Dauphin County Edition
September 2014
Vol. 16 No. 9
For Senior Laughs, the Play’s the Thing Theater Group and its Founder Spread Humor and Active Aging By Chelsea Peifer Theater has been a pivotal part of human culture since the most primitive times. Once the lifeblood of every community, today local theaters must compete with entertainment formats like television and movies for the attention of audiences. But in Central Pennsylvania, local theaters continue thriving because of passionate individuals like Fran Horkowitz. Horkowitz, 87, has acted, directed, and served on the board for several theaters, and her primary involvement has been with the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg. But in 2009, she saw an empty niche for seniors who wanted to remain involved with performing arts but without the commitment of memorizing a tremendous amount of lines or attending several months’ worth of rehearsals. Ever the go-getter, Horkowitz decided to form the Senior Theatre Players to fill that void. The Senior Theatre Players began with six players traveling to senior centers, assisted and independent living homes, and various locations in Central Pennsylvania to perform short skits. The group has grown to include 15 players ranging in age from 50 to 91. please see LAUGHS page 15 Fran Horkowitz, founder of the Senior Theatre Players, backstage at the Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, where exposed brickwork from the original building can be seen. It was first constructed as a one-room schoolhouse in 1863.
Inside:
The National September 11 Museum page 5
The Other Side of Leonard Nimoy page 8
The Search for Our Ancestry
How Can DNA Results Help Our Search? Angelo Coniglio here are several firms that cater to the general public for testing of individual DNA. Most of them actively promote their services and can be found on the Internet. The “big four,” with the main thrusts of their services, are: 23andMe (medical, genealogical, and personal ancestry); Family Tree DNA (genealogical, personal ancestry); AncestryDNA (genealogical, personal ancestry); and Genographic by National Geographic (population genetics research, personal ancestry). The first three charge about $100 for a basic test, while NG charges about $200 for a more comprehensive test. For a detailed comparison of these firms, see http://bit.ly/DNATestVendorsCompared. The premise behind all of these tests is that humans, like all living things, have a genome—a set of biological “plans” that determines the details of our very existence: hair color; eye color; body
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shape; susceptibility to asthma, or Our DNA is contained mostly in tuberculosis, or color blindness; ability to genes, in our chromosomes, of which we procreate; etc.—the very things that make have 23 pairs. Most of our DNA is of a us individuals. type called autosomal, contained in 22 of These traits, the 23 however, have chromosome pairs. been passed The 23rd pair is the One of the genealogical one that down from our reasons for DNA testing determines our ancestors via the sex. In males, the coding described includes the desire to pair comprises one by substances know one’s broad ethnic X and one Y called chromosome, and deoxyribonucleic or national origins. in females it has acids: DNA. two X We receive chromosomes. some of the Thus, the DNA in the Y chromosome (YDNA from one parent, some from the other. Since our parents had parents, they, DNA or paternal DNA) is passed only from male to male. too, received some from each parent, Another key form of DNA is meaning that part of our DNA is from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA or our grandparents—and from our greatmaternal DNA), which can be passed grandparents and our great-greatfrom a woman to both male and female grandparents, back to the first humans. offspring but cannot be further passed on by the males. These characteristics mean that paternal and maternal DNA can (separately) be compared to known DNA characteristics of various ethnic and geographic groups (called haplogroups) that existed in the distant past. Last time, I noted that one of the genealogical reasons for DNA testing includes the desire to know one’s broad ethnic or national origins. Many people are intrigued by such questions. Do they have black, or Jewish, or Native American ancestry? Eden Resort • 222 Eden Road, Lancaster While the test vendors use DNA analyses to indicate a subject’s “ancestry composition,” I believe many researchers Special appearances, including the put undue weight on such descriptions. Red Rose Veterans Honor Guard, For example, my 23andMe ancestry who will recognize all branches of service
composition shows 87.7 percent European, with 75.1 percent Southern European and 59.9 percent Italian, and it found that less than one-tenth of 1 percent of my ancestry is Irish or British. Those findings are not surprising, because I have found by traditional “paper genealogy” that most of my ancestors back to the sixth generation in the mid1700s were from one of only two towns in central Sicily. The part about 5.1 percent being Middle Eastern or African is intriguing but no more surprising. The “small print” says that these estimates are for one’s ancestry approximately “500 years ago, before ocean-crossing ships and airplanes came on the scene.” Other results claim to define one’s ancestry as far back as 5,000 to 50,000 years, but I feel that such “ancestry” simply refers to stages or regions that the familial forebears passed through during the long history of mankind. I happen to believe that all mankind descended from the first humans in Africa, so that if the DNA studies were all completely accurate, everyone’s ancestral composition would be the same: 100 percent African. Next time, I’ll discuss what DNA testing can do to answer the questions I’m most interested in: those surrounding “personal ancestry.” Coniglio is the author of a novella inspired by his Sicilian research entitled The Lady of the Wheel, available in paperback at amzn.to/racalmuto or in an e-book at bit.ly/LadyOfTheWheelKindle. For more information, check out his webpage at bit.ly/AFCGen or email him at genealogytips@aol.com.
