Complimentary | York County Edition | July 2016 • Vol. 17 No. 7
Dancing Boosts Body, Mind, and Soul page 4
6 Travel Tips for Smartphones page 6
Book review: POLITICAL SUICIDE page 9
Savvy Senior
Reach Active, Affluent Boomers & Seniors! Jim Miller
Reserve your space now for the 14th annual
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Sept. 28, 2016 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
York Expo Center Memorial Hall East • 334 Carlisle Ave., York Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars Entertainment • Door Prizes
Why Participate?
It’s the premier event for baby boomers, caregivers, and seniors in York County • Face-to-face interaction with 3,000+ attendees • Strengthen brand recognition/launch new products
For sponsorship and exhibitor information:
(717) 285-1350
www.50plusExpoPA.com 2
July 2016
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How Medicare Handles Second Medical Opinions
Does Medicare cover second medical opinions? The doctor I currently see thinks I need back surgery, but I would like to get some other treatment options before I proceed. What can you tell me? – Searching Senior Dear Searching, Getting a second medical opinion from another doctor is a smart idea that may offer you a fresh perspective and additional options for treating your back condition so you can make a more informed decision. Or, if the second doctor agrees with your current one, it can give you some reassurance. Yes, Medicare does pay for second opinions if your current doctor has recommended surgery or some other major diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. If you’re enrolled in original Medicare, 80 percent of the costs for second medical opinions is covered under Part B (you or your Medicare supplemental policy are responsible for the other 20 percent), and you don’t need an order or referral from your doctor to get one. Medicare will even pay 80 percent for a third opinion, if the first two differ. Most Medicare Advantage plans cover second opinions too, but you may need to follow certain steps to get it paid for. For example, some plans will only help pay for a second opinion if you have a referral from your primarycare doctor, and/or they may require that you can only use a doctor in
their network. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll need to call it to find out their rules. Finding another Doctor To find another doctor for a second opinion, you can either ask your current doctor for a name or two, or you can ask another doctor you trust for a referral, or you can find one on your own. Whatever route you choose, it’s best to go with a doctor that’s affiliated with a different practice or hospital from your original doctor. Hospitals and practices can be set in their ways when it comes to treatments and are likely to offer similar advice. If you choose to find one on your own, use Medicare’s online Physician Compare tool (www.medicare.gov/ physiciancompare). This will let you find doctors by name, medical specialty, or geographic location that accept original Medicare. You can also get this information by calling Medicare at (800) 6334227. Or, if you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, call or visit your plan’s website for a list of candidates. After you’ve gotten a few doctors’ names, there are a number of free online resources to help you research them, like Healthgrades (www. healthgrades.com) and Vitals (www. vitals.com). Or, consider Angie’s List (www. angieslist.com, (888) 888-5478), which is a membership service that currently offers doctor ratings and www.50plusLifePA.com
reviews from other members in your area for $3.50 for one month or $11.32 for the year, but the site will be offering free reviews this summer. After you find another doctor, before you get a second opinion you’ll
need to have your current doctor’s office send your medical records ahead to the second doctor, or you may have to pick them up and deliver them yourself. That way, you won’t have to repeat
the tests you already had. But, if the second doctor wants you to have additional tests performed as a result of your visit, Medicare will help pay for these tests too. For more information, see the
Medicare publication Getting a Second Opinion Before Surgery (www. medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/02173.pdf). Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
Older But Not Wiser
Early-Morning Greatness Sy Rosen
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been sleeping less. I’m now waking up at 4:30 in the morning. There’re a lot of scientific explanations for this, but I like to think it’s because I want to boldly face the world and can’t wait to get started each morning (it may also be because I have to go to the bathroom). The question is, what should I do
with myself in these early-morning hours? Just recently I’ve read a few articles saying that before you die, you should achieve what you really want to achieve. That’s a lot of pressure. I mean, why can’t we just be happy with what we’ve already done?! However, since I am getting up at 4:30, I decided to use these early
hours to accomplish my real goal in life. I just have to figure out what that is. Here are a few things I’ve tried in my attempt to leave my mark on the world: Write the great American novel – For a week I awoke at 4:30 and faced the blank page of my great American
novel. I then decided that it didn’t have to be that great; there’s nothing wrong with a mediocre novel. I then decided that a novel is a lot of words—maybe it should be a novella. After another week I decided I should write a short story. I now have decided to write the please see GREATNESS page 5
At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away. Active Adult Communities Roth’s Farm Village Roth’s Church Road, Spring Grove (717) 633-7300
Funeral & Cremation Services Cremation Society of Pennsylvania Serving Lancaster County (800) 720-8221
Animal Hospitals Community Animal Hospital Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M. 400 S. Pine St., York (717) 845-5669
Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020
Automobile Sales/Service Gordon’s Body Shop, Inc. 10 Mill St., Stewartstown (717) 993-2263 Coins & Currency Steinmetz Coins & Currency 2861 E. Prospect Road, York (717) 757-6980 Energy Assistance Low-Income Energy Assistance (717) 787-8750 Entertainment Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 898-1900
www.50plusLifePA.com
Alzheimer’s Information Clearinghouse (800) 367-5115 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 or (717) 757-0604 Social Security Information (800) 772-1213 Healthcare Information PA HealthCare Cost Containment (717) 232-6787 Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
Home Care Services Senior Helpers (717) 920-0707
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services Hanover: (717) 630-0067 Lancaster: (717) 393-3450 York: (717) 751-2488
Services York County Area Agency on Aging (800) 632-9073
Housing Assistance Housing Authority of York (717) 845-2601 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 Independent Living Pine Run Retirement Community 1880 Pine Run Road, Abbottstown (800) 683-0706 Insurance – Long-Term Care Apprise Insurance Counseling (717) 771-9610 or (800) 632-9073 nursing/rehab Pleasant Acres Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 118 Pleasant Acres Road, York (717) 840-7412
Transportation Rabbittransit (800) 632-9063 Travel AAA Southern Pennsylvania (717) 600-8700 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771 Volunteer opportunities RSVP of Capital Region, Inc. (717) 847-1539 SpiriTrust Lutheran Senior Companion Program (717) 843-2677
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Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
July 2016
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Cover Story 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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50plus LIFE is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. 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. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
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Dancing Boosts Body, Mind, and Soul By Lori Van Ingen At age 65, Marian Condon wasn’t miserable or depressed, but she wasn’t joyous either. The Wrightsville resident had been divorced for a number of years, but had a “wonderful job and good friends.” Condon is an adjunct nursing professor at York College of Pennsylvania and has two grown sons. “I was not as happy as I could be,” Condon said. “It was not as much fun. It was like I was marching, not skipping, through life,” Condon said. “I could feel better if I exercised, but I hated exercise. I tried it all—running, lifting weights, machines, gyms, yoga studios. I was never a physical person.” However, weighing over 200 pounds, Condon was a good 65 pounds overweight and the doctor was warning her about her blood pressure and blood sugar. And as a registered nurse with a master’s degree in primary care from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in adult education from Penn State, Condon knew she needed to make a “significant change in my life.” Condon said she “felt bad being overweight. I was chubby by 11 years old. I went through the cycle of emotional eating, being ashamed of how I look [followed by] more eating,” she said. It is very difficult to stay away from sweet foods when you are “addicted” to them, she said. “I know as a nurse what an addiction is. You can become dependent on sugary foods. They elevate your mood almost instantly. You eat chocolate cake and it makes you feel better physiologically. (It’s made with sugar and flour) and the glucose, or the sugar, triggers the release of endorphins and dopamine, which raise your mood instantly.” That’s the mechanism behind emotional eating and few educated people know that it’s unhealthy,
Photos courtesy Keith J. Bowers Photography
Marian Condon and Arthur Murray instructor Tim Hippert competing at the 2015 Harrisburg Area Showcase ballroom dance event.
