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LEISURE & TRAVEL

Biking through beautiful and historic parts of the Netherlands; plus, NYC’s Chelsea hotel, and how to detect and avoid common scams page 22

ARTS & STYLE

From Ireland to Maryland McDermott’s parents emigrated from Ireland to Brooklyn, where she was born. She was raised on Long Island before moving to Maryland in 1989. Her husband, David Armstrong, is a retired National Institutes of Health neuroscientist. They have three grown children. McDermott was only 12 years old when she finished her first novel — “a romance featuring a singing group that vaguely resembled the Beatles.” Even then, she said with a smile, “I had an appreciation for storytelling.” She had to wait another 19 years before her first (real) novel, A Bigamist’s Daughter, was published in 1982 by Random House. (The Beatles were not mentioned.) Charming Billy, her fourth novel, won the National Book Award in 1998. The story about an Irish-American family was adapted for the stage in 2011; the play de-

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Alice McDermott on life and faith By Robert Friedman On a gray afternoon this winter, novelist Alice McDermott paused for a pint of Guinness at the Irish Inn in Glen Echo, Maryland, to chat with a reporter about, among other things, life, literature and what it means to be an American. “What makes all Americans Americans, regardless of the hyphenation, is that they are from someone, or are someone, who left [their home], whether for reasons of ambition or desperation,” said Irish-American McDermott, 66. “That is the essence of the American character. It’s a kind of contrariness — and, at the heart, a certain optimism and imagination,” she said. McDermott is a National Book Award winner, bestselling author and three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her stories, essays and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker and elsewhere. She also teaches writing as the Richard A. Macksey Professor of the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. McDermott will speak about matters Irish and literary at the 42nd Annual Evening of Irish Music and Poetry sponsored by the Howard County Poetry and Literary Society (HoCoPoLitSo). The event will take place on February 21 at Howard Community College in Columbia.

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Alice McDermott, a Johns Hopkins University writing professor and best-selling author, has written eight novels, one of which won the National Book Award. She will read from The Ninth Hour, her latest book, which draws on her Irish ancestry, at an Irish Music and Poetry evening in Columbia on Feb. 21.

buted at RoundHouse Theater, in Bethesda, Maryland. NPR reporter Alice Leccese Powers once described McDermott’s tone and her place in today’s literature: “With pitch-perfect voice, she claims Long Island her territory, just as surely as Faulkner’s was Mississippi. No detail escapes her.” Her eight novels about the ups, downs and sideways moves of seemingly ordinary Irish-American families are known for “closely examining the cracks and crevices of the human heart” (O, The Oprah Magazine). “Ordinary life is made extraordinary” by her “tender characterizations of

women, of husbands, of sons, of parents,” according to The Kansas City Star.

Epiphanies emerge from The Shadow Box at Spotlighters Theatre, through March 1; plus, how to enter your artwork in our Celebration of the Arts contest page 26 TECHNOLOGY kNew surveillance tools

FITNESS & HEALTH k Sleep and your brain k Eating mindfully

Musings on great writers McDermott said that like many other American writers, she came of age with appreciation of “the big three: Faulkner, Fitzgerald and Hemingway.” Now, she said, her students want to read more than just books by those “three white men.” Young writers today, she said, seek out books by minority writers from other countries. “It’s no longer just Dickens, Conrad, See McDERMOTT, page 29

LAW & MONEY k Save gas and cash k Make money off your skills

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Understood too well? We all want to be understood by our appropriate message. close friends and, particularly, by our Publications that you frequent online mates. We want them to know know what topics you like to what our preferences are, read and will “curate” their what we like to eat, with content for you, showing you whom we like (and don’t like) only the articles, op-eds and to socialize. blogs that reflect your politiWe want them to rememcal opinions (or, if you appear ber our birthday, what types to like getting upset, showing of gifts please us, what music you the ones most sure to we like to listen to at different raise your blood pressure). times of day. These are We don’t even need to examong the myriad ways in plicitly ask these devices for which people who love each FROM THE such favors. Unlike people, other show they understand PUBLISHER they don’t need to be told or By Stuart P. Rosenthal and appreciate each other. reminded about our preferBut today, a device can do ences. They figure them out all of this for us and more, and probably do on their own and, seemingly, never forget it better. A “smart refrigerator” can re- which clothing items we once lingered order your preferred foods when they’re over while shopping online. running low and have them delivered. Better yet, they don’t try to change our Digital assistants from Amazon, Google opinions or expose us to different ways of and other know-it-all companies will re- thought the way a spouse might. member your spouse’s birthday and, once These examples of useful artificial intelit gets to know their taste (and your budg- ligence (AI) come from companies that et), can send your spouse a gift in the right say they are simply trying to make our size, perhaps even with a card having an lives easier, more convenient, less bur-