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Social Security News
Committing Fraud is Stupid and Illegal f you’ve ever watched funny videos showing thieves undoing themselves, or read weird news stories about criminals who do stupid things, you have an idea of how we feel at Social Security when we learn about some of the people who try (and fail) to defraud taxpayers. Social Security’s employees and our Office of the Inspector General diligently work to uncover fraud and prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law. We take fraud seriously. Here are some real Social Security fraud stories. Police rushed to the house of a Florida man who’d been shot in the face. The gunshot victim was in possession of
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about 250 stolen Social Security checks. fishing boats while collecting disability He got batches of checks from a postal benefits. He racked up $36,691 in worker who was stealing them from the disability benefits and $35,610 in mail and had been Medicare services. selling the stolen He has been checks on the street. indicted and faces up When someone is The gunshot to 10 years in prison committing fraud victim cooperated for theft of with authorities and government property against Social received a sentence and five years in Security, they are of two years in prison for making a federal prison for false statement to stealing your tax theft of government Social Security and dollars. funds and theft of for improper receipt mail. of benefits. A Maryland waterman falsely certified A Pennsylvania man pled guilty to he was not working, even though he pocketing more than $304,000 of his owned and operated two profitable deceased mother’s Social Security benefits
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Resource Directory
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By John Johnston
PACE (800) 225-7223
Emergency Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110
Tri-County Association for the Blind (717) 238-2531
Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 780-6130
Healthcare Information PA Healthcare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787
Floor Coverings Gipe Floor & Wall Covering 5435 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-6103
Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
Funeral Directors Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home, Inc. 4100 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-4001
Home Modifications 3-D Consultants (717) 651-5133
American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation – Central PA Chapter (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (717) 757-0604 (800) 697-7007 www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Senior Home Repairs (717) 545-8747 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg (717) 221-7890 Housing/Apartments B’Nai B’rith Apartments 130 S.Third St., Harrisburg (717) 232-7516
John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
Cremation Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home, Inc. 4100 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 545-4001
Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020
for 40 years after her death in 1973. While Social Security employees are always on the lookout for fraud and have historically been one of our best weapons against it, we also rely on you to let us know when you suspect someone is committing fraud against Social Security. They are, in fact, stealing your tax dollars. Reporting fraud is a smart thing to do. It’s easy to report fraud online by visiting the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse page at www.oig.ssa.gov/report. Reporting fraud is the smart (and right) thing to do.
Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301
Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 255-2790
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067 New York Life Insurance Co. William Gumbinger (717) 230-0648 Legal Services Daley Zucker Meilton & Miner, LLC Attorneys at Law 635 N. 12th St., Lemoyne (717) 724-9821 Nursing/Rehab Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902 Personal Care Homes Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902 Pharmacy CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325 National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213 Veterans Affairs (717) 626-1171 or (800) 827-1000 Transportation CAT Share-A-Ride (717) 232-6100 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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Savvy Senior Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
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September 2014
Top-Rated New Vehicles for Seniors Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any credible resources that rate the best vehicles for older drivers? My wife and I are both in our 70s and are looking to purchase a new automobile but could use some help choosing one that’s age friendly. What can you tell us? – Car Shoppers Dear Shoppers, While there are a number of websites that rate new vehicles for older drivers, one of the most credible is Edmunds.com, a top-rated online resource for automotive research information. For 2014, they developed a list of “top 10 vehicles for seniors” based on user-friendly features that help compensate for many of the physical changes—like diminished vision, arthritis, and range-ofmotion loss—that can come with aging. But before we get to the list, here is a rundown of different features that are available on many new vehicles today and how they can help with various age-related physical problems. So depending on what ails you or your wife, here’s what to look for. Knee, hip, or leg problems: For comfort, a better fit, and easier entry and exit, look for vehicles that have six-way adjustable power seats that move the seat forward, backward, up, and down and the seat-back forward and backward. Also look for low door thresholds and seat heights that don’t require too much bending or climbing to get into. Leather or faux-leather seats are also easier to slide in and out of than cloth seats. Limited upper-body range of motion: If you have difficulty looking over your shoulder to back up or merge into traffic, look for vehicles with a large rear window for better visibility; wide-angle mirrors, which can minimize blind
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spots; backup cameras; active parallel-park assistance; and blindspot warning systems that alert you to objects in the way. Also, for comfort and fit, consider vehicles that have a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, adjustable seatbelts, and heated seats with lumbar support.