she said. A lot of women can relate to it. “I know how difficult it is to control when you are 60, 70, 80 pounds overweight. You think it’s an impossible challenge. ‘So what if I give up? I’ll just die a few years early,’” Condon said. That’s when one day in her email she found a Groupon coupon for a dance studio. “My parents liked to jitterbug and took me with them. I loved it,” she said. But Condon thought she couldn’t learn to dance because she didn’t have a partner. She contacted the dance studio anyway and was told it didn’t matter that she didn’t have a partner because one of the instructors would dance with her at their dance parties. She decided to give it a try and “it changed my life, absolutely,” Condon said. She learned ballroom dancing, which encompasses many smooth dances like the foxtrot, waltz, tango, Latin dances (rumba, merengue, cha-cha), swing, hustle, and country-western. “There’s something for everyone,” she said. Dancing is “so much fun. I felt happier. I went almost every night
after work. I got into better shape and became more attracted to exercise. I’d go to the park to walk, then jog. I bought weights ... ” She finally could fit into the “sparkly” dresses the dancers wore. Condon had a new motivation, a joy in the music and the positive people around her laughing and joking as they danced. She felt happier and able to control her eating. She was able to stick to a healthy diet and she lost 65 pounds in a year. “I’m five years out now and have not regained any weight.” Most people, she said, regain the weight they have lost over time. Condon loved dancing so much that she decided she would write a book about how dancing can help people lose weight. For her book, Thinner, Fitter, Happier: Dancing Will Change Your Life!, Condon interviewed 40 dancers around the country: Some are teachers and some are students, but all said dancing changed their lives. Dancing affects your mind, spirit, soul, and relationships. “It’s the best-kept health secret,” Condon said. Some of the benefits of dancing are that it’s an aerobic activity, you get a mental lift from the music, you are with people having fun, and you make new friends. “You don’t talk about politics or religion. There’s no negative conversation on the dance floor. It’s a very positive, upbeat, happy place to be,” Condon said. “Research shows the people you hang around affect your mood. Debbie Downers suck your energy, but you don’t find that at dance studios. Music uplifts your soul. You learn to move in sync with another person and it reminds us of being rocked in the womb. It’s sublime. “You don’t think about your feet or your body; you just feel every slight shift in weight. Longstanding married couples have www.50plusLifePA.com
rekindled their relationships through dance. Dancing also is phenomenal for the brain.” Condon said dancing is not only for the young, slim, and athletic. “If you can walk, you can dance”—even at age 98, like one of Condon’s new friends at her dance studio. “I took up dancing late in life,” said Condon, who is now 71. “I did a lot of research. Dancing confers more protection against dementia than any other activity.” According to a 20-year longitudinal study on people in their 70s, dancing had the highest degree of protection for their cognition. It was higher than chess, board games, walking, golf, or tennis. “While dancing, the aerobic
exercise is pumping blood to the brain, and it keeps you thinking where your body is in space, processing the music and processing where your partner’s body is located. Dancing puts a demand on your brain and you form new neurons.” Dancing also could fit into anyone’s budget. You don’t have to dance at a franchise studio. There are dance clubs around the area that are inexpensive because they rent their studios from fire halls, she said. Thinner, Fitter, Happier: Dancing Will Change Your Life! is available through http://thinnerfitterhappier. drmariancondon.com and Amazon. com. Condon also can be contacted on her Facebook page or on her website (www.doctormariancondon.com).
GREATNESS from page 3 great American letter to the editor. I’m still working on it. Invent something – I figured I just had to identify a need and fill it. In the early-morning hours I walked around the house barefoot and noticed that my feet were picking up dust and crumbs—my feet were like human Swiffers. Greatness awaited me—I just needed to invent something that would do a better job of cleaning. I designed, I sketched, I edited, I redesigned, and then after several days of perfecting my work, I looked at my drawings and realized I had invented … the broom. Do something heroic – I would love to be a hero. I could go to the Middle East and help destroy ISIS. However, I am afraid to fly. I therefore decided to do something locally. I got dressed at 5 a.m. and, with my trusty flashlight in hand, started to patrol the neighborhood. Maybe I’d see a coyote and rescue a small dog or kitten. I walked about a block, got a little www.50plusLifePA.com
nervous (and a cramp in my leg), and went home. Write a song – 4:30 a.m. is a good time to write the lyrics of a hit song that would pave my way to greatness. By 6 a.m. I had written, “me and you, you and me.” By 7 a.m. I had written, “me and you, you and me, we is we.” By 8 a.m. I had decided to give up on writing a song. Run for political office – In the early-morning hours, I hatched my plan. I would run for the mayor of my small city, and then after one successful term I would run for president. It was a very exciting plan and I would certainly be doing something important with my life. However, I then looked at the map on my wall and realized I couldn’t locate Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, or Utah. I decided I wasn’t qualified to be president. Now if only some of the other candidates would also come to that conclusion. I have now decided to concentrate all of my efforts on a way to sleep later so I won’t have to go through this craziness.