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dened. Personal assistants theoretically have only our interests at heart. (After all, catering to our every whim is how they make money.) And it’s true that many of us do appreciate the benefits we derive from such technology. But there are other, similar artificially intelligent bots that, you might say, have an ulterior motive. For example, we all know and hate those daily dastardly robocallers, who impersonate our neighbors and want to scam us. There are the emails that purport to be from our friends, but ask us to FedEx gift cards ASAP, and the digital ads that are constantly inviting us to stray from our diets as we pass by pizza and pastry shops. Now, I have to admit that people we know (and even love) can lie to us sometimes, try to manipulate us in certain ways, say one thing and mean another. We humans are not above such behavior. But in interpersonal relationships, we believe we can usually detect — and even appreciate — the occasional white lie, well told. It feels very different when we have no idea where the deceptive phone calls, emails and digital ads are coming from, and when we are certain that the responsible party only wants our money or our vote or our credit card number for nefarious purposes. I went shopping the other day for a birthday card for my wife. I chuckled or choked up over numerous cards in a huge variety of styles. Some were clearly for the romantic young marrieds, others for the “we’ve been through a lot together” couples, and some were perfunctory “have a great day; indulge yourself” cards. And yes, I usually have no trouble finding a card that perfectly expresses my feelings for my wife. She, in turn, gives me cards that accurately convey her emotions and thoughts. If I don’t have a problem giving my wife

a heartfelt card written by someone else, why should it be a problem if I ask Alexa to “buy my wife something nice for her birthday” or “send her the kind of flowers she likes, with a nice card”? Well, somehow that seems unseemly, less personal. Is it just a matter of degree? Have we ended up here because we relinquished much of the personal touch long ago by communicating with, and giving to, others via Hallmark cards, Amazon “wish lists,” form letters and email blasts, and it’s just that the technology has gotten better? Perhaps it’s true that today’s AI computers understand us and those we interact with better than we do. And if that’s so, what do we lose in exchange for this greater efficiency? The opportunity to make personal choices, to spend a little time thinking about others, and to make an effort to understand others are among the things that make us human. The movie The Matrix, which I saw when it came out more than 20 years ago, made little sense to me at the time, but I did get the point: namely that human beings in the future function solely as batteries, our purpose being to power the machines that really run the world. In that futuristic dystopia, most human beings are all but dead, lying in pods connected to wires, generating body heat that keeps the machines humming. We take no real action, cannot even move or eat or awaken from our condition. But to keep us subjugated, AI computers give our brains a complete world of pleasant thoughts that make us think we are interacting with others, so we don’t even realize what has become of us. That movie scares me a lot more today than it did two decades ago.

Letters to the editor

not necessarily constitute endorsement. Signed columns represent the opinions of the writers, and not necessarily the opinion of the publisher.

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Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: Your cover story, “Unique club’s place in history,” in the February 2020 issue, said, “A. Philip Randolph was the...organizer for the March on Washington [Movement], which successfully advocated for the desegregation of the U.S. military in 1941.” Perhaps a few lines or words are missing. While Mr. Randolph was one of the organizers of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, it is misleading to ignore Bayard Rustin’s key role. Also, the march occurred in 1968, 20 years after President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 ending segregation in

the U.S. military. Which brings me to my last point: Although African American units were integral to allied force success in World War II, desegregation didn’t happen until 1948, rather than 1941 as stated. La Tanya Simms Baltimore Ed.: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was a one-day event held on August 28, 1963. The March on Washington Movement, which is what we referred to in our story, was an effort made during the early 1940s to pressure the U.S. government See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 7

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Technology &

Innovations Surveillance products grow in popularity By Matt O’Brien From the face scanner that checked in some attendees to the cameras-everywhere array of digital products, this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas was all-in on surveillance technology — whether it called it that or not. Nestled in the “smart home” and “smart city” showrooms at the sprawling consumer tech conference were devices that see, hear and track the people they encounter. Some of them also analyze their looks and behavior. The technology on display included eyelid-tracking car dashboard cameras to prevent distracted driving and “rapid DNA” kits for identifying a person from a cheek swab sample. The new talking speakers, doorbell cameras and fitness trackers come with the promise of making life easier or more fun, but they’re also potentially powerful spying tools. And the skeptics who raise privacy and security concerns can be easily drowned out in the flashy spectacle of geewhiz technology. The annual showcase, which took place in early January, is where big companies and startups unveil and promote their latest

gadgets, many of them infused with microphones, cameras and artificial intelligence. Though weighted toward the consumer market, much of what was on display may also be useful to law enforcement, not to mention prying employers or government agencies.