vehicles for 2014 listed in alphabetical order. Each offers features designed to support drivers coping with the conditions discussed above. Their picks include both sedans and SUVs and range from top-ofthe-line luxury models to those with more affordable price tags. • Acura RDX SUV • Audi A8 sedan • Ford Taurus sedan • Honda Accord sedan • Hyundai Sonata sedan • Lexus ES 350 sedan • Mazda CX-9 SUV • Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan • Toyota Avalon sedan • Volkswagen Passat
Arthritic hands: To help with difficult and painful gripping and turning problems, features that can help include a keyless entry and a push-button ignition, a thicker steering wheel, power mirrors and seats, and larger dashboard controls. And in SUVs and crossovers, an automatic tailgate closer can be a real bonus. Diminished vision: Look for vehicles with larger instrument panels and dashboard controls with contrasting text that’s easier to see. And those with sensitivity to glare will benefit from extendable sun visors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and glare-reducing side mirrors. Short and/or overweight: Look for six-way adjustable seats, adjustable foot pedals, and a tiltand-telescoping steering wheel. 2014 Best Vehicles Here is Edmunds’ list of top 10
To read more about the details of these choices, visit www.edmunds.com and type “top 10 vehicles for seniors for 2014” into their search bar. AAA Resource Another excellent resource that can help you chose a vehicle that meets your needs is the American Automobile Association’s online tool called “Smart Features for Older Drivers.” At www.seniordriving.aaa.com/ smartfeatures you can input the areas you have problems with—like knee problems, arthritic hands, or a stiff upper body—and the tool will identify the makes and models that have the features that will best accommodate your needs. Although this tool looks at model-year 2013 vehicles, in many cases the features shown are carried over for 2014 models. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
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Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum Lori Verderame ike many others, I lost friends on Sept. 11, 2001. As a museum professional and historian dedicated to the study of objects and their role in culture, I am pleased to highlight the September 11 Memorial and its new Museum that recalls that historic day. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum debuted with ceremony and remembrance recently. The Memorial & Museum are located on 8 of the 16 acres of the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan (New York City). The memorial, designed by Michael Arad and Peter Walker, honors the 2,983 people who were killed in the attacks of both Sept. 11, 2001, and Feb. 26, 1993. The memorial consists of two reflecting pools formed in the footprints of the original Twin Tower buildings. The National September 11 Museum is sited below ground and displays artifacts linked to the events of 9/11, while telling the stories of loss, compassion, and recovery of the 2001 and 1993 attacks. This is achieved through displays, multimedia, and interactive exhibits. Davis Brody Bond is the lead architect on the museum project, sited below the memorial plaza. The architectural firm was established in 1952 by Lewis Davis and Samuel Brody and became Davis Brody Bond in 1990. “The magnitude of the historic importance of the site and its symbolism made it essential for us to find a balance between the collective and the individual
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experience,” said exhibition of the memorial and museum and former architect Steven remembers the New York City mayor. Davis, FAIA. people lost. A Museum donations came from people Over the three-part, across the country and around the world, years, Davis mainly historical including New York City schoolchildren, Brody Bond has exhibition leads who donated their pennies to the project. designed visitors through The museum opened to the general buildings for the background public on May 21, 2014. Admission is prestigious of the attacks, the $24 for adults with discounted rates for universities such events of the day, seniors, U.S. veterans, U.S. college as Cornell, and the students, and youths. Admission is free Photo credit: Jin Lee, courtesy of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Northwestern, aftermath. on Tuesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. On exhibit is the NYFD Ladder 3 at the Princeton, and “The museum For more information, see National September 11 Memorial & Museum, highlighting the role of the first responders. Columbia. Also, tells heartbreaking www.911memorial.org. I urge you to they designed stories of visit, learn, and remember. museum unimaginable loss Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, buildings including The Frick Collection but also inspiring stories of courage and and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori and the National Museum of African compassion. Its opening honors the hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. American History and Culture. commitment we made to 9/11 family Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery Before the public opening of The members and to all future generations: channel’s hit TV show Auction Kings. Visit National September 11 Memorial & that we would never forget those we lost www.DrLoriV.com/Events, www.Facebook.com/ Museum, there were a few days set aside or the terrible lessons we learned that DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010. when the museum hosted 9/11 families, day,” said Michael Bloomberg, chairman President and Mrs. Obama, first responders, rescue and recovery workers, survivors, and residents of lower Manhattan. The museum was kept open for 24 hours to host these individuals in the same way that rescue and recovery Helping people live independently and safely in their homes personnel worked continuously at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy. The museum boasts 110,000 square feet of exhibit space, which features interactive multimedia displays, personal narratives, and impressive monumental and uniquely personal artifacts. The breathtaking “In Memoriam”
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Learning a Language Benefits Cognition If you’re concerned about suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia as you grow older, you might want to try learning a foreign language. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh studied data on 835 native English speakers living in or near Edinburgh, Scotland. They found that
those who had learned a second language, even as adults, had better cognitive skills than those who were monolingual. The research was published in the journal Annals of Neurology and suggests that acquiring a second language even late in life can be a practical mentalhealth benefit as people age.
