday Tips for the Wallet Wise By Bernice Karnop Some wag has said that Christmas is a race to see which gives out first – your money or your feet. We can’t do much about your feet, but we do have some tips on how to keep the pain out of your wallet into January and February. 1. Create a family recipe book and stir up wonderful memories. This can be done easily on the computer or you can write the cards out and slip them in a photo book. 2. Make your own decorations. Remember to include the grandchildren with age-appropriate crafts. You’ll create more than decorations, you’ll make memories that they might pass on to their grandchildren. 3. Buy a newspaper and scan the ads for the items you want. Make a list and stick to it to avoid impulse purchases.MSN
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The Most Caring Child Leo Buscaglia, also known as Dr. Love, was a professor at the University of Southern California and noted author, lecturer, motivational speaker, and cheerleader for life. “Life is a banquet,” he would say, quoting from the movie Auntie Mame, “and most poor fools are starving to death.” He was most closely associated with the topic of love and human relationships, emphasizing the value of positive human touch, especially hugs. Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. Several of the anecdotes follow. 1. A four-year-old child had an elderly nextdoor neighbor who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy just said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.” 2. Teacher Debbie Moon’s first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color from the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, “I know all about adoption, I was adopted.” “What does it mean to be adopted?” asked another child. The little girl replied, “It means that you grew in your mommy’s heart instead of her tummy.” 3. On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was. “We’re behind 14 to nothing,” he answered with a smile. “Really,” I said. “I have to say you don’t look very discouraged.” “Discouraged?” the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. “Why should we be discour-
aged? We haven’t been up to bat yet.” 4. Whenever I’m disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott. Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he’d set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were cast, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. “Guess what, Mom,” he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me. “I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer.” 5. This is an eyewitness account from New York City, on a cold day in December, some years ago. A little boy, about 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the young boy and said, “My, but you’re in such deep thought staring in that window.” “I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,” was the boy’s reply. The lady took him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel. By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy’s feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. Then she patted him on the head and said, “No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.” As she turned to go, the astonished kid caught her by the hand, and looking up into her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her, “Are you God’s wife?” MSN
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Another defense department By Bill Hall As I write this, the American West is toasting over huge fires like a giant marshmallow. Even people who never lie are glancing down to make certain that their pants are not on fire. While this summer of fire and sooty lungs is beginning to look unprecedented, the friends of Smoky Bear and other good souls have come to the rescue. They are struggling against the fires with bravery and skill. You can almost feel in their efforts that this battle is dedicated to those 19 wild fire fighters who were killed June 30 by a wind that turned the fire in Arizona around and more or less murdered those men. That memory feeds the resolve of brother and sister fire fighters who now test the theory that you can slow a fire with tears. The fire fighters and their overwhelming support from the people of this land demonstrate that, in most matters, this nation will not hesitate for a moment if any of its citizens are in danger. When people are dying or threatened with death, this country has the capacity and the zeal to come running with all the money, machines, blood, and sweat that it takes to save as many as possible. And that is true whether you are talking about the national government, the states, the cities, or the counties. Witness that throng of exhausted fire fighters. Lives are threatened along with homes. This country is not going to take that lying down, no matter what the price tag. And because of that, few if any will die.
Similarly, city and county fire departments race into danger if so much as one small home is on fire. Virtually every community in the nation is stubbornly prepared with training and equipment for that kind of danger. And because of that, not many die. The same is true of floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. One false move from an angry, storm and both the professional and the volunteer responders come to the rescue. Because of that, the death toll is remarkably low in such emergencies. The picture is the same on a global scale. If lethal cranks kill 3,000 people in New York City, the whole nation and many good international friends pitch in. Because of that and modern ways of minimizing death while making war, fewer than 1,000 of the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have died each year. Compare that to the enormous death tolls of the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. Even though the expense in dollars has been massive, few citizens have questioned the cost. When people are dying, even on a small scale, few begrudge the expenditure. With one glaring exception: Medical care. About half the people in this country prefer not to provide all of their fellow citizens with medical care. They decline to pay for saving the lives of what are now about 22,000 of our citizens who die each year of treatable diseases because they can’t afford to seek treatment. Nearly every one of those 22,000 deaths can
be avoided. These are not terminal cases. They could be saved if that cause had support in the same spirit as war, forest fires, home fires, and lethal storms. How strange that the people of the United States understand and appreciate virtually every use of state and national defense – except the one defense that lets the most people die. If terrorists attack, the defense department rides to the rescue. It protects 100 percent of those who are threatened. If diseases, cancers, and strokes are killing thousands of Americans each year, that’s considered unfortunate, but large numbers of voters are not interested. They support fighting fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and terrorists, but not bacteria and viruses – at least not for everybody. Why aren’t attacks on us by diseases and physical malfunctions also considered an enemy? What difference does it make whether it is a human disease or a mentally diseased bomber that that tries to snuff out lives? Perhaps it is time to make universal health care part of the Defense Department. Germs and viruses kill more of us each year than fires, weather, and war. But we don’t try to save all endangered medical patients. That’s like defending everyone in the country from foreign terrorists except for the residents of Montana. Hall may be contacted at wilberth@cableone. net or at 1012 Prospect Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501. MSN
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The West Really Was Wild In Deadwood By Joann Graham Deadwood, located in a canyon called Deadwood Gulch for the many dead trees along the canyon walls that towered above it, exploded into a boomtown after gold was discovered in the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory in 1874. Once word got out that gold had been discovered in the Black Hills, the army was unable to stem the tide of would-be miners pouring into the Territory. The saga of lawless Deadwood began, appropriately enough, with an illegal settlement inside territory that had been ceded by treaty to Native Americans. The influx of white settlers and miners flagrantly violated those treaties with the Lakota Sioux and other tribes who considered the Black Hills sacred, and made future trouble with the tribes inevitable. Regardless, the town’s population exploded practically overnight, and by 1876, a million dollars in gold had been mined from the surrounding Black Hills. During that same year, Deadwood would gain two of its best-known citizens – James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickcock and Calamity Jane. They, along with many other colorful characters walked the often-lawless streets of Deadwood in its early days. Hickock, a flamboyant character who carried two ivory-handled Colt Navy revolvers conspicuously mounted in butt-forward holsters, was already legendary for his shooting skills. General George Custer, among others, said that Hickock was the fastest draw and best shot he’d ever seen. It was often said that he could draw and fire –unerringly hitting what he aimed at – faster than most men could even think about doing so. At least part of his reputation was likely hyperbole, given the technical limitations of the revolvers of the day, but there has been ample testimony from numerous witnesses that he was both quick and deadly with a gun. Having been fired from his job as marshal of Abilene, Kansas for his excessively violent style of law enforcement, Hickock took a job – along with Calamity Jane – as an outrider on a wagon train bearing a fresh shipment of prostitutes bound for Deadwood. Upon arriving, he settled in to pursue his hobby of drinking and playing poker. Rumors were circulating that he
was being considered for the job of town marshal, though this is doubtful, since by the time of his arrival in Deadwood his eyesight was failing. Just a month after his arrival in Deadwood on August 2, 1876, Wild Bill, finding other chairs already taken, unwisely took a seat in a poker game with his back to the door. It was a fatal mistake. He was shot in the back of the head by Jack “Broken Nose” McCall, who would eventually hang for the murder. Martha Jane Cannary, Calamity Jane, also came to be well known in Deadwood for her keen marksmanship, her propensity for dressing in men’s clothes, her appetite for hard liquor, her ability to tell outrageous lies, and her extremely colorful vocabulary. She had been, by turns, a nurse, cook, prostitute, gambler, prolific drinker, and an Army scout. She was also enamored of Wild Bill, and when she died in 1903 of pneumonia brought on by heavy drinking, at her request, she was buried beside him in Mount Moriah Cemetery on a hill overlooking the town. Most of the miners were peaceable enough, but like most frontier mining camps, this one attracted its share of shady characters, soiled doves, and saloons – a volatile combination that was sure to trigger violence. The fledgling town averaged at least a murder a day in its first year. But the richest gold strike in the Black Hills had been found in Deadwood Gulch, so the town continued to grow at a furious pace, despite its unsavory reputation. By 1877, Deadwood was quickly changing from a lawless mining camp to an organized community. Tents and shanties gave way to wooden buildings. The town elected a government, including a sheriff – Seth Bullock, the hardware merchant – to enforce the law and keep order. After a fire came close to destroying the downtown business district in 1879, an ordinance was passed decreeing that buildings had to be built of brick and stone. By 1889, the population of Dakota Territory was large enough for statehood, and the territory was admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota. By the early 1900s, Seth Bullock was Superintendent of the Black Hills Forest Preserve and a friend of Teddy Roosevelt, having ridden with his Rough Riders in the Spanish American War. In 1905, Bullock was appointed U.S. Marshal for South Dakota. EzineArticles.com. MSN
Contrary to Popular Belief… By Mark Pilarski Dear Mark: I mostly play slot machines. It seems on weekends they pay less than if I come mid-week. Does the casino have the ability to change the payback percentages on all their machines at will when the casino is busier? A slot machine employee told me that the $1 machines I normally play return 95% of the money played. Am I wrong to believe that when I show up on a busy weekend that the casino has already made changes to the percentage payback? Marge G. One of the most widely held falsehoods in casino gambling, is that casinos take a screwdriver to tighten their slots machines on weekends, Christian holidays, the Las Vegas Elvis Festival (July 10-13, 2014), or
whenever it’s busy. Every slot machine has a built-in “payback” percentage set by the casino and approved by that state’s gaming commission. So if the casino wanted to reset that percentage, they would have to tender a proposal to the gaming commission. That said, I would be remiss if I did not state that altering a slot payoff percentage could physically be done. To change the return of the slot machine, all a slot manager would have to do is exchange the EPROM chip within. However, again, the change must be reported to the regulators. Exchanging hundreds, even thousands of EPROM chips along with the paperwork required to report the changes would be a whole lot of work for the casino to complete sandwiched between Thursday and Friday. Readers, e-mail me if any of you have ever seen this across-the-board swap done. I have not. Also, Marge, you might be a little confused as to exactly what “payback percentages” means when it comes to “your” play. A 95% payback slot machine will pay 95% of the money back over time, but that does not mean that if you put in $100, you are guaranteed a return of $95. It only means that the machine is set to pay back 95% over the machine’s extended gambling timeline, which is months, even years; not your brief four-hour stay. Rather than “payback percentage,” which can be misleading, I much prefer the term “theoretical payout percentage” because the payout return is a calculated number based on an “infinite” number of pulls of the handle. In the meantime, each spin of the reels remains a random independent event. Dear Mark: When looking over the multitude of blackjack variations, what are some of the better rules that I should be looking for and what are some of the worst? Marty D. When it comes to the disparity of rules in blackjack from casino to casino, and even pit to pit, it is essential to know which rules are
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more significant than others, and which ones are unfavorable to you the player. These are the key rules that are most favorable to the player in rank of importance. • Early surrender. • Doubling on any two cards. • Drawing any number of cards to split Aces. • Doubling allowed after pair splitting. • Surrender.
In order here, Marty, are the rules that are most hostile to players. • Two or more decks. • Dealer that hits a soft 17. • No soft doubling. • No re-splitting of Aces Gambling Wisdom of the Week: In 1933, Wilson Mizner lay dying. He was 58,
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and all his life he had been a gamester. “Do you want a priest?� he was asked, during an interval of consciousness. “I want a priest, a rabbi, and a Protestant clergyman,� he managed to flash back. “I want to hedge my bets.� – L. J. Ludovici, The Itch for Play (1962). MSN
Bone Up on Dinosaurs in Dickenson, North Dakota Article & Photos By Bernice Karnop Dickenson, North Dakota, is only about 60 miles from the Montana line going east. It is the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the home of Dickenson State University, and a regional shopping hub for many Montanans. The area is also known for good hunting, fishing, and camping. If you are looking for a trip with the grandchildren, Dakota Dinosaur Museum in Dickenson is a good place to consider. You are off to a good start when you pass the triceratops guarding the door and wander into a world of amazing creatures that left their mark for humans to marvel and wonder about. This museum gives you a realistic idea of their size and shape with its 14 full-scale dinosaur models. Skeletal casts of real dinosaur bones allow you to see inside such creatures as the Allosaurus, Albertosaurus, Thescelosaurus, and Ategosaurus. You may not have heard of them, but younger members of the family interested in paleontology might be kind enough to explain them to you. Fleshed-out, full-scale dinosaur sculptures include Coelophysis, Deinonychus, Dromaeosaurus, Velociraptor, Archaeopteryx, and Compsognathus. If you want to see the real thing, they have that, too. “Bill� is a Triceratops skull discovered in excellent condition and excavated from private land near
Ole and Sven in Hell Submitted by Julie Hollar Ole and Sven die in a snowmobiling accident, drunker than skunks‌ and go to Hell. The Devil observes that they are really enjoying themselves so he says, “Don’t the heat and smoke bother you?â€? Ole replies, “Vell, ya know, ve’re from nordern Minnesooota, da land of snow an ice, an ve’re yust happy fer a chance ta varm up a little bit, ya know.â€? The devil decides that these two aren’t miserable enough and turns up the heat even more. When he returns to the room of the two from Minnesota, the devil finds them in light jackets and hats, grilling Walleye and drinking beer. The devil is astonished and exclaims, “Everyone down here is in misery, and you two seem to be enjoying yourselves?â€? Sven replies, “Vell, ya know, ve don’t git too much varm veather up dere at da Falls, so ve’ve yust got ta haff a fish fry vhen da veather’s dis nice.â€? The devil is absolutely furious. He can hardly see straight. Finally, he comes up with the answer. The two guys love the heat because they have been cold all their lives. The devil decides to turn all the heat off in Hell. The next morning the temperature is 60 below zero, icicles are hanging everywhere, and people are shivering so bad that they are unable to wail, moan, or gnash their teeth. The devil smiles and heads for the room with Ole and Sven. He gets there and finds them back in their parkas, bomber hats, and mittens. They are jumping up and down, cheering, yelling, and screaming like mad men. The devil is dumbfounded. “I don’t understand, when I turn up the heat you’re happy. Now it’s freezing cold and you’re still happy. What is wrong with you two?â€? They both look at the devil in surprise and say, “Vell, don’t ya know. If hell iss froze over, dat must mean da Vikings von da Super Bowl! MSN
Baker, Montana, in the summer of 1992. It took 24 days to dig him out from eight feet beneath the surface using shovels and hand tools. Paleontologists encased the skull in 500 pounds of Plaster of Paris and wrapped it in burlap before they transported it to Dickenson. This triceratops skull is 6’4� in length and was found in a bentonite clay layer of the Hell Creek Formation. Bill is approximately 67 million years old. The Dakota Dinosaur Museum is largely a sampling of the specimens collected by Alice and Larry League. They started in 1987 with Oligocene age mammals near Dickinson. The Museum opened in 1994 and includes several thousand specimens of fossils, rocks, and minerals that Larry and Alice collected from around the world. Dakota Dinosaur Museum is at 200 East Museum Drive in Dickenson. Admission fees are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $5 for grandchildren aged 3 to 12. It is open May 1 through Labor Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Stop by the gift store for related items, including t-shirts, puzzles, and games. Near the Dakota Dinosaur Museum, you can stretch your legs at the 12-acre Prairie Outpost Park, the Joachim Museum, and the Pioneer Machinery Museum. For more information, call 701-225-3466. MSN
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Take Us Out To The Ball Game – 2013 World Series Focus Of Fans And Statisticians By Wyatt Larson The 2013 World Series matched the National League champion, St. Louis Cardinals, against the American League champion, Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox won – four games to two, their first World Series victory at Fenway Park in nearly a century (1918). This World Series marked the third time the Cardinals and Red Sox have faced each other in the Fall Classic since their first meeting in 1946 when the Cardinals featured Hall of Famer Stan “the Man� Musial. The Red Sox featured their Hall of Fame player, the great Ted Williams. The hard-fought Series went all seven games with the Cardinals winning four games to three. Their second World Series meeting was in 1967 and featured even more Hall of Fame players. The Red Sox were led by left fielder, Carl Yastrzemski, and the Cardinals featured Bob Gibson, who tied a series record by recording the win in three of the four victories for the Cardinals. In a more recent matchup, the Cardinals and the Red Sox played in the 2004 World Series. The Red Sox swept the Cardinals in four games, completing one of the more remarkable runs in baseball postseason history. Having lost the first three games of the 2004 American League Championship Series to the rival Yankees, the Red Sox rallied to win four consecutive games and continued their success by winning their next four games, and the World Series against the Cardinals. The 2013 World Series featured historic performances by both the Red Sox and Cardinals. John Lackey led Boston’s pitching staff. Lackey was the winning pitcher in the Series clinching the game-six victory. By winning that game, he became the third pitcher in baseball history to be the winning pitcher in two different World Series for two different franchises. He had previously clinched the 2002 World Series for the Anaheim Angels. The only other two players to accomplish this feat were Jim “Catfish� Hunter for the Oakland Athletics in 1972 and for the New York Yankees in 1978 and Jimmy Key playing for the Blue Jays in 1992 and Yankees in 1996. Boston’s effort at the plate was led by their designated hitter, David Ortiz, who reached base safely in nineteen of twenty-five plate appearances, the second highest on-base percentage and second highest number of times on
base in World Series history. The higher on-base percentage went to Billy Hatcher of the Cincinnati Reds who reached base in twelve of fifteen plate appearances in the 1990 Series against the Oakland Athletics. In 2002 Barry Bonds (at the time was the most feared hitter in baseball) reached base 21 times in 30 plate appearances – but Bonds had five more plate appearances than Ortiz. By any standard, Ortiz had a stellar Series! Coming into the World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals were led by their red-hot offense. Unfortunately, their torrid hitting cooled with the October temperatures. This was easily the largest offensive disappointment in the World Series since the 1990 Oakland Athletics. With such sluggers as Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire in the Athletics’ lineup, Oakland was an easy favorite to win over the underdog Reds. Oakland never hit in the Series, and were promptly swept, 4-0. One of the few bright spots for the St. Louis Cardinals was rookie pitcher, Michael Wacha who did not make an appearance in the Major Leagues until mid-summer, but by October, Wacha looked like a well-seasoned pitcher. He had a chance to tie the record for most wins by a pitcher in a single postseason (five) but fell short to John Lackey and the Red Sox in game six. Wacha’s performance was the most dominant performance by a rookie pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela played for the Dodgers in the 1981 World Series. Wacha was even better than Valenzuela, winning four games in 2013 compared to Valenzuela’s three wins in the 1981 postseason. The World Series games themselves created a few firsts in Major League history. Game three became the first game in World Series history to end on an obstruction call, where home plate and the winning run was awarded to the Cardinals after Allen Craig fell over Will Middlebrooks at third base. The following night, game four became the first World Series game to end when the final out was made on a pick-off play at first base. The 2013 World Series gave us all many lasting memories – from the dominating performances of pitchers to the astronomical statistics accumulated by World Series MVP, David Ortiz – as well as many historical moments and many great trivia answers. MSN
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 19
So You Didn’t Bag That Elk – Here Are Some Tips For Next Year By Mike Allen As I get older, I am discovering hunting is significantly different from when I was younger. There are all the obvious age related differences such as strength, endurance, attitude, etc. all which can be accommodated. There are also specific hunting techniques that need adjusting as well. I have compiled some information – tips and insights – that I have accumulated over the years from reading, studying, and through experience. Whether you have just retired and decided to take up elk hunting or you are an old bull or cow that has been hunting all your life, I hope this information helps you enjoy your experience in the woods and get that elk into your freezer next year. 1. Always hunt alone. I know that is not the advice you were given in your youth, but as you have learned; the rules change when you reach a certain age. Let’s say you have a heart attack and kick the proverbial bucket out in the remote woods. If you have a partner along, likely a similar vintage to yours, you are going to ruin your partner’s hunting for the day. He or she will have to figure out a way to get you out. Since you are too heavy to drag, your partner will have no other choice than to quarter you up and take all day to pack you out. Think about it. You do not want to put your lifelong friend and hunting buddy through that. 2. Always hunt uphill or side hill. Elk only go uphill, downhill, and side hill. Uphill is okay, but
chances are they are either avoiding you by going uphill, and you will not catch them, or they’re up there bedding – watching you come up the hill. Downhill is out of the question. If you shoot one downhill, you have to carry it uphill to get it out! Side hill is really your best bet. It used to be the case that the wind was the determinant. Hunting into the wind was the only option if you were to remain undetected by the critters. Now that you are older, one leg has become shorter than the other, so hunt the direction that puts your shorter leg uphill. 3. If you attempt to attract elk by masking your smell with an elk-urine scent in a bottle, do not keep it in the same pocket with your mouth spray. You don’t even want to make that mistake once! 4. If you are an old male elk hunter you carry two very different, but necessary blue pills in your pill bottle, basically the same shape and color – no doubt a sick joke by the drug companies. I carry a pocketful of Aleve to get my downhill leg, back, neck, etc. through the day. I suggest leaving the other blue pills at home. Accidentally mixing those up can dramatically alter hunting effectiveness. The urge will not be to shoot an elk. 5. Never leave your truck keys in the rig. There is a chance you will lock yourself out. However leave them were they are easy to find so another hunter can get in to warm up. I suggest in the space where the gas cap is. That is where most
A Safe Haven For Lost And Homeless Pets Flathead County Animal Shelter is a low-kill pet care and adoption facility with the highest published “Live Release Rate” in Flathead County. The small staff (six fulltime employees, one part time), handles 90% of the county’s lost, stray, and homeless cats and dogs. In 2012, the shelter accepted nearly 2,000 dogs and cats. More than 96% of these pets were either reunited with their owners or found new homes, as the shelter’s policy on euthanasia spares all but the critically injured, critically ill, or those with behavior that’s unsuitable for release. Adoptable pets are altered, vaccinated, and micro-chipped. The county’s budget for the facility allows for proper and humane care of the ever-expanding homeless pet population, but critically needed
capital improvements have been relying on the generosity of donors. A building expansion for the housing of cats is currently on hold, and an eventual increase in the dog-housing section is in the planning stage. The shelter has seen several modest improvements in the past 3 years, and welcomes the public to please stop by and pay a visit. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday, 12 Noon - 6 PM, Saturday, 11 AM - 4 PM, closed on Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. For more information, please call 406-758-2414 or visit flathead.mt.gov/animal. MSN
folks hide them. 6. I am basically an old fashioned hunter and would prefer a compass and a good map; however I seem to have left most of my compasses on stumps. You put the instrument on a stump then move away from it so as not to affect the reading. And then you get distracted and leave it there. In my opinion, one of the only truly beautiful things about technology is the GPS. Buy the best GPS you can afford that doesn’t have a touch screen. It will not work well when your fingers are freezing and you have gloves on. Then sign up for lessons – lots of lessons – and start now for next season. 7. You are older and therefore slower. That is good. I do not need to tell you to go slowly. One of the worst mistakes you can make elk hunting is to do anything fast, especially moving around in the woods. Elk have eyes like spotting scopes and although they may not pay attention to you if you’re leaning against a tree, they will run away if they see you flitting around the woods like you used to in your twenties. By simply growing old you have automatically become a better elk hunter! Yea! 8. An elk can walk casually 7 miles per hour. Using that fact, if you go slowly and stop a lot, an elk that was 7 miles away just an hour ago could step out from behind a tree any second. Makes perfect sense if you do not think about it too long… and with your age that should not be a problem. There you have it. Now, go fill that freezer! MSN
PAGE 20 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Take A Trip Back To The Gold Rush Days
Exceptional Art In The Center Of Montana
Jefferson County Museum will display 47 unique vintage engravings of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush January 25 through April 30, 2014. Rush to the Klondike Exhibit engravings have not been seen as a collection since published in late nineteenth and early twentieth century periodicals such as Harper’s Weekly, The Illustrated London News, and The Graphic. Collected by Lee Silliman, these engravings illustrate the stampede of miners flocking to the Yukon gold fields of northern Canada. The images of the stalwart men – and a few hearty women – were recorded with brush and camera. They vividly paint the story of North America’s last mad gold rush. Accompanying the images are diary quotations, commentary, and verses by the famous poet Robert W. Service setting the cultural context. Also presented will be vintage photos of mining activities in Jefferson County. At the free exhibit opening at 1 pm, January 25, Lee Silliman will give a slide show and gallery walk, and refreshments will be served. Regular hours are 1-6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Visit the Jefferson County Museum where we preserve the history and artifacts of Jefferson County, 9 North Main in Clancy. For more information, to volunteer, or to donate call 406-933-5528 and ask for Sherry. MSN
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art provides vibrant exhibitions of modern, contemporary, and self-taught art along with exceptional related programming in the heart of central Montana. Known simply as The Square to the people of Great Falls and the surrounding region for the past 37 years, we believe that “Art is for Everyone!” Paris Gibson Square, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that proudly houses the contemporary art museum in one of Great Falls’ historic gems, the original Central High School. The Square juxtaposes elegant 19th century architecture with engaging exhibitions and education classes, tours, and a blossoming ceramics program. The building holds seven galleries and eight educational facilities. Our entire collection features over 800 pieces of art and is available entirely online. Simply put, The Square is dedicated to meeting the artistic needs of the community and region. Admission to The Square’s galleries is free, thanks to a generous donation from Farmers Union Insurance. Private donations, grants, and estate gifts fund our ability to offer exhibitions, educational enrichment and preserve the building. For more information on volunteering or making a donation, please contact Kristi Scott at 406-727-8255. Visit us at 1400 1st Ave. N., Great Falls, MT 59401 and online at www.the-square.org. MSN
The 67th Montana Winter Fair, celebrating Montana agriculture since 1947, will explode in Lewistown January 19-26, 2014. The Montana Winter Fair features over 20 events appealing to ranchers, farmers, kids, and everyone in between. Celebrating our “western way of life,” the Montana Winter Fair welcomes everyone from across Montana, our neighboring states, and our neighbors to the north in Canada. Sure to be popular is the Friday night (January 24) performance of Cold Hard Cash, a Great Falls band offering a memorable tribute to the music of legendary Johnny Cash. Tickets go onsale, online at MontanaWinterFair.com on Black Friday, Nov. 29. Everyone is invited to participate in the many
activities of this year’s Montana Winter Fair: Youth Feeder Steer/All Breeds Heifer Show, State Fiddle Contest, Team Sorting, Stock Dog Trials, cutting edge Farm Forum presentations, Trade & Vendor Show, Boys & Girls Club Pinewood Derby, Lewistown Bow Hunters Archery Shoot, Judith Basin Back Country Horsemen Stick Horse Rodeo, Fibre Arts Show, Quilt Show, Photography competition, Pen Show, Home Brew Contest & Tasting, Chili Cook-off, Cupcake Combat Competition & Auction, Cinnamon Roll Contest & Sale, Snowmobile races, and Cowboy Church. Please visit MontanaWinterFair.com or call 406-538-2200 for detailed information about this festive event organized by the Lewistown Downtown Association. MSN
Help Sustain Lifelong Learning Affectionately known as MOLLI, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Montana offers a wide variety of educational programs and social opportunities that promote the lifelong learning and personal growth of older adults (50+). During the fall, winter, and spring terms, the MOLLI program, in partnership with The School of Extended & Lifelong Learning, offers a diverse collection of non-credit short courses, as well as special member events and community activities. MOLLI is in the midst of its annual fundraising campaign. Help sustain this treasured community resource by donating to the annual fundraising campaign by March 15, 2014. MOLLI courses are open to the public and
taught by distinguished UM faculty, emeritus faculty, and other professionals. Adults from all backgrounds and levels of education are welcome to enjoy programs covering the humanities, natural and social sciences, fine arts, and current political affairs. An annual membership of only $20 is required to take courses. MOLLI welcomes all 50+ individuals who are curious and love to learn to become members. It is truly learning for learning’s sake – no exams, no grades, just fun! MOLLI is seeking donations of any amount to help sustain quality lifelong learning opportunities. To find out more, make a gift, or register for a course, visit umt.edu/molli or call 406.243.2905. MSN
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 21
Meet the Doctor who’s all ears. Great Falls native and grew up here in town!