Are you homebound or just lonely? Do you wish that you had someone to visit who would give you their undivided attention?
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A Senior Companion may be that person. The companion will provide the following services, free of charge: Y Be a friend. Y Visit once a week for 4-5 hours. Y Talk and listen to you. Y Accompany you to doctor appointments.
Y T ake a walk or sit in the sunshine with you. YS hare a hobby or assist with projects.
Y Share a light lunch.
YP lay cards and games or work on puzzles together.
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The Senior Companion Volunteer is not permitted to do the following: Participate in any household cleaning activity or heavy lifting. Perform any nursing or personal care duties. Volunteers are not required to transport clients. Arrangements must be made with the volunteer and must be in the local area.
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Account Representative On-Line Publishers, Inc., a 20-year-old publication and event-production company, is seeking an account representative to sell our award-winning 50plus LIFE, Resource Directories, events, and websites.
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Is This Thing On?
6 Travel Tips for Smartphones Abby Stokes
Are you planning a trip out of the country this summer? Let’s talk about precautions you should take so you don’t come home to a smartphone bill that’ll ruin your vacation afterglow. 1. Call Your Cellphone Service Provider – Before traveling overseas, call the company you pay for your cellphone service and ask what packages they offer for international use. Think about how you might use your phone (calling the U.S., calling within the country you’re visiting, texting, email …) and ask how each of those is billed under your provider’s international plan. 2. Turn Off Data Roaming – The moment you board the plane for your international destination, go into
the settings on your smartphone and turn off data roaming and the cellular data plan. That’s the best way to prevent your phone from randomly using data to search for emails and texts throughout the day. Better that you control specifically when the cellular data is used. You can turn the cellular data on and off as you need it so as not to exceed the plan you’ve chosen. 3. Wi-Fi Is Your New BFF – If the hotel or home you’re visiting has Wi-
Fi, you’re all set. When on Wi-Fi you can check email, visit websites, send photos, text, and use the GPS feature on your phone. You want to be careful when you’re outside of that Wi-Fi area. That’s when things can get pricey. Wi-Fi is a free zone where you can use almost all of the features of your phone without incurring additional charges. The one exception is voice calling. You may still be charged international fees for phone calls (in
and out). You might have the option of turning on Wi-Fi calling, or better yet, use a service like Skype. 4. Skype Your Phone Calls – Skype is a free app that allows you to use your smartphone, tablet, or computer to call, text, or video chat internationally for free or at greatly reduced prices. When you’re in a Wi-Fi area and communicating with another Skype user, your calls, video chats, or texts are free. Free! Using a credit card, you can open a Skype account and pay a very small (and I mean very small) amount to call people who aren’t registered with Skype. I have yet to see a phone company offer more competitive pricing than Skype for international phone calls.
Include your community or service in the ultimate resource for boomer and senior living and care options. BENEFITS
21st annual edition
Online & In Print. onlinepub.com
Online Drives traffic to your site Digital e-dition Easily accessible on mobile devices Print For those who rely on traditional media Distribution Available at more than 15 events annually Direct mailed To professional offices throughout the Susquehanna and Delaware valleys On-Demand Where readers pick up 50plus LIFE Community Reaches your targeted audience: healthcare professionals, adult decision-making children, and 50+ consumers
Call about Early-Bird Savings! *
* Must reserve by Aug. 26, 2016
to receive early-bird savings. Closing date: Nov. 4, 2016. Street date: Jan. 2017
To be included in the 2017 edition of 50plus LIVING, call your representative or (717) 285-1350 or email info@onlinepub.com 6
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5. When in Doubt, Use Airplane Mode – If you arrive at your destination and can’t remember what your smartphone plan allows for, simply go to your settings and turn on airplane mode. Airplane mode will stop all transmission to or from the phone. So no emails, texts, phone calls, or visiting websites. No signal = no ugly phone bills. You can still take and view photos, read your notes, or listen to any music saved on your phone. Once back in the safety of a Wi-Fi area, you can turn off airplane mode and turn on Wi-Fi. 6. Document with Your Camera – Of course you’re going to take photos of everything you love about your visit. Why not also take a photo of your passport and the back and front of your credit cards
full of cars.
so you’ll have that information on your phone at all times? When traveling, I even take a photo of my rental car and its license plate to make it easier to identify in a parking lot
Remember that to put away your smartphone for a day is a great vacation choice. Smell the roses, enjoy the sea breeze, and linger in a museum while your smartphone becomes your personal assistant taking all of your messages. Bon voyage! Abby Stokes, author of “Is This Thing On?” A Friendly Guide to Everything Digital for Newbies, Technophobes, and the Kicking & Screaming and its companion website, AskAbbyStokes. com, is the Johnny Appleseed of Technology, singlehandedly helping more than 300,000 people cross the digital divide.
Share Some Independence Day Trivia Here are some fun facts to share with your family and friends on the Fourth of July while waiting for the hot dogs to cook on the grill: • Three presidents died on July Fourth: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams in 1826 and James Monroe in 1831. Calvin Coolidge was the only president born on July Fourth, in 1872. • The Massachusetts General Court was the first state legislature to recognize July Fourth as a state celebration, in 1781. • The first recorded use of the name “Independence Day” occurred in 1791. • The U.S. Congress established Independence Day as an unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870. It became a federal paid holiday in 1931.
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Dear Pharmacist
Which Should You Take, Advil or Tylenol? Suzy Cohen
When you’re in pain, what do you reach for, Tylenol or Advil? What about fever or body aches from the flu? How about if your precious grandbaby is teething or gets an earache—which do you give? These are questions that you might be asking yourself today, and I’m going to help you. There are some primary differences between these two medications, both blockbusters sold worldwide under various brand names. The ingredients themselves are included in thousands of multitasking formulas. If you read labels, you’ll see the generic names as follows: Tylenol = acetaminophen Advil, Motrin = ibuprofen
Enter to
WIN
a
Fever – You can use either one unless you’re giving it to a baby less than 6 months old. Babies less than 6 months old should be given acetaminophen (Tylenol). Pain – I’d choose ibuprofen because it directly reduces some pain-causing cytokines, whereas acetaminophen impacts the way you feel pain, essentially “numbing” you to the sensation. No one is 100 percent sure how it works; we just have clues. We know it works, though. If you have severe pain, it’s
Pair of Tickets ($110 Value)
to
sometimes recommended to alternate between ibuprofen and acetaminophen every few hours. Back pain and osteoarthritis respond better to ibuprofen, according to the British Medical Journal. PMS or cramps – Definitely ibuprofen for this; it is a stronger anti-inflammatory. Just FYI, a combination of B complex and magnesium may help mood swings, water retention, tearfulness, and cramps.