Growing appetite for surveillance There’s been some push back, at least on facial recognition and other surveillance technology from China. Hikvision and iFlytek, two Chinese tech companies that showed off their artificial intelligence at CES 2019, now face U.S. export restrictions because the Trump administration says the technology has been used in the repression of China’s Muslims. But China isn’t the only place where the lines have blurred between consumer technology and government surveillance operations. Watchful residents of American neighborhoods are increasingly encouraged by Ring, Amazon’s security camera division, to share their doorbell video footage with police detectives. Ring recently had to defend its safety

practices following reports of hackers breaking into their camera systems and harassing children. It’s also faced criticism from privacy advocates and U.S. lawmakers over its growing partnerships with police. At CES, the company announced a new “control center” for camera owners to adjust their privacy settings and opt out of police requests for footage. Still, device-makers seem to be counting on consumers buying into ever-more elaborate forms of surveillance and other artificial intelligence (AI) technology for peace of mind. Camera-maker Arlo recently launched its first wireless floodlight camera — with night vision, a siren, two-way audio to converse with intruders and an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust its brightness. Another company, Sunflower Labs, showed off its “home drone security” system. If trespassers step onto your lawn, a cameraequipped drone flies out from its resting place to take a look at them and streams the live video to your phone.

Privacy laws haven’t caught up Serious talk about privacy protections and

regulations wasn’t completely absent at CES. The schedule included panel talks connecting policymakers with privacy executives from companies like Apple and Facebook. Venture capitalist Rajeev Chand, who moderated one of those panels, said tech companies are getting better at seeing themselves as custodians, not owners, of user data, but much more needs to be done. “We are probably at the first or second inning for how privacy re-shapes the consumer tech industry,” said Chand, a partner and head of research at Wing Venture Capital. But even as some U.S. policymakers seek to restrict or ban facial recognition, the conference is getting its attendees more accustomed to everyday uses of surveillance technology in commercial and security settings. Attendees at the gadget show were able to use their face to pick up their event badges for the first time. “We’re experimenting with it,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, which organized CES. He dismissed privacy concerns, saying that attendees have a choice. “You’re opting in,” he said. “If you want to do it, you’ll have an opportunity to do it.” —AP

More mobile bodies

Not all of us can tell when a plant needs more water, more light or less heat. For that, Luxembourg startup Mu Design has created the Lua smart plant pot to give greenery an animated face. Emotions, such as thirsty, sick or cold, are displayed on a digital screen.

Companies are also trying to improve the mobility of your own body. Samsung showed off an exoskeleton system called

GEMS, or Gait Enhancing & Motivating System. It uses small motors connected to your hips or knees to help you lift your limbs and complete exercises. The company envisions GEMS will be helpful for people with limited mobility and those in physical therapy or rehab from surgery. But GEMS is still early in development and doesn’t yet have a release date. Meanwhile, Startup Unlimited Tomorrow has designed a prosthetic arm created with a 3D printer. The arm senses grip and is Internet-connected for regular, personalized software updates. Those updates help fine-tune grip and movement for each person. The arm goes on sale later this year for about $5,000. —AP

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“It transforms the needs of the plant into emotion that you can easily understand, so you won’t be able to kill your plants,” said Vivien Muller from Mu Design. “You just have to look at it, and you’ll know exactly what it needs.” An accompanying app lets users generate information specific to that plant. The pot itself is fitted with sensors to monitor moisture, light and temperature. The device is expected to ship this month for $110.

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The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place in early January, when tech companies brought their best and brightest new inventions to Las Vegas. Here are some intriguing new products from the annual show:

Another new feature will let you use your voice to ask Google about your own privacy settings. The new features supplement privacy controls Google rolled out last year to let people delete their voice recording histories with voice commands. That came after revelations that Google and other companies were using human transcribers rather than just machines to listen to some audio recordings.

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Tech Shorts

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Health Fitness &

BUSYBODIES Walking (or just tapping your feet) can lower blood sugar and help your heart MINDFUL EATING Slow down, concentrate on taste and avoid distractions while eating A DOG’S LIFE A new pill might slow the aging of dogs — and eventually of their owners CLINICAL TRIAL Enroll in a new study to find ways to regain strength after a hip fracture

Inadequate sleep raises risk of dementia By Veena J. Alfred, Ph.D. The main cause of the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease is the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain as we age. Beta-amyloid is a toxic protein that is discharged as a waste product into the fluid surrounding brain cells. If it is not cleared away in a timely manner, it clumps together to form plaques that prevent the brain cells from communicating with one another. The body has a mechanism for clearing away this waste product, but the process can be slowed down and thus overtaken. Or the rate at which the beta amyloid is released may exceed the brain capacity to clear it away. Scientists have recently discovered that it is during sleep that this waste disposal system goes into high gear. When we are awake, the brain’s resources are channeled into supporting the activities of waking life. But when we are asleep, these resources become available

for “housekeeping” duties, that is, cleaning up the messes of the day and clearing out the toxins that are produced by waking activities. This housekeeping function in the brain is extremely important — that is why we spend approximately one-third of our lives sleeping. Lack of sleep or insufficient sleep robs the brain of the opportunity to carry out the necessary tasks of maintenance and repair.

Research finds connection A research team at the National Institutes of Health conducted a study, published in April 2018, to investigate the connection between sleep and dementia. The team scanned the brains of 20 healthy individuals, aged 22 to 72, after a full night’s sleep and again after a night of sleep deprivation (that is, after 31 hours without sleep). The scans showed that there was an average 5% increase in betaamyloid in the brains of the participants following the night of sleep deprivation.