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Salute to a Veteran
Life in the Navy Was Great … Except for the Typhoons Robert D. Wilcox lden Thorpe just missed World War II, but he knew it well from his two brothers, who fought in Europe during the Battle of the Bulge. They wrote to give him a gritty picture of those desperate days of combat our troops went through during “the Bulge,” the largest land battle the U.S. Army ever fought in. Thorpe was seeking adventure,
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though, and the Navy poster that said, “Join the Navy and see the world” looked mighty good to him. So, at age 17, he got his parents to sign their permission for him to join the Navy. And he was on his way. After boot camp at Bainbridge, Md., he was picked for duty on destroyers and was sent to Great Lakes Basic Engineering School in Michigan. There
he learned to operate and service boilers, pumps, engines—every moving part of a combat ship. His exam results qualified him to be a fireman, and he was off to San Diego, where he became part of the crew aboard the destroyer USS Hawkins. The destroyer had been assisting in occupation operations in Japan and in escorting ships to and from the
Marianas before returning to San Diego, where Thorpe joined the crew. He remembers being surprised that many of the crew members were scarcely older than he, mostly 17- and 18-year-olds. The next few months were spent in training operations off the West Coast before the Hawkins sailed again for the Far East in January 1947. They stopped briefly in Hawaii, and
Calendar of Events
Dauphin County
Programs and Support Groups
Senior Center Activities
Free and open to the public.
Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002, www.hersheyseniorcenter.com Mondays starting Sept. 8, 9 to 10:30 a.m. – Aging Mastery Program Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Free iPad Consultations by Appointment Sept. 26, 10:30 a.m. – Spirit of America Concert at Giant Center
Sept. 9, 6 to 7 p.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Graysonview Personal Care Community 150 Kempton Ave., Harrisburg (717) 561-8010 Sept. 16, 10 a.m. Profiles of Five First Ladies Derry Presbyterian Church 248 E. Derry Road, Hershey (717) 533-9667 www.derrypres.org Sept. 18, 1:30 p.m. Hershey Area AARP Chapter No. 3466 Spring Creek Church of the Brethren 335 E. Areba Ave., Hershey (717) 832-3282 Sept. 17, 1:30 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group on East Shore Jewish Home of Harrisburg 4004 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 441-8627
Sept. 21, 3:30 p.m. The Russian Vocal Ensemble of St. Petersburg Derry Presbyterian Church 248 E. Derry Road, Hershey (717) 533-9667 www.derrypres.org Sept. 24, 7 p.m. Piecemakers Quilt Guild of Middletown St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Spring and Union streets, Middletown (717) 915-5555 gsk1308@gmail.com Sept. 30, 6 p.m. Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club Gander Mountain 5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 991-5232 If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682, www.rutherfordhouse.org Tuesdays, 11 a.m. – Zumba Thursdays, 10 a.m. – Healthy Steps in Motion Fridays, noon – Chair Yoga Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
AARP Driver Safety Programs For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse. Sept. 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Mohler Senior Center, 25 Hope Drive, Hershey, (717) 533-2002
Dauphin County Library Programs East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380 Sept. 23, 9:30 a.m. – Friends of the East Shore Area Library Meeting Kline Branch, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934 Sept. 18, 6:30 p.m. – Friends of the Kline Library Meeting
William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 Sept. 2, 6 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club Sept. 16, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too! Book Club Sept. 16, 6 p.m. – Friends of the Alexander Library Meeting
McCormick Riverfront Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976 Sept. 23, 5:15 p.m. – Friends of the McCormick Riverfront Library Meeting
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September 2014
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then headed for was beached, the Guam. On the way Chinese would swarm there, they ran into a over the wreck, taking mammoth three-day everything they could typhoon that at times find. All wood was caused their ship to valuable, but especially roll 45 degrees. Thorpe the mahogany that says he asked one of many ships were fitted the chiefs, “Does it get with.” any rougher than When the Hawkins this?” To which the returned to the U.S., chief answered grimly, they brought with “If it does, we won’t be them a detachment of in it; we’ll be under it.” Marines that they When the storm dropped off at Guam. subsided, they Continuing on, they continued on to ran into another Guam and then to vicious three-day Fireman Second Class China. There, they typhoon before Alden Thorpe, aboard the steamed between reaching San Diego. destroyer USS Hawkins. Chinese and Korean There, Thorpe said ports, assisting and he could have signed supporting American Marine units in up for another hitch and gone on a trip their attempts to stabilize the explosive that the ship was scheduled to make Chinese situation at that time and to literally around the world. But he says protect American lives. that civilian life sounded pretty good to During the summer of 1947, the him right then, and he took his Hawkins steamed up the Yellow River, discharge in December 1948. dodging the many sandbars as they Although he later used the G.I. Bill made their way to Shanghai to evacuate to learn to fly, Thorpe says, “I never the American Marine detachment flew anything larger than a Greyhound there. Thorpe says he decided to take a bus. For the next 37 years, I drove— jeep ride to see the Great Wall … until, and for a while dispatched— on the way there, he got fired on by Greyhound buses on seven-day tours.” Communist Chinese and gave up that On one of his trips from Manhattan idea in a hurry. to Tidewater, N.J., an interesting man For a time, their home port was took the seat behind him, and they Tsingtao in northern China, where it talked a lot about The 700 Club and was often 20 degrees F at noontime, Pat Robertson’s ministry. It turned out and there was ice everywhere. They that the man was the personal relations stayed busy, chipping off the ice that contact for Robertson’s Christian constantly coated the ship. Their main Broadcasting Network. duty there was to keep an eye on He introduced Thorpe to Robertson, Russian ships while following them up who then offered Thorpe the chance to and down the coast. serve the ministry through manning the One of their ports of call was Hong national prayer call