If you are normally a wine drinker at dinner, or you drink alcohol, stay away from Tylenol because it could exacerbate the liver damage caused by the alcohol. Ibuprofen is a drug mugger of folate, whereas acetaminophen is a drug mugger of glutathione. If you run out of folate, you could develop high homocysteine (increases risk of heart disease), cervical dysplasia, depression, chronic diarrhea, gray hair, and mouth sores. If you run low on glutathione, fatigue, general pain, and liver problems occur. There are dozens of other symptoms that I don’t have space to list, and also, these depletions take time. You don’t run out of the nutrients with normal dosages, taken properly for a short term.
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? 50plus LIFE readers have spoken!
Here are the York County dining favorites for 2016! Breakfast: Mary Jane’s Restaurant
Fast Food: Wendy’s
Lunch: The Famous Hot Weiner
Seafood: Red Lobster
Dinner: White Rose Bar & Grill
Steak: LongHorn Steakhouse
Ethnic Cuisine: Giovanni’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant
Outdoor Dining: Bay City Seafood Restaurant
You’re a SageAge and we want to hear from you ... and your friends, family, and coworkers!
Celebrating: Staub’s Landing Restaurant and Pub
Romantic Setting: Great American Saloon
Bakery: Giant Food Stores
Smorgasbord/Buffet: Hoss’s Steak & Sea House
Go to www.SageAgeToday.com to enter!
Coffeehouse: McDonald’s
Caterer: Down to Earth Catering
Take a quick survey on issues important to people over 50. You will be entered into a drawing for a pair of tickets to Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre ($110 value).
Contest sponsored by:
The winner will be selected at random. You may enter no more than once a day. The winner will be emailed and called.
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Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card: Linda S. Peters Congratulations!
www.50plusLifePA.com
Don’t live in pain because you are worried about this; just keep it in mind if you take them every day. Supplement with what the drug mugger stole. Do you take blood thinners (warfarin) or anticoagulant medications? You’re better off with
acetaminophen in this case because ibuprofen can further thin the blood. Heart disease or hypertension? You’re better off with acetaminophen. A recent study suggests taking acetaminophen affects your ability to empathize with someone else during their own physical or emotional pain.
Does ibuprofen blunt your emotional reactions too? While no study ever tested ibuprofen, I personally think it does. Whenever you reduce your own ability to feel pain, it’s certainly harder to feel pain for another. Finally, you may be concerned
about addiction, so let me reassure you, both medications are completely safe in this regard. This information is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat your disease. For more information about the author, visit SuzyCohen.com
The Bookworm Sez
Political Suicide Terri Schlichenmeyer
Whom will you vote for, come November? No doubt, you probably know whom you’re not voting for, but at least one candidate on your party’s ticket has captured your attention. Now, you just have to hope nobody does anything to jeopardize that or make you change your mind. In the new book Political Suicide by Erin McHugh, you’ll see that all kinds of things can go wrong. Politicians are human. There are surely times when you’d like to think otherwise, but the truth is that they laugh, they cry, they love—and they do boneheaded things. Their greed gets the better of them. Their egos need stroking, or their tempers take over. Take, for instance, Daniel Sickles. Though the New York state assemblyman was a known philanderer himself, he was furious that his missus enjoyed a dalliance. Sickles killed his wife’s lover and went to trial but pleaded temporary insanity, becoming the first person to successfully be acquitted in that manner. Also lucky was a California congressman who killed a man over a lack of breakfast; he likewise served no jail time. Throughout history, there have been many scandalous quirks in politics. One sitting congressman served his country from an insane asylum. One was reelected to Congress while in jail. And one notable congressman told a mega-whopper of a lie to gain his www.50plusLifePA.com
seat, and then political “man tried to explain among men” it by saying wasn’t a man at that he was “a all … prisoner” of his Looking for a own story. little levity in the There’s wreckage of this money to political year? be found in You’ll find politics— some between although, the lines in unfortunately, Political Suicide, it doesn’t but don’t expect always belly laughs or belong to the goofy stories. politician. No, author That doesn’t Erin McHugh necessarily gives readers stop them lots of true (and from taking outrageous!) the cash, tales, but Political Suicide however: One the humor By Erin McHugh state treasurer comes from c. 2016, Pegasus Books who called the situations 258 pages himself Honest themselves more Dick “in fact, than from the was not.” author. Questionable loans are altogether too McHugh is quick to point out the common. ridiculousness of what happened, but And imagine the shock when she also puts things into historical one small town discovered that its and cultural perspective; what’s more, comptroller-treasurer “stole $53 her accounts seem sympathetic now million … money right out of the and then, especially when naiveté is pockets of her friends and neighbors.” involved. There have been sex scandals That gives readers a nice balance of aplenty in politics, words that went silly, sad, and scandalous. What’s not awry, and a lot of big mouths. Racism to like about that? has reared its terrible head, as has Nothing, that’s what—so, White double-crossing and blame-laying. House watchers, voters, fed-up folks, History repeats itself in contentious and historians should want to read elections and Supreme Court this book. If you need a hint of nominations. And at least one disgracefully laden lightheartedness
between now and Nov. 8, Political Suicide is just the ticket. The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 14,000 books.
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Tinseltown Talks
Please join us!
S ’ N E M
Singer Toni Tennille’s Brush with Hollywood
Nov. 19, 2016 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center Memorial Hall West Register online and save $5!
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South. She put the “I’m now “Tennille” in the popular ’70s music living just northeast of duo of the Captain Orlando near and Tennille and my sister,” enjoyed two huge No. 1 Billboard said Tennille, who released hits: “Love Will Keep Us Together” her April autobiography and “Do That to Toni Tennille: Me One More A Memoir, Time.” But Toni The Captain and Tennille in early years. written with Tennille also niece Caroline Tennille St. brushed shoulders with Hollywood’s biggest stars. Clair (see www.tonitennille.net). Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Tennille recently left five “It took two years to write and decades of West Coast life behind her, looks back at my childhood growing as well as nearly 40 years of marriage up in the segregated South,” she said. to musical partner Daryl “the After arriving in California in 1961, Captain” Dragon, and returned to the Tennille worked in repertory theater,
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www.50plusLifePA.com
A Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Family Hit!