The researchers noted that this increase was located especially in those brain regions (the thalamus and the hippocampus) that are associated with brain functions that decline in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. The team also found that those in the study who had larger beta-amyloid increases reported being in a worse mood after the sleep deprivation than those with lower increases. Earlier studies have shown that the brain regions affected by sleep deprivation are also key areas of the brain involved in mood disorders. Earlier studies published in 2016 found that older individuals who do not get sufficient or proper sleep at night are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other dementias. One larger study, conducted by the Departments of Medicine at various universities across the U.S., focused on 7,444 women aged 65 to 80 years. The study found that those women in the study who got six hours of less of sleep per night

were at a higher risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and/or dementia. The researchers also found that older adults suffering from insomnia are at a significantly higher risk of developing dementia than those without a sleeping disorder. Other studies have investigated the connection between sleep apnea and dementia. Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which the airway is partially or completely closed for brief periods of time during sleep, disproportionately affects older adults. The temporary stoppage of breathing caused by sleep apnea disturbs sleep, thus increasing the risk of developing dementia. Even if older adults are not afflicted with a sleeping disorder, they tend to sleep less, on average, than younger people. Therefore, it is especially important for older adults to make an extra effort to get between seven and eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night on a regular basis. Alfred is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and the CEO of AlfredHouse Assisted Living.

Over-worrying about health is unhealthy By Craig Sawchuk Dear Mayo Clinic: What is the difference between occasionally worrying that something is wrong with me and somatic symptom disorder? How can I stop worrying that I’m not as healthy as my doctor says? A: A little worry over your health is normal. But for some people, fear and concern over symptoms can get out of control. These people can become convinced that they have a particular illness, even when test results are normal. These are common features of somatic symptom disorder, a mental health concern that affects roughly 5% of the population. People with somatic symptom disorder develop an excessive preoccupation with physical symptoms, including pain or fatigue, that results in significant emotional distress or disruptions to daily living. Stress responses such as dizziness, heart palpitations, nausea, chest pain or shortness of breath may further amplify worries. These symptoms may or may not be attributed to a diagnosed medical condition. The thoughts, feelings and behaviors of

somatic symptom disorder may manifest in several ways, including constant worrying about illness, interpreting normal sensations as potentially threatening or harmful, and fearing that symptoms are serious or life-threating, despite exams or testing that suggest otherwise. It’s also common for people with somatic symptom disorder to feel that medical evaluations or treatments haven’t been adequate. Repeatedly checking the body for abnormalities, researching symptoms online and making frequent healthcare visits or testing that don’t relieve concerns — or make them worse — also are signs of the condition. Women are more likely to show signs of somatic symptom disorder, as are people with more than one health condition. Also, people with a history of childhood illness, sexual abuse or other trauma are at increased risk of developing the disorder, as are those with depression or anxiety. Several related conditions share common features with somatic symptom disorder, including illness anxiety disorder (formerly known as hypochondriasis) and functional neurologic disorders, which

consist of neurological symptoms that can’t be explained by a neurological disease or other condition.

Ways to obtain help If you’re experiencing unusual symptoms, it’s important to be evaluated by a healthcare provider to rule out any medical problems. Your healthcare provider can perform a comprehensive examination that focuses on your specific concerns. However, evaluations may need to be limited, as repeated or extensive testing may worsen your level of distress. Regardless of whether a medical diagnosis is present, if you’re in distress, you may be given a questionnaire to evaluate your level of health anxiety. Or you may be referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist. The symptoms of somatic symptom disorder and related disorders often come and go. But recovery is possible — studies suggest that 50% to 75% of people with somatic symptom disorder show eventual improvement. The main goal of managing these disorders is to improve your ability to cope with

your symptoms, tolerate uncertainty and reduce health anxiety. The most effective treatment is psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy. Individual or group cognitive behavioral therapy can help you change behaviors, such as learning how to resist the urge to excessively seek reassurance. Therapy also can provide social support and challenge any disease-related worries and beliefs, such as learning alternate ways to interpret unusual and uncomfortable physical sensations. Help also can be given to restore your work, social or volunteer activities. Antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Endep) and fluoxetine (Prozac or Sarafem) may be recommended for these disorders. However, they have shown only limited benefit. At Mayo Clinic, we recommend that antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs be used to treat only the mood or anxiety-related disorders that often coexist. © 2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