line two or three Kong. Thorpe had a day off to spend in times a week. the town, and he remembers that “That appealed to my own strong although all was glitter in that bustling faith,” Thorpe says, “and was a rich city, and anything you could ever think experience for me for the two years I of was available to buy, you could still was able to do that before my work see in the harbor the hulls of ships that pattern changed and drew me away.” were sunk and overturned in combat. Thorpe retired in 1990, and in In Hong Kong, they got an 2008, he discovered what he calls “an emergency call from the Chinese ideal retirement community” in Central steamer SS Hong Kheng that had run Pennsylvania, where he has lived ever aground on the rocky island shore at since. Thinking back to his years in the Chilang Point, 8 miles north of Hong Navy, he says, “I enjoyed every minute Kong, and was breaking up. of my time in the Navy … except Steaming north at flank speed, the during those typhoons that had me Hawkins joined another American wondering what I was ever doing destroyer and a British destroyer in there.” braving the rough seas, successfully Shaking his head, he says with a rescuing the crew and some 2,000 little smile, “I sure wouldn’t ever want Chinese men, women, and children to do that again.” and delivering them to Hong Kong. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Thorpe says, “Everything was so Europe in World War II. scarce in China that any time a vessel www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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Nick Thomas s Star Trek’s But with no Mr. Spock, enthusiasm for Leonard commercial Nimoy created one photography, he of the most iconic realized a career in characters in fine-art television history. photography But for the past would be difficult two decades, at the time. Nimoy has “So I decided transported his to stay with my career to the other acting and side of the camera directing, and is now although I William Shatner as regarded as a continued to Captain Kirk and Nimoy leading study as Mr. Spock in Star Trek. contemporary photography and American work at it.” photographer. Around 1994, Early in his he became a fullacting career, he time photographer recognized (while continuing photography could to tackle some be more than just film and TV snapshots on projects of location. interest), “I carried a producing work Photo courtesy of Seth Kaye Photography camera with me that was largely Nimoy has transported his career to the wherever I went concept driven— other side of the camera and is now and began to themes that told a regarded as a leading contemporary realize I was story, rather than American photographer. missing the place I random, was in because my individual photos. eye was behind the His diverse camera so much,” subjects include Nimoy recalled hands, eggs, from his home in landscapes, nudes, Los Angeles. “I had and dancers, all the photographs, shot with blackbut I hadn’t had and-white film the experience. So cameras. I began using the “I have two camera when I was darkrooms and do Photo courtesy of Seth Kaye Photography on a specific, my own printing Nimoy in 2010 posing with a subject thematic quest.” up to a 16- by 20and her life-sized Secret Self. The inch image. I like photography bug to be in touch eventually bit him hard at the pinnacle with the whole process.” of his career. His provocative Full Body project, “I had finished three seasons of Star published in book form in 2007, Trek and two seasons of Mission: featured mostly naked, full-figured Impossible, and I actually considered women. changing careers,” Nimoy explained. “I “My original idea was to replicate went to school at UCLA to study some rather famous images shot by other photography under master art photographers who had used fashion photographer Robert Heineken and models, and to use these women in those became very excited about the prospect.” same poses.”
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More recently, was done. In my for his Secret Selves late 70s and early project—his first 80s, I recognized shot in color—he that I did not photographed 100 have great people from all breathing walks of life, each capacity, so I acting out a wasn’t surprised fantasy identity. by the COPD Nimoy, who is diagnosis. represented by R. “I use Michelson medication daily Photo from Nimoy’s early Galleries in and give myself a Shekhina series. Northampton, jolt of oxygen Mass., had three when I need it,” concurrent he said. “The exhibitions in the main difficulty is Boston area that high altitudes. began in late We’ve had a March, when the house in Lake artist turned 83. Tahoe for 20 “The exhibits years, which is a cover about 20 beautiful retreat. years of my career, But at 6,000 feet, Photo courtesy of Seth Kaye Photography so it’s quite I just can’t go Nimoy’s diverse subjects include hands, comprehensive.” there anymore. eggs, landscapes, nudes, and dancers, all Although Other than that, shot with black-and-white film cameras. Nimoy’s works I’m still very can be pricey (up active and not to $18,000), more affordable images ready to cash it in yet!” with a Spock theme (e.g., the Vulcan Despite rumors throughout his acting hand salute) are sold through a site career that he resented being typecast as managed by his granddaughter Spock, Nimoy says he regards the (www.shopllap.com). character with fondness. “She’s quite the entrepreneur and “I’ve always been proud to be operates it like a classy boutique,” said identified with Spock.” Nimoy. “There are t-shirts, tote bags, And what if J.J. Abrams, the and photographs signed by me. The producer/director of the new Star Trek things we do for our grandchildren!” films, approached him for another film In February, reports surfaced that role? Nimoy was suffering from chronic “I’d take his call, but doubt I’d do any obstructive pulmonary disease, a lung acting,” he said. “I don’t want to go off ailment that affects some 13 million on location again. I’m enjoying life with Americans, according to the Centers for my family too much.” Disease Control and Prevention, and is Thomas’ features and columns have appeared caused primarily by smoking. in more than 300 magazines and newspapers, “Before I stopped smoking 30 years and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, ago, I was deeply addicted,” he said. “I published by McFarland. He can be reached had to go through various programs at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com before I quit. But by then, the damage
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Morgan Cousler Park, York Registration at 9:30 a.m. • Walk at 11 a.m. Registration brochures, team packets, and sponsorship packets available. Please call (717) 651-5020 or email aforsburg@alz.org • Easy online registration at http://www.alz.org/walk • Volunteer opportunities available. • Teams and individuals welcome.