Remember your favorite songs and share them with your grandchildren or just for a nostalgic fun date night!
NOW – AUGUST 6 Toni Tennille today with niece and book co-author Caroline Tennille St. Clair.
Tennille and Dragon with George Burns on The Captain and Tennille Show.
wrote music, and eventually met and married musician Daryl Dragon. When the Captain and Tennille exploded onto the pop music scene in 1975, they were given their own primetime weekly TV variety show on ABC also called The Captain and Tennille. Tennille says working with the weekly guests was a highlight. “I was so excited about meeting all those fabulous stars like George Burns and Bob Hope.” A reoccurring skit throughout the series was Masterjoke Theater, where a guest would perform a short monologue and close by tossing a pie in his own face. “Big stars like Vincent Price, Raymond Burr, Bob Hope, and Tony Randall were all game to be silly.” The show, however, only lasted one season. But with her cheerful and engaging personality, Tennille was back on television again in 1980 starring in her own program, The Toni Tennille Show, a nationally syndicated series featuring musical numbers and her interviews with special guests. She also drew on advice her mother had offered years before.
“She once told me: ‘Toni, always be really nice to your lighting guys, because they can make you look like an old hag if they want!’ So that’s what I did.” The show only lasted a year, too, but the parade of stars was once again stellar and included Ginger Rogers, Ernest Borgnine, and Charlton Heston. However, one of her most memorable encounters occurred offscreen at Dodger Stadium in 1978. “I used to sing the national anthem there,” she recalled. “I was sitting please see Tennille page 13
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Calendar of Events
York County
Community Programs/Support Groups Free and open to the public
Senior Center Activities
July 1, 5 to 9 p.m. First Fridays: Christmas in July Downtown York www.downtownyorkpa.com
Crispus Attucks Active Living Center (717) 848-3610, www.crispusattucks.org
July 5, 7 p.m. Surviving Spouse Socials of York County Faith United Church of Christ 509 Pacific Ave., York (717) 266-2784
July 4, 5:30 p.m. July4York PeoplesBank Park 5 Brooks Robinson Way, York (717) 801-4487 www.july4york.com
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Parks and Recreation July 5, 11 to 11:30 a.m. – Creature Feature, Nixon County Park July 26, 11 to 11:30 a.m. – Creature Feature, Nixon County Park
Library Programs
Delta Area Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 4565753, www.deltaseniorcenter.com Dillsburg Senior Activity Center (717) 432-2216 Eastern Area Senior Center, Inc. (717) 252-1641 Golden Visions Senior Community Center – (717) 633-5072, www.goldenvisionspa.com Heritage Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 292-7471, www.heritagesrcenter.org Northeastern Senior Community Center – (717) 266-1400, www.mtwolf.org/SeniorCenter
Arthur Hufnagel Public Library of Glen Rock, 32 Main St., Glen Rock, (717) 235-1127
Red Land Senior Center – (717) 938-4649, www.redlandseniorcenter.org
Collinsville Community Library, 2632 Delta Road, Brogue, (717) 927-9014 Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Purls of Brogue Knitting Club July 1, 1 to 3 p.m. – M.I.X.E.D. N.U.T.S. Book Discussion Group: Early Warning July 7, 1 to 3 p.m. – Adult Coloring Party
Red Lion Area Senior Center – (717) 244-7229, www.redlionseniorcenter.com
Dillsburg Area Public Library, 17 S. Baltimore St., Dillsburg, (717) 432-5613 Dover Area Community Library, 3700-3 Davidsburg Road, Dover, (717) 292-6814 Glatfelter Memorial Library, 101 Glenview Road, Spring Grove, (717) 225-3220 Guthrie Memorial Library, 2 Library Place, Hanover, (717) 632-5183 July 5, 6:30 to 8 p.m. – Mystery Book Talk: Murder on the Orient Express July 22, 7 to 11 p.m. – Piano Bar with Mike Carl Kaltreider-Benfer Library, 147 S. Charles St., Red Lion, (717) 244-2032 July 28, 6 to 8 p.m. – Knit Wits Knitting Group Kreutz Creek Valley Library Center, 66 Walnut Springs Road, Hellam, (717) 252-4080 July 26, 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. – Cookbook Discussion Group: Garden Veggies Recipes July 27, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Friends of the Kreutz Creek Library Meeting Martin Library, 159 E. Market St., York, (717) 846-5300 July 19, 6 to 7 p.m. – Tech Guru: Help with Tablets, Smartphones, Computers July 20, noon to 2 p.m. – rabbittransit Information Fair Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, (717) 993-2404 Paul Smith Library of Southern York County, 80 Constitution Ave., Shrewsbury, (717) 235-4313 Red Land Community Library, 48 Robin Hood Drive, Etters, (717) 938-5599 Village Library, 35-C N. Main St., Jacobus, (717) 428-1034 July 21, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Rowdy Readers Book Discussion Group
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South Central Senior Community Center – (717) 235-6060, http:// southcentralyorkcountysrctr.webs.com Tuesdays, 10 to 11 a.m. – Stretch Yoga W ednesdays, 9 to 9:45 a.m. – Intermediate Line Dancing; 10 to 11 a.m. – Beginner Line Dancing Wednesdays, 12:45 p.m. – HoopFit Stewartstown Senior Center – (717) 993-3488, www.stewsenior.org Susquehanna Senior Center – (717) 244-0340, www.susquehannaseniorcenter.org Mondays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Chorus Practice Tuesdays, 6 to 10 p.m. – Bluegrass/Country Music Jam Session White Rose Senior Center – (717) 843-9704, www.whiteroseseniorcenter.org Windy Hill On the Campus – (717) 225-0733, www.windyhillonthecampus.org York Community S.E.N.I.O.R.S. – (717) 8484417 Yorktown Senior Center – (717) 854-0693, www.yorktownseniorcenter.org Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information. www.50plusLifePA.com
Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori
The Art of Storing China and Heirlooms Lori Verderame
If you have your heirloom china, crystal, porcelain, and knickknacks in a lighted china closet or display case with lamps inside, don’t position your collectibles too close to the lamps. Once, during an in-home appraisal service call, I had to break some bad news to a Waterford crystal collector who had her entire collection on display in just such a cabinet. She told me that every Sunday she turned on the lights inside that cabinet so her dinner guests could admire her lovely collection. Well, I found all of the damage that they were admiring. Every one of those Waterford pieces on the top shelf, the ones closest to the lights, were cracked from the heat trapped in that glass display cabinet. My client had been unknowingly damaging her crystal with a weekly dose of high-intensity heat. And, like the hot china cabinet, another poor locale for storing your art or antiques is the attic, where temperature and humidity changes take place as often as the seasons change. The basement has all the room in
the world set worth for the $500) storage came in a of your cardboard treasures, box like china originally? and crystal, Should I yet it is keep that usually too box?” damp to Just store those because it precious came in a pieces. cardboard Circa 1930s ceramic Mickey Mouse Now that box doesn’t child’s tea set in original box. you know mean it has where not to store your stuff, here’s a to stay in a cardboard box when you tip on how to store it. No cardboard store it. Of course, the original box boxes. That’s right, no cardboard should be kept and does have value, boxes. They attract bugs, are high but to preserve the antique object, in acid content, and will stain your take it out of the cardboard box for ceramics, photographs, and works on long-term storage. paper. Depending on what your object is, Cardboard boxes will soak up any water like a sponge. Water means moisture, moisture means mold, and then we have a recipe for disaster. I have had clients and audience members ask me, “Dr. Lori, what if my antique or collectible (like my circa 1930s Mickey Mouse child’s tea