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Boost your health by walking, fidgeting By Karen Asp Spending too much time on your tush can lead to numerous health woes. But here’s an easy fix: After an hour of sitting, walk around for two minutes. It could reduce your risk of early death by a third, according to a report in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Here are three more benefits of walking: 1. Stable blood sugar A short jaunt around the block after you eat could help keep your blood sugar steady, especially if you have type 2 diabetes, according to research published in the journal Diabetologia. When adults with the condition walked for 10 minutes following every meal, they lowered their blood sugar 12% more, on average, than when they took a single 30minute stroll each day. “Walking uses large muscles in your legs and torso — which require a lot of energy,” explained Andrew Reynolds, Ph.D., lead study author and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Otago in New Zealand. “To get that energy, those muscles re-

move sugar from circulation, and your blood sugar goes down.” He added that after-meal walks may also help prevent diabetes in the first place. 2. Better heart health You don’t need crazy-hard cardio to strengthen your heart. A review of data from more than 130,000 women, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that those who walked for at least 30 minutes a day significantly lowered their risk of heart failure. Other research has found that exercisers — and most of them were walkers — reduced their systolic blood pressure (the top number) by an average of nearly 9 mmHg, an improvement similar to that from medication, according to a metaanalysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, each week is the benchmark for heart benefits, according to the American Heart Association. 3. Improved fer tility, decreased inflammation

Letters to editor

highlighted some of the latest innovations in products and services for older adults. Life is certainly changing very quickly, and it’s so important that you keep up with everything — and, more importantly, that you share it with all your readers. Sandy Kursban Silver Spring Ed.: That event was called the Washington Innovations in Aging Summit, held each December in Washington, D.C. It is produced by Mary Furlong & Associates, which also offers “What’s Next Boomer Business Summits” throughout N. America each year. See maryfurlong.com.

From page 2 to desegregate the military. Both A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin were involved in both the earlier Movement and later March. You are correct that military desegregation did not occur until 1948. We apologize for the error. Dear Editor: I’m writing to compliment you on your very useful and informative editorial (“Innovative solutions,” January 2020). I’m interested in knowing the name of the national conference that you attended, which

Researchers from UMass Amherst found that overweight and obese women who regularly walked for at least 10 minutes at a time were nearly twice as likely to conceive as those who didn’t go for a stroll. The researchers said that being at an unhealthy weight — which applies to nearly three-quarters of us — is linked to higher levels of chronic inflammation, which can affect fertility. Walking reduces that inflammation and also may lower stress levels.

Even fidgeting helps Researchers at the University of Missouri discovered that fidgeting can reduce the arterial damage that happens from

spending too much time on your derrière. In the study, healthy men and women were asked to intermittently tap one foot while keeping the other one still. After three hours, researchers compared the blood flow in each leg and found that the fidgeting one showed improved vascular function, while the stationary leg was worse off. Considering that the average person sits 15 hours a day, a little fidgeting could have very real benefits. EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at eatingwell.com. © 2019 Eating Well, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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The value in steroid injections, placebos Q: I was going to ask my doctor for a steroid injection in my knee that has osteoarthritis, but I heard the steroid shots can do more harm than good. Is that true? A: Osteoarthritis is a common and potentially debilitating condition. It’s a degenerative joint disease (often called the “wear-and-tear” type) in which the smooth lining of cartilage becomes thinned and uneven, exposing the bone beneath. Medications, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or injections of steroids or hyaluronic acid (a type of lubricant), can help. However, they don’t always work well, don’t cure the condition and may be accompanied by side effects.

Non-medication approaches can also help, such as loss of excess weight, physical therapy or use of a cane or brace. Surgery is usually a last resort, reserved for people who have declining function, unrelenting pain or both despite trying these other treatments. Steroid injections can quickly provide pain relief that lasts from several weeks to several months. But a new report of one medical center’s experience and a review of past research came to some concerning conclusions about joint injections for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, including: —a lack of compelling evidence that they work —about 7% to 8% of people getting steroid injections seem to worsen

—unusual fractures may occur (in about 1% of people) —bone damage may develop (in about 1% of people) Other side effects include a temporary increase in blood sugar, bleeding into the joint and, rarely, infection. And the injection itself can be painful, although numbing medication is usually provided. The findings of this report are disappointing, especially for those who have not improved with other treatments. Even if the average benefit of a treatment is small, some individuals do report significant improvement with steroid injections. It’s also not entirely clear that the problems described in this study are actually caused by the steroid injections. And, from my own experience, these rates of complications seem high. I think steroid injections still have a role in the treatment of osteoarthritis, but only after a careful review of the potential risks and benefits. If one injection is not terribly helpful, I would not encourage repeated injections. On the other hand, if it works well, a limited number of injections (up to three or four per year is a common limit) may reduce pain and improve function and quality of life. Restricting the injections to those who improve the most and limiting the number

of injections each year may be a better strategy than eliminating steroid injections altogether. By Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, senior medical editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and former clinical chief of rheumatology at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Q: I started a new pain medication, and it seems to be helping. But I wonder if the improvement is just a placebo effect. Can a fake pill be that effective? A: A placebo is commonly used in clinical trials to test the effectiveness of a specific therapy, especially when evaluating how well a drug works. For instance, people in one group get the tested drug, while the others receive a “fake” drug, or placebo, that they think is the real thing. This way, the researchers can measure if the drug works by comparing how both groups react. If they both have the same reaction — improvement or not — the drug is deemed ineffective. However, experts have concluded that reacting to a placebo is not proof that a certain treatment doesn’t work, but rather that another, non-pharmacological mechaSee Q & A, page 9