Dr. Kenneth D. Evans., Au.D., CCC-A National Certified Audiologist
Dr. Evans is an Eagle Scout from Local BSA Troop #7 Led by Master David Flemming. He graduated from Great Falls High School and went on to graduate Medical School at the University of Florida. Dr. Evans was previously in private practice in Boulder Colorado for 15 years, before the opportunity to move home to Great Falls presented. He looks forward to the second half of his career back home here in Great Falls, Montana serving all patients in need of hearing and balance care.
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PAGE 22 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
Lee S. Hudson, DC, DABCO Chiropractic Orthopedist Certified Sports Physician Warm Wishes for a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! NEW Location! UI "WF 4 (SFBU 'BMMT t t MFFIVETPOED DPN
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Take Steps To Improve Your Bone Health (NAPSI) No bones about it, you need to protect your bones from conditions such as osteoporosis. Fortunately, it is preventable for many people. A comprehensive program that can help prevent osteoporosis includes: • A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D • Weight-bearing exercise • A healthy lifestyle with no smoking or excessive alcohol intake • Medication, when appropriate To help you understand your bones and how to protect them, information about bone health is available from the experts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center provides patients, physicians, other health professionals, and the public in general with an important link to resources and information on bone diseases. You can search for scientifically accurate bone health information on the Center’s newly launched website by audience type, language, reading level, and disease. The Center is dedicated to increasing awareness and enhancing knowledge and understanding of the prevention, early detection, and treatment of osteoporosis and related bone diseases, as well as strategies for coping with them. The materials fill important gaps in information, such as osteoporosis in men. Many diseases, such
as asthma and diabetes, and certain medications can increase risk for osteoporosis and broken bones. The site also provides links to other resources. One feature is the Check Up On Your Bones tool, an online, interactive bone health checkup. After answering a few questions, you can get personalized information about your bone health, including factors that may increase your personal risk for osteoporosis and broken bones and ways you can minimize your risk and improve your bone health. Go to www.bones.nih.gov to find free, timely, accurate, and research-based information on topics such as bone health for adults and children, osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, and Paget’s disease of bone. The Center also distributes information packets, pamphlets, fact sheets, and other materials related to bone diseases in English, Spanish, and Asian languages. Publications are downloadable or can be ordered at no charge. To order publications, or if you have questions about bone diseases or bone health, you can call (800) 624-BONE. Information specialists answer calls in English and Spanish. All information is confidential. You can also write to the NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center, Two AMS Circle, Bethesda, MD 20892-3676. MSN
“Silence is one of the great arts of conversation.� – Marcus Tullius Cicero Bob . Back in the game
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Could This Help You? Seven Steps to Heal Your Back Pain By Steve Ozanich, author of The Great Pain Deception: Faulty Medical Advice Is Making Us Worse I was in pain for 27 years until I discovered that my pain was not coming from my body’s structure. Since then, I have been helping thousands of people become pain-free by teaching them how pain comes from tension – not a failing body. Almost every one of those people was told by their physicians that they needed disc surgery, or steroid injections, or therapy, or this and that – but not one of them did. They all healed with new knowledge. But they had to accept the fact that their bodies were okay, and resume all normal physical activity without fear. The truth set them free – and it began with understanding certain basic things. 1. Get a Physical Exam: Make sure there is no pathological process occurring – take responsibility for your health. 2. Take Your Physical Exam Results with a Grain of Salt: If your exam shows only herniated discs, arthritis as seen on the x-ray, spurs, a crooked spine, spinal narrowing (stenosis), or any other normal change, be of great cheer! These things do not cause back pain. No matter how much doctors confuse people in this area, experience has shown that these things are simply there – most people have these anatomical changes, with or without pain. Pain comes from oxygen loss. Whether the pain is in the limbs, spine, or any other area, it rarely ever comes from the body’s structure. It’s usually the effect of tension or TMS: Tension Myoneural Syndrome. 3. Reject the Multi-Disciplinary Approach: This approach says, “We don’t have a clue what to do for your pain, so let’s try everything, and hope one works.” This includes acupuncture, spinal manipulation, surgery, injections, core strengthening, losing weight, etc. These are usually placebo-treatments, and can paradoxically keep you in pain. If they worked for a sufferer, it’s because that person believed it worked. But the relief never lasts and the approach normally must be continued in perpetuity because the pain is not coming from a “failing spine.” The multi-approach is a major reason for ongoing pain epidemics. Never manage pain – eliminate it! 4. Beware of Faulty Diagnoses: Herniated discs do not cause back pain. That myth was exposed decades ago with the seminal work of pioneering pain-physician John E. Sarno, MD. Spinal surgeons are just now beginning to realize that Sarno was correct. You cannot pinch a nerve or paralysis will quickly follow, and the pain will stop. A dead nerve cannot transmit pain signals. You cannot “throw your back out.” Spinal discs are firmly attached on both sides of the spine; they cannot slip in-and-out of place. You don’t have to strengthen your body’s core to heal, and scoliosis does not cause pain. The proof is in the fact that almost everyone heals if they can get past these archaic myths. The body’s structure can be injured, and that will indeed cause pain. But the body heals quickly. Pain does not become chronic without an emotional and/or conditioned-response process driving it. 5. Understand the Reason for Your Pain: Almost all pain is a diversion by the brain to rivet the sufferer’s attention to his body. It arises from a hidden emotional processes, mainly anger, fear, sorrow, and frustration. When these powerful emotions hit a certain threshold, the brain will reduce oxygen flow to a body area to create a diversion – as a favor – to avoid having to sense emotional pain. The pain is never imagined or faked; it is very real, and extremely painful. 6. Look at What’s Going on in Your Life: Almost everyone I’ve helped to heal was able to trace their pain back to an event or a life-plateau. Is your marriage in trouble? Does your job stress you out? Did a loved one die? Did you recently retire? Do you have the Type-T “pain personality” of perfectionism; trying to please everyone? Do you show little emotion? Are you hyper-responsible, or
a worrier? Did you just hit a milestone age? Connect the dots to your pain, and heal. The knowledge of what is occurring – at the unconscious level – has tremendous healing power because once the lid is blown off of the brain’s strategy, the pain has no more value as a diversion. 7. Try to Understand Why You Need to Believe You Have a Bad Back: If I tell someone there is a method to heal their pain forever, they more often say, “No... my pain is real!!” Well, the pain is always real. The more important question is, when someone is told they can heal, why isn’t their first question about how to do it? This is critical in understanding pain’s purpose. The common reason for pain is to bury emotions that are too powerful, or too dangerous. The brain creates the sensation of pain firmly to “convince the sufferer” that she has a structural problem in order to divert her attention from her anxiety. So, of course she wants to believe she has a structural problem. Some sufferers react with rage and sometimes violence at the notion that their pain is a mind body effect. They often spit, throw things, or stomp out of the room knocking things over in rage. They only hear, “Your pain is all in your head.” But this is never true. No one is saying that, and the pain is very real. But it comes from something called TMS – not from all the things that most doctors are currently telling their patients. The reason people react in a hostile manner is due to the very reason they have the pain in the first place. By rejecting the truth that their symptoms are created by internal forces, they fall right into their brain’s strategy of deceit, and their suffering continues. Modern science, in its futile efforts to outsmart Mother-nature is the leading cause of continuing pain epidemics, from fibromyalgia to chronic fatigue. The truth of healing is up against a multitrillion dollar juggernaut called the “medical industry” that is hell-bent on continually treating pain, not healing it. The message of “how to heal” is blocked at every turn by people inside the industry that profit from treating the body; and by publications that depend on advertisement dollars from the industry. Thus, pain epidemics are on the rise – despite possessing the most advanced medical techniques in the history of humankind. Steve Ozanich, a mind body health consultant, penned The Great Pain Deception based on his own experience, the work of John E. Sarno, MD, and over 12 years of intensive research. MSN
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 23
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High Frequency and Low Frequency Hearing Loss By Stefano Grossi Our ability to hear is dependent on tiny hair cells in our inner ears that receive sound and interpret it to our brains. These sensory receptors cannot regenerate. Once they are damaged or die, our ability to hear is lessened. We measure sound by the amount of vibrations (or cycles) per second, called “hertz” (Hz). Higher frequency sounds vibrate faster and lower sounds slower. Depending on what kind of damage has occurred to the ear’s hair cells determines whether hearing loss is of the higher or lower frequency. High Frequency – Normal human hearing ranges from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (abbreviated 20 kHz), although the range can easily vary from person to person. The higher register is considered any sounds over 2 kHz. And while humans do have the potential to hear up to 20 kHz, simple aging begins to fade the higher register as early as age eight. After age 25, most adults will hear only up to 15 kHz. This is perceived as normal aging, but there are many other factors that can reduce our high frequency hearing even further. Exposure to loud noises over prolonged periods is the greatest contributor to high frequency hearing loss. Occupational noise from machinery such as in construction, factories, law enforcement, military and farming damages and ultimately can destroy the delicate hair cells in the ear, causing high frequency hearing loss. Likewise, exposing the ear to loud music whether through amplifiers (at concerts or clubs) or headphones (iPods or other music players) can also cause irreversible damage. High frequency hearing loss is most noticeable in speech. Higher sounds like “s” and “th” become hard to distinguish. Women’s voices are often more difficult to understand, and speech muffled. It becomes harder to hear in noisy areas, and certain sounds will appear noticeably louder than others will. The best way to prevent high frequency hearing loss is to protect your ears. Wear earplugs when being exposed to loud noises, and be sure not to play your music above 80 decibels (60% volume on an iPod). Low Frequency – Sounds in the low frequency register (under 2 kHz), are sounds such as thunder, a tuba, a large dog’s bark, or a truck rumbling by
on the highway. Most humans do not hear low frequency sounds as easily as high frequency sounds, especially the further away we are from the source. For example, in music, sub-woofers are used to specially amplify bass notes, but headphones (directly in our ears) don’t require additional amplification. When low frequency hearing damage occurs, it is caused by disease or heredity. Some people are born with a genetic mutation of the hair cells that limit low frequency hearing. Others may suffer from Meniere’s disease, a rare condition in which the membrane deteriorates over time. In some cases, childhood illnesses or ear infections can lead to low frequency hearing loss. In most cases of low frequency hearing degradation, the sufferer might not even recognize they have lost the ability to hear lower sounds as many of the same sounds are still supported in the mid to high frequency ranges, thereby still allowing the individual to comprehend the sound. Think of it as someone who can still see by squinting. They don’t see as well as they would with glasses, but they manage. Prevention of low frequency hearing loss depends on the cause. The best suggestion is to make sure ear infections, especially when they are chronic, are seen by professionals to ensure they do not lead to long-term hearing loss. Treatment – Whenever hearing loss is due to damaged or dead hair cells, treatment revolves around devices of compensation, since nothing can grow back the cells once they are gone. Hearing aids help create the vibration the hair cells no longer have the ability to do on their own. For high frequency hearing loss, this is usually a very effective solution. Unfortunately, low frequency hearing loss does not benefit the same. Since low frequency noises are often considered “background noises,” or ambient sound, normal hearing aids often end up raising the background noise, impeding normal hearing. Special and often more expensive, hearing aids must be employed to help low frequency hearing loss sufferers. Although hearing loss is a natural part of aging, it is wise to seek professional evaluation to make sure your hearing is still healthy for your age. Routinely go for a hearing test if you notice your hearing has gotten worse. (EzineArticles.com) MSN
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Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley Jim was an old man, and he was sick and in the hospital. One nurse just drove him crazy. Every time she came in, she would talk to him as if he were a little child. She would say in a patronizing tone of voice, “And how are we doing this morning?” Or she might say, “Are we ready for a bath?” Or she might say, “Are we hungry?” Jim had had enough of this particular nurse, so one day at breakfast time, Jim took the apple juice off the tray and put it in his bedside stand. Later, when he was given a urine bottle to fill for testing... well, you can guess where the juice went! Before noon, when the annoying nurse came, she picked up the urine bottle and looked at it. “My, it seems we are a little cloudy today,” she said. At this, Old Jim snatched the bottle out of her hand, popped off the top, and drank it down, saying, “Well, I’ll run it through again. Maybe I can filter it better this time.” The nurse fainted, and Jim just smiled. The lesson? Don’t mess with old people. MSN
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 25
Balance Is More Complicated Than You Might Think By Jessica Malouf PT DPT Element Physical Therapy, Missoula Most of us do not pay much attention to our balance. Normally our balance system seamlessly keeps us upright. With a well-functioning balance system, we can walk across grass and gravel, step off a curb, turn quickly, and even walk in the dark without losing our balance. Sometimes, however, our balance changes and simple activities become difficult and fatiguing. Balance impairments are caused by several factors which undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to falls. What Is Balance? Balance is the ability to maintain the body’s center of mass over its base of support and is achieved and maintained by complex inputs from vision (sight), somatosensation (touch and feel, especially in our feet), and the inner ear vestibular system (motion, equilibrium). Motor output, which means using your muscles in a timely manner to keep you upright, is also important. Information Going Into The Brain (Sensory Input) – Maintaining balance depends on information received by the brain from the eyes, muscles and joints, and vestibular organs.
Input from the eyes tells the brain about our orientation compared to our environment. Input from skin, muscles, and joints tells the brain about our movement relative to the surface we are standing on as well as the type of surface (hard, soft, uneven, or slippery). Input from the vestibular system informs the brain about motion and equilibrium. If any of these sensory inputs is impaired or inaccurate, balance can be affected. For example, when you are walking in a dark room, vision is impaired. Your brain then needs to place more importance on what is felt through your feet and the motion your vestibular system detects in order to keep balanced. If you have impaired sensation in your feet (neuropathy, foot pain), you now only have the vestibular system to rely on. Sometimes specific sensory systems are impaired, sometimes our brains have difficulty deciphering which system to use and when, and other times our brains have trouble quickly and accurately switching from one system to another. Any of these impairments can pose increased risk of falling. Information Going Out To The Body (Motor Output) – Once it reaches the brain, sensory information is integrated and impulses are sent back
to the eyes, head and neck, trunk, and legs in an effort to maintain balance. This is called motor output. Motor output can be impaired by anything that interrupts the impulses as they travel from the brain to the body. This can include problems such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, or neuropathy. Muscle weakness can also affect one’s ability to respond effectively to impulses due to the inability to generate movements large and fast enough to maintain balance. As you can see this complexity of the balance system can create challenges in diagnosing why someone is losing their balance. Almost all causes of imbalance can be treated; however, accurate diagnosis is paramount to effective treatment. If you feel you may have balance problems, contact a physical therapist who through technology can accurately assess and treat dizziness and balance impairments. For more information on balance disorders, visit www.vestibular.org or www.elementpt.com. Jessica Malouf, PT DPT is a vestibular certified physical therapist who can be reached at 406543-7860. MSN
There Are Mental Benefits To Working Out Being in good physical shape may help preserve people’s thinking and memory skills, suggests a new study. Researchers made this discovery by mapping participants’ physical fitness against the number of errors they made on a range of cognitive tests over time. They found, for instance, that 80-year-olds who were at one point approximately twice as fit as their peers made about 25 percent fewer errors on a test of memory and concentration. “This study shows that your cardiovascular fitness at one point in time can predict how well your memory may function in the future,” said Carrington Wendell. Wendell led the study and is a researcher with the Bethesda, Maryland-based National Institute on Aging. A growing body of research has hinted at a relationship between exercise and cognitive decline in old age. But prior studies typically measured physical fitness by asking people to recall how often they exercised in the past. “Participants are not always the best historians,” Wendell said. For the new study,
At First Choice Family Healthcare, we believe that everyone deserves quick access to quality healthcare. With our clinic locations in Great Falls and Stanford, we are dedicated to expanding medical access in our community. We are delighted to be able to help your entire family with your medical needs! Call or stop in to see us today!
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PAGE 26 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
I am not a new hip.
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A lingering injury can affect more than your joints. That’s why, at the St. Vincent Joint Replacement Center, we evaluate the entire person in order to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. From diagnosis to surgery to aftercare and rehabilitation, we make sure our patients are informed, comfortable and ready to enjoy a higher quality of life. If you’ve been considering joint replacement, call (406) 237-7005 to set up an appointment or learn more at svh-mt.org.
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
1,400 men and women were asked to walk, jog, or run on a treadmill until they were out of breath. A machine measured the amount of oxygen participants breathed in and carbon dioxide breathed out to calculate each person’s so-called VO2 max. “VO2 max is the maximal amount of oxygen used by your lungs during one minute of strenuous exercise. Generally, the more oxygen your lungs are able to use, the healthier you are,” Wendell said. She added that researchers working on similar studies in the past might not have chosen VO2 max as a measurement because it is time-intensive and can be expensive. Participants were assessed when they were anywhere from 19 to 94 years old, as part of a study called the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. The researchers followed each person for an average of seven years after the treadmill test. All participants took a memory test and followed
Coping With Autoimmune Diseases By Susan Frances Bonner, RN, BSN The concept of immunity can be traced back to the plague of Athens in 430 BCE, when Greek historian Thucydides noted that many people who had survived the disease in previous outbreaks appeared safe during this current plague. But it was not until the 1940s that the concept of autoimmunity was defined as a state in which the immune system attacks the body’s own healthy cells. In the 1950s the rheumatoid factor was discovered by Henry G. Kunkel. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which inflammation of the membranes lining joints can lead to destruction of the joints and is one of the eighty autoimmune diseases diagnosed today. Although there are many different autoimmune diseases, they have similarities. All autoimmune diseases are connected by a runaway immune response known as systemic inflammation that results in the body attacking its own tissues in any part of the body, including blood vessels, joints, organs and tissues. Autoimmune diseases are chronic (prolonged in duration), do not often resolve spontaneously, and are rarely cured completely. Persons with autoimmune diseases have to deal with a variety of conditions daily. Although each person and disease is unique, common symptoms include chronic pain, increase in body temperature, fatigue, general ill feeling, depression, and difficulty concentrating. Chronic pain, whether continuous or recurrent, can affect a person’s sense of well being, level of function, and quality of life. It is by far the main source for all the other symptoms such as depression, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and general ill feeling. To manage chronic pain, consider oral medications such as aspirin, NSAIDS, Tylenol, certain narcotics, some antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. Then there are topical pain relievers and analgesics such as creams, gels, sprays, patches or rubs, applied over a painful muscle or joint. Medications with no direct pain-relieving properties may also be used in a pain management plan. These include those that treat insomnia, anxiety, and muscle spasm. Some are available over the counter and some require a prescription. When you take any medication caution is required and side effects need to be reviewed with your health care provider. Also consider natural therapies such as certain herbs, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and vitamins. Passive therapies can provide short-term relief of pain, inflammation, and swelling during chronic pain flare-ups. These therapies can include massage, ultrasound, paraffin (wax) treatment, light therapy, traction, Yoga, and Tai Chi. Exercise is extremely important for people with autoimmune diseases. And it is one of the hardest concepts to convey to people who are in constant discomfort. The overwhelming theme is to keep as physically active as possible. In fact,
up with the study team once, but less than half made a second visit to complete additional cognitive tests, the researchers wrote in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A. “In terms of the level of evidence, this is an observational study,” said Deborah Barnes. The study can show physical fitness is associated with better thinking and memory skills, but not prove it’s responsible. Barnes, a psychiatry researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, has studied exercise and cognitive ability but did not participate in the current study. “Ten years ago, people were more skeptical about a relationship between exercise and the brain, but studies like this helps us realize that exercise has profound effects,” Barnes told Reuters Health. “The key message here is that being more physically fit may help someone keep their memory sharper with age,” she said. Wendell and her colleagues were not trying
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to determine why exercise might help prevent memory decline in their study. But they said past research suggests exercise may have a direct effect on signal-sending cells in the brain and other components of brain structure and function. Researchers agreed future work on the subject still needs to be done. “It would have been nice to have additional VO2 max measurements, instead of only at the beginning,” Barnes said. With this extra data, researchers could have looked more closely at correlations between changes in aerobic fitness and cognitive performance over time. But the real issue may be what to do with the new information. “The challenge now is how do we get people to go out and exercise?” Barnes said. “We know exercise is good for us, now how do we do it every day?” MSN
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increasing activity levels is recommended since inactivity is detrimental despite the temporary relief of symptoms that may accompany it. Therapeutic exercise can include range-of-motion exercises, stretching, strength training, water therapy, and cardiovascular conditioning. Therapeutic exercise is beneficial for restoring flexibility, strength, endurance, function, range of motion, and can alleviate discomfort. Mind-body Interventions include relaxation, meditation, guided imagery, biofeedback, and
hypnosis. Relaxation and biofeedback are directed toward helping people become aware of their ability to exert some control over physical processes of which they are not normally aware such as muscle tension, heart rate, skin temperature, and breathing. There is a variety of meditative practices, with the most studied one being mindfulness-based stress reduction, a variation of meditation. Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation that involves selective focusing, receptive concentration, and minimal motor functioning. Individuals can be
taught to use hypnosis themselves, and the use of self-hypnosis can provide pain relief for up to several hours at a time. Relaxation, self-hypnosis, and meditation techniques are a form of physiologic self-management. They assist individuals with muscle relaxation and distraction from pain and illness perception. Although autoimmune diseases are complicated, they can be managed, you just have to find the methods that work for you. MSN
Glaucoma – The Silent Thief of Vision By Chad Bouterse, DO Glaucoma is an eye condition that results in a progressive, painless loss of peripheral vision. If left untreated, it will eventually affect the central vision (which is used to drive and read) and can result in total blindness. It is the number two cause of irreversible blindness over the age of 60 in the United States with only macular degeneration af-
fecting more people. So what exactly is glaucoma? To answer that question, we need to start with some simple eye anatomy. The eye is kept inflated with a fluid similarly to the way a basketball is filled with air. This fluid, called the aqueous humor, provides nutrients to the eye to keep it healthy. Fresh fluid and nutrients are constantly being pumped into the eye as older fluid is drained out. Imagine a bathtub that has the faucet turn on to deliver the same amount of water into the tub that is flowing down the drain. A bathtub setup this way will stay full, but not overflow. This results in the eye retaining a certain level of fluid pressure called the intraocular pressure (like the air pressure in a tire or basketball). Everyone’s intraocular pressure is unique to his or her own eyes. The range that is generally considered normal is between 5 and 22 (mm of Hg). However, everyone’s individual eye has a certain pressure it can tolerate before the eye overinflates and causes damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is like a cable that connects your eye to the brain. As the pressure increases, it pushes against this cable at the back of the eye and overtime permanently damages it. This injury prevents the eye from transmitting the images you are seeing to the brain. It generally starts by taking away your far peripheral vision and can go on for years without someone’s noticing vision changes. Once vision is lost to glaucoma, it is gone forever.