www.50plusLifePA.com
Ph.D. antique appraiser and awardwinning TV expert Dr. Lori Verderame is the star appraiser on Discovery channel’s international hit TV show, Auction Kings, and appears on FOX Business Network’s Strange Inheritance. Visit www.DrLoriV.com or call (888) 4311010.
Around Town
Tennille from page 11 at a table during one of the events and a man came up to me and said, ‘Miss Tennille, I’m Cary Grant. I just wanted to tell you that I have never heard the national anthem sung more beautifully.’ “Wow, such high praise from Cary Grant. And I found it so endearing that he felt the need to introduce himself to me!” Her glitzy entertainment career now in the distant past, Tennille, 75, says she found the perfect house last summer after moving to Florida and easily slipped back into Southern living. But her decision to divorce Dragon in 2014 took many fans by surprise, as the duo was publicly perceived as
store the object and the box separately wrapped in acid-free paper or in a plastic tub. Remember, bubble wrap is not for long-term storage but for short-term transport. You should wrap your heirlooms in white, acid-free tissue paper or white cotton cloths. Bubble wrap traps heat, and it captures damaging moisture. You want to keep your art and antiques dry and in good shape, even while you are storing them.
a devoted couple performing their string of love songs for years. However, says Tennille, throughout the marriage there were problems that became overwhelming, so it was time to move on. “We were not the lovebirds that the public saw,” she said. “We still talk regularly and care for each other. But my message for people who are in a bad relationship is to get all the help you can to remove yourself from the situation. We all deserve happiness.” Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for more than 600 magazines and newspapers. Follow @ TinseltownTalks
‘Welcome to the City of York’ Effort Completed
Past Presidents Al Sykes and Dr. Dave Hoffman, members of Rotary Club of York’s Preserve Planet Earth Committee, recently put the finishing touches on the replanting and revitalizing of the East Market Street welcome sign and garden. The club, which will maintain the garden, planted white knock-out roses, white azaleas, salvia, and additional liriope to complete the garden at the East Market Street gateway. If you have local news you’d like considered for Around Town, please email mjoyce@onlinepub.com
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Salute to a Veteran
For Him, His Time in the Navy Was a Life-Changer Robert D. Wilcox
Aug. 25, 2016 Nov. 15, 2016 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
1150 Camp Hill Bypass Camp Hill
2913 Spooky Nook Rd. Manheim
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At the Job Fair
Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Principal Sponsors:
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www.veteransexpo.com (717) 285-1350 www.olpevents.com
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July 2016
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Brought to you by:
When George T. Heidig says, “The of tests to determine their educational Navy saved my life,” he doesn’t mean and skill levels. And with his spotty it saved him from death. He means school experience, Heidig did not do it saved him from the worse-thanwell. All recruits were then trained in hopeless path his life had taken to that ordnance and gunnery, seamanship, point. firefighting, physical training, and He was a lad whose father had military drill. trouble holding a job and was away Upon graduation, Heidig was from home a lot. His mother, on the shipped to Charleston, South other hand, “was Carolina, where he a saint” who was assigned to the spent much of destroyer escort USS her time working Tills. She made twoa low-paying job week training cruises so she would be to the Caribbean home when the with naval reservists youngsters got undertaking there and so she refresher and reserve could provide training cruises, and food for the she also used her family. radar to perform a Eventually, the host of tasks. parents separated, Heidig fondly and, without ever recalls the day when having had the he was lingering near Radarman 3rd Class George T. Heidig father figure he the “off-limits” radar at Charleston Naval Base, S.C., needed, Heidig room, and the older in 1957. grew up as a radarman 1st class in charge invited him “cocky kid who in and visited with him over a cup of hated school, didn’t study, and who ran the streets with all the wrong kind coffee. “I don’t know exactly why he did of people.” that,” Heidig says, “but he became He says, “If there was a way to go much like the father figure I never wrong, I found it and took it.” had. He invited me to come back He asked his mother to sign a whenever I had time. And, over time, note with her permission for him to he taught me all about the radar … leave school after the ninth grade. doing navigation, recommending Of course, she wouldn’t, and she courses to avoid a collision course with begged him to stay on and do well in other ships, how to make emergency school. So he asked his father, and no entrance to ports, spotting subs, etc. problem. He got the note he needed, “Once, he also invited me for dinner and at age 16 left school. with his family. I gladly accepted, He got the kind of jobs a kid that because I missed my mother and age could expect, making no more brother so much, and this touch of than a dollar a day. When his last family meant a lot to me.” employer turned down his request for At one point, that radar training a 10-cent increase, he impetuously became very important, when the joined the Navy in order to leave. radarman 1st class became ill and At 18 he was on his way to “boot couldn’t make the cruise. The ship’s camp” training at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, the Navy captain then questioned Heidig at length before deciding Heidig could base at Port Deposit, Maryland. well fill the berth, and the captain There, recruits were given a battery www.50plusLifePA.com
He taught at permitted the a junior high cruise to go school for 30 on. years before Although he retired his Navy hitch in 1988 and was for only went to work two years, it for a funeral gave Heidig home. Since the structure his retirement and discipline from their he needed to support staff in straighten out 1996, he has his life. kept in shape Leaving The USS Tills, the Navy destroyer by swimming, active duty escort on which George Heidig playing golf, in 1958 as a served in the 1950s. and riding his radarman 3rd bicycle. class, he found Does he think often of his Navy that his high school would not accept him to make up the high school years days? “All the time,” he says quietly. “It he had missed, so he used his G.I. absolutely laid the solid foundation Bill to get his high school credits for everything I did with my life.” during two years at a trade school. He then worked his way through Col. Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Millersville State College, earning a Europe in World War II. B.A. in industrial arts.