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

Q&A From page 8 nism may be present. How placebos work is still not quite understood. The placebo effect is more than positive thinking — believing a treatment or procedure will work. It involves a complex neurobiological reaction that includes everything from increases in feel-good neurotransmitters, like endorphins and dopamine, to greater activity in certain brain regions linked to moods, emotional reactions and self-awareness. Results of a study published three years ago in PLOS Biology showed how brain activity differs when people respond to a placebo. Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan the brains of people with chronic pain from knee os-

teoarthritis. Then everyone was given a placebo and had another brain scan. The researchers noticed that those who felt pain relief had greater activity in the middle frontal gyrus brain region of the frontal lobe. Placebos often work because people don’t know they’re getting one. But what happens if they know it’s a placebo? A 2014 study published in Science Translational Medicine explored this question by testing how people reacted to migraine pain medication. One group took a migraine drug labeled with the drug’s name, another took a placebo labeled “placebo” and a third group took nothing. The researchers discovered that the placebo was 50% as effective as the real drug to reduce pain after a migraine attack. The researchers speculated that a driving force beyond this reaction was the simple

BEACON BITS

Mar. 14

WHITE ELEPHANT SALE

Fill your bag to the brim with books, cards, publications, office supplies and more at a white elephant rummage sale. All proceeds go to support the museum. The sale takes place on Sat., March 14 from 7 to 11 a.m. at the American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Hwy., Baltimore. For more information, visit avam.org.

Mar. 2

GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP

Have you lost a loved one within the last year? Lean on others with similar experiences at an eight-session support group. The free meetings will be held at Jewish Community Services, 5750 Park Heights Ave., Baltimore. To register, call (410) 466-9200.

Mar. 14

FOOD AND MOOD

Learn how nutrition can impact your mental health. A geriatric nurse practitioner will host an information session on Sat., March 14 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Seva Health, 3701 Old Court Rd., Suite 14A, Pikesville. Light fare breakfast and free product samples will be available. To purchase a ticket for $35, visit http://bit.ly/FoodandMentalHealth.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

act of taking a pill. People associate the ritual of taking medicine as a positive healing effect. Even if they know it’s not medicine, the action itself can stimulate the brain into thinking the body is being healed. By Howard LeWine, M.D., an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in

Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, visit www.health.harvard.edu. © President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

MARCH 2020 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BALTIMORE BEACON

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

Mindful eating (and why you should try it) By Cynthia Sass Mindfulness is a major buzzword right now and rightly so. Becoming more mindful — that is, aware of the present moment — can be life-changing. It can help you react more calmly and thoughtfully in any situation, whether you’re stuck in traffic, dealing with a difficult boss or making food choices. And mindfulness isn’t just a New Age theory. Its benefits are backed by plenty of research. Studies have found it may help reduce inflammation (a known trigger of premature aging and disease), lower stress hormone levels, boost happiness, shrink belly fat, improve sleep and curb appetite. Mindfulness can also be pretty powerful when it comes to your eating habits. It can transform a person’s relationship with food. Mindfulness can help you eat less and enjoy your food more. Plus, feeling relaxed while you nosh helps improve digestion and reduce bloating. And while becoming mindful doesn’t happen overnight, the process is actually pretty simple. Here are three steps you can take today: Practice slowing down. If you find yourself eating too fast or making spontaneous food decisions often (like grabbing a handful of M&Ms from the office candy jar), start by slowing the pace of your day. Listen to a five-minute guided mindfulness meditation. You’ll find many options on YouTube and through apps like Headspace, Meditation Studio and Calm.

At mealtimes, try putting your fork down in between bites. You can also try an app like Eat Slower, which allows you to set an interval (anywhere between 20 seconds and 3 minutes) between bites; a bell lets you know when it’s time to lift your fork again. Even if you don’t do this at every meal, regularly practicing slow eating will help you become accustomed to unhurried noshing. Take smaller bites and sips. If you’re struggling to quit a speed-eating habit, try cutting your food into smaller pieces. And if you’re eating popcorn or nuts, eat one piece at a time, and chew each well before grabbing another. Grapes, berries and grape tomatoes can also work well for slowing the pace. Eat without distractions. As efficient as multitasking may be, it’s not great to do at meals or snacks, since it’s extremely difficult (if not impossible) to really pay attention to more than one thing at a time. Step away from your computer, TV, phone and even books during mealtime. By removing distractions, you can really pay attention to the flavors, textures and aromas of your food and better tune into your hunger and fullness levels. You’ll also be more mindful of how quickly you’re eating and likely realize that gobbling down food at lightning speed doesn’t actually feel good. If you can’t do this at every meal, commit to undistracted eating at least once a day. Ready to give it a go? This trio of steps

BEACON BITS

Feb. 28

FREE PLANETARIUM SHOW

This year is a Leap Year, meaning 2020 has a Feb. 29. Visit a planetarium to learn what this means astronomically. The free show will be held on Fri., Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. at the Benjamin Banneker Planetarium, 800 S. Rolling Rd., Catonsville. It will include an outside observation afterward, weather permitting. To learn more, visit ccbcmd.edu.