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There are two basic reasons that someone develops glaucoma. They are either producing too much new fluid in their eye or not draining enough of the old fluid out of the eye. Using the bathtub analogy, a tub will overflow if the faucet is turned up too high or if the drain is clogged. There are several causes of increased pressure in the eye. They include age, medications (for example steroids), injuries, and genetics (strong family history of glaucoma). The diagnosis of glaucoma involves checking your eye pressure, examining the health of your optic nerve, and testing your peripheral vision. These are all performed during a comprehensive eye exam to determine your risk of having glaucoma and other eye diseases. Luckily, we have many successful treatments for glaucoma. All of the treatments available work by decreasing the amount of fluid made by the eye or increasing the fluid drained out of the eye (i.e. turn down the faucet or unclog the drain). The
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most common and easy treatment is prescription eye drops. They are a very safe and effective way to lower the pressure. Lasers, surgery, and occasionally oral medications are also used to treat glaucoma. Only your eye care provider can correctly determine whether you have glaucoma and, if necessary, provide the proper treatment to prevent vision loss. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends an eye exam every two years until age 60 to look for glaucoma, as well as other eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration. This screening recommendation increases to yearly over the age of 60 as the chances of having these conditions increase with age. The worst part of glaucoma is that damage can occur before you even have any symptoms. However, with regular eye exams, you can prevent this silent thief from robbing you of any of your most precious possession – your vision! MSN
Eating Your Great White Way to Diabetes induce diabetes in lab animals! Bleached white By Suzy Cohen Dear Pharmacist: What is the number one flour is almost always contaminated with alloxan. thing I can do to prevent diabetes? --T.H., Se- Are you shocked? Are you wondering why? It happens because of strong demand from you, attle, Washington Answer: Avoid white! By that I mean white the consumers, who find pastries, buns, biscuits, salt, white sugar, and white flour. The white flour and bread much prettier when they are white. You is particularly offensive because it contains a com- cast your vote to continue the nonsense by buying pound known to harm the pancreas, the gland you white flour goodies! I’ve always been puzzled at the name “All Purneed for healthy blood sugar balance because it pose” flour because to me, it doesn’t even serve secretes insulin. the primary purpose of food – which is to provide Let me back up to the point where wheat is growing on a farm, before it becomes flour. nutritional value – so I suggest it be renamed “No Special care is taken to till and fertilize the soil. Purpose” flour. Regardless, combine alloxanThe field was sprayed with various pesticides, tainted white flour with nutritionally naked white fungicides and other chemicals to protect the harvest. About 83 active chemicals are used in pesticides today even though studies have shown that some cause cancer in animals or humans! Anyway, when the wheat kernels are harvested, workers keep an eye on the storage facilities to make sure everything stays cool and dry because we all know rainy, hot weather promotes fungal growth. Fungal contamination of grains is rather common. Once in you, it’s almost impossible to get out. The wheat kernels are stripped of their Your health – our commitment to you, from day one. “bran” and “germ” layers – a process that removes all the fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Oddly enough, this flour may command a higher price than flour left in its natural state. But the insanity has just begun. The naturally brown flour will now be whitened using a chemical similar to chlorine bleach. This chemical forms another Dizziness wasn’t planned for my workout this morning. substance called alloxan, which is known Glad I talked to Community’s Nurse on Call. to destroy pancreatic Now, anytime you’re faced with a troubling medical symptom, we’ll put you in the fast lane to easing your mind. function. Did you catch Community Medical Center’s new 24-7 Nurse on Call telephone service will give you the answers you need to give you that? peace of mind. Call us. Our registered nurses will help determine if your symptoms require emergency care or whether Alloxan is so outthey’re issues that can be handled by your primary care provider tomorrow. We are your local, trusted resource to standing at destroycheck symptoms fast, without having to look elsewhere. Call us at 406-327-4770. ing the pancreas that For the level of care you need, when you need it, of course it’s Community. researchers commonly communitymed.org use it in clinical trials to Community Medical Center is an independent, local, non-profit hospital.
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sugar and table salt that many baked recipes call for, and you have a recipe for diabetes! In 2008, scientists closely examined how alloxan caused diabetes in animals. This article “The mechanisms of alloxan- and streptozotocininduced diabetes” was published in Diabetologia.
The researchers stated, “These hydroxyl radicals are ultimately responsible for the death of the beta cells, which have a particularly low antioxidative defence capacity, and the ensuing state of insulin-dependent ‘alloxan diabetes.’” Simply put, they are saying that free radicals
are released, and these kill the pancreatic cells (which secrete insulin and lower blood sugar); the net result of alloxan keeps an animal insulindependent. I have solutions in my best-selling book, Diabetes Without Drugs (Rodale 2010). MSN
Tribal College Empowering Identity and Cultural Preservation for the Aaniiih and Nakoda Tribes Dr. Carole Falcon-Chandler, President of Aaniiih Nakoda College has spearheaded the growth of the campus and has influenced the stable student population with strong leadership. Since 1982, the college has progressed from four classrooms housed in two abandoned commercial stores to eight college buildings, traditional arbor, outdoor basketball court, tribal and community library, KGVA FM public radio station, and paved public/student parking lots. The college also houses the White Clay Language Immersion School in the Ekib Tsah ah Tsik Cultural Center. The Immersion School teaches the Aaniiih language and a 2nd–4th grade curriculum.
The college courses are infused with the Nakoda and Aaniiih culture and history. The college is a shining light in a disadvantaged, poverty-stricken area of north central Montana. The college provides access to the outside world through education, state-of-the art integrated technology, labor-force training, and high caliber faculty members. “Everyone works here [college] for the betterment of our students, so they can make positive changes in their communities,” explains Dr. Falcon-Chandler. Aaniiih Nakoda College has an open door policy that invites all people to attend. For information, visit www.ancollege.edu or call 406-353-2607. MSN
Please Support Our Abused And Neglected Children For almost 50 years, the Great Falls Children’s Receiving Home (GFCRH) has provided a safe haven to approximately 10,000 local children who have fallen victim to heinous acts of child abuse and/or neglect. Cascade County is currently faced with an epidemic of child abuse cases. When children are removed from such situations, there are generally only a few options – find a safe relative or family friend who can care for them or the child enters
the foster system. Sometimes, relative and family members are not an option. Much of the time, foster care is that only option. The GFCRH provides abused children a safe haven outside of the home where they were harmed. Approximately 200 children enter the GFCRH, annually. Over 90% of these children are from Cascade County – most from Great Falls. At the GFCRH, children are shown that child
abuse and neglect are the exception and not the norm. Our trained staff takes pride in showing each child that love is safe and should always be safe. No one should ever harm a child. Thankfully, there are people, like those at the GFRCH, who are there to show each child just that. To support our efforts, visit gfcrh.org, call 406727-4842 or mail to P.O. Box 1061, Great Falls, MT 59403. MSN
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Chuck Hauptman Fighting The Forgotten Front: Oil and War sion and his entry into WWII. By Kim Thielman-Ibes When he graduated from Midwest high school, Growing up in Midwest, Wyoming during the Chuck fully intended to attend the University of Salt Creek Oilfield boom – considered the largest Wyoming to study zoology. His dream was to producing oilfield in the world at the time – provided Chuck Hauptman with two key ingredients that manage big game animals upon graduation. “I was hijacked by my parents and sent to the would end up shaping his life for the next 91-years. University of Nebraska,” grouses Chuck. “But, The first ingredient: Wyoming. The second: oil. thank God. That’s Unlike oil and where I met my wife water, oil and WyoAnn and we had 67 ming went together wonderful years toquite nicely. The Salt gether.” Creek Oilfield drew Chuck graduated people from all over with a degree in zoolthe states to partake ogy, and like many in its boom, then bust lads his age he also years, until the cycle had four years worth started anew. One of ROTC. of those folks was “You were automatChuck Hauptman’s ically commissioned father. as a 2 nd Lieutenant “In the early up until 1943,” says 1900s, my dad started Chuck. “Thank God with a company that Three generations i of f Hauptman’s ( (L to R: C Chuck’s sons Jim i the army realized guys ultimately became and Tom, Grandson Hunter, and Chuck) at their elk camp in coming out of ROTC Conoco,” says HauptWestern Montana. At nearly 92, Chuck still participates in the man. His dad went family’s annual elk hunt. At the time of this photo Chuck had were not prepared for on to become one of not yet bagged this year’s elk, but he did get two last year! the methods being fought in WWII.” the first engineers to [Photo provided by Tom Hauptman] When he graduated oversee a new law governing oil, natural gas, and coal called the in December of 1943, Chuck chose to continue his Mineral Leasing Act of 1920. Notwithstanding a training with the ski troops. “I’d read about them being formed near Mount number of revisions over the years, this law remains in effect today, governing mineral leasing Rainier,” says Chuck. Instead of Mount Rainer, he and compensation throughout the United States. was sent to a new ski training camp called Camp As kids, Chuck and his brother would take Hale, built in 1942 in turns traipsing around the Wyoming countryside the high Rockies just with their father on his monthly fieldtrips, outings west of Denver. On his the government required to keep tabs on all the way, he drove through Lincoln, Nebraska and oilfield work. “We saw the oil business growing up and it was after a quick wedding sort of natural that I’d get mixed up in the same ceremony, he and his new wife headed west. business,” explains Chuck. “Her dad told her Midwest was a rough and tumble town during she could forget about the boom. The Hauptman boys learned how to take care of themselves. Chuck’s time spent in taking her fancy nightthe foothills surrounding Midwest, both with These “beginnings” occur in his brother, and with the over 50% of patients. boy scouts, participatMost importantly, if recognized in time, ing in camping and foot these beginnings can be treated before patrols on the towns the heart is damaged! Call 9-1-1. outskirts, gave him a healthy respect for the outdoors. Unknowingly at the time, it also prepared him for his role in the 10th Mountain Divi-
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
gown and she’d better get something warmer,” laughs Chuck. Following ski troop training, Chuck was sent overseas with the 10th Mountain Division to Italy aboard the USS America in January of 1945. “It was a huge ship with about 11,000 guys and a few USO nurses. It was fast but it couldn’t outrun a U-Boat; if we were on deck it was with our Mae Wests,” says Chuck. The trip across the Atlantic was fast but not fast enough. Outdoor privileges were few and far between. With 12-14 men squished in each cabin and bunks stacked four high, soldiers used their helmets when seasickness prevailed. “It was a god awful experience,” recalls Chuck. By then Italy had become the forgotten front even though Germany had spent months fortifying what became known as the “gothic line” stretching across Italy’s Apennine Mountains. The 10th Mountain Division was sent to the Apennines highest peak with orders to dislodge the Germans and break the gothic line. “We were in combat for only about four months but it was deadly,” recalls Chuck. “Out of roughly 15,000 men, 1,000 were killed and 4,000 wounded.” By the time he made it back to the states
in August 1945 all the big game jobs to be had were. “I went back and talked to a professor at the University of Nebraska and he conned me into taking geology,” says Chuck. “It worked like a charm.” After graduation in 1949 Chuck went to work for Standard of California in Louisiana. Eventually he made his way west to Salt Lake City, Utah to work for US Melding and Refining just as the Williston Basin was beginning to see some action. It seemed like Chuck was destined to follow his father’s footsteps. In 1951 oil was discovered in Williston. It was the first major discovery of a new geologic basin since WWII. In just 45 days, 30 million mineral acres had been leased – about 67% of North Dakota’s available acreage. Once again, Chuck would be at the forefront of another boom. Over the next few years, he would open his own business in Billings as an independent geologist. “It’s a good way to say you’re starving to death,” he says with a laugh. From Wyoming’s Salt Creek Oilfield, through the Apennines during WWII, to the Williston Basin, and back again to Montana, Chuck Hauptman always found a way to make the best of a situation. MSN
Help Billings Build Strong Families The Family Tree Center - Billings Exchange Clubs’ Child Abuse Prevention Center will host its 28th Annual Festival of Trees, December 5-8. There will be a Winter Wonderland with 40 beautifully decorated trees to be auctioned on December 5 and activities for all ages throughout the weekend. The event funds Family Tree Center Programs that provide support and education in order to Build Strong Families in our community. The Family Tree Center is a private non-profit agency and The Festival of Trees is its main fundraiser. The Family Tree Center has been working with families for 28 years and provides programs
including parenting classes, in home mentoring, respite childcare, and education on preventing child abuse and neglect. Please help us “stop the hurt before it happens.” It is the only agency in the area with the sole mission of preventing child abuse and neglect. Come to the Shrine Auditorium December 5-8 and make The Festival of Trees a part of your holiday tradition. Even if you cannot attend the Festival of Trees, please support our mission of child abuse prevention by donating through our web site or as part of your annual year-end giving. Please visit festivaloftrees@qwestoffice.net or familytreecenterbillings.org, or call 406-252-9799. MSN
One in Three. It is difficult to believe, but that is the rate that women in Montana experience domestic violence, sexual assault or harassment. The fastest growing sector of women being hurt are young women between 18 and 30, and many older women are victims of violence as well.
YWCA Billings wants to reduce the number of women each year who are badly hurt—or lose their lives. You can help by donating to the ® Reaching Every Woman Program. $1,000 reaches thousands with a billboard $500 reaches hundreds thru social media $100 assures that Help Line calls are answered 24/7 $50 provides an information kit
Extend a hand to women in crisis. Become a Supporting Member today!
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909 Wyoming Avenue, Billings, MT 59101 406.252.6303 | www.ywcabillings.org
IRA Charitable Rollover Make Billings Catholic Schools your “charity of choice”
If you are 70½ or older, the federal government permits you to rollover up to $100,000 from your IRA to your charity of choice without increasing your taxable income or paying any additional tax. For more information call: Janyce Haider, President 406-252-0252
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Lou Adler – King of the One Armed Bandit By Kim Thielman-Ibes During 1966, as far as hardworking, lawabiding citizens go, Lou Adler was the cream of the crop and …mmm good! A Campbell’s Soup man based out of Billings, he covered a marketing territory that included Eastern Montana, parts of North and South Dakota, and all of Wyoming – which is where the trouble started. Specifically, Sheridan, Wyoming. The ancestral home of the Crow People, this small western outpost, situated 10-miles from the Big Horn Mountains within the beautiful Tongue River watershed, like Montana, had a history of independent minded folk. Mostly good apples, like Lou Adler. But as we all know it only takes one, and that one happened to be Lou’s boss. It started innocently enough. Lou was working with his boss in Sheridan one afternoon when the boss led Lou down a dark stairwell to the basement of the Edward’s Hotel. There, in the dark sitting on a dusty dirt floor, Lou’s boss pointed at three small bulky shapes. “I just want them out of here,” he said. And no wonder, Lou’s boss’s father owned the Edward’s Hotel, and those machines were 5-cent War Eagles. Ownership of a slot machine was against the law at that time. In fact, it was almost universally illegal in the United States to own antique slot machines, and today, eight states still outlaw them. Montana did not reverse stance on this law until 1985. That day, Lou Adler walked out of the Edward’s Hotel with one slot machine. It would be the first of many he would come to subsequently own. Covertly, Lou brought this beauty with its slender single-arm pull back home to Billings where he hid it away in the washroom. His five kids, sworn to secrecy, could play with the War Eagle on their whim. But, they were not allowed to keep their nickel winnings. It was from this humble beginning in 1966 that Lou Adler’s interest and passion grew for these speakeasy jewels. Today, Lou is the largest dealer of antique slot machines in America. “Don’t tell my wife,” says Lou with a bit of a sly smile, “but I have
over 300 machines in stock right now.” His oldest machine, a Callie Ben Hur, dates from 1909. Before retiring in 1998 at the age of 62, he had begun to search for his next endeavor. He attended a number of antique shows and was determined to do something no one else was doing. “Everyone had their own specialty, either furniture or clocks or something else, but no one had this,” says Lou referring to his antique slots, “And I love it.” He had acquired around 20 machines by then and had moved them from the washroom to the garage. Before the Internet, Lou would load up the back of his pickup with antique slot machines he found in people’s attics, garages, and basements – tucked away from prying eyes and forgotten until Lou came along. He would drive them back to his garage, tinkering with every aspect of them until they shone as brightly as they did during their once illustrious heyday. Lou traveled the antique show circuit selling those machines he had lovingly restored and buying those in need of his skillful care. “The worst shape I’d ever bought one in came to me in a bushel basket,” says Lou, “It’s the challenge, and I enjoy it.” With the Internet, Lou’s business has flourished. Though he still finds the open road alluring, his pickup filled with antique slots from the six major manufacturers from the early 1900s, much of his buying and selling is done through his web site. “I’ve sold several overseas to Japan, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and a lot to Canada where it’s easier to get American coins,” he says. From a legal perspective, antique slots refer to any machine
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that is 25 years old or older. This wide range includes the first slot machines made in the late 1890s up through the more modern electronic slot machines manufactured from the 1950s to the late 1980s. “I’m not an electronics person so I refer those to someone else,” declares Lou. “Once someone tells me the serial number I can tell them when it was made and after seeing it determine its value,” he adds. With so many in stock, he now relies on a team of people to help him restore them to their illustrious beginnings. Lou’s keen eye and skillful one-arm bandit
restorations caught the eye of Hollywood. CBS producers called Lou to purchase antique slot machines for the show Vegas, starring Dennis Quaid. Most people who purchase Adler’s restorations do so for fun and family. “People tell me they hate going to Vegas because they can’t put in their own coins and pull the arm with the new electronic machines anymore,” relates Lou. And that is just fine with him. For more information on Lou Adler and Slots of Montana see slotsofmontana.com or call Lou at 888-850-5270. MSN
For the love of the game – William “Bill” MacBoyle is Montana’s Mr. Baseball By Kim Thielman-Ibes Montana was a buzz of activity during the postwar economic boom of the early 1950s. Interstate highways connected mountains to prairies, electricity lit up the darkened plains, while televisions and air travel connected Montanans to the world. Yet, one of the most important events that occurred rarely finds mention in Montana history books. The world of league baseball found its way to the Big Sky state. And like the town itself, baseball sprang up in Billing’s almost overnight. Within a few years, Billings sprouted both a rookie league and youth baseball league. Today the Billing’s Mustangs are the rookie affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, and from a couple of t ’ Little Littl League L dirt fields in Billings, Montana’s has grown across the state, sporting two districts teaching thousands of boys and girls from ages 4-18 the camaraderie, discipline, and joy of baseball. Central to the growth of baseball in Montana, especially in Billings, was William “Bill” MacBoyle. For more than 40 years, Bill spent a good chunk of his waking hours involved in some aspect of Montana’s Little League until retiring at age 80 this fall. “It’s the kids,” he says. “You get involved with those kids and it’s hard to get away from.” From Bill’s perspective, baseball is the best thing that
could happen to any child. “It builds a lot of character,” he adds. While Bill played ball growing up in Spokane, it wasn’t until he moved to Billings and started a family that his life began to revolve around an oilskinned glove and leather bound ball. “We didn’t have Little League when I was a kid,” Bill recalls and he really didn’t even know this children’s baseball league existed until his son turned seven. The year was 1970 and Bill jumped in with both feet. While his son played the game, Bill coached several teams at Billing’s Veteran’s Field. “There was something magic about Veteran’s Park and those little kids playing ball up there,” recalls Dugan Kufeld, Bill’s assistant coach at the time. For Kufeld and the kids, Bill created a big umbrella with a lot of family under it. “He made a big impact on the kids,” adds Dugan. “He was a nice guy and he related to kids.” Dugan never saw Bill raise his voice or get mad, but he confesses to seeing a number of pitchers bribed with milkshakes. Within a couple of years, Bill’s son turned to hockey. Ever the baseball fan, Bill stuck with the game he’d grown up with. “One thing led to another. We got more kids in the community, more volunteers, and the volunteers were so supportive.” Over the years, Bill was instrumental in helping grow the number and quality of baseball fields available for Billing’s players. One of those was Urbaska Field near Rocky Mountain College. While Billing’s native, Frederick Urbaska created the vision and financed the field, Bill gave his time and effort
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to help build and operate it. “I got some friends together who owned some earth moving companies to move some dirt around so we could lay out a field,” Bill recalls. Under Urbaska’s direction and with friends and volunteers in tow, they planted grass, painted the field, and built the dugouts, concessions, and bleachers. After 10 years of coaching, Bill took over as district administrator for the eastern half of Montana’s Big Sky Little League organization. Eighteen years later, he served as District One treasurer serving an additional 15 years prior to his retirement. During Bill’s 43 years as a volunteer for Big Sky’s Little League organization, he created more than memories. He taught nearly three generations of kids about the joy, art, and discipline of baseball while bringing smiles to the faces of many. “We took a lot of kids under our arms and marched them right through. It’s a growing thing for an adult as well as a child.” Looking back, Bill finds it difficult to settle on his best memories. He remembers the freckled, red-haired kid that made it to the field just in time to keep them from forfeiting a game, another that went on to work for the Navy then came back home and is now coaching his son in little league and of course the 2011 All Star team – they almost took it all in the Little League Baseball World Series. “I’ve always looked at Bill as the heart and soul of baseball,” says Rick DeVore who recently retired as district administrator after 39 years with Big Sky’s Little League. “His number one care
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was always about the kids having fun and having a great experience playing baseball.” DeVore, a Braves fan, and MacBoyle, a Cardinal fan, might not have seen eye to eye on everything baseball, but the one thing they truly share is their dedication and service to growing America’s game in Montana. “That’s just the kind of person Bill is,” says DeVore. “It’s just a pleasure to work with him and be around him.” MSN
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) Goes The Extra Mile “With compassion and without judgment we provide a respectful and safe environment for companion animals in our community, and for the people who surround those animals.” In 2009, Billings contracted with YVAS, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), to shelter and provide complete care for companion animals regardless of breed, age, health, or temperament – thus saving many animal lives. We support areas of Montana that are in need. We reunite lost pets with owners, place animals in approved homes and shelters, and transfer to breed rescues. We provide low cost spay/neuter clinics. This year we remodeled our canine play yards, added a low-stress cat intake room, and a “Cat Tower” for kittens. We are the Adoption Partner for Billings PetSmart, and Lovable Pets Canine Learning Center offers a 50% discount on dog training for adoptions from YVAS. None of this would be possible without the financial support of folks who care. In 2014, the demands for YVAS services and our need for more space will be greater than ever. We welcome your financial support this giving season and for years to come. For information on how you can support YVAS, please call us at 406-2947387 or visit www.YVAS.org. MSN