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We’re on the Move to End Alzheimer’s September commemorates World Alzheimer’s Month, and within that month is World Alzheimer’s Day on Sept. 21. There is a lot to stop and pause for during September, but the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Pennsylvania Chapter does the opposite—we make people get up and move! The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the association’s largest annual awareness and fundraising event, which occurs during September and October. The money raised allows our chapter to contribute to research— breakthroughs that we hope will one day be life-changing for people with dementia. The funding will allow for increases in the accurate and timely diagnosis of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. As well, added dollars will ensure we have a significant increase in affordable, high-quality care and support for people with the disease and their caretakers. And while we know what the walk means for us, we are keenly aware that it is personal for many of you. Some walk to honor and remember those they have lost. Some walk to share stories of living with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. Some walk so that future generations won’t have to face the debilitating and devastating effects of the disease. Some walk because they want to help make a difference and fight back. For our Greater Pennsylvania Chapter board chair, Deb Pierson, this walk is a walk toward breaking the chain of young-onset Alzheimer’s that has dramatically linked itself in her family. In a recent meeting, she was asked to jot down a personal goal. From there, she was told to imagine that the goal was accomplished, and then
posed with the question, “Now what is possible?” This is how Pierson responded: “Imagine a world where every child has a committed, active grandparent or great-grandparent to love them, encourage their gifts, and pass on values, family, and cultural history. Imagine if our seniors had the funds available in their retirement accounts to travel and enjoy life. Imagine when our government has billions in extra funds per year to allocate to the greater good. What you’ve just imagined is a world without Alzheimer’s.” The Greater Pennsylvania Chapter can imagine it. Can you? Join us in the move toward a world without Alzheimer’s. Let’s transform our imagination into realization. Register today at www.alz.org/walk or call our helpline, available 24 hours, seven days a week, at (800) 272-3900. Your local walks include: Saturday, Sept. 6 Lancaster, Long’s Park Registration at 8 a.m. Opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 Harrisburg, City Island Park Registration at 8:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27 York, Morgan E. Cousler Park Registration at 9:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies at 10:30 a.m. For more information on your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit www.alz.org/walk or contact Asheleigh Forsburg at (717) 561-5020 or aforsburg@alz.org.
How We Pay for Things These Days We depend on automatic teller machines for cash, and more and more we’re relying on electronic payments when we don’t want to write a check. According to the Federal Reserve, ATM withdrawals from 2006 to 2009 numbered 6 billion transactions, for a total of about $600 billion. That was an increase from 5.8 billion during the 2003-2006 period, when withdrawals came to $578 billion.
The Federal Reserve also notes that during the same period, consumers depended on electronic transfers via such instruments as debit cards and prepaid credit cards for more than threequarters of their transactions—a 9.7 percent increase. Debit card payments rose 14.8 percent from 2006 to 2009; prepaid card transactions grew 21.5 percent. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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Across 1. Armageddon 4. Devotee 7. ___ Raton, Fla. 11. Afr. perennial 12. Heroic tale 13. Reversal of Fortune star 15. Hidden danger 17. Dutch cheese 18. Increases 19. Bloviates 21. Big Apple inits. 22. Golf item 23. Extensive 24. God of war 27. TV ET Down 1. Run off 2. Slipknot 3. Society girl 4. Unit of capacitance 5. Playing marble 6. Scruff 7. Oversized 8. Acapulco gold 9. Attorney 10. Fergie’s ex 11. Border 12. Discord 14. Pouch 16. Caterwaul
28. 30. 33. 36. 38. 39. 40. 41. 43. 45. 46. 48. 50. 51.
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20. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 34. 35. 37. 42. 44.