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Health Studies

MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Seeking to improve hip fracture recovery By Margaret Foster If you know anyone who has broken a hip, you know how traumatic the injury can be. Every year more than 300,000 people over age 65 are hospitalized after hip fractures, according to the Centers for Disease Control. One in four are women, who may have weak, brittle bones because of osteoporosis.

Furthermore, up to 75% of people who break a hip never fully recover. “It’s a sentinel event,” said Dr. Denise Orwig of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. “There are significant changes in body composition after a hip fracture. They have a decline in bone mineral density, an increase in fat mass and a decrease in mus-

cle mass or lean body mass,” Orwig said. Researchers are now seeking women 65 and older who have fractured a hip in the past four months. They want to see if the addition of a low dose of testosterone might help in the recovery process. “Testosterone is an anabolic steroid that has tremendous potential to increase muscle mass,” Orwig said. The randomized, controlled, doubleblind trial is called Starting a Testosterone and Exercise Program after Hip Injury (STEP-HI), and is funded by the National Institute on Aging. The lead principal investigator is located at the Washington University School of Medicine. Orwig, who is director of the Baltimore Hip Studies, a research program “dedicated to optimizing recovery from hip fracture,” is overseeing the trial in the Baltimore area, along with Dr. Adrian Dobs at Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore is one of seven clinical sites doing the study across the U.S.

What the study entails Once enrolled, participants will randomly be placed into one of three study groups. One group will receive standard enhanced usual care after hip fracture, making monthly visits to the research center. Another group will begin a personalized

Treating Difficulty Standing, Walking, Sitting, and Sleeping attributed to Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, Painful Swollen Legs, Poor Circulation, and "Growing Pains" in Children. As a podiatrist with over 39 years experience, I have always focused on non-surgical treatment pain. I find that many people with uncomfortable symptoms (arthritic, aching, burning, cramping or difficulty walking), even those who have had other treatments, including surgery of the foot (or knee, hip or back), can be helped, usually in 1 or 2 visits. — Dr. Stuart Goldman

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six-month exercise program and will receive a placebo gel to apply to their skin. They’ll meet with an exercise physiologist and/or physical therapist twice a week to do supervised exercises. The third group will do the same exercises twice a week for six months, but they will be given a gel that contains a low dose of hormonal therapy. The hormonal therapy used is testosterone. All three branches of the study can benefit patients, Orwig said. “Exercise alone is a very powerful intervention.” Despite the side effects of anabolic hormone steroids (aggression, liver disease, etc.), a low dose is not likely to cause problems in women, Orwig said. “We don’t really have to worry about some of the more serious side effects we’ve seen in men,” she said. “We don’t expect to see them in women.” Participants must live in the community within a 30-mile radius of Loch Raven VA Medical Center, located on the Alameda in Baltimore. All transportation to and from the VA Loch Raven facility will be provided by the research center, which utilizes Lyft. For more information or to volunteer to enroll in the STEP-HI study, call (410) 7065144, email cwade@som.umaryland.edu or visit stephistudy.wustl.ed.

Share your opinion. Send a letter to the editor. See page 2.

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

10,000 dogs needed for study of aging By Carla K. Johnson Can old dogs teach us new tricks? Scientists are looking for 10,000 pets for the largest-ever study of aging in canines. They hope to shed light on human longevity, too. The project will collect a pile of pooch data: vet records, DNA samples, gut microbes and information on food and walks. Five hundred dogs will test a pill that could slow the aging process. “What we learn will potentially be good for dogs and has great potential to translate to human health,” said project co-director Daniel Promislow of the University of Washington School of Medicine. If scientists find a genetic marker for a type of cancer in dogs, for instance, that could be explored in humans. For the study, the dogs will live at home and follow their usual routine. All ages and sizes, purebreds and mutts are welcome. Owners will complete periodic online surveys and take their dogs to the vet once a year, with the possibility of extra visits for certain tests. Their welfare will be monitored by a bioethicist and a panel of animal welfare advisers. The five-year study was formally launched in November at a science meeting in Austin, Texas. To nominate a pet, owners can visit the Dog Aging Project’s website at dogagingproject.org. The National Institute on Aging is paying for the $23 million project because dogs and humans share the same environment, get the same diseases, and dogs’ shorter lifespans allow quicker research results, said deputy director, Dr. Marie Bernard. The data collected will be available to all scientists. Leslie Lambert of Parkville, Maryland, enrolled her 11-year-old rescue dog, Oscar, in an early phase. “I would selfishly like to have him around forever,” said the 33-year-old veterinarian. “Unfortunately, he ages much, much faster than I do.” But she’s torn by the prospect of an antiaging pill because so many abandoned dogs go without care. “Just because we can, should we?” she asked.