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PAGE 36 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
It Is Sunnyside Up for Goggins By Kim Thielman-Ibes At age 83, Billing’s livestock entrepreneur, Pat Goggins shows no sign of slowing down. “Awful good,” he replies, when asked about the future. Adopting the same go-get-‘em attitude that sustained him as a hard-working kid throughout the depression, as a young man at his first job as an assistant herdsman, and later in life as a successful livestock market innovator and owner. He still believes the best is yet to come. As a child of the depression and son of a sharecropper and industrious mother, Pat learned at a young age how to work, how to work hard, the value of a buck, and the lessons of living on what one could provide for himself and his family. These strong core values settled deep into the center of this man, values that gave him the self-determination, confidence, and unrelenting drive to do his best, and if that wasn’t good enough, well, by golly he would learn how to do better. “You learn a lot more from hard times then you ever learn in good times,” relates Pat. “A lot of people don’t realize that.” His farm roots and 4-H endeavors as a youngster stoked his passion for the livestock business. Pat learned about the industry from the ground up, raising heifers and steers in the late 1930s for his 4-H projects. In what would become a signature Pat Goggins’ method and approach to life, “Ask me about the AARP® Pat did not content himself with just raisAuto & Home Insurance ing and showing his Program from The Hartford.” stock. He immersed himself in his projects, Now available in your area! often riding the railcars with his cattle, learning This auto and home insurance is designed exclusively for AARP members everything he could — and is now available through your local Hartford independent agent! about showing liveCall Today for your FREE, no-obligation quote: stock, and eventually judging them as well. After winning grand .$<( '81&$1 '$51,(//( ,1685$1&( $*(1&< champion with his 1320 28th St W ® steer at the 1947 NaPO Box 21300 tional Hereford Show, Billings, MT 59104 he would later be writwww.darnielle.com The AARP Automobile Insurance Program from The Hartford is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates, One Hartford Plaza, ten up by the Western Hartford, CT 06155. In Washington, the Program is underwritten by Trumbull Insurance Company. AARP and its affiliates are not insurance agencies or carriers and do not employ or endorse insurance agents, brokers, representatives or advisors. The program is provided by The Hartford, not AARP or its Livestock Reporter. affiliates. Paid endorsement. The Hartford pays a royalty fee to AARP for the use of AARP's intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP membership is required for Program eligibility in most states. Applicants are individually underwritten and some may not qualify. Specific Little did anyone features, credits, and discounts may vary and may not be available in all states in accordance with state filings and applicable law. The premiums quoted by an authorized agent for any Program policy include the additional costs associated with the advice and counsel that your authorized agent provides. 107995 know at the time, but
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their assessment of his potential and future impact on the livestock industry would not only ring true, but the Western Livestock Reporter would become the very foundation for his success. In 1952, newly married and with a freshly minted animal science degree from Montana State University, Pat continued to work as a herdsman – a job that sustained him and paid his way through college. Barely two short years later, a new opportunity presented itself, selling advertising for the Montana Farmer-Stockman out of Great Falls. With his wife’s blessing, particularly given its departure from his previous work and its more diminutive paycheck, Pat took on the job with gusto. It was during his time selling advertising that Pat learned the value of promotion in the industry. “One goes with the other,” says Pat, referring to the raising, selling, and success of the livestock industry. “There is no leadership without promotion.” His outstanding success with the Montana Farmer-Stockman, and later at the Western Livestock Journal based in Denver, eventually caught the eye of the publisher for the Billing’s based, Western Livestock Reporter; the same journal that praised his skill and adeptness as a youngster in 4-H a decade earlier. In 1961, just four years after joining the business, his voluminous advertising sales proved too much for its publisher. “I had a pretty good year and it was a pretty good sized check,” recalls Pat. “The publisher got to complaining that he couldn’t keep paying me this money, so I told him to keep that check and give me the paper,” he relates, adding with a chuckle, “And he got a pretty good deal.” Pat used the journal as a launching pad and it remains at the center of his livestock empire. To others, opportunities seemed to fall over themselves into Pat’s lap. But opportunities are just that: a position, a chance, a prospect at success. Given his intimate relationship with the notion that you get what you work for, Pat took each opportunity for what it was. He then studied it, worked it, and set about innovating it until that opportunity became another piece of his livestock business. The next opportunity would bring Pat back to his roots. Billing’s Vermilion Ranch, a historic landmark along the Yellowstone River, became the first of several cattle ranches Pat would come to own. Today, he is one of the nation’s top producers of
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registered Angus cattle. In the late 1960s, he added another piece to his livestock empire. He was approached to buy the Billing’s Public Livestock Market Center. Renaming it the Public Auction Yard or PAYS, he added innovations such as a ring scale encouraging a more, trustworthy auction, and video livestock auctions allowing Montana ranchers statewide to film and sell their stock from the home front. He has built the business into the largest in the Northwest and one of the most successful in the nation. Like family,
Give the Gift of Humanities: History, Literature, Native American Cultures, and More! A major documentary film focused on the Indian relay race in Montana. A gathering of high school students from all over the state to demonstrate knowledge of world affairs. Reading and discussion groups in libraries and senior centers throughout Montana. These are just a few of the many projects supported by Humanities Montana over the past year. Multiply this work by 41 years and consider the value of this organization to your home state! Help assure this work continues by contributing to our Annual Fund at www.humanitiesmontana.org. One Donor’s Story • Antoinette “Toni” Hagener from Havre is one of our most generous supporters, contributing $5,000 in 2012. Since moving to Montana with her husband in 1949, Toni has been involved in the civic and cultural life of Montana working with museums, libraries, the legislature, and more. In 1999, she received the Governor’s Humanities Award. Toni says, “As a Montana resident of more than 60 years I have always appreciated the information and support for the programs and lectures offered by Humanities Montana to outlying communities. They have provided learning experiences as well as intellectual stimulation.” Thank you Toni! Please call us at 406-243-6022 to learn more about how you can support this most important work for Montanans. MSN
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 37
Pat has carefully nurtured, cultivated, and grown each of his business endeavors and has many of his family members involved in the business helping to groom it for the next generation of Goggins. “You’ve got to be a good caretaker,” says Pat. “If you worry about the dimes, the dollars will take care of themselves.” His eternal optimism is infectious, his essential values simple and straightforward. Like a cyclone, there is still no stopping Pat Goggins! MSN
Utilizing the Montana Tax Credit By utilizing the Montana Tax Credit for Endowed Philanthropy, the tax benefit to donors is significant. The greatest impact is to the long-term security of our Billings Catholic Schools and the future of thousands of students who dream of faith-based education. The Montana Tax Credit is available to donors for contributions given to a qualified endowment fund. A minimum gift of $1,000 will qualify through the Billings Catholic Schools Foundation, and because of the credit, can cost the donor as little as $640. (Individual tax benefits are calculated using donor age, tax brackets, and chosen giving mechanism.) When you give to the Billings Catholic Schools Foundation, you are maintaining a partnership with a staff of professionals that care as much for the schools as you do. The Foundation staff looks forward to continuing to serve donors through financial and estate planning and a variety of charitable gift programs. For more information, please call Janyce Haider, BCSF President at 406-252-0252. MSN
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PAGE 38 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
Did You Know? The deepest gorge in North America is not the Grand Canyon. It’s Hell’s Canyon on the Oregon/ Idaho border. The Snake River flowing through the gorge near sea level is bordered by the Seven Devils Mountains that soar to 9,000 feet. The average depth of Hells Canyon is 6,600 feet. Grand Canyon is only 4,000 to 5,000 feet deep, but it is wider and longer.
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Ruth Yost Helps Those in Need By Kim Thielman-Ibes Ruth’s senior, put in over 30 hours thus far in 2013 At 90, Billing’s native, Ruth Yost still considers for the Northern Plains Resource Council. herself somewhat new at volunteering. After all, “I love people,” says Ruth when asked why her service work did not start in force until 2006, she spends so much time helping others. “I have a mere seven years ago. But over that time, she a lot of patience and I like to meet people and be has been a busy lady – busy making up for lost happy and smile. Why sit home alone and feel time and leaving no dust under her feet. sorry for yourself?” “After my husband passed away in 2006, Ruth grew up on a hardscrabble ranch south why I said I can’t sit here in this big house,” says of Billings in Edgar with three brothers and three Ruth. “So I went to volunteer at Southside Senior sisters. As soon as she turned 21, she and a sisCenter.” ter moved to Billings for work. Ruth worked at the Ruth did not stop there. She also volunteers Rex Laundry in Billings until she met and married for the Council on Aging, her husband. The newly the Billings Community married couple moved Center (Delta Alliance), to the Yost Ranch outthe Northern Plains Reside Melville until their source Counsel, and son was school age. “I has been a holiday didn’t want to board him fixture at the Montana out with the postmaster Rescue Mission for ten in Melville. My little boy years. would’ve cried my heart “I’m not sure what out,” recalls Ruth. Ruth the Northern Plains Reand her growing family source Council does,” moved to Billings, and she says with a smile Ruth still resides in the in her voice. “I’m not home where she and her snoopy enough to find Left, Ruth Yost, and right, Helen Bender. [Photo by Kim husband raised their two out what they’re doing. Thielman-Ibes] children in. Isn’t that terrible?” The compassion While Ruth might not know exactly what the Ruth has for her family is the same compassion Northern Plains Resource Council does, they she brings with her during her many volunteer know exactly what Ruth does. “She’s amazing,” activities. Ruth’s longest and most enduring volsays Karen Olson, Office Manager for Northern unteer activity has been with the Montana Rescue Plains, a grassroots conservation and family agriMission in Billings. Since 1947, the mission has culture group with a mission to protect Montana’s provided shelter, food, and clothing for people in water, family farms, and ranches. need. For at least ten of those years, Ruth has “Ruth and her friend Helen pair up and come been counted upon to help serve during the everin religiously to help with our mailings,” adds important holiday season. Karen. “They’re funny. They’re dependable, and “Holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and they have the endurance to last however long it Easter,” confirms Ruth. “They’ve already got me takes to get our mailings together.” Ruth and her down for Christmas at the mission.” volunteer buddy, Helen Bender who is two years Ruth is the one and the only, salad gal during these important shelter meals. “I enjoy the rescue mission and the people there. I just give them the salad and we eat afterwards,” adds Ruth. Her everpresent partner in volunteering, Helen Bender, serves up desserts. “It’s a great way for a senior to be out when they’re not with family,” says Ruth. From Sheila Cole’s perspective as the volunteer coordinator at the Rescue Mission, Ruth is a keeper. “I just love that little woman and I can’t wait to see her. Bless her heart, she’s a hoot,” says Sheila. “It just wouldn’t be a holiday without Ruth and Helen; their bubbly personalities add joy to the festivities.” For Ruth, volunteering has become a way of life and a sustaining life. When this inspiring lady is not helping others she busy getting on with her life. Her days are full. “I like to stay out of trouble, so I stay busy,” she confides with a wink. It’s off to the senior center three days a week for lunch with her friends, bingo, exercise class,
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shopping (she loves to shop), cleaning, and her weekly service at the Pilgrim Congregational Church where she’s been a member for 65 years. “I think of all these wild things,” whispers Ruth after she tells me she had just finished dusting her
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 39
ceiling for cobwebs. “That way no one gets their nose tickled.” Nope, there is absolutely no dust either under Ruth’s feet or apparently on her ceiling! MSN
Soaring through life’s journeys By Kathleen Gilluly medals, and I listened to his stories and was alWith a business that can take them to faraway ways intrigued.” spots around the globe, Pilots Bobbi and Dave She kept mementos of her father’s wartime Powers are set up service that now fit and ready to take off. nicely with other flying Powers Prop Air Serdecor around the home vice can handle jobs just south of Laurel from toting customers that she shares with somewhere by air to Dave. Most are not transporting planes, for decoration only. although the business They are the actual primarily trains new tools used by working pilots. And, that is Bobpilots, including two bi’s job. short grass runways “I’m not an instrucand two planes. tor,” Dave explains, Since the two met, “so she’s up in the air the fun and excitement a lot more than I am have been nonstop. Bobbi Powers explains how the Piper Cub works while these days.” After a W hi l e Bobbi k n e w she pilots the plane over the Yellowstone Valley. [Photo later-in-life career start who Dave was, their by Kathleen Gilluly] (Bobbi was in her 40s paths rarely crossed when she first learned to fly) and a successful run because he always used as a commercial pilot, she and Dave are staying the drive thru teller for grounded more than in the past. his banking. Knowing “Dave is 81,” Bobbi explains, “and he wanted Dave’s wife had recently to retire. Becoming an instructor allowed me to passed away; she saw work from home and continue flying.” him at the bank one An energetic 62-year-old, Bobbi never expect- day and gave him her ed this life she is living. She did not even like travel condolences. or be away from home. As a single mom raising The next day Dave three boys and working at Yellowstone Bank in was waiting for Bobbi Laurel, she looked forward to the day she could outside after work. He have a small rural home with a few chickens. asked her if she liked “I had always wanted to fly,” she says. “My dad spontaneity... and she was a pilot in World War II. He was shot down and has been liking it ever has three distinguished flying crosses and other since.
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
To Bobbiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good fortune, Dave was a pilot, although it had been 10 years since he had flown. After they got married, the opportunity arose for them to buy a plane. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dave wanted flying to be something we did together,â&#x20AC;? Bobbi recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, I got my pilotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license.â&#x20AC;? Their lives have never been the same. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People tell me I created a monster,â&#x20AC;? Dave declares with a chuckle. Although Bobbi now shares her knowledge of flying by instructing student pilots, she spent several years as a commercial pilot for Big Sky Airlines working out of Dallas. And because she developed a love of traveling, Bobbi takes jobs moving planes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once I flew a plane to Guatemala from Montana,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While I was there someone asked me to fly a plane back to Big Timber. Dave met
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me and we toured the country. Then we flew the other plane back.â&#x20AC;? Besides getting the opportunity to explore foreign lands, for years the couple has flown to Baja, Mexico where they have a second home overlooking a gorgeous bay. The Powers also sail and do odd piloting jobs while they winter there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once after flying medical personnel into a little Mexican town, I got to stand in for a dental technician,â&#x20AC;? Bobbi says laughing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being a pilot has opened up a whole new world.â&#x20AC;? Saying that she would fly anything just to be in the air, Bobbiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-workers at Big Sky often gave her the job of flying â&#x20AC;&#x153;brokenâ&#x20AC;? planes. She once flew a plane to Billings from Dallas that was missing its door. She has flown everything from the 19-seat Metroliner to a Citation jet. She is also qualified on multi-engine and seaplanes, but now her mainstay is teaching. Bobbi is such an advocate for flying; she enjoys sharing with others the delight she experiences in the air. As part of a program to broaden the horizons of children who otherwise would not get the chance, she takes them out for their first flights and explains to them, (Continued on page 53)
Shaylaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Store - continued from front cover
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with the building and the store, and I was starting to know the good folks of Ashland.â&#x20AC;? Shayla Hagen knew then that she would not leave the Merc for any reason. She was for better or worse, irrevocably intertwined with Many insurance plans accepted: Two Billin ngss loc o ati tion onss for yo you ur co conv nvenience: the Ashland Mercantile. special pricing available 1323 Mai ain n St, Ste A | 40 406 6.25 252 2.77 773 37 In the early eighties, the Hagenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marriage came apart. Shayla wanted 3838 Av A e B | 406.294.5040 www.granitebillings.com to keep the store, but her husband insisted it be sold. Shayla feared she might have to give up the Merc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see my life without that little store. I fought tooth and nail to keep it.â&#x20AC;? It worked out for her, and in May of 1986, the title to the Ashland Mercantile had only one name on it, Shayla Hagen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Ashland Mercantile was like my second home, no, it was like my first home. I never doubted I could take care of it.â&#x20AC;? Now at 63, she admits to knowing every creaky sound in the oak floor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A new one has tudios and one bedroom apartments just popped up behind the checkout bench that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there last week.â&#x20AC;? available for seniors. The floor is made of two-inch-wide solid oak tongue and groove boards and is a big part of For more info please contact us at: 406-228-2208 what makes the store so special. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t or visit us on the web at: www.prairieridgevillage.com
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see this kind of floor anymore, it’s old and in such good condition; I love it and a couple of times a year we oil it.” According to the Rosebud County records, the building was constructed in 1900 and remains as the oldest standing building in Ashland where it has continuously served as a grocery store. Cut lumber from the local sawmill framed the building and sheets of tin were used to cover the walls, inside, outside, and the ceiling. Like the floor, the tin on the ceiling gives a powerful nod to the building’s history. Next to the Mercantile is a stone building of common vintage that was once used for meat storage. In the early days, the second floor served as a school room. On Saturday nights, however, the desks were pushed back, corn meal spread on the floor, and young and old climbed the outside stairway to dance until the early hours of Sunday. Then, things were cleaned up, the desks moved back into the middle of the floor, and church services were held. Today, the only access to the second floor is the aging three sided hoist elevator located in the rear of the building. When the doors first opened at the Merc, merchandise was displayed on shelves lining the walls and nearly reaching to the ceiling. A long wooden handle picker was required to retrieve items out of reach. Items on the top shelf also required the storekeeper to stand on a stool while wielding the picker. This treasure from is not needed today and leans against the wall on the second floor. The pot belly wood burning stove was replaced by a furnace – patch where the stovepipe went through the ceiling can still be seen. The open area in the middle of the store where customers once gathered to talk about what was going on and to get warm on cold winter days is now lined with new shelves. “I’m kinda on the old fashion side of things, I have a computer and have thought about put-
ting our inventory on it, but I like the way we do things here.” Shayla even kept the charge accounts that previous owners used. “I know no reason to change the way things were done. Today, those with charge accounts, come in, get what they need and we write the total in a log and they settle with us at the end of the month, nothing very fancy with how we do things.” Like any business, some years have been better than others, but overall, the Ashland Mercantile has always managed to provide enough to take good care of Shayla and her family, and of course, there are the emotional ties. “It’s a very special feeling for me, to unlock the door in the morning and walk down the aisle in front of the coolers, I like the feeling I get when I’m in the store and no one else is in it,” she says fondly. Visitors to the Ashland Mercantile talk about the nostalgic feeling they get as they walk up and down the aisles on the wooden floor and look at the pressed tin walls and beautiful old ceiling. Many say it reminds them of stores they shopped in as kids – a step back in time. Beyond the store and the streets of Ashland there are the people. “They are good folks, many second and third generation ranchers and they do things the old fashioned way. I like the old cowboy stuff, that way of life. Old Bill Trusler was one of my favorites, and the Badgetts, Sid Dunning, Ed Hansen, the Wilburs, the McKelveys. The Dunning kids still come in and more often than not they’ve got their spurs on, same thing for the Shy brothers. It’s a special way of life here.” The massive coal reserves of the Otter Creek Basin are a stone’s throw to the south. Just across the Tongue River to the north is the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Headquarters for the Custer National Forest is
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 41
a few blocks down the street from and further to the north is the impressive St. Labre Mission. “I know it all,” Shayla declares. “I like the history of the area and I like that the Merc is part of that history as the oldest continuously operating business in Ashland.” Then she hesitates for a long moment. “I’m getting older, and I don’t know what it will be like when I have to sell it.” MSN
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 43
December Thoughts
By Clare Hafferman I face tomorrow gladly, for its peace and quiet, friends – The one-day breather we receive in advertising trends. Just think, no exhortation to get a collar for old Rover, Grab a waterbed for Grandma, or move the TV over, Buy an ottoman for Dad, electronics for dear Sonny, Now listen up you customers, and bring in all your money. I know it helps to pass the buck and keep it here at home But the methods they are using are the reason for this poem. Don’t ask me to get car chains just because the days are speeding, And quit suggesting bathroom scales are what Aunt Sue’s been needing. I didn’t have in mind, although it smacks of heresy, A set of spark plugs, gaily wrapped, beneath my Christmas tree. And just because the 25th is very fast approaching, Don’t sign me up for aerobic dance and seven weeks of coaching! What I really thought of in the spirit of the day, Was kindliness, a few ho-ho’s, some cookies on a tray. And the merchants that I like the best – the ones I will remember, Are the ones who kept their message simple – Merry Christmas this December! MSN
PAGE 44 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Christmas and the holiday season is a special time of year for reflection and celebration. And of course, the season is marked most memorably by the songs that we hear from November into January of every year. From the time we were young children listening to scratchy yellow records on the family turntable until we were members of a church choir perhaps, these songs have been part of this time of celebration. This issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winning quiz, Holiday Songs Make Headlines, was created by Bernice Karnop of our staff. We hope you enjoy figuring out this clever quiz. Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the Contest Corner in each issue of the Montana Senior News. One prize goes to the person who submits the
entry that our staff selects as the featured quiz or puzzle for that issue. Be creative and send us some good, fun, challenging, and interesting puzzles! The second prize goes to the person who submits the winning answers to the quiz presented in the previous issue. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner is Debbie Barnaby of St. Ignatius who sent in the winning answers to the Favorite Animal Petsâ&#x20AC;Śquiz from the October/November 2013 issue. Please mail your entries to the Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403, or email to montsrnews@bresnan.net by January 15, 2014 for our February/March 2014 edition. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to work the crossword puzzle on our website montanaseniornews.com.