He survived the Bataan Death March. He bombed the Bridge on the River Kwai. He escorted MacArthur ashore in the Philippines.
Stories of ordinary men and women called to perform extraordinary military service.
Volunteer Spotlight Former Teacher Tutors Elementary Students Swam performs vocally and The York County volunteer of the month for June for RSVP of the plays the guitar with Bluestone, a bluegrass band. He has three Capital Region is Carroll Swam, who tutors students children and four granddaughters. at Delta-Peach RSVP, the Bottom Elementary School in the nation’s largest volunteer program Southeastern School District. for adults aged 55plus, works with Swam attended volunteers to help Hereford High match their time School, Towson and talents with University, and McDaniel College volunteer positions Carroll Swam in the community. and taught in Baltimore County For information on volunteering with RSVP of for 30 years. the Capital Region, contact Scott Currently, he operates the Gatchellville Antique Store with his Hunsinger at (443) 619-3841 or yorkadamsfranklin@rsvpcapreg.org. wife, Linda. Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus LIFE’s Volunteer Spotlight! Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus LIFE, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.
www.50plusLifePA.com
Since 1999, writer and World War II veteran Col. Robert D. Wilcox has preserved the firsthand wartime experiences of more than 200 veterans through Salute to a Veteran, his monthly column featured in 50plus LIFE. Now, for the first time, 50 of those stories—selected by Wilcox himself—are available to own in this soft-cover book.
Simply complete and mail this form with your payment to the address below to order Salute to Our Veterans. On-Line Publishers • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Name_ _______________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________ City_______________________________ State_ ____ Zip_ ______________ Phone_ _____________________ Email______________________________ Number of copies_ ______ (Please include $20.80 for each copy) Credit card #______________________________________ Exp. date________ Signature of cardholder_________________________________CVV #________
Or send a check made payable to On-Line Publishers, Inc. You can also order online at www.50plusLIFEpa.com! 50plus LIFE t
July 2016
15
The Way I See It
Another One Gone? Mike Clark
There’s a church for sale in a town near here. It has been there as a Sunday school since 1897. The present structure has been there since 1937. It’s a beautiful building, with all the traditional stained-glass windows, bronze plaques, and wooden pews that have been burnished to a glassy smoothness over the years by wool suits, cotton dresses, and the restless limbs of small children. I am concerned when churches go up for sale. I worry that they will be converted to secular use when they are sold. It happens. I’ve visited a few of these altered structures on candlelight tours and other occasions. Instead of being uplifting and spiritual, they were eerie and devoid of atmosphere, in spite of the creative use of space and contemporary décor.
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July 2016
Americans used to be some of the most churchgoing people in the world. That has changed in recent years, though. There is a growing number of people who, although they say they are spiritual and believe in God, are not members of any particular church. Consequently, many churches are struggling to meet financial obligations through tithing. That is what is happening to this church. The notion of the declining church reminds me of a poem by English poet Philip Larkin called “Church Going.”
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The character in Larkin’s poem is a bicycle traveler who stops at one of the archaic churches that dot the bucolic English countryside. Attendance at these churches is dwindling, as it is here. The tone of the poem is reflective and a bit melancholy. Although the traveler lacks strength of conviction regarding his personal faith, he laments the emptiness and deterioration of what he calls a serious house on serious earth. The tentative and indifferent visitor enters the church after he determines the place is inactive; he peruses the surroundings and surveys the contents. From all appearances, this could be any one of a number of forlorn holy structures that were once filled to capacity with the faithful. The traveler is acutely aware of the present stillness but is also aware that a caretaker or worshippers have recently been there. Mats, seats, books, and the organ are neatly in their proper place, offering a sense of hope, but the fading flowers reveal the subtle truth of the “tense, musty, unignorable silence.” The traveler wanders about the church and ponders the whole experience. Before leaving, he chucks a worthless coin in the offering plate and determines the place wasn’t worth the stop. In spite of his disdain, the traveler always stops at these places, never certain of what he is seeking. Of course, like all of us, he is looking for existential answers. And if the answers are in these holy places, what will we do when they are gone? We can only imagine. Will these marvelous structures, devoid of their spiritual essence,
be relegated to nothing more than pastoral scenery? Will architects and preservationists go about their routine business of interpretation, uninterrupted by those who once sought the grace that could be found there? And will all the books of instruction, Bibles, collection plates, and holy vessels lie with other relics at a museum somewhere while the curious guess at their former purpose and value? As time passes, the elements of weather, human neglect, and vandalism will take their toll on every structure—the stones will crumble and fall, and the wood will rot away as they become “a shape less recognizable each week, with a purpose more obscure.” There will be those who remember why these sacred places existed. They will take their children in the hope that just the touch of a single stone will steel them against harm; the sick, out of desperation, will still seek relief; and those in grief will look for some sort of resurrection of familial souls. And finally, when faith and superstition are no longer a compelling force, the earth will reclaim the elements of each structure, altar by altar and stone by stone. The traveler finds solace and feels the spiritual power of this holy ground. “It pleases me to stand here,” he says. And if, in all his cynicism, he still feels the power of this place, then the truly faithful must remain vigilant in preserving the church—not just for themselves, but especially for those in doubt. Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational behavior/applied psychology from Albright College. Mike lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.