Lost Horizon actor Jaffe Agent (abbr.) Draw out Organism Doomsayer’s sign Tenure Circulars Doubloon Amateur picture show Opera star Altar in the sky Body of water Pecan Add spice to
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Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Where’d Ya Go? Dear Mark: With apologies to General Douglas MacArthur, the question still remains: What happens to old slot machines that have outlived their usefulness? I have noticed that some of my favorite machines mysteriously disappear, one casino at a time, until they are just a fleeting memory of spinning reels and flashing lights. Gone, but not forgotten. Is there a graveyard for our dearly departed friends? – Leigh H. Any time you see a slot machine disappear from the floor, from the casino’s point of view, that machine was misbehaving, or better stated, underperforming. All machines, Leigh, need to show reasonable results, or their replacement is inevitable. A gaming machine’s performance is measured by two factors:
the amount of coins wagered daily (“coin in”) and the amount collected daily by the casino (“win”). If a machine’s performance falters ever so slightly, a slot manager could decide a change is needed in the slot mix, meaning the placement and positioning of machines on the casino floor. My guess here, Leigh, is that you might also be inquiring about those 20th-century antique machines from manufacturers like Mills and Jennings or some of the later
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IGT or Bally machines from the ’70s or ’80s. Their resting places have a variety of possibilities. The first being, as with any slot machine, they are usually sent to a facility that strips them for usable parts and sorts the rest for scrap. Also, stored in the basement of many casinos is that slot graveyard you speak of, where they live out their lives collecting dust. Some machines might go to a private collection, but, depending on local law,
they may have to be rendered inoperable. Many a man cave has one sitting in the corner to pilfer quarters from the owner’s friends. A collector like yours truly would never part with his 1934 Mills Star “Firebird” QT nickel machine, as it pays for the free Guinness or PBR, their choice, offered when some sucker is yanking its handle. Then there are retail establishments specific to the selling of older slot machines in gambling towns like Reno and Las Vegas, where selling gambling equipment is legal. Some of these stores have a decent-sized collection on site. If you are a want-to-be buyer of a “dearly departed friend,” it is important to check state and local laws before you pull the trigger (handle), although, generally speaking, antique slot machines are legal in most states if they are over 25 years old.
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Sh ow io n Fa sh
•
Ex hi bi to rs
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Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, award-winning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www.markpilarski.com
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Once the electromechanical machine appeared, it allowed multiple-coin play, which included electrically powered hoppers that could pay out much larger jackpots. When the computerized slots were introduced in the ’80s, machines with progressive jackpots were linked among different machines hundreds of miles apart, offered huge jackpots starting in the millions. Essentially, Leigh, slot machines keep advancing and getting more complicated, necessitating new homes for the older ones. I will write in a future column about some new threereel mechanical slots with the feel of a traditional slot that are now hitting the floor.
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You can also do an online search for “old slot machines for sale,” or go to eBay, where a plethora of slots is always for sale. Even though Nevada may be the gambling capital of the United States, the slot machine was actually born elsewhere, in San Francisco. The first mechanical slot machine, the Liberty Bell, was invented in 1895 by Charles Fey, a San Francisco mechanic. Fey’s machine housed three spinning reels, each decorated with diamonds, spades, hearts, and one cracked Liberty Bell per reel. When the bells lined up, they produced your biggest payoff: 10 nickels. The original Liberty Bell used to be on display at the Liberty Belle Saloon & Restaurant in Reno, but since its closing in 2006, it is now exhibited at the Nevada State Museum. Back in the ’40s and early ’50s, those older mechanical slots were chock full of springs and gears that were powered by a player pulling the handle, which started the reels spinning. The problem with these early machines was that they were limited in the size of the jackpots because they could only accept one coin, which restricted the number of coins they could pay out.
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Have you photographed a smile that just begs to be shared? Send us your favorite smile—your children, grandchildren, friends, even your “smiling” pet!—and it could be 50plus Senior News’ next Smile of the Month! You can submit your photos (with captions) either digitally to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or by mail to:
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The Beauty in Nature
Unique Predatory Insects Clyde McMillan-Gamber heel bugs, praying mantises, and hanging flies are insect predators that feed on invertebrates. These unrelated insects have much in common, including being camouflaged, adaptable, and common in southeastern Pennsylvania and across much of North America. They each have a unique appearance and produce one generation of young each year. And they live among shrubbery and tall weeds and grasses in thickets, hedgerows, and suburban lawns with their bushes, including in my backyard. Wheel bugs are true bugs, which is a family of insects. Adults are 1.5 inches long, dark gray, and have half a “cogwheel” on the upper side of their thoraxes, which helps protect them. They live on shrubs mostly, where they stab
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other insects with their long beaks, inject paralyzing venom into their victims, and suck out their juices. That stab, by the way, is painful to us. Female wheel bugs lay eggs in clusters
Wheel bug
on the foliage of shrubs. Young wheel bugs are red with black markings. Praying mantises are up to 6 inches long at maturity in fall and are green or
brown. They look like prehistoric monsters when they fly. Adult mantises grab invertebrates, small frogs, hummingbirds, and other little critters with their two clawed front legs.