Holiday Songs Make Headlines
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Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. - Dale Carnegie
By Bernice Karnop Christmas songs have warmed our hearts over the years as they will around the world this year. Below is a numbered list of imaginary headlines that might describe a story about one of the lettered songs or hymns it describes. Match the headlines to the actual song titles. Consider the lyrics of the entire song and not just the words in the title. Number your answers from 1 to 25, write the letter of the correct title of the song that the headline describes, and mail or email your answers to us. 1. Meteorologists Fail to Stop Blizzard. Citizens Stay Indoors 2. Listen! Songs of this Enlightened Choir are Out of This World 3. Snow Sculpture Lives! 4. Harness Bells Add to Laughter on Night Sleigh Ride 5. Joyful Pilgrims March to Kings Birthplace for Worship 6. Orthodontist Needed to Fulfill Childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas Wish 7. Boyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heartfelt Gift Acknowledged by King 8. Citizens Encouraged to Shake Noisemakers to Celebrate Royal Birthday 9. Christmas Stroll Snow Provides for a Lovely Walk in the Dark 10. Feeding Trough Substitutes for Royal Baby Bed 11. Glowing Vermillion Nose
Disease Discovered in Far Northern Herds 12. Christmas Plant Blamed for Kissing Incident 13. Lover Gives Daily Gifts Over a Dozen Days 14. Antiphonal Singing Echoes from Mountains 15. Youth Turn Christmas Tree into a Maypole 16. Nostalgic Visions of Pale Precipitation Plague Holiday Sleeper 17. Unrealistic Desire to Return to Roots Spark Hallucinations of Being There 18. Shepherds Believe Aliens Caused Unnatural Lights, Voices in Night Sky 19. Trio of Eastern Astrologists Claims Celestial Events Occurring 20. Urban Deer Blamed for Rattling on Area Roofs 21. Secret Talks Uncover Christmas Confusion 22. Visiting Red Coat Arrives with Entourage 23. Evergreen Folderol Appearing in Passageways 24. Successful Businessmen Hear Reason to De-Stress 25. Deciduous Trees Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Hold a Candle to the Evergreen A. All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth B. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer C. Jingle Bells
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
D. Come On Ring Those Bells E. Deck the Halls F. Little Drummer Boy G. Frosty the Snowman H. Walking in a Winter Wonderland I. O Come All Ye Faithful
J. We Three Kings K. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing L. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! M. I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus N. Twelve Days of Christmas O. O Christmas Tree
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 45
P. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree Q. Angels We Have Heard on High R. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Dreaming of a White Christmas S. Away in a Manger T. Jolly Old St. Nicolas
U. The First Noel V. God Rest You Merry Gentlemen W. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Be Home for Christmas X. Here Comes Santa Claus Y. Up on the Housetop MSN
Answers to Favorite Animal Pets And Cartoon Characters For Real And From Reel 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Chicken Little Mr. Ed Paddy the Beaver Bambi Dino Mary
7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Rudolph Pinocchio Garfield Woody Woodpecker Smoky the Bear
12. Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, and Olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Yeller 13. Mickey Mouse 14. Sticks, Straw, and Bricks 15. Three
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Her slipper Ole Mother Hubbard The Frog Popeye Little Orphan Annie
55. African grazer 57. *Power plant 60. *Liverpool group, following â&#x20AC;&#x153;theâ&#x20AC;? 64. Luau greeting 65. *â&#x20AC;?Posion ___â&#x20AC;? covered by the Stones and the Hollies 67. Beauty pageant wear 68. Short African 69. Butterfly catcher 70. Cupcake topper 71. Epic poem 72. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fancy that!â&#x20AC;? 73. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who ___?â&#x20AC;?
DOWN 1. *Eagleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landing spot 2. Fairytale beast 3. Birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foot 4. *Oscar winner â&#x20AC;&#x153;_____, Dolly!â&#x20AC;? 5. Declare with confidence 6. Middle Ages subj. 7. Kind of person 8. North face, e.g. 9. Refuses to 10. Bad to the bone 11. Cote dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Azur locale 12. Casual attire 15. *Detroitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul recorder 20. Deceive by a mock action 22. *The Sixties, e.g. 24. Large fleets 25. *Greensboro Woolworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event 26. Of service 27. Jeopardy 29. Comfort 31. *â&#x20AC;?Take a ____ offâ&#x20AC;? sang The Band 32. Ladyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pocketbook 33. Loose rocks at base of mountain
ACROSS 1. Coffee + chocolate 6. Drunkardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sound? 9. What little piggy did 13. Makes eyes at 14. Under the weather 15. *The Graduate or Easy Rider 16. Un-written exams 17. Downhill equipment 18. Chilled 19. *1960s Activists and agitators 21. State of good health and fitness 23. Minerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bounty 24. *Popular hairstyle 25. To eat a little at a time, as in hot soup 28. Layer
21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
Little Red Riding Hood Little Boy Blue Tweedy Bird Casper Little Miss Muffet
34. State of dishonor 36. Extinct flightless birds 38. Therefore 42. The Playboy of the Western World author 45. *I Love You More Today sang Twitty 49. Adams ___ Beckham 51. Related on motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side 54. Twist before hanging on clothesline 56. Ancient city in Africa 57. Let heads or tails decide 58. *Woodstockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had a dove on a guitar 59. Electrical resistance units 60. Eight bits 61. Animal den 62. European sea eagle 63. Droops 64. *â&#x20AC;?You damn dirty ___,â&#x20AC;? said Heston 66. V MSN
30. Devoid of reverence 35. Bookkeeping entry 37. *The ____ of the Game TV series 39. Denotes an accomplishment 40. Novice 41. Ivan and Nicholas, e.g. 43. Atmosphere 44. Relating to the ilium 46. On the cutting edge 47. *Ngo Dinh ____ 48. *The Partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Over singer 50. Excellent 52. Get the picture 53. *â&#x20AC;?I read T R I E D , T R U S T E D , P R OV E N the ____ to Â&#x2021; WK 6W 6 *UHDW )DOOV 3D\RII ([LVWLQJ 0RUWJDJH Â&#x2021; &RQVROLGDWH &UHGLW &DUG 'HEW day oh boyâ&#x20AC;? &RYHU +HDOWK &DUH &RVWV Â&#x2021; 0HHW 'DLO\ 0RQWKO\ ([SHQVHV Â&#x2021; 5HPRGHO RU 5HSDLU <RXU +RPH
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PAGE 46 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
What Tax Changes To Expect In 2014 By Elizabeth Coughlin Rudd & Company, PLLC As expected, tax laws are continuously changing. Listed below are some of the anticipated tax provisions likely to take effect for the 2014 tax year. Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) will take effect January 1, 2014. Individuals must have minimum health care coverage for at least nine months out of the year. The penalty imposed on individuals who elect not to purchase health insurance is the higher of 1% of annual income or $95 per person. The maximum penalty per family is $285 for 2014. Health insurance plans that qualify include, but are not limited to the following: individual and employer insurance plans, Medicare, and Medicaid plans. Plans covering only vision or dental do not qualify, nor does workers’ compensation. Certain individuals may be exempt from obtaining health coverage including: those with religious objections, American Indians covered through Indian Health Services, undocumented immigrants, those without coverage for less than 3 months, those serving a prison sentence, those whose lowest-cost plan option is greater than 8% of annual income, and those with income below tax filing thresholds. Capital Gain and Dividend Rates are expected to remain at 0% for taxpayers in the 10% and 15% tax brackets and 15% for taxpayers in the 25-35% tax bracket. The rate for both capital gains and dividends is capped at 20% for those whose income is at or above $400,000 ($450,000 married filing jointly). Above the Line Deductions including: standard deductions, personal exemptions, and Health Savings Account contributions are all projected to increase in a range of $50-$200 for the 2014 tax year. These increases in deductions allow more money to stay in your pocket. The higher projected deductions for 2014 reflect adjustments for inflation in the cost of living.
Items set to expire December 31, 2013. Congress has yet to announce if the following deductions will extend to 2014. • Educator expenses • Cancellation of debt exclusion • Mortgage insurance premiums • Personal energy property credit • State and local sales tax • College tuition and fees • Qualified charitable distributions allowing taxpayers over age 70-1/2 to make tax-free transfers from an IRA directly to a charity Gift Tax Exclusion Amount remains the same at $14,000 for 2013 and 2014. Estate Tax Exclusion will rise to $5,340,000 per individual. This provides for a total estate value of $10,680,000 being exempt from taxes in 2014 for married individuals. The 2013 estate tax exemption is $5,250,000 per individual. IRA Contribution Limit will remain at $5,500 with an additional catch up of $1,000 available for individuals 50 and older. Medical Expenses Deduction where they exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) is still in effect through 2016 for taxpayers who are 65 and older, including those turning 65 by 12/31/16. It is yet to be decided for 2014 what the AGI limit will be for medical expenses of individuals younger than 65. For 2013, this limit is 10% of AGI. Social Security Benefits will increase by 1.5% in 2014 as announced by the Social Security Administration. Permanent Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Relief was signed into law on January 2, 2013 stating AMT will be permanently adjusted annually for inflation. Keep in mind, the IRS usually releases official numbers by December of each year; therefore, the items listed above are subject to change. If you have questions about these or other tax changes, please call us at 406-585-7132. MSN
The Montana Department of Revenue provides assistance on individual income tax matters through its website revenue.mt.gov, call center, and statewide local offices. At revenue.mt.gov you will find helpful Montana income tax information, free electronic filing, downloadable forms and instructions, important updates and filing tips as well as online payment of current and back-year taxes. “While we encourage citizens to e-file their state income taxes because of the benefits to them, such as getting their refunds faster. No matter how they file, the department appreciates it,” said Revenue director Mike Kadas. “Also, if help is needed filing taxes, we have good people here to help.” Taxpayers can phone the department call center for assistance toll-free at 1-866-859-2254 between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our local number is 406-444-6900. During income tax season, the department also
offers taxpayer assistance at its headquarters in Helena and its local office in Missoula between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. In addition, taxpayers are also invited to visit any of the department’s local offices throughout the state during normal business hours, if they need the most commonly used state tax forms, schedules, and instructions. MSN
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 47
PAGE 48 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
Make Charitable Giving More Meaningful By Jason T. Skolnick Every year billions of dollars are donated to non-profit organizations through charitable giving. But how do individuals allocate their gifts and how can they make donating or giving to charity more personal and meaningful? When one’s giving is consistent with their core values and beliefs, the relationship with the charity is strengthened and it increases the likelihood of ongoing gifts. According to Giving USA in 2011, Americans donated more than $307.75 billion to their favorite non-profit organizations and charities. The majority, approximately 75% of charitable giving was attributed to individuals. Charitable foundations and other corporate giving amounted to 17% of total funds donated. Online giving accounted for 67% of all dollars donated in 2010. The online charitable giving channel is rapidly becoming the method of choice for how to donate. Individuals make charitable giving decisions based upon a variety of factors. Among the leading recipients of money for charity are human services organizations, environmental and animal welfare organizations, arts and cultural organizations, and disaster relief groups. The last category is one where recurring gifts are less frequent. Whether through online portals, mobile text campaigns, or direct charitable giving, these donations are an appeal in a time of need that elicit and immediate, although fleeting, emotional response. How can individuals maximize their charitable giving to non-profit organizations and create a lasting relationship with the recipient? Will a values-based charitable giving create a stronger tangible benefit to the donor? The philosopher and medieval scholar, Mai-
monides, lists famous eight levels of charity. The highest level of giving is to form a partnership with a person in need enabling the recipient to overcome the necessity to rely upon others. Importantly, the concept of an ongoing partnership is raised. This is a deeply personal connection to the individual or organization in need and not a one time, sterile, or non-personal gift. A two-way relationship is created whereby the charitable giving donor is simultaneously being uplifted because the action is not for selfish reasons, but a reflection and outward example of living according to one’s values. In the context of Abraham Maslow, this exemplifies a life in harmony and a donor who is self-actualized. When deciding upon which non-profit organization to donate to and determining how to donate, realize that it is crucial to take responsibility for one’s actions. Philanthropy is a perfect vehicle to experience and enhance one’s true purpose. The highest return on charitable giving will be achieved by developing an ongoing and daily relationship with a charity that is consistent with your core values and beliefs. One can achieve any dream or goal by insuring that their daily actions are consistent with their core beliefs. The individual is assured of success because positive life changes are in harmony with their value system and motivated by their desire to aid their favorite charity or non-profit through a charitable giving program. As people are presented with appeals for charitable giving, they think carefully about how they can and will make a difference in the lives of others, and by doing so, how they too will benefit and be truly inspired. EzineArticles.com. MSN
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 49
PAGE 50 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
How Much Should You Know About Family Finances? I do not want to admit it, but my husband has handled the finances all these years. I do not know a thing about it. It always seemed like a good deal; I take care of the spending side, in good times and bad, and he pays the bills. Only now, his memory is not what it used to be, and he forgets to pay bills and roll over maturing CDs. I do not want to be taken advantage of by someone if he gets senile or I am widowed. What shall I do? ~ Anxious Dear Anxious: First, congratulate yourself (and your husband) for having taken care of your financial house all these years. And give yourself credit
rancher student retired teacher tec entrepreneur family business own young anyone can be a professiona retired teacher entrepreneur financie empty nester philanthropist farmer family nurse lawyer rancher civic lead college professor engineer waitre family let us teacher empty neste young parentshow you how lawyer entrepreneur grandparent manag college student doctor ar tist busine owner farmer ar tist athlete financie civic leader family business own Helping Montanans plan and carry out their charitable giving since 1988. www.mtcf.org | 406-443-8313
â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to leave our children comfortable, but when we did our estate planning, we also wanted to leave a legacy with organizations whose work we love. We chose:
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for managing the expense end â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that is no easy task. It also means you do understand finance, at least a chunk of it. You are right to want to take the next step, for two reasons. One is that, statistically speaking, you likely will be the surviving spouse. Second, if you really have no idea about your income â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pensions, portfolio, and so forth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what your spending level should be. Given that your husband has taken care all this time, I should think he would want you to be prepared for the next stage. So the tricky part is presenting a plan in a way that honors all that he has done and prepares for the future without making him feel defensive or worthless. Start by asking friends for the name of a fee-only financial advisor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one who does not sell any product except her or his advice. Meet with several and find one with whom you are comfortable. Then ask your husband to give you this as a gift. If he will not, then you should make this investment for the two of you. MSN
Understanding the Difference between Medicare and the Marketplaces By Ron Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA If you have Medicare, you may be confused by the buzz surrounding the launch of the new health insurance marketplaces, which are part of the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). What do these marketplaces mean for you? It is important to understand that Medicare and the marketplaces are entirely separate. If you have Medicare, you should make the same kinds of decisions about your Medicare coverage that you make every year during open enrollment. You should not sign up for a marketplace plan. But if you know people who do not have insurance, they should look into this new option. Here are some frequently asked questions about Medicare and the marketplaces: Q: If I have Medicare, should I look for insurance in my stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketplace? A: No. The marketplaces are intended to help people who do not have health insurance. If you have Medicare, you already have health insurance. You should make the same kinds of decisions about your Medicare coverage that you make every year. Q: If I have Medicare, do I need to worry about the new requirement to have health insurance? A: No. If you have Medicare, you already meet the requirement that people have insurance starting in 2014. This is true even if you have only Medicare Part A. You do not need to buy any supplemental coverage to comply with anything in the Affordable Care Act.
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Q: So what should I do about my Medicare coverage? A: Similar to last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schedule, Medicareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7, 2013. During Medicare open enrollment, you can decide whether to change plans, join a new plan, or keep the same Medicare coverage you have. If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D prescription drug plan, you should check to see if your plan will be changing in 2014, and you should assess whether your medication needs have changed. If you have traditional Medicare, you can think about whether you want to join a Medicare Advantage plan. And thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Part D drug coverage will continue to improve in 2014, and Medicare will continue to cover most preventive benefits with no co-payments.
You can learn about your Medicare choices by going to the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. For personalized counseling, ask for a referral to your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Q: What if I have Medicare and someone tells me I need to get a new plan because of Obamacare? A: This is not true. Watch out! Dishonest people may try to take advantage of consumers by telling them they need to buy a plan when they do not need to. In fact, it is against the law for anyone to sell you a marketplace plan if he or she knows you have Medicare. Also, remember that Medicare supplemental (Medigap) plans are not sold through the marketplaces. Never give your Medicare number or Medicare card to someone you do not know.
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 51
You can report suspected Medicare fraud at www. StopMedicareFraud.gov. Q: What about people I know who do not have Medicare or other health insurance? A: There is good news for these folks! People who do not have insurance will be able to buy health plans through the marketplaces, or they may qualify for expanded Medicaid. Coverage starts on January 1, 2014. Many people will also be eligible for financial assistance to help pay their premiums. These folks include early retirees who are waiting for Medicare coverage, or they could be your adult children or grandchildren. Help your friends and loved ones by letting them know they have new options. They can learn what is available by going to www.healthcare.gov or by calling 1-800-318-2596. MSN
How Divorce Can Affect Your Social Security By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Am I entitled to my former husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Social Security benefits? I was married for 12 unpleasant years and would like to know for what benefits I may be eligible. Ex-spouse Dear Ex-spouse, You will be happy to know that for the most part, Social Security provides divorced spouses benefits just as they do spouses, if you meet the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirements. Here is how it works. A divorced spouse can collect a Social Security retirement benefit on the work record of their exhusband (or ex-wife) if they are at least age 62, were married for at least 10 years, are unmarried now, and are not eligible for a higher benefit based on their own work record. In order to collect, however, your former spouse must also be at least 62 and eligible for Social Security benefits, and you must have been divorced for at least two years. But, he does not have to be receiving them in order for you to collect divorced spouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefits. Even if your ex is remarried, it will not affect your right to divorcee benefits, nor will it affect your exâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retirement benefits or his current spouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefits. Benefit Amount â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A divorced spouse can receive up to 50 percent of their exâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full Social Security benefit, or less if they take benefits before their full-retirement age â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is 66 if you were born between 1943 and 1954. To find out your fullretirement age and see how much your benefits will be reduced by taking them early see ssa.gov/ retire2/agereduction.htm. Keep in mind though, that if you qualify for benefits based on your own work history, you will receive the larger of the two benefits. You cannot receive benefits on both your own record, and your exâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work record too. To find out your retirement benefits based on your own earnings history, see your Social Security statement at ssa.gov/myaccount. And to get an estimate of your divorced spouse benefit, call Social Security at 800-772-1213. You will need your exâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Social Security Number to get it. Getting Remarried â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Since three-quarters of U.S. divorcees get married again, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also important to understand that remarrying makes you ineligible for divorced spouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefits unless the later marriage ends. And, for those who have been married and divorced twice, with both marriages lasting more than 10 years, you can collect
using the ex-spouse with the larger Social Security benefit. Divorced Survivor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; You also need to know that if your ex-spouse dies, and you were married for 10 or more years, you become eligible for divorced â&#x20AC;&#x153;survivor benefits,â&#x20AC;? which is worth up to 100 percent of what your ex-spouse was due. Survivorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefits are available to divorced spouses as early as age 60 (50 if you are disabled). With Your Planned But, if you remarry before 60, you become ineliRelax and know Estate Gift You Can gible unless the marriage ends. Remarrying after that your estate age 60 will not affect your eligibility. will carry your Take Advantage Of Also note that if you are receiving divorced legacy for many Tax Savings And years to come... spouses benefits when you ex-spouse dies, you Make A Lasting will automatically be switched over to the higher paying survivor benefit. Difference In The Switching Strategies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Being divorced also Lives Of Our Homeoffers some switching strategies that can help less Veteran Men and boost your benefits. For working divorced spouses, Women, Who there is an option that lets you file a â&#x20AC;&#x153;restrictedâ&#x20AC;? application with Social Security (at full retirement Bravely Served Our age) to collect a divorced spousal benefit, which Country. For More Information Call is half of what your ex gets. Then, once you reach Us Today At: 70, you stop receiving the ex-spousal benefit and switch to your own benefit, which will be 32 percent 406-449-7666 higher than it would have been at your full retirewww.mtvf.org 318 Fuller Avenue, Helena MT 59601 ment age. Divorced widows (and widowers) have even more options. If, for example, you are currently collecting Social Security retirement benefits on your own record, and your ex-spouse dies, you can switch to survivorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefits if the payment is larger. Or, if you are collecting survivorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefits, you can switch to your own retirement benefits â&#x20AC;&#x201C; between 62 and 70 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if it offers a larger payment. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. FUNDED PARTNERS Jim Miller is a contributor $"4" t $FOUFS GPS .FOUBM )FBMUI t $IJME $BSF -JOL t $PNNVOJUZ 4FOJPS 7PMVOUFFS t %PNFTUJD "CVTF t to the NBC Today show )BWSF $PNNVOJUZ 'PPE #BOL t 'FFE .Z 4IFFQ 'PPE ,JUDIFO t )JMM $PVOUZ %SVH $PVSU t )JMM $PVOUZ 'BNJMJZ 1MBOOJOH t .FBMT PO 8IFFMT t 5IF 4BMWBUJPO "SNZ t %FTJHOBUFE 0OMZ ,JUUZ ,FFQFST and author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Savvy Seniorâ&#x20AC;? book. MSN PO Box 1131, Havre, MT 59501 | 406-265-6561 | www.helphillcounty.org
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Whom Do You Trust With Your Money?
Marty J Haskins Financial Advisor
.