www.50plusLifePA.com
Puzzle Page
CROSSWORD
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 18 SUDOKU
brainteasers
Game Shows that Started in the ’50s Find the titles of these television game shows that started in the ’50s: 1. Beat the C_____ 2. G.E. C_____ Bowl 3. I’ve Got a S_____ 4. Name That T_____ 5. The P_____ is Right 6. Q_____ for a Day 7. The $64,000 Q_____ 8. Tic Tac D_____ 9. To Tell the T_____ 10. You Bet Your L_____
Jobs of the ’50s and ’60s Find these job titles that are rarely used now but were common in ’50s and ’60s: 1. St _ _ _ g _ _ _ _ _ r 2. St _ _ _ d _ _ _ 3. Ha _ _ _ d _ _ _ _ r 4. Ic _ _ _ _ 5. Nu _ _ _ _ _ _ d 6. So _ _ Je _ _ 7. El _ _ _ t _ _ Op _ _ _ t _ r 8. Se _ _ _ _ _ St _ _ _ _ _ At _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9. Mi _ _ _ _ n 10. Sw _ _ _ _ b _ _ _ _ Op _ r _ _ _ r
Written by Alan Stillson. Please see http://stillsonworks.com
Across
1. Sea eagles 5. Crash into 8. Journey 12. Debatable 13. Java canvas 14. Mayhem 16. Pol. second in command 19. Bursts 20. Horse defect 22. Break out 25. Your (Fr.) 26. Surrealist Spanish painter
27. Have supper 28. Cover 29. Civet relative 30. Polluted precipitation 33. High rocky hill 34. Connected 35. Salzburg location 37. Brim 40. Flatboat 41. Sporting shoe 43. Egg-shaped 46. Genetic material 47. Always
48. Rave 49. Embrace 50. Lead off 51. Booked 53. Seal off 55. Responsibility words 60. Spoken 61. Moray 62. Redact 63. Yes votes 64. Action word 65. Spice
22. Dutch cheese 23. Food grain 24. Building block 25. Dying 28. Fleur-de-___ 29. Gazelles 31. Uncommon 32. Diving bird 33. Bind 36. Music co. inits. 37. Volcanic rock 38. Roman road 39. Saucy 40. A slap on the back 42. Teapots
43. Pay dirt 44. Letter-turner White 45. Afr. country 46. Washouts 49. Pays attention 50. U-boat 52. Paste 53. Visionary 54. Golf aim 56. Body of water 57. Crete mountain 58. Lance 59. Fr. summer
Down
1. Ostrich relative 2. Director Howard 3. Gesture of assent 4. Locomoted 5. Wood file 6. Fruit drinks 7. Raincoat, for short 8. Muscles 9. Grade 10. Boxer Holyfield 11. Altaic language 15. Periodic event 17. Decompose 18. Woodwind 21. Outfit
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The Beauty in Nature
2 Kinds of Dragonflies Clyde McMillan-Gamber
Anyone who has visited a pond or sluggish waterway in southeastern Pennsylvania in summer probably experienced dragonflies. Some people are afraid of those large, fast-flying insects, but there is no reason for fear because dragonflies are harmless to us. In fact, they are beneficial in eating mosquitoes and other kinds of pesky insects. And dragonflies are entertaining to watch, zipping low on their four stiff wings over water after flying-insect prey and mates. White-tailed and twelve-spotted skimmers are two kinds of attractive dragonflies commonly seen around impoundments and sluggish streams in this area. Like all their kind, they are fast flyers, skimming swiftly and low over water and land alike after food and mates. Both these species have 2-inchlong bodies and 3-inch wingspans
Twelve-spotted skimmer.
and live around water in much of the United States. White-tailed skimmers have brown heads and gray-brown thoraxes. Female white-tails have brown abdomens with a row of yellow spots. But males have white abdomens, hence the species’ name. And the four wings of both genders are alternately brown and clear.
White-tailed skimmer.
Harum Koh
Twelve-spotted skimmers look a little like white-tails. But male twelve-spots have three brown spots alternating with two white spots on each wing. Females of this species have clear wings. Females of both species, after being fertilized, spawn by hovering just above the water and repeatedly dipping the end of their abdomens
into it, dropping an egg on a water plant at the surface with each dip. When they hatch, the tiny, brown naiads sink to the bottom of the impoundment where they blend into the mud, which makes them invisible to fish and other predators. There they catch and consume aquatic invertebrates until grown in a year’s time. And there they have gills to take oxygen from the water. When grown, the naiads climb plant stems out of the water, emerge from their larval shells, and, eventually, fly away to look for food and mates. Only empty shells on emergent plants silently testify to the dragonflies’ past in the water. Dragonflies are attractive, interesting, and entertaining, as well as beneficial. This summer, enjoy these large, darting insects around waterways and impoundments.
Coffee May Keep You Healthy 430,000 people found that coffee may lower the risk of cirrhosis of the liver, a disease associated with overindulgence in alcohol (among other causes). Tinnitus. Researchers kept track of more than 65,000 women and found that those who drank more than one 8-ounce cup of coffee a day were less
Puzzle Solutions
Is drinking coffee good for you? A recent article on the New York Times’ website linked to a number of different studies touting the positive effects of caffeine on several different health problems. They include: Liver damage. A review of data collected by studies of more than
July 2016
Auto crashes. A study of truck drivers who routinely work on long hauls found that coffee drinkers (or consumers of other caffeinated drinks) seem 63 percent less likely to be involved in crashes while driving.
Melanoma. An analysis of health and dietary data involving more than 400,000 people ages 50-71 found that those who drank four or more cups of coffee a day were 20 percent less likely to develop skin cancer. (The researchers cautioned that avoiding exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is still the most important way to avoid melanoma.) Brainteasers
Game Shows that Started in the ’50s 1. Beat the Clock 6. Queen for a Day 2. G.E. College Bowl 7. The $64,000 Question 3. I’ve Got a Secret 8. Tic Tac Dough 4. Name That Tune 9. To Tell the Truth 5. The Price is Right 10. You Bet Your Life
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likely to suffer from tinnitus, that persistent ringing or buzzing in your ears.
Jobs of the ’50s and ’60s 1. Stenographer 6. Soda Jerk 2. Stevedore 7. Elevator Operator 3. Haberdasher 8. Service Station Attendant 4. Iceman 9. Milkman 5. Nursemaid 10. Switchboard Operator
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