Praying mantis
Mantises eat their prey alive, chewing them with powerful mouth parts. Some female mantises consume their male partners after mating with them. Their mates provide a large, easy meal that
helps nourish the females’ developing eggs. In October, each female mantis lays scores of eggs in a foamy mass on a plant stem, most likely in an overgrown field of tall vegetation where she grew up. The foam hardens quickly and protects the embryos inside through the cold winter. Young mantises emerge from that protection during May and spread over vegetation to eat tiny invertebrates. Hanging flies are large, yellowishbrown, and long-legged. They have large eyes to spot flying insects and big mandibles to chew up their victims. Hanging flies hang from leaves and twigs in shrubbery by their two front legs and reach out with their back legs to catch passing prey. Look for these predatory insects from July into October. They help make the outdoors more interesting.
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LAUGHS
from page 1
Their performances are usually no longer than 30 to 40 minutes, said Horkowitz. “It’s just enough. We work with books in hand and we don’t memorize lines,” explained Horkowitz. The technique is sometimes referred to as “Readers Theater,” and she compares their style of performance to that of a live radio presentation. “Our skits are always humorous,” she said. “Our purpose is to make people laugh a little.” One comedic skit that always seems to be a crowd favorite is called Sure As Hell Growing Old. “They love it because all of the men can see themselves in it. One can’t hear, one can’t see,” laughed Horkowitz. After the show, audiences always tell the players that they made them laugh. “That’s what they always say, and that’s what matters,” Horkowitz said. “We just want to make people laugh.” Plays with a local historical focus are popular too, added Horkowitz. Local playwright Cindy Dlugolecki wrote The Ghost of Mechanicsburg, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed the connection to places they knew and loved. Former Harrisburg resident Barbara Blank wrote How to Marry a Rabbi, and the Senior Theatre Players performed the skit to a roaring audience at the Jewish Community Center. If the skits the Senior Theatre Players use are not written by local playwrights, they are usually selected by Horkowitz
want to go on from a senior stage theater catalog. pregnant,” Horkowitz Horkowitz first became said. “But involved with you’re acting, theater in her and that’s the late 40s and point.” was recruited Since then, for a role as Horkowitz one of the branched out singing nuns in to countless a performance acting and of The Sound Members of this season’s Senior Theater Players directing of Music. include, standing, from left, Charles Smith, Fran roles, Her Horkowitz, Linda Draper, and Gabriel Horkowitz. including husband, Seated, Carvel Markley. productions at Gabe, served as local theaters an Army like Theatre dentist, and Harrisburg, Molly Pitcher Troupe, Oyster their family was stationed at the Mill Playhouse, Allenberry Playhouse, Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland and Gretna Theatre. at the time. The talent in Central Pennsylvania is Theaters on military bases used to “extremely strong,” said Horkowitz. serve as a central source of When Horkowitz was performing at entertainment, said Horkowitz. And, the various Army posts where her perhaps more importantly, they helped husband was stationed, sometimes she to keep the troops from getting into almost did not even have to audition for trouble elsewhere, she laughed. roles. Horkowitz sang in choirs at each of “But when I came here and saw the the posts they were stationed. Every post had men’s and women’s choirs to provide competition, I was intimidated,” Horkowitz said. “We have so much talent entertainment at formal dinners hosted here, and I have a great deal of respect for by the generals. everyone here.” But once she tried acting in her first Horkowitz is president emeritus at the musical, she was hooked. After The Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg and now Sound of Music came her role as a focuses solely on leading and pregnant widow in a comedy. participating in the Senior Theatre “It was hysterical, and nobody else Players. would take the role because they didn’t
“Theater is really my favorite pastime, and that’s why I do Senior Players,” said Horkowitz. Horkowitz has found that the group’s skits can also help perpetuate the message that senior living doesn’t have to equal sedentary living. A friend of Horkowitz’s was worried about her parents spending too much time watching television, so she asked her for a copy of the script she saw the Senior Theatre Players perform about someone in a retirement home who did not want to do anything. “She really wished her parents would get involved,” Horkowitz said. “There is a lot out there to do. “My husband is 91 and he still jogs for an hour every morning,” she said. “He doesn’t jog like he did when he was 80, but he still moves his legs.” In addition to the Senior Theatre Players, Horkowitz teaches theater to children at vacation Bible school over the summer. She plays bridge a few times a month and is an active member of her church. “I keep very busy. I like people,” Horkowitz said. She and her husband are Penn State graduates and have three children—all Penn State graduates—and two grandchildren. Anyone who is interested in joining the Senior Theatre Players as a performer or who would like to request that the group performs at their event or location may contact Fran Horkowitz at (717) 243-1941.
The History of Labor Day Labor Day is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It’s a national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the United States. Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was first to suggest a day to honor those “who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.” But other research seems to support the contention that machinist Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. The Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic. Either way, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the
plans of the Central Labor Union. The union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on Sept. 5, 1883. In 1884, the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday. As labor organizations grew in size and power, so did the idea of Labor Day. In 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
Labor Day: Sept. 1
The first governmental recognition of the holiday came through municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. While the first state bill proposing the holiday was introduced into the New York legislature, Oregon passed the first law on Feb. 21, 1887. Four more states—Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York—created the Labor Day holiday by legislative enactment that same year. By the end of the decade, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 other states had adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28 of that year, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.
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