2001 Stadium Dr Suite C Bozeman, MT 59715
406-556-8164 www.edwardjones.com
Q: I recently found out that my stockbroker put all of my investments into variable annuities. As it turns out, variable annuities are considered “inappropriate investments” for someone my age (I just turned 60) but he put me into that type of investment because he makes a lot more in commission. How can I protect myself from an unscrupulous stockbroker in the future? A: If you knew that your stockbroker earned substantially more commissions from certain investment choices, would you be less likely to trust his advice? That is a sobering thought, isn’t it? The vast majority of stockbrokers – even the ones you pay fees to – do not owe you, the individual investor, much loyalty at all. As a result, they are free to recommend risky, high-fee investments that might cost you more money and earn themselves higher commissions. In May, AARP conducted a survey asking people who invest in an employee retirement plan whether this conflict of interest mattered to them. The numbers were overwhelming. Nearly eight out of 10 said they were at least “somewhat concerned” about this potential conflict. A staggering 93 percent of those surveyed said they think any advice given by a stockbroker should be required to be in their best interest. Yet, as the rules stand today, most stockbrokers are free to put their interests first, without even letting you know they are actually looking out for “Number One.” Part of the problem for consumers is that there is no fundamental “duty of care” standard that applies to all stockbrokers and all clients. It varies. People advising workplace investors – for example, 401(k) and 403(b) investors – may owe one type of duty, while people advising individual investors (IRA and mutual fund investors) owe another duty, depending on what type of credentials they carry and what kinds of investments they sell. However, some advisors owe a clear duty of loyalty – a fiduciary duty – to their clients. They are called “registered investment advisors” (because they are either registered with
the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission or a state securities regulator), and they operate on a fee-for-service basis. In other words, you pay them some percentage of your managed assets and, in return, these advisors are obligated to put your interests ahead of their own. Stockbrokers sell products for commissions and the law requires them to make recommendations that are suitable for you based on your investment objectives, your level of risk tolerance, your financial situation, among other factors. Stockbrokers are not required to act in your best interest. So, while a broker may recommend to you a suitable fund, stock, or other financial product, they are not prohibited from recommending an investment that will result in a bigger commission for them and a higher cost for you. Investment advisers manage your money for a fee, usually about 1% annually based on the size of your investment portfolio. They do not sell products for a commission. Investment advisers have a fiduciary duty (a legal requirement) to act in your best interest and are prohibited from taking unfair advantage of your trust. When you enter an arrangement with an investment firm, the agreement you sign should tell you the capacity your financial adviser is acting in and whether the advisor is held to a suitability standard or a fiduciary standard. Federal regulators, such as the U.S. Department of Labor and the SEC, are trying to clear the muddy waters by imposing that gold standard – the “fiduciary duty” – on all advisors, with no loopholes. Naturally, the mutual fund industry – which manages and invests nearly $20 trillion of Americans’ retirement assets – is pushing back – with some success. So now what? If the government cannot protect you from unscrupulous brokers, what can you do to protect yourself? Jean Setzfand, vice president of the Financial Security team in the Education and Outreach group at AARP offers these tips: • First, ask your broker whether he or she is a fiduciary. • If they are not a fiduciary, ask your broker about the fees associated with the investment he or she is recommending, and how those fees compare to other investments. Ask whether he or she will earn a commission if you choose the investment. • If they are a fiduciary, you may be paying a management fee in addition to fees charged by the investment funds you select. Over the course
Lon & Joyce Bowman
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
of time, those fees will eat up some of your account balance. Unless your broker is consistently beating the market by at least as much as you are paying in fees, you are wasting money – perhaps lots of it. • If you do not want to choose between conflicted brokers or high fees, consider investing in index funds through an online brokerage. Index funds automatically invest in broad swaths of the
market – for instance, the Dow Jones Industrial Average. They make money when the market is up, and lose money when the market is down. But, because they do not have to pay a superstar fund manager to pick stocks for the fund, their fees tend to be much, much lower than actively managed funds. In Montana, you may call the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance at 1-800-332-6148
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 53
to make sure your investment advisor is properly licensed and the product is properly registered. Do you have a question for AARP Montana? Send your question to “Ask AARP Montana” at MTAARP@aarp.org or 30 W 14th St., Helena, MT 59601 or call our toll-free hotline at 866-295-7278. As we receive questions, we will consult with both internal and external experts to provide timely and valuable advice. MSN
How to Create a Living Will By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good resources that can help me create a living will? Getting Old Dear Getting, Creating a living will is one of those things most people plan to do, but rarely get around to actually doing. Less than 30 percent of Americans currently have one. But preparing one now gives you a say in how you want to be treated at the end of your life, not to mention it can spare your loved ones some very stressful medical care decisions at an emotional time. Here is what you should know along with some resources to help you create one. Advance Directives – To adequately spell out your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment you need two legal documents: A “living will” which tells your doctor what kind of care you want to receive if you become incapacitated, and a “health care power of attorney” (or health care proxy), which names a person you authorize to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to. These two documents are known as an “advance directive,” and will only be utilized if you are too ill to make medical decisions yourself. You can also change or update it whenever you please. You may also want to consider including a
Soaring through life’s journeys - continued from page 40 much as she does for everyone who goes up with her, how the aircraft works. Just getting into the small “experimental” late 1930s plane the couple keeps around for fun is a feat. As a passenger in the tiny back seat, there is a stick between your legs and it is not there just for the bold passenger who wants to try flying. Dave says he has to fly that particular plane from the back seat without a passenger to have enough room to pilot it. After ensuring the plane is sound, Bobbi hand-cranks the wooden propeller to start the engine. It becomes very clear how short the runway is during take offs and landings. But, once in the air, it is a different world. Experimental plane or not, flying over the Yellowstone Valley with the majestic Beartooth Mountains and the river twisting and turning in ways you never see from the ground is grand. This year, for the first time in a long time, the Powers won’t be going to Mexico for the winter as Dave is resting from a bout with West Nile virus. Besides, Bobbi says she is excited about being with the grandkids at Christmas. However, despite their change in plans and how they spend this winter, it’s a sure bet that some of the time they will be viewing the horizon from above. MSN
The great trouble with baseball today is that most of the players are in the game for the money and that’s it, not for the love of it, the excitement of it, the thrill of it. - Ty Cobb
do-not-resuscitate (DNR) as part of your advance directive, since advanced directives do little to protect you from unwanted emergency care like CPR. Doctors and hospitals in all states accept DNR orders. One other tool you should know about that will compliment your advance directive is the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST). Currently endorsed in 16 states with dozens more in some phase of development, a POLST translates your end-of-life wishes into medical orders to be honored by your doctors. To learn more or set one up, see polst.org. Do-It-Yourself – There are several free or low-cost resources available today to help you write your advance directive, and it takes only a few minutes from start to finish. One that is completely free to use is Caring Connections, a resource created by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. They provide state-specific advance directive forms with instructions on their website (caringinfo.org) that you can download and print free. Or you can call 800-658-8898 and they will mail them to you and answer any questions you may have. You may also be able to get free advance directive forms from your doctor’s office, hospital, or local health department. Or, for only $5, an even better tool is the Five Wishes living will. Created by Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit advocacy organization, Five Wishes
is a simple do-it-yourself document that covers all facets of an advance directive that will help you create a more detailed customized document. Legally valid in 42 states, to learn more or to receive a copy, visit agingwithdignity.org or call 888-594-7437. Five Wishes is also available online in an interactive form. Get Legal Help – If, however, you decide you would rather use a lawyer to draft your advance directive, look for one who specializes in estate planning and health care related matters. The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela. org) and the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (naepc.org) websites are good resources that have directories to help you find someone in your area. Costs will vary depending on which state you reside in, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $500 to get one made. Tell Your Family – To insure your final wishes are followed, it is very important that you tell your family members, health care proxy, and doctor so they all know what you want. You should also provide copies of your advanced directive to everyone involved to help prevent stress and arguments later. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. MSN
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Classic DVDs – Police Thrillers By Mark Fee Ever since Peter Yates’ Bullitt (1968) hit the screen, I have been a consummate fan of police and detective thrillers. The film was based on the real life adventures of San Francisco Police Detective Frank Toschi. Steve McQueen played Bullitt. A few years later, Don Siegel directed Clint Eastwood in the volatile Dirty Harry (1971), based on one of Toschi’s most harrowing cases, the notorious Zodiac killings. Eastwood played Harry Callahan again in a number of sequels (1971-87). Fritz Lang’s The Big Heat (1951) with Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, and Lee Marvin was the Dirty Harry of its day. Ford plays a cop, whose wife is killed by some gangsters. Like Dirty Harry, the film is unforgettable – raw and emotionally charged. The film literally shreds the screen. One of the scenes with Lee Marvin, as a sadistic mobster, is searingly intense. Ford plays an FBI agent in Blake Edwards’ jolting, Experiment in Terror (1962). In the film, lovely Lee Remick plays a San Francisco bank teller who is blackmailed by an asthmatic killer. Ross Martin (TV’s Wild Wild West (1965-69)) plays the killer with fiendish skill.
In the 1960s, Norman Jewison’s In the Heat of the Night (1967) won Best Picture of the Year. The film was an extremely intelligent and racially charged police/detective thriller. Harper (1966) did not win any Academy Awards, but Paul Newman gave a matchless performance as wise cracking PI, Lew Harper. William Friedkin’s frenzied The French Connection (1971) won the Academy Award for Best Picture (1971). Once again, the coveted award went to a film about cops. Gene Hackman won an Academy Award for Best Actor, as the maniacal Poppy Doyle. Hollywood exploited the popularity of The French Connection and Dirty Harry with numerous police shows on television and the big screen. Most of them were mundane and artificial. Columbo (1971-2003) with Peter Falk was a rare gem. Falk’s Columbo was inimitable as a humane and doggedly persistent detective. In the 1980s, Walter Hill’s police comedy thriller, 48 Hours (1982) packed theaters. Richard Donner’s buddy-cop comedy thriller, Lethal Weapon (1987) was a mega blockbuster and spawned three sequels (1987-97). Hollywood has produced countless police/detective thrillers. Listed below are a few of my favorite police/detective thrillers and a few sleepers. Enjoy In No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), George Segal plays a detective who is still living at home with his nagging mother. Segal is Jewish and a member of the New York Police Department. Rod Steiger plays the psychotic and unbearably deceptive owner of a theater – and a murderer and genius at disguise. Segal is assigned to the case and becomes romantically involved with Lee Remick. The film mixes black humor and suspense to perfection and is a super sleeper. NR; 3 ½ stars. In Klute (1971), Donald Sutherland plays a small town detective who inadvertently becomes involved with a high priced hooker played by Jane Fonda. Sutherland is concerned with the strange disappearance of his good friend and businessman. The case leads to high fashion New York where Sutherland’s friend was one of Jane Fonda’s johns. Fonda receives ominous phone calls and asks for Sutherland’s help. This outstandingly directed and acted film is a spellbinding thriller. Rated R; four stars. Walter Matthau plays a depressed, relentless San Francisco detective in The Laughing Policeman (1973), who is baffled by a case involving a mass murder. Matthau thinks the killings are tied to a murder that was never solved. The cast, including Bruce Dern as Matthau’s sardonic partner and Lou Gossett as a fellow officer, is uniformly excellent. The film is an extremely graphic trip into the underbelly of San Francisco. Not for the timid. Rated R; three stars. In Serpico (1973), Al Pacino plays a heroic
I
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DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
member of the NYPD who defies convention and his superiors and turns whistle blower against his fellow officers. Based on a true story, the film is a harrowing study of character and consequence, corruption and pathos. Pacino has never been better; Sidney Lumet’s direction is flawless. The soundtrack by Mikos Theodorakis is haunting and electric. Rated R; 3 ½ stars.
In The Untouchables (1987), Kevin Costner plays an obsessed, idealistic federal officer who refuses to give in to Al Capone. Costner plays Elliott Ness who has to clean up bootlegging in Chicago. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about trapping Capone. He enlists a reluctant Sean Connery to help, and Connery teaches him, “If they pull
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 55
a knife, you pull a gun.” Robert De Niro plays the power hungry, sadistic Capone. Outstanding film with overwhelming soundtrack by Ennio Morecone. Rated R; four stars. Until the next time grab some pop corn and enjoy these classic police thrillers! MSN
Where Are They Now – John Davidson By Marshall J. Kaplan The well-rounded entertainer of stage and the small screen is in his seventies and is still entertaining fans across North America. John Davidson was born on December 13, 1941 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began an acting career on television in the mid-1960s. He won his first regular role in the show, The Entertainers (1964) – where he demonstrated his musical talents. Now, as a familiar face on television, he won the coveted title of his own series, The John Davidson Show in 1969. The series lasted for two years. John continued appearing in madefor-TV movies until winning a starring role as John Burton on The Girl with Something Extra (1973), opposite Sally Field. The networks had high hopes for the series, yet it only lasted one
season. Once again, John continued along the movie-of-the-week trail until 1980. That’s Incredible! was somewhat of a Ripley’s Believe It or Not for television. Along with cohosts, Fran Tarkenton and Cathy Lee Crosby, John introduced incredible individuals, incredible animals, or incredible stunts on a weekly basis. Whether it was a man pulling a truck by his teeth, or a woman covered in a swarm of killer bees, viewers were hooked. The success of the show, and John in particular, prompted CBS executives to have John groomed to become the next talk show king. A 1980 cover story in TV Guide focusing on the hype surrounding The John Davidson Show was apparent. He was billed as the “talk show host that makes a
difference and makes women squeal.” Due to a change in audience’s tastes, the show never reached its potential and was cancelled. That same year, John and his wife, Jackie were divorced. In 1983, Davidson married his present wife, Rhonda. In 1986, the game show, The Hollywood Squares was revised with John as its host. It was quite successful and lasted four seasons. These days, the “boy with something extra” lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and tours the country in musicals, such as, Oklahoma! and The Fantasticks – in which he just ended a three-month Broadway run. As John says, “Singing well has always been important to me, but the most important factor is the connection to the audience.” His tour schedule is pretty full – appearing on stage, singing, and joking with audiences – whether in local theatres or the Broadway stage. Oh and yes ladies, he still has a full head of hair! MSN
With the Great Falls Symphony, you can feel the music! During this season of giving thanks, the Great Falls Symphony is especially thankful for the many individuals and businesses throughout Montana who have supported our efforts for 55 years to “enrich lives through music.” In addition to the many concerts and special events presented by the orchestra – symphonic choir and professional resident ensembles, the Cascade Quartet and Chinook Winds Quintet – the Great Falls Symphony is committed to providing a wealth of educational programs for young people and adults. The Quartet and Quintet travel several thousand miles each year to present concerts and school programs to cities and towns far beyond Great Falls, and our Regional Youth Orchestra program serves over 100 young people from ages 12 through high school. After recent programs presented by the ensembles as a “gift” to Easter Seals-Goodwill a member of their staff wrote, “Thank you again for the
wonderful performances by the Chinook Winds and the Cascade Quartet. Many of our participants at Easter Seals-Goodwill may never be able to experience a real symphony concert. We appreciate being included in the education and outreach programs of the Symphony.” Today, we ask you to support programs such as this with your taxdeductible gift. Please call 406-453-4102 to help us enrich more lives through music. Blessings of the season to all! MSN
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Getting Paid to Be Your Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Caregiver By Teresa Ambord If you are the caregiver for one or both of your elderly parents, you may be in a precarious position. You love them and would do anything for them, but at the same time, you see your finances draining away. Maybe you are even unable to work because of your caregiving responsibilities. Depending on the circumstances, you may qualify to be a paid caregiver for your parents, or at least get some hefty tax breaks. Here are some ideas, based on information from Jim Miller, the author of The Savvy Senior, and Juggling Work and Caregiving, by Amy Goyer (free download available at Amazon.com). Assistance from Your State â&#x20AC;&#x201C; First, says Miller, there is a possibility of state assistance. Using the example of your elderly dad, is he low-income and is he eligible for Medicaid? If so, 15 states have programs through Medicaid called Cash for Counseling. These programs provide a small cash allowance for services, including paying a family member for providing caregiving. Other states also have programs that do not require the recipient to be Medicaid eligible. To find out what your state offers: contact your lo-
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cal Medicaid office to find out more, or check cashandcounseling.org. This website displays a map of the states, which you can click on to find more information about resources. Is Your Parent a Veteran or Surviving Spouse of a Veteran? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Some areas across the U.S. have programs for veterans, known as Veteran-Directed Home and Community Based Services. Veterans who need care may qualify for this program and be able to hire their own caregivers, as opposed to going into a nursing home. For wartime veterans and their spouses there is the Veterans Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits program, which pays for in-home care, assisted living, and nursing home care. These benefits can be used to pay family caregivers. To be eligible for this program, an applicant must need help performing some daily living tasks, such as bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom. Also there are income requirements. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say your mother is the surviving spouse of a wartime veteran. Her income must be less than $13,362 (minus medical and long-term care expenses). If your mom herself is a single veteran, her income must be below $20,795. And her assets must be below $80,000 (not counting her home and car). Learn more about this program by calling 800827-1000 or logging onto va.gov/geriatrics. Or contact your local VA office. Family Payments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Turning to your family may make you uncomfortable. But if you are the one who is putting his/her life on hold to care for your parents, siblings should be willing to help. If your parent doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t qualify for help from the government or if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t qualify for tax breaks (see below), it may be time to have a sit down with family members. It could be that the parents you are caregiving will be able to pay you out of their own resources. If so, Jim Miller says it is important to have your family attorney write up a simple contract. This accomplishes a few objectives. â&#x20AC;˘ It lets your parents know what is expected. Sometimes parents agree to help their caregiver/ children but they forget or think there is plenty of time, or feel awkward, and the end result is, no money ever changes hands. Putting it in writing establishes that you are there for them, but you need some financial help. â&#x20AC;˘ It lets other family members know what the agreement is, so there is less chance of misunderstanding, and a better chance that payments will be made. â&#x20AC;˘ According to Miller, if your elderly parents later need to apply for Medicaid in order to enter a nursing home, having a written contract in place will add clarity to your parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial situation and help avoid problems. If your parent does not have resources, you may need to approach your siblings and ask them to pitch in. If it is necessary to hire someone to come in and help, the cost will likely run from $12 to $25 an hour, says Miller. Whether your parent pays you, the siblings help, or a combination of both, they are getting a bargain. Insurance for Long-Term Care â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Does your parent have long-term care coverage? If so, check to see if it allows for in-home care. Those benefits may be payable to you.
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Tax Breaks – Do you pay at least half of your parent’s yearly expenses? If so and his or her income – apart from Social Security – is less than $3,900 in 2013 (or $3,950 in 2014), he or she may qualify as your dependent. That will reduce your taxable income by $3,900 in 2013. If you cannot claim your parent as a dependent but you do pay at least half of the parent’s living expense (including long-term care costs and medical expenses), you may still be able to get a tax break by adding his or her medical expenses to yours. In 2013 and 2014, those expenses must exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income (or 7.5% if you or your spouse are at least 65 years old, that is, until 2017 when it rises to 10% for everyone). Ask your tax accountant, or call the IRS help line at 800-829-1040 for more information. You may be able to find help in IRS publication 502. If you are already serving as a caregiver, you already know that though it may be a labor of love, it is far from easy. You can call a Caregiving Support Line at 877-333-5885 to find out what resources and services may be there to help you, on a local and national basis.
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Working for the Folks – If you do arrange to be paid for taking care of your parents or other loved ones, remember the point listed above, about establishing a written agreement. This may seem too formal for a family agreement, but for the reasons mentioned under “family payments,” it will protect you and your loved ones in the end. • The agreement should outline your duties, responsibilities, payment, and time off, says Goyer in her book. Include as much detail as possible. Then get the parent you are providing care for to sign and date it, and if possible, get a witness to also sign and date the agreement. • Remember, receiving payment for this work makes you a self-employed person, and you will need to pay taxes on the amounts you are paid. This is not complicated, but ask your tax adviser how to proceed. • If you are working a regular job and you need to take a leave of absence to care for your family member, talk to your employer about a leave of absence. Your employer is under no obligation to pay you for this time off, but if you qualify, your job will be protected for a period of time, under the Family Medical Leave Act. MSN
Find Your Continued Independence At The Lodge The Lodge, Sidney, Montana’s retirement and assisted living facility could be home for you or a loved one! The Lodge offers individual apartments, retirement living, and services to suit your needs where you can enjoy a community setting and continued independence. The reputation of The Lodge has grown over the years, and our commitment to residents is stronger than ever. Stay healthy longer with the many services The Lodge offers and maintain a happier well-being. The top ten reasons to enjoy living at The Lodge are: 1. Three home-cooked meals a day! 2. Social interaction – activities, friends, neighbors! 3. Secure environment – 24-hour staff, fire & smoke alarms, sprinkler system! 4. Services – Housekeeping, laundry, bath-
ing, medication assistance, transportation, linen changes! 5. Independence – your own apartment, yours to decorate, your home! 6. Wellness monitoring – Registered nurse on staff, certified nurses aides, scheduling of physician visits, exercise, diabetes monitoring! 7. Resident trust accounts – no need for cash on hand! 8. Maintenance free – no shoveling snow, no lawn mowing! 9. Cable TV & utilities included so no bills! 10. Your family and friends will be confident that you are in a secure environment! Visit our website at www.lodgeatlonetree.org or give us a call at 406-488-4682. We invite you to Come Live with Us! MSN
You Will Love Your Home At Prairie Village Prairie Ridge is a licensed Assisted Living facility located in beautiful northeastern Montana. We take pride in offering all our residents a home where they can feel safe and with help, continue to manage their independence. It is imperative that we as a staff adhere to and live our mission: To provide an environment and service to each resident that maintains dignity, promotes individuality, and offers choices, security, and confidence. We work in partnership with the residents and their families to establish a united and informed method of communication. We believe it is imperative to have everyone on the same page and work together in the creation and execution of an individuals’ health care plan. The biggest compliment we can receive is that our residents love their home here! Our community offers many different floor plans which range in size from studios to one and two bedroom apartments. We have a caring, and dedicated staff that can assist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please visit us at 521 4th Ave South in Glasgow or visit our website at www.prairieridgevillage.com. We would love to visit with you and answer any questions. Please call 406-228-2208. The welcome mat is out. MSN
Aging has enough difficulties. Getting the care you need shouldn’t be one of them. Highgate Senior Living offers full care for all, no matter what your age or ailment. Our team of compassionate professionals can handle almost anything, including complex medical issues and post-acute hospital care. In fact, we specialize in services normally provided in skilled nursing, such as diabetic care and oxygen management, injectable medications, wound care, feeding tubes, catheter monitoring, two-person transfers, and hospice. Just call any of our three Assisted Living/Memory Care communities in Montana, and we’ll make sure your move into Highgate is one of the easiest things in your life right now. Highgate at Billings 406-651-4833
Highgate at Bozeman 406-587-5100
Highgate at Great Falls 406-454-0991
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Attitude Is Everything
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By Lisa M. Petsche There is no shortage of information in the media about how to improve your health through positive lifestyle changes such as eating more nutritiously, being physically active, and not smoking. Did you know, though, that changing your mental attitude could also go a long way toward improving your well-being? Even if you do not consider yourself a naysayer, make it a point over the next few days to scrutinize everything you think and say; you might be surprised. For instance, how much of your self-talk and communication with others contains the words “can’t,” “don’t,” “shouldn’t,” “couldn’t,” and “never”? Do you frequently start sentences with “If only,” “I can’t believe” or “I hate it when”? And do you use phrases such as, “it’s impossible,” “I have no choice,” “that’s terrible,” and “why me”? Unfortunately, it is much easier to be pessimistic and critical of yourself, others, and the world around you than to be optimistic and enthusiastic. It does not help that the mass media thrive on disaster, failure, and discord. All of this publicity not only perpetuates the negativity but also creates more. And it is true that misery loves company: when we complain aloud, other people usually join in, reinforcing the gloom. Negative thinking takes many insidious forms: doubt, worry, catastrophizing (magnifying the importance of upsetting events), focusing on our own shortcomings or those of others, seeing only the flaws in proposed plans, dwelling on what we perceive to be lacking in our lives, approaching life from the perspective of entitlement (believing that we are owed certain things), denial, inflexibility, hopelessness, and regarding the world as an uncaring or even hostile place. By-products of such thinking include selfabsorption, depression, defensiveness, selfcriticism, destructive criticism of others, sarcasm, distrust, blame, jealousy, bitterness,
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self-pity, avoidance, indecision, chronic complaining, low self-esteem, resistance to change, helplessness, and passivity. Negativity is harmful not only to your physical and mental health – generating stress that can lead to illness – but also to your spiritual wellbeing and the well-being of people around you. Accentuate the positive Limit your exposure to the news. Use positive self-talk. Emphasize phrases such as “I can,” “I will,” and “I choose.” Be generous with praise and encouragement and cautious with criticism (giving only the constructive type). Cultivate a healthy sense of humor. Accept realities you cannot change and focus instead on those you can influence. Seek out stories of people who have beat the odds or otherwise serve as a source of inspiration. Trust that there is a valuable lesson in every type of adversity. And remember that no matter what happens, you always have a choice about how to respond. Stay connected to people who care. Minimize contact with those in your social network who are negative or self-centered. Find an outlet for expressing your thoughts and feelings, such as talking with a friend, writing poetry or music, or keeping a journal. Pick your battles; do not make a major issue out of every concern. Refrain from dwelling on past mistakes, hurts, or other unpleasant events. Look for the good in people and situations. Demonstrate empathy, give others the benefit of the doubt and practice forgiveness. Do something you enjoy each day: read, listen to music or take up a new hobby (or revive an old one). Identify sources of stress in your life, and then eliminate as many of them as possible and learn to manage the rest. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditating, guided imaging, or doing yoga. Seek help from your primary physician or a counselor if you continually feel sad, angry, overwhelmed, indifferent, hopeless, or worthless. Depression can be treated, and the sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat successfully. Let go of the need for perfection and be flexible about plans and expectations. Take things one day at a time so that challenging situations do not overwhelm you. Be receptive to learning new ways of doing things and try new activities. Practice random
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
acts of kindness. Set aside some quiet time each day – it nurtures your spirituality and helps to keep you grounded. Count your blessings Finally, focus on the good things in your life, such as supportive relationships, and seek beauty and tranquility through appreciation of various
Life After A Hospital Discharge By Lisa M. Petsche There’s a good chance that, sooner or later, your parent (or another aging loved) one will require hospitalization, especially if they have chronic health problems. Once their condition is stable, hospital staff will work with them and the family to formulate a discharge plan. When a patient makes a good recovery, planning may be simple and straightforward. In other situations, though, varying degrees of assessment and problem solving are required. A good discharge plan involves communication and collaboration among the patient, family members, and health care providers. It addresses issues around medical management, activities of daily living (self-care and home management skills), mobility, safety and finances, as well as psychosocial needs. The goal is to determine the most appropriate setting to meet the patient’s needs and facilitate a smooth transition. The hospital discharge planner – usually a social worker – serves as the coordinator. An expert on community resources, he or she can assist with decision-making and provide information and referral to community support services as needed. The planner may also arrange a discharge conference that includes key members of the health care team. Read on for an overview of typical settings to which a hospital patient may be discharged. Home – Many people are able to return directly to their home, especially if they have good family support. Some may require specialized equipment and/or support services on a transitional or long-term basis. It is important during the planning stage to be open and honest with your parent and the health care team about the type and amount of assistance you are prepared to provide. If your parent is receptive to outside help, community or private pay agencies may be able to fill in any gaps. Prior to discharge, clarify your parent’s medication needs and ensure necessary prescriptions are provided. Obtain details about any home health care services being arranged. Also inquire about follow-up medical appointments and tests, including who is responsible for arranging them.
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 59
kinds of art as well as nature. Be sure to count your blessings and learn to live in the moment, enjoying life’s simpler pleasures. It will make for a happier and healthier you. Lisa M. Petsche is a social worker and a freelance writer specializing in boomer and senior issues. MSN
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Convalescent Care – Some patients, especially if they live alone, need additional time to regain their strength before they can adequately manage at home. Selected retirement homes and nursing facilities have short-stay programs that, in addition to providing meals and housekeeping service, offer medical monitoring, treatment (such as surgical wound care), and personal care during this recuperation period. Rehabilitation – If your relative has been hospitalized due to a stroke, hip fracture, prolonged acute illness, or other type of major health crisis, an inpatient rehabilitation program may be recommended. Reactivation may occur on-site or at an acute rehabilitation facility or skilled nursing home. The goal is to help patients regain their strength and endurance, through participation in various kinds of therapy. Long-Term Care – Some patients do not make a good recovery and require a setting where 24-hour supervision or assistance is available. Even if they are able to perform selfcare activities, they may have difficulty with one or more instrumental tasks that are neces-
sary for independent living, such as medication management, meal preparation, laundering, and housekeeping. Several levels of long-term care are available, depending on the type and degree of services required. Hospice/Palliative Care – For patients in the end stage of a life-limiting illness, inpatient hospice or palliative care may be recommended. The focus is on maximizing comfort and quality of life. Patients receive medical care to alleviate pain and other distressing physical symptoms as well as interventions that address psychological and spiritual concerns. This type of program is not limited to patients with a cancer diagnosis. People with late-stage heart, lung or liver disease and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease are among those who may benefit from specialized end-oflife care. Lisa M. Petsche is a medical social worker and a freelance writer specializing in boomer and senior health matters. She has many years of experience with discharge planning. MSN
Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down & Food Pantry Since Allen Erickson distributed the first box of potatoes and clothing to homeless Veterans he found living in the woods near his home in 1999, the organization has continued to grow… because Veterans know there is a “place” for them to receive a helping hand up, food, clothing, haircuts, showers, counseling, computer access, as well as other services. We just held our 14th Annual Stand Down in Libby on October 5-6 where we served 991 Veterans and their fami-
lies for a total of 1,730 in attendance. The next project we are hoping to launch is housing/shelter for homeless Veterans. This huge project will require all the community assistance we can muster. To raise these funds, we are holding a raffle for 1.7 Acres of land in Kalispell or $20.000 cash, an Ace Powell Bronze, a painting from Mark Ogle, and a print from Marc Stringfellow. We will draw the winners at our Armed Forces Day Dinner on May 17, 2014. If you are interested in purchasing the winning ticket(s) please call us at 406-756-7304 or visit www.veteransfoodpantry.org. We thank you in advance for your support of our mission. MSN
How to Save Money by Donating Your Body to Science By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about body donations? With little money to spare, I am looking for a cheap way to die and have heard that donating my body to science is free, not to mention it benefits medical research. Old and Poor Dear Old, If you are looking to eliminate your final farewell expense and help advance medical research, donating your body to science is a great option to consider. Here’s what you should know. Body Donations – Each year, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Americans donate their whole body, after death, to medical facilities throughout the country to be used in medical research projects, anatomy lessons, and surgical practice. After using your body, these facilities will then provide free cremation – which typically costs $600 to $3,000 – and will either bury or scatter your ashes in a local cemetery or return them to your family, usually within a year or two. Here are a few other tidbits you need to know to help you decide on whether whole-body donation is right for you. • Organ donors excluded: Most programs require that you donate your whole body in its entirety. So if you want to be an organ donor, you won’t qualify to be a whole body donor too. You’ll have to choose. • Not all bodies are accepted: If, for example, your body has been badly damaged in a car
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
accident or if you’re morbidly obese, you many not qualify. • Body transporting is covered: Most programs will pay to transport your body to their facility unless your body must be moved from out of state. • No special requests: Most programs won’t allow you to donate your body for a specific purpose – you give them the body and they decide how to use it. • Funeral services are not covered: Most programs will allow your family to conduct any final services they wish before taking custody of your body, but they won’t pay for it. • Your family won’t be paid: Federal law prohibits buying bodies. What To Do – If you do decide you want to donate your body, it’s best to arrange in advance with a body donation program in your area. Most programs are offered by university-affiliated medical schools. To find one near you, the University of Florida maintains a list of U.S. programs and their contact information at www.med.ufl.edu/anatbd/usprograms.html. In addition to the medical schools, there are also a number of private organizations like Anatomy Gifts Registry (anatomicgift.com), BioGift (biogift.org), and Science Care (sciencecare.com) that accept whole body donations too. If you don’t have internet access, you can get help over the phone by calling the National Family Service Desk, which operates a free body donation referral service during business hours at 800727-0700. Once you locate a program in your area, call and ask them to mail you an ACHC
information/registration packet that will explain exactly how their program works. To sign up, you’ll simply need to fill out a couple of forms. But, you can always change your mind by revoking your authorization in writing. After you have arranged, you then need to tell your family members so they will know what to do and who to contact after your death. It’s also a good idea to tell your doctor and put your wishes in writing in your advance directives. These are legal documents that include a medical power of attorney and living will that spell out your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment when you can no longer make decisions for yourself. If you don’t have an advance directive, go to caringinfo.org or call 800658-8898 where you can get free state-specific forms with instructions to help you make one. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. MSN
ACCREDITED
Did you know? The earliest type of timekeeper, dating from as far back as 3500 B.C., was the shadow clock, or gnomon, a vertical stick or obelisk that casts a shadow. An Egyptian shadow clock of the eighth century B.C. is still in existence.
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PAGE 62 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
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Big Sky to Coeur d’Alene Bus Tours Casino
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Pirates and more in Tampa Story by Andrea Gross; photos by Irv Green “There it is!” The child who is standing next to me jumps up and down, accompanying each jump with an ear-splitting shriek. I look in the direction he is pointing. It is indeed a scream-worthy sight. There, sailing towards us in a slow but steady manner, is a giant pirate ship, with masts that pierce the sky and bright flags that wave in the breeze. The deck is crowded with hundreds of men, some with black triangular hats adorned with a skull-and crossbones insignia, others with colorful rag-wrapped turbans. The men blast cannons, brandish swords, whoop, and holler as the ship,
Includes transportation & two-night accommodations. Board bus in Helena, Butte; other stops upon request. Contact Raylynn Van Oort at 406-442-4822 or info@bigskybus.com
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After the Invasion, the pirates parade through town, tossing treasures to the waiting crowd.
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surrounded by a flotilla of small boats, prepares to invade the city of Tampa. The ship docks, the pirate captain disembarks and approaches the mayor, demanding the key to the city. The mayor complies; the party can begin. Tampa’s annual pirate fest, which took place this year on January 26, honors José Gaspar, the bold buccaneer who in the late 1700s and early 1800s captured hundreds of ships off the coast of Florida. Today the Gasparilla Festival has become a major event, and the stolen treasure is being returned in the form of tourist dollars. Following their successful takeover of the city, the merry pirates [a.k.a. civic leaders who are members of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla] strut through downtown, accompanied by more than 100 floats and marching bands. At the same time, merrymakers fill the streets, enjoying food and music. Of course, Tampa is more than pirates. Its attractions include beaches, a temperate climate, and a historic district that reflects the city’s heritage. We start our exploration in Ybor City [pronounced EE-bore], the historic neighborhood named after the Cuban cigar manufacturer who made the region a Mecca for hard-working immigrants. Less than 100 years after Gaspar pillaged the region, workers from Cuba were joined by workers of other nationalities, and together they produced approximately 700 million hand-rolled cigars a year. Today the area is filled with eclectic shops and trendy nightclubs, but traces of the past remain. Old red brick buildings with wrought iron grillwork line streets bordered with spindly palms, master cigar-rollers continue to practice their craft, and the Columbia Restaurant features a full array of Cuban food as well as a flamenco nightclub. T h e Ta m p a B a y H i s t o r y C e n t e r, a 60,000-square-foot facility that opened in January 2009, tells us more about Ybor City and the entire Tampa Bay region. Various exhibits highlight people from the Seminole Indians and Spanish conquistadors to the “cowmen and crackers” who were part of Florida’s cattle ranching past. To see a bit of Tampa’s natural history, we go to Lettuce Lake Park, so named because the surrounding greenery reminded folks of a lunchtime salad. Walking along the well-maintained boardwalk and trails, we see two alligators, a few turtles, and an untold number of birds. That evening as we’re waiting for our flight home, we take an elevator to the top floor of the airport parking garage for a view of the bay. There, against a red sky, we can almost see a fully rigged pirate ship preparing to “invade” the city. With a smile and a toast to José Gaspar, we go down to catch our plane. For more information, visit www.visittampabay. com. MSN
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 63
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PAGE 64 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
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The cold holiday season is upon us – roasting chestnuts, mistletoe, New Year’s cheer and promise, Christmas decorations – all of the memories of children and now grandchildren with excited, expectant eyes gleaming at Santa’s gifts. What a fine time of year to find a new someone special with whom to share this festive season. To respond to any of these personal ads, simply forward your message, address, phone number, or email address to the department number listed in the particular personal ad, c/o Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. We will forward your response, including your address, phone number, and/or email address to the person placing the ad. When you answer an ad in this section, there is no guarantee that you
will receive a response. That is up to the person who placed the ad. Please be sure you submit your correct address plainly printed, so you can promptly receive responses. Respond to the ads in this issue, and also sit down now and prepare your own ad to run in our next issue. There is no charge for this service, and your ad may lead you down the path of true love! Responses to personal ads appearing in this column can be submitted at any time. However, to place a personal ad in the February/March 2014 issue, the deadline is January 10, 2014. WWF – I am 62 and looking for a fun, honest man. I enjoy older movies & westerns, farmers markets, country music (the older kind), walks, travel, and I am starting to enjoy football games. I don’t smoke or do any drugs. Send a picture and phone # and I will get back to you. I’m in good health. Reply MSN, Dept. 30201, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWM seeks lady looking for someone to be with. I will be here for you. Looks and age are unimportant to me for a long-term relationship. Phone and photo appreciated. I will answer all replies. Reply MSN, Dept. 30202, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWF, 72, 5’8”, slim. Good health. Originally from Midwest. I know there is a companion out there with similar interests and values. I am clean, non-smoker, seldom drink, and have a simple belief in God. I prefer country living, but also enjoy day trips to the city. Seeking friendship first with retired or semi-retired gentleman – one who can take time to “smell the roses,” and travel a bit. A good honest man, easygoing, strong in character but tender of heart and with a sense of humor. I have strong ties with the land and world of nature. Favorite pastimes are hiking, western history, old movies, reading, dancing, cooking, and eating out. I still need some time alone, but overall, life is better shared. P.S. Politically Conservative. Reply MSN, Dept. 30203, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Merry Christmas single gentlemen, from this miracle believing, youthful, little lady and 70-yearold, grandma. The Lord, His beautiful outdoors, gardening, cooking, writing, western style, arts/ crafts, music, decorating, travel, and sharing special times are all quite special to me. However… having a fun loving, God fearing, adventurous, “soul mate,” to share his interests with as well, would be an even better deal. So who and where are you, kind sir? Are you ready for a “new beginning”? Please send your information. You have nothin’ to lose but some ink, a stamp, and a possible case of the blues. Happy Holidays! Reply MSN, Dept. 30204, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. WWF 70-years-young. Are you missing friendship and love? I would sure like to find that feeling again. I am seeking a good man, as I am a good woman. Until then I hope to hear from you, you have nothing to lose. (Kalispell area only) Reply MSN, Dept. 30205, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. I am a 69-year-old white divorced man who is looking for a woman between 55-70 to snuggle and hug with and have fun doing things together and whatever may happen from there. I like to hike, walk, go to movies and plays, cooking and baking and talking to one another. I am very caring, loving, and respectful. I also like going to church and dabbling in politics. I love dogs and have a 4-year-old pug named Leo who is just the greatest and best dog I have ever known, and he loves people. If you are interested in replying to this ad, please do so and I will respond to every answer.
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If possible, send a picture and your phone number. to and dancing to older country western music. I ample time to travel, backpacking/day hiking, Thanks. Reply MSN, Dept. 30206, c/o Montana would like to find someone from the Billings area canoeing/kayaking, enjoys a variety of outdoor Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. to go dancing with. Reply MSN, Dept. 30210, c/o pursuits, and generally enjoys life. I’m looking Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, for companionship first, to enjoy this wonderful A Glasgow born male a while back sent me MT 59403. life, then see what develops. Must be willing to a card with a dog and red wagon on it; I lost your relocate. Reply MSN, Dept. 30213, c/o Montana phone number. Please answer soon. My old ad WWF - retired professional woman, brown hair Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. number was 29503. Reply MSN, Dept. 30207, c/o & brown eyes, 5’2” medium build. I do not smoke, Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, but I enjoy a cocktail now and then as well as dinI am a 68-year-old, WWF, Christian woman, MT 59403. ner out. I’m in good health, active, belong to a few non-smoker, who enjoys doing ceramics, camping, organizations, and I’m a homeowner. My pleasure fishing, watching movies, traveling, dancing, or just Single white Christian woman seeking a lies in music, reading, concerts, and history. I’ve staying at home. I also play cribbage and pinochle lifelong mate. I am clean and free of smoking and lived in a number of different states and have trav- and enjoy going to auctions and yard sales. I drinking. I am a little fuller of figure. I also love to eled to foreign countries and even lived overseas have three small dogs and a cat. I am looking for cuddle, be close, and be passionate. I enjoy cook- at one time (Air Force). I’m a Protestant, but not a gentleman, non-smoker, who loves animals as ing and baking for others and I am tired of doing it a frequent churchgoer. I’m interested in a man in much as I do. Would like to find a man that knows for just myself. I am only 50, but age is just a num- his late 70s to early 80s. If interested, I’ll send a something about pouring ceramics, painting, and ber, you are only as old as you feel. I am interested picture. Billings only please. Reply MSN, Dept. firing them. I am a city in older men, 55-70. I like bicycling, scenic drives, 30211, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, girl, but would enjoy picnics, pool, fishing, swimming, and playing cards. Great Falls, MT 59403. country living, for I love When I watch TV, I like a good mystery or game the outdoors. If you are show. Please send a picture, with your address WWM - 68, 5’6” 160lbs. Good health, blue interested in the same and phone number and I will answer all letters of eyes, aviation nut, NS, likes the outdoors, some things as I am, please response to this ad. Reply MSN, Dept. 30208, c/o travel, home cooking, also I like to eat out a couple write and let me know. Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, times a week. Seeking woman 62-70 to be my Reply MSN, Dept. MT 59403. companion, to share the “golden years” with. I 30214, c/o Montana have shallow roots and can be transplanted most Senior News, Box I wish to find a male friend of good character. anywhere, except the inner city. Reply MSN, Dept. 3363, Great Falls, MT Do not want a relationship that strangles a person. 30212, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, 59403. MSN Should love the outdoors, enjoy American history, Great Falls, MT 59403. especially Lewis and Clark, museum visits, walks, LLC historic tours, campfires, simple foods, and be free SWM, mid 60s, 6’ spirited and open-minded! Great Falls and Billings tall, 180lbs. Retired proEstate Sales & Services Insured, Bonded, Registered areas. Phone or E-Mail address. Reply MSN, Dept. fessional, social drinkSelling Consigning Buying 30209, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, er, nonsmoker, fit and Downsizing Sales & Entire Estates Great Falls, MT 59403. into healthful living, not Specialty: Antiques & Collectibles religious, but spiritual. Tina Harboway, Peg Dotson, Sue Johnson WWF young 70, ND, NS, don’t do drugs or Seeking lady that is Great Falls gamble. I was raised on the farm, but lived mostly in reasonably financially the city after that. I like going to car shows, listening stable, into fitness, with
Home Again!
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Help For People Who Are Drowning In Clutter By Jim Miller Compulsive cluttering is a problem that affects up to five percent of Americans – many of whom are older – with problems ranging from mild messiness to hoarding so severe it may be related to a mental health disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Here is what you should know, along with some tips and resources that can help your mom. Why People Hoard – The reasons most people hoard are because they have an extreme sentimental attachment to their possessions, or they believe they might need their items later. Hoarding also may be a sign that a person is depressed, or showing early symptoms of dementia. Common problems for seniors who live in excessive clutter are tripping, falling, and breaking a bone; overlooking bills and missing medications that are hidden in the clutter; and suffering from the environmental effects of mold, mildew, and dust, and even living among insects and rodents. What To Do – To get a handle on your mom’s problem, the Institute for Challenging Disorganization offers a free “Clutter Hoarding Scale” that you can download off their website at challengingdisorganization.org. If you find that your mom has only a mild cluttering problem, there are a number of things you can do to help. Start by having a talk with her, respectfully expressing your concern for her health and safety, and offering your assistance to help her declutter. If she takes you up on it, most professional organizers recommend decluttering in small steps. Take one room at a time or even a portion of a room at a time. This will help prevent your mom from getting overwhelmed. Before you start, designate three piles or boxes for your mom’s stuff – one pile is for items she wants to keep-and-put-away, another is the donate
pile, and the last is the throwaway pile. You and your mom will need to determine which pile her things belong in as you work. If your mom struggles with sentimental items that she does not use, like her husband’s old tools or mother’s china for example, suggest she keep only one item for memory sake and donate the rest to family members who will use them. You will also need to help her set up a system for organizing the kept items and new possessions. Find Help – If you need some help with the decluttering and organizing, consider hiring a professional organizer who can come to your mom’s home to help you prioritize, organize, and remove the clutter. The nonprofit group National Association of Professional Organizers has a directory on the website at napo.net to help you locate an expert in your area. If she has a bigger, more serious hording problem (if her daily functioning is impaired, or if she is having financial difficulties, health problems, or other issues because of her hoarding) you will need to seek professional help. Antidepressants and/or talk therapy can help address control issues, anxiety, depression, and other feelings that may underline hoarding tendencies and make it easier for her to confront her disorder. To learn more and find professional help see the OCD Foundation (ocfoundation.org/hoarding) that provides a hoarding center on their website that offers information, resources, treatments, selfhelp groups, and more. Also see hoardingcleanup. com, a site that has a national database of qualified resources including cleaning companies and therapists that can help. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. MSN
Find True Love At The Humane Society Are you looking for a four footed friend you can call your own? Come visit the Lewis & Clark Humane Society, in Helena on Custer Avenue
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discounts on safe deposit boxes. It’s a win win, so join the club... you’ve earned it. . Helena 449-2265 . Great Falls 727-2265 . Missoula 542-6222 . Bozeman 587-5600 . Kalispell 752-2265 .
just behind Costco. We have lots of cuddly cats and darling dogs who would make a great “forever friend.” All our animals come vaccinated, microchipped, and spayed or neutered with a bag of food, rabies shot, ID tag, and a voucher for a free vet visit. These animals need love and care and are patiently waiting for that special someone – perhaps you – to come and take them home. This holiday season we are offering reduced adoption fees through December 24. Please consider sharing your home and your caring with a homeless or abandoned animal by coming to the Lewis & Clark Humane Society and adopting a dog or a cat. We have adoption counselors on staff who will help you pick the perfect pet for your lifestyle and home. And please remember the shelter in your yearend giving. We rely on animal lovers to help us meet the needs of these wonderful animals who are in a shelter not by choice. Also available: membership in our Legacy Society, a group of donors who have arranged for their commitment to animals to extend past their lifetime in the form of estate giving. Please call us at 406-442-1660 for more information. MSN
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That Cat’s New Way To Drink By Bill Hall Stacy, our daughter the animal addict, has another new pet that may be a mutant – a cat with one chronically wet paw. It’s a cat that drinks by dipping its paw into the water dish, raising the paw to its mouth, repeating the process again and again. It’s just like you and me when we drink from a spring without a cup or a glass or any other container. We simply slurp water out of our cupped hand. Doctor John, the veterinarian down the street, tells me that such a cat lives at his animal clinic. That makes at least two such cats with a drinking technique I’ve never heard of before. Normally a cat aims its triangular, pointy face just above the water in its dish and laps up water with its tiny tongue so rapidly that you can barely see more than a blur – like the wings of a hummingbird. A hummingbird reminds me of the day I bumped into a newspaper photographer in Washington, D.C. where I was working at the time. He told me he had taken a photo of Sen. Hubert Humphrey with his amazing new lightning-fast camera. The senator was renowned for how unbelievably fast – and long – he talked. The photographer said a hummingbird happened to fly past the senator’s face just as the picture was taken. The camera was so fast, he said, that it stopped the birds wings in mid-motion. But the photographer said Humphrey’s lips were blurred. If you look closely at the tongue of a normal house cat when it’s drinking, you will witness another animal like the hummingbird or Senator Humphrey. Its tongue would challenge all but the fastest modern cameras. Frankly, I’m not quite sure what to make of the two cats that use their paws. How could it be that I have watched thousands of cats drinking throughout my long life and not until now have I ever seen an exception to their normal way of imbibing? Are these two cats some new modification reflecting Ma Nature’s sudden attempt to improve felines by turning the species in a new and better direction when drinking? Did Nature find a little time in the midst of her frantic animal-friendly life to tinker with a minor improvement in housecats? That’s possible. Cats certainly could use some adjustment. It takes them forever to drink a thimbleful of water. Nature’s efforts on behalf of animals could include humans. If humans took as long to finish alcoholic drinks as cats do to drink water, hardly anybody would ever get fully snockered. Some people drink a 24-can case of beer in a single weekend. But if humans mutate, causing their hands to become dangly and useless while drinking, that would leave them with nothing but their tongues to polish off a can of suds. And what a sober world that would be. Of course, they could always use straws. Horses also need a little improvement in their
drinking. Their problem is that they drink too easily. They stuff their huge muzzles into a bucket of water and guzzle loudly with puckered lips. They can take in a lot of water in a hurry that way, almost like a camel, the king of the water slurpers. Horses mean no harm. But the obnoxious sound they make – kind of a loud, irregular swig by somebody with a lot of suck and sloppy lips – is evocative of the many rude sounds that we humans, horses, and other mammals make. But the miracle of the moment is to discover not one but two cats that drink with a paw, shoveling its paw into the dish and then quickly licking off the water. It can only be a matter of time before cat drinking fountains spring up around this animal-coddling nation. If Nature can create new cats that work better, then why not other animal improvements as well? How about chickens whose feathers drop
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Don’t Dump or Abandon Pets CALL A RESCUE OR A SHELTER 4 Paws Rescue is an all volunteer non-profit pet rescue. CALL Misty Hammerbacker 439-1405 Kaye Richards 565-1775 Afton Fell 287-3613 P.O. Box 13 Cardwell, MT 59721 Volunteers, Members, & Donations Happily Accepted.
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off if you yell, “Dinner!” Dogs could also use some instant evolution. Let’s order up a dog that hates the taste of garbage and therefore will no longer have any motive to knock over garbage cans. How about a dog that barks only at burglars? And from what I see on the sidewalks as I stroll along on my morning walk, it would be a
monumental kindness if Nature would develop dogs who know how to flush. Or how about newspaper columnists who know how to shut up? Hall may be contacted at wilberth@cableone. net or at 1012 Prospect Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501. MSN
Upload Video from iPhone to YouTube Some “experts” recommend that flash or thumb drives not be left in a computer when not being used, but having used flash drives since they first arrived on the digital scene, I have never experienced any problem leaving them inserted. And that way I know where the drive is, as well. By Mr. Modem Q. How can I upload a video from my iPhone or iPad to YouTube? Do I have to save it to my computer first and if so, in what format? A. If you create a video using your iPhone or iPad, you do not need to save it to a computer in order to place it on YouTube. Simply tap the Send button (the square with a little arrow), then tap the YouTube option. Q. Sometimes I long for the days of the floppy disc because they had labels on which I could write the disk’s contents. These days I use several USB flash drives that are too small to write anything. How do you keep track of the contents on your flash drives? A. I use different flash drives for different purposes so I don’t really have any need to label the contents in any specific manner on the exterior of the drive. For example, I have one flash drive that I use for backing up documents, one that I use for Quicken backups, a drive that I use for photos, and one for music backups. When I insert a drive into a USB port, I can then easily view its contents. Because I primarily work with documents, that’s the flash drive that I leave plugged into the USB port most of the time. I use Quicken on another computer, so that flash drive resides in one of that system’s USB ports. The photo and music flash drives I insert as needed. Some “experts” recommend that flash or thumb drives not be left in a computer when not being used, but having used flash drives since they first arrived on the digital scene, I have never experienced any problem leaving them inserted. And that way I know where the drive is, as well.
I generally purchase different color flash drives or at least flash drives that don’t look identical, which makes it even easier to keep track of what’s what. Q. When I move the cursor on my laptop over the icon that lets me know whether the laptop is plugged in, a bubble pops up that shows “94 percent available. Plugged in, not charging.” Shouldn’t the battery be charging? A. It’s possible that your particular battery won’t begin to charge until it is at a certain level, such as below 50% or 25% capacity. Plus, depending on the type of battery, you may not want small, partial charges because the battery may only have X number of charging cycles. If that’s the case, it doesn’t matter whether you charge it 10% or 90%, both count as one charge cycle, so the fact that it’s not charging could be to protect you from wasting finite charge cycles. For a truly definitive answer as it relates to your specific computer/battery, I would recommend contacting the manufacturer of your laptop through its website support area. In the alternative, look at your battery, note the brand, type, or model number, and then go to the manufacturer’s Web site where specific charging details and recommendations will be available. Mr. Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ‘Em) Site of the Month CRAYON – The acronym CRAYON, stands for “CReAte Your Own Newspaper,” the name of one of the longest running sites on the Web, having made its debut in March 1995 – long before many people even heard of the Internet. To get started, I’d suggest going to the Help area, which will guide you through the process of creating your own newspaper with step-by-step instructions. If you have ever experienced the desire to get only the parts of a newspaper you enjoy reading, CRAYON can make that happen. www.crayon.net MSN
Aphorisms For Fun Submitted by Julie Hollar It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame. We have enough “youth.” How about a fountain of “smart”? The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson. A fool and his money can throw one heck of a party. When blondes have more fun, do they know it?
Take the Worry Out of Living Alone! Lifeline L ifelline is is a ssimple, imple, w wireless ireless device worn as a pendant or wristband that allows the wearer to call for help with the push of a button from anywhere in and around your home. For the price of a daily cup of coffee, Philips Lifeline can help you maintain your independence, and also give your family peace of mind.
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Money isn’t everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch. If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you. We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then things get worse. Red meat is not bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is bad for you. Ninety-nine percent of all lawyers give the rest a bad name. MSN
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Exchanging Your Home With Travelers For Savings By Karen Telleen-Lawton Dear Karen: My wife and I are in our mid 60s – just retiring and slowly realizing our dream retirement may have been just a dream. We love travel, and we have done quite a bit of traveling, but to keep it up through the next couple of decades, we are going to have to get creative. I am looking at online photos of an apartment in Istanbul, right in the heart of town. It looks comfortable, if not luxurious, and the cost is, well, somewhere between practically free and prohibitively expensive. That is my attitude, anyway, after checking out a home exchange website. In exchange for housing in Istanbul, we would deliver to the apartment’s owner equal time (more or less) at our home. Now that I look around the Internet, I see we can trade lots of things. I am tempted more than my wife is. So, is this a good idea, or are we just asking for trouble? ~ Wary Dear Wary: The sharing economy has made a comeback. Trading labor and goods was common in early American days, when ranchers and farmers helped their neighbors raise barns, brand cattle, and harvest crops in exchange for labor on their own properties. In the last century we transitioned to a society of store-bought goods, a house for “every” family, 2.28 cars per household, and more
televisions than people. But sharing’s popularity has returned, largely due to the Internet. Nevertheless, the Internet could not make sharing succeed if people were not so inclined. In our slower, more sustainable-growth economy, sharing makes good use of people’s slack resources. It is efficient. It allows consumers to try out several options before buying. I just returned from my second use of AirBNB, reducing the cost of attending my college reunion by a good chunk. The accommodations were clean, if not elegant. In-home overnight bedroom rentals will not squelch the Four Seasons, but it can be a nice way to meet people, as ours proved to be. There are definitely tradeoffs for the provider and the user. In the case of the home exchange, much of the work is in developing the trust necessary to hand over the keys to a foreigner who may live halfway around the world. Would your home sustain damage or be burglarized by a nefarious exchanger? For sure, call your homeowners insurance agent to see what restrictions apply. Becoming a free agent has advantages like setting your own hours and working conditions. As retirees, you are not concerned about the lack of retirement and health insurance benefits, and you are not seeking a steady paycheck. But to make it work on your end on a regular basis, it involves quite a bit of hustling and marketing to make sure your place shows well. MSN
How To Buy In An Active Market (NAPSI) – The housing market is roaring back in many areas, as increased demand and decreased inventory combine with very low interest rates to boost real estate sales. If you’re considering buying a home, a few tips can help. • Know the market. Stay on top of new home listings by frequently checking real estate listings using online search engines. In a market where a home can have multiple offers, buyers must be ready to make an offer quickly. Think through the “must haves” of your future home instead of chasing features that might be nice to have but are optional. • Show you are serious. Demonstrating that you’re prepared to close a purchase quickly can be an advantage in a competitive housing market. First, get a prequalification letter from your lender to show you qualify for financing. Second, when
making an offer, don’t “lowball” the seller. Make your bid competitive and keep contingencies to a minimum, particularly if there are additional purchase offers. Sellers are looking for a worry-free, uncomplicated sale. Try to be flexible on closing costs and dates. • Consider all financing options. Consider putting 5 percent down so you have more equity and then continue building equity faster. Borrowers who have a down payment of less than 20 percent must also budget for mortgage insurance. Recent changes have made government-sponsored Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance more expensive, so private mortgage insurance may be the more affordable option. In most cases, borrowers can save more than $100 per month with private mortgage insurance instead of FHA’s.
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Do your homework and some due diligence. If it turns out your rental agency is the perfect team to sell your house too, fantastic! Go with them. But make sure you’ve asked the right questions and understand how they work first.
Remember, not all agents are equal and not all real estate agencies will achieve the best result for you. Ask for recommendations from friends, attend open houses, and get a feel for how an
agent will perform selling your property first hand. Then, you’ll be well placed to make an informed decision about choosing the right agent to sell your home. EzineArticles.com. MSN
Stella Zieglar – Sweet, Sweet Success Handmade One Loaf at a Time By Kim Thielman-Ibes The first loaf of bread Stella Ziegler, proprietor of Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery, ever made met a disastrous end at the hand of her newly minted husband. The then seventeen-year-old spent hours in the kitchen preparing for guests to arrive, hoping to impress them with a beautiful round, white loaf of homemade bread. After mixing and kneading, dusting, rolling and waiting, Stella’s loaf was finally ready for the oven. But in walked her husband and kiddingly put his fist in the center of the loaf. “He tried to pull it up again, but it wouldn’t bounce back. I was so mad at him, but we laugh about it now,” recalls Stella. In 1978, nearly 22-years later, Stella had yet to branch out much beyond that first round, white loaf. Nevertheless, the fearless Stella Ziegler embarked on a career making bread. “A friend brought me a loaf of whole wheat bread and I thought it was the best bread I’d ever had,” recalls Stella. “My husband and I were told the bread maker was selling franchises.” That bread maker happened to be Peter Wakeman, founder of Great Harvest Bread Company in Great Falls, Montana. “I went to Great Falls for a week and learned how to make bread. He was pretty strong willed and so was I,” laughs Stella. “He had me washing pots and pans so I thought we’d had enough training and we came back to Billings and opened our Great Harvest Bread franchise. I think ignorance is bliss, but we were hardworking so we did well.” Stella and her husband Zig ran their Great Harvest franchise for a little over six years. Eventually Stella’s innovativeness in the kitchen prompted them to branch out beyond the Great Harvest menu.
“We were just driven,” says Stella. “We wanted to make new and different things; however, we kept the rights to make Great Harvest Bread just the way they taught us.” Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery still makes and sells Great Harvest Bread, made just the way they taught her a little over 35-years ago. Yet, because she holds the reins to her own outfit, she has added a touch of ‘Stella’ to a whole host of
her own signature items. “We’ve added breads like sprouted wheat and jalapeno-cheddar along with a larger selection at the sweet end,” says Stella. After a few little hiccups, including a four-year hiatus from 1981 to 1985, the Zieglars went on to open Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery in downtown Billings. When the Zieglars first opened their business there was not a Costco or Sam’s Club to compete with. “You can’t keep doing things the same way all
the time,” says Stella. To not only stay in the game but thrive, Stella has kept innovating. “We’re the 10th largest market in the nation for restaurants-to-people ratio, so it’s really important to do the best and know what you’re doing,” adds Stella. And the people of Billings agree. Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery has been voted the best breakfast in Billings for six years in a row. For a couple of decades now, Stella’s at 110 North 29th Street was the place to go for good old-fashioned breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Around 2006, Stella’s made the move three blocks east to its current location, replete with an outdoor patio. Now when you happen to be in downtown Billings and the desire for a mouth-watering oatmeal chocolate chip cookie hits, you can get one that much faster. Much to the delight of their customers, Stella’s simple three-legged philosophy, one she has counted on for over 35 years, continues to endure. “People look at price, quality, and service and that’s what we do,” says Stella. “Everything is made from scratch; it just has a better taste. And there is nothing in our food that you can’t pronounce, we don’t use extenders and we get our flour fresh from the mill.” At Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery, her 36 or so employees have been with her for many years making every meal seem like old home week. At 74, Stella, along with her husband Zig, continue their hands on approach. Be it behind the scenes dreaming up tempting new recipes, like her float’em syrup and her infamous Stella’s breakfast surprise, or at the front of the house kibitzing with both new and loyal customers alike. Over the years many stalwart customers have become more than friends, they have become part of the Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery family. “Because we’re here people like to see us. We spend time in the restaurant talking with people and I think that makes us a little bit different,” notes Stella who is always looking to make sure the three legs of her kitchen philosophy are done right. For a tasty treat (peanut butter kisses anyone) or a warm and fuzzy homemade meal, stop by Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery located on 2525 First Avenue North next to the Best Western Hotel. Her door is always open. MSN
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Holiday Humor Santa Claus Puns What do you get if you cross Santa Claus with a detective? Santa Clues! What do the reindeer sing to Santa Claus on his birthday? Freeze a jolly good fellow! What do you call a man who claps at Christmas? Santapplause! Who delivers presents to baby sharks at Christmas? Santa Jaws! Why does Santa Claus like to work in the garden? Because he likes to hoe, hoe, hoe! Why is a cat on a beach like Christmas? Because they both have Sandy claws!
How Long Will It Take? Just as the preacher began the Christmas Eve service, the electricity in the church failed. The ushers found some candles and placed them around the sanctuary. Then the preacher reentered the pulpit, shuffled his notes, and muttered, “Now, where was I?” A tired voice called out, “Right near the end!” MSN
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A Postcard From The Heavens By Gail Jokerst; www.gailjokerst.com When you consider events that can affect one’s future, receiving a calendar seems an unlikely game changer. Yet for FedEx pilot Richard “Dick” Neumann, a calendar from the U.S. Marine Corps assuredly did alter the course of his life while he was still a forestry and engineering student. “I was in my last year of college and uncertain about what I wanted to do after graduation when I received a postcard in the mail about a free calendar. A week after the calendar arrived, a Marine Corps recruiter called me. He asked if I saw anything in the calendar that looked interesting,” remembers Dick. “When I told him I thought the jet looked cool, he said ‘How would you like to fly one of those?’ and offered to fly me to Milwaukee on his dime to take an aptitude test. Until then, I hadn’t even known the Marine Corps had jets.” Thanks to Dick’s science and electrical engineering studies at Michigan Technological University, he aced the test and was subsequently flown to Chicago to take the flight physical exam, which he also passed handily. He then resumed his studies and upon graduation found three engineering firms courting him. But because of a promise the recruiter had made, Dick kept them all waiting until he could make up his mind. “The recruiter told me I would have an Aviation Contract Guarantee, which meant I was guaranteed to attend flight school provided I finished boot camp. After doing some research, I learned the Marine Corps is the only branch of the armed forces to offer that guarantee,” recalls Dick, whose desire to fly jet aircraft led him to accept Uncle Sam’s $10,000-per-year contract instead of a more lucrative private industry job. Along with the
exhilaration he felt after completing his first solo flight, he also felt a deep certainty he had made the right career choice. “As a kid, I never gravitated toward the thrill rides at carnivals; I went for the games of skill. But when I was in college some vocation tests I took indicated I’d do well as an astronaut,” says Dick. His youthful predilection for shooting mov-
ing targets instead of riding roller coasters may seem surprising, yet it’s not when you realize that pilots are problem solvers who must pay constant attention to what is going on around them. “Pilots have three main goals: safety, reliability, and legality—in that order. We have to identify whatever might jeopardize a flight and nip it in the bud before it progresses into a chain of events that could lead to an accident,” says this father of two teenagers, who cites his own mantra as, “Keep your head on a swivel.” Dick ended up serving 15 years in the Marines, accumulating over 1,500 flight hours, and earning
early retirement before moving on to pilot planes for Continental Airlines and then for FedEx. His training up until that point had ideally prepared him to be a commercial carrier for FedEx, a job he has held for over two decades. For the past 14 years, Dick has made his home in Helena and commuted to work by a most unusual route. He drives from Helena to Great Falls where he catches a jump-seat ride on a FedEx plane heading to Tennessee. When he arrives in his hub base of Memphis, his workweek begins transporting cargo around the world in MD11 threeengine heavy jets. Assignments have taken him to Moscow and Mexico as well as to Djibouti Africa and destinations throughout the United States. Considering how many years he has flown aircraft, Dick has enjoyed an admirable safety record. While some of his pilot friends have had to deal with emergencies such as engines shutting down mid-flight, Dick feels fortunate to have escaped such ordeals. Just one incident stands out that had the potential to be problematic. It occurred several years ago when he was a first officer on a FedEx DC10. “During our takeoff roll on a flight scheduled from Indianapolis to Minneapolis, we received a Cargo Fire warning, meaning smoke was detected in our lower cargo area. My co-pilot and I immediately rejected the takeoff and ran the checklist, which led us to evacuate the airplane down the escape slide,” recalls Dick, who typically hauls 100,000 pounds of freight with each run. “The responding fire crew never found a sign of a fire. FedEx maintenance later determined that dust had been stirred up from a sliding canister improperly fastened to the deck. That triggered the fire warning light to illuminate. Loose cargo can cause some serious center-of-gravity issues and is a pilot’s worst nightmare. Had we gotten airborne, we probably would have had difficulty controlling the plane because of that canister.” These days offers for free calendars may not show up in his mailbox but Dick remains thankful for the one that did. Whenever he recollects how that long-ago postcard changed his life, he cannot help but marvel at how it led him to a satisfying career flying fast-moving jets. MSN
Aim for No Stress Air Travel this Holiday By Bernice Karnop Even novice air travelers need not get worked up over air travel during the holidays. Seasoned traveler Barbara Wiedrich, travel consultant at World Class Travel in Billings, says going to the airport is no different from going to the mall or driving somewhere alone. You take the same precautions where ever you are – hang on to your purse, be aware of what’s going on around you, and behave normally. “There will be things that happen but those things will be dealt with. Things happen at home and it’s no different when you’re traveling,” she says. Get to the airport early, check in, and go have a cup of coffee. “Just don’t get to the airport late,” says Wiedrich. If there are flight delays due to weather there is nothing anybody can do about it. The airlines have a customer service desk in each concourse and they are good about helping you get on their next flight. Individuals with mobility problems should make arrangements for transport when they buy their tickets. If you require a special diet, reserve a special meal when booking your reservation. Pack a lightweight flight bag to tuck under the seat where you can get at it easily. Bring reading material, medicines, toothbrush, comb, tissues, and deodorant. Take a change of underwear and a spare shirt. Every airport has places to eat but tuck in a couple of granola bars and apples just in case you run out of time to buy something. Feet swell when you sit in one place during a
DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
long flight. Wear shoes that slip off easily and bring some heavy socks to keep your feet warm. Get up and move around a bit every hour or two. Drink plenty of fluids. Bottled water is available for purchase beyond security and you may carry it onto the plane, or ask the crew for drinks.
During take off and landing chewing gum may help relieve the pressure in your ears. Yawning helps, as does extending one’s lower jaw till the bottom teeth are forward of the top teeth. Some people combat jet lag by setting their watch to the time zone of their destination to get
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their mind thinking in that time as soon as possible. And yes, your mind is your most powerful tool for keeping your cool. Tap in to your good old common sense and you will be just fine. And remember; enjoy your trip as much as your destination! MSN
Christmas Shopping: It Could be Good for Your Health By Bernice Karnop Christmas shopping is good for your health! If that elicited a groan, hold on just a minute. At least it could be good for your health. Consider pulling on your overcoat and shopping like you used to, at stores owned and operated by your neighbors. You will get some fresh air. You will get some exercise. Add a little effort and you will get a whole lot more – a strong dose of ol’ fashioned Christmas Spirit. Start by drinking in the sparkly Christmas decorations. Listen to the Christmas music. Pay attention to other shoppers and if you catch someone’s eye, smile. Stop and dig in to your purse or pocket when you see a volunteer with a bell and red kettle. If you cannot give a lot, give a little. Along with the gifts of others, you can make a difference in someone else’s Christmas and swallow a spoonful of seasonal satisfaction besides. Enjoy brunch with a friend and find out what they have found to buy. Consider sending something made locally. Even college students love huckleberry jam, syrup, chocolates, and our special brands of coffee and
tea. Unique hand-made jewelry, art and other fun items remind your children that their roots are in Montana. If your gift list includes folks who live nearby, fresh, local baked goods are always welcomed. If you do not have a stash of Christmas wrap, stop at a station set up by a charity. You get a professional look and the privilege of donating to a worthy cause. Plan shopping trips on a weekday morning when the stores are not so busy. Salespeople can help you find the perfect gift for that loved one who has everything. Many shops wrap and ship purchases for a charge. Gift giving changes along with the technological world we live in, but it is more fun to buy real gifts than grabbing a handful of gift cards from the checkout line or scrolling through web sites in your bathrobe. We are thankful for all the easy options we have in our brave new world, but too often they leave a hollow place where there used to be the joy of Christmas. Instead, shop locally this year and do not forget to delight your friends all year with a subscription to the Montana Senior News! MSN
A Norwegian Christmas Tradition By Bernice Karnop Norwegian Christmas tradition includes a Seven Cookie requirement even though no one agrees about what seven cookies should be included! With dozens of recipes to choose from, families can create their own special seven. The nearly 300-page Sons of Norway cookbook, Sharing a Heritage, includes Scandinavian favorites like krumkaker, pepperkaker, berlinerkranser, rosetter, fattigmann, and sandkraker. Each recipe is from a specific individual, who stands behind it with his or her own name. We share recipes from the book with permission from Sons of Norway. For more recipes of every kind from exceptional cooks, order Sharing a Heritage by calling Arlene at 406 452-6785. They are $19.95 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling. The Sons of Norway uses the proceeds to feed others through donations to the Food Bank, Fish, Meals on Wheels, and more. Berlinerkranzer (Ring Cookies) 4 egg yolks 2 cups unsalted butter 5 cups flour 4 egg yolks, hard-boiled 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Mash boiled egg yolks and mix well with butter. Add sugar, raw egg yolks, and flour. Mix dough; measure walnut sized balls, roll into small ropes and form into rings. Dip into beaten egg whites and coarse white sugar. Bake until lightly brown in a 350-degree oven, about 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen cookies. Fattigmand (Poor Man’s Cookie) 6 egg yolks 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1/8 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons cream 2 cups flour, enough for rolling 6 tablespoons sugar ¼ teaspoon cardamom Beat eggs well. Add sugar and mix, and then add other ingredients. Roll out thinly, cut in diamond shapes. Make a slit in the center of each cookie and draw one corner through, making a knot. Fry in deep fat at 370 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Dust with powdered sugar. Makes 100 cookies.
one who gets the almond in their bowl receives a prize, traditionally a marzipan pig. The individual may also get to pass out the Christmas presents. 1 cup water ½ cup long-grained rice ½ teaspoon salt 4 cups milk ¼ cup butter 2 eggs ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup whipping cream 2 teaspoons sugar 1 scant teaspoon vanilla Bring water, rice, and salt to a boil and cook 7 minutes. Add milk and butter. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 to 1 ¼ hours. (Watch). Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla; then add rice mixture. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and cool completely. Whip 1/2 pint whipping cream with 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 scant teaspoon vanilla. Fold into cooled pudding and refrigerate. Serve with fresh raspberry syrup or a dollop of freezer jam. MSN
Riskrem (Rice Pudding) When rice pudding is served on Christmas Eve, the cook hides a single blanched almond in it. The
Hollywood Squares: Celebs Off the Cuff Submitted by Julie Hollar These questions and answers are from the days when the responses on the “Hollywood Squares” game show were spontaneous and unscripted. Peter Marshall was the host asking the questions, and with a wild crew of celebrities giving the answers, there were plenty of laughs. Below is a sampling. Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking? A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old question, Peter, and I’ll give you a gesture you’ll never forget. Q. Paul, why do Hell’s Angels wear leather? A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily. Q. Charley, you’ve just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year? A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I’m too busy growing strawberries. Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls? A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out. Q. When you pat a dog on its head, he will
wag his tail. What will a goose do? A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark? Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to? A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.
Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people? A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army. MSN
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Good Cheer for the New Year By Ann Hattes Celebrate the New Year choosing from 500 signature drinks from the world’s best bars and bartenders found in the World’s Best Cocktails (Fair Winds Press). Whether you are out on the town or at home, you can order or mix recipes for mixing, shaking, and drinking cocktails that legends are made of, from the ritzy dining rooms of Manhattan to the grass-roofed, beach-side bars of Polynesia. And the photos of the world’s most notable bars and cocktail lounges let readers vicariously experience the glamour of the international cocktail scene wherever they are. The New Old Bar from The Hearty Boys (Agate Publishing) demystifies the cocktail-making experience, shaking up 200 vintage cocktail recipes that all bartenders should have in their repertoire. Tasty finger-food bar snacks and appetizers like Reuben Balls and Cracked Black Pepper Parmesan Crisps, round out the collection, providing delicious light fare to accompany the drinks. There is a chapter on appropriate toasts as well. “This book is devoted to all of the wonderful pre-prohibition cocktails and my own twists, spins, and updates on them,” states author Steve McDonagh who, with co-author Don Smith, comprises the Chicago restaurant/catering duo known as The Hearty Boys. McDonagh says his favorite cocktail is always the next one! “I’m a fan of the four- or five-ingredient cocktail: primary liquor matched with a liqueur, sweetening agent, citrus, and bitter served up in a great small glass.” His favorite spirit is Chartreuse. “Once you become acquainted with its distinctive herbal flavor and the silky weight it adds to the glass, you miss it when it’s not there. Totally seductive and addictive.” McDonagh thinks the cocktails we drink today are too large. “A well-crafted drink… should only be four or five ounces. And it should be consumed right after it is mixed and served; it needs to be enjoyed while the tiny ice shards are still present and the air bubbles added during shaking are still alive. Jerry Thomas, the father of mixology, said a cocktail should be enjoyed ‘while it’s still laughing at you.’” Vodka Distilled (Agate Publishing) by Tony Abou-Ganim, one of the top mixologists in the world, profiles 60 vodkas, the most consumed spirit in the United States. “As a mixologist, I use vodka in cocktails, but there is a lot of pleasure to be found savoring the subtle nuances of the vodka by itself.” Featured in the book are 25 classic and contemporary cocktails designed to rehabilitate vodka’s reputation. Abou-Ganim’s favorite new vodka cocktail is The Wizard, while the Flame of Love martini created for Dean Martin has become a staple in his drink repertoire For the 2013 holiday period, the second limited release of Grand Marnier’s Signature Collection Blend is Raspberry Peach, combining raspberries with rare red peaches from Ardeche in the south of France. These complimentary flavors are blended with Grand Marnier orange essence and premium quality cognacs used to craft the original Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge. Raspberry Peach is delicious neat, on the rocks, to top off a glass of sparkling wine, or in a variety of signature cocktails. So challenge your bartender this holiday season and toast to good health and prosperity! MSN
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