Larger dogs needed Compared to farm dogs in the past, today’s pampered pups live longer and get more geriatric diseases, said veterinarian Dr. Kate Creevy of Texas A&M University, the project’s chief scientific officer. Yet no standard measures exist for frailty

BEACON BITS

Mar. 1

VIBRANT ART GRANTS

Calling all artists! The Grit Fund is accepting applicants for several projects to improve Baltimore’s arts and cultural landscape. It’s offering grants up to $7,000. The deadline is March 1. For more information, visit gritfund.org.

or prognosis in sick, aged dogs, Creevy said. The project will develop those tools. One dog year is roughly equal to seven human years, Creevy said, but that varies by breed. Large dogs have shorter lifespans than smaller dogs. A Great Dane’s lifespan is about half that of a toy poodle’s. That makes large dogs better test subjects for the pill. Dogs weighing at least 40 pounds will be eligible for an experiment with rapamycin, now taken by humans to prevent rejection of transplanted kidneys. The drug has extended lifespan in mice. A small safety study in dogs found no dangerous side effects, said project co-director Matt Kaeberlein of the University of Washington. Human devotion to dogs drives projects like this, the scientists said. Owners will gladly fill out surveys, send records and submit a pup’s poop for analysis if they

think it will help all dogs live longer, even if it won’t help their pet. “People love dogs,” said Promislow, who normally studies aging in fruit flies. “No one has ever come up to me and said, ‘Oh my goodness, I just love fruit flies.’”

Promislow’s mixed breed, 14-year-old Frisbee, will not participate to prevent a conflict of interest. “It’s too bad because she’s a terrific example of a really healthy ager,” he said. —AP

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

What to halt prior to surgery, lab tests What are the best instructions to follow if depressant or anti-epileptic drug. These you have a surgery scheduled? and many other medications require slow Do you really need to stop tapering to get off safely. If all your medications before you were to suddenly disconthis test or surgery? tinue certain drugs, you This question isn’t easy to could encounter dangerous answer because some medicawithdrawal symptoms, even tions are needed for comfort seizures. and well-being. For example, Ask well before your surwhat if you are reliant on your gery, so you don’t have to morning pill for acid reflux? reschedule due to this type of You can safely stop it abruptly, oversight. but if you don’t take it, you will DEAR be very uncomfortable. Beware blood thinners PHARMACIST Another example is with Blood thinners are the most By Suzy Cohen analgesics like tramadol, oxydangerous ones to remain on if you’re having surgery or some codone and morphine. You can’t just suddenly stop those, or you’ll slip procedure that requires an IV drip or a blood into withdrawal pretty quickly! Ask your draw, like a colonoscopy. You do not want your blood to be super doctor if you’re allowed to take those two medications on the morning of your proce- thin when you go in for these procedures, or the bleeding could become profuse or interdure. You also cannot suddenly stop an anti- nalized. So, for sure you do not want to be on

any of these blood thinning drugs for at least three days prior to some tests: anticoagulants, Warfarin (Coumadin), Enoxaparin, Clopidogrel, Ticlopidine, aspirin, Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs and Dipyridamole. Another category of medications that people don’t usually warn about, but I feel should be included in this conversation, are drugs that slow down your heart rate. I’m referring to beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. Anesthesia also slows down your heart rate, and the combo could lead to severe bradycardia (low heart rate).

What about food and drink? Another important question is, “Should I really stop eating and drinking before a test?” The general answer is yes. If the facility or hospital puts that request on your instruction sheet, you should follow it. Eat-

ing and drinking too close to surgery could force a reschedule of the surgery. The worry is aspiration. As for other tests, it becomes less clear. For example, if you are scheduled to have a pelvic ultrasound to see your cervix or ovaries, I’m not sure why food would be a problem. And likewise, I do not understand the need for “no food or drink” if you’re having a thyroid blood test. You probably should eat before that type of test. The results will be more realistic. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit SuzyCohen.com.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 2

MICROSOFT EXCEL

Learn how to create helpful spreadsheets with Microsoft Excel. The free class takes place on Mon., March 2 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Woodlawn Library, 1811 Woodlawn Dr., Woodlawn. To register, call (410) 887-1336.

Mar. 21

GRAPHIC DESIGN GALORE

Learn how to use Canva, a graphic design program, to create digital art, cards and signs. Bring your laptop. The free class will be held on Sat., March 21 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Hereford Library, 16940 York Rd., Hereford. To register, call (410) 887-1919.

Feb. 22

PRESERVE YOUR PICTURES

Do you have old photos or videos that you want to preserve forever? Learn how to digitize your pictures with an Android, iPhone or tablet. The free class will be held on Sat., Feb. 22 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Owings Mills Library, 10302 Grand Central Ave., Owings Mills. To learn more, call (410) 887-2092.

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health

Chocolate spice cookies offer subtle kick By Wolfgang Puck If you’ve been a reader of my column, you know you can expect one thing from me as surely as the fact that I love to help people cook and eat the best food possible: When winter rolls around, at some point I’m going to turn my attention to cookies. My love of baking goes back to my earliest childhood memories. Every year, the kitchen of our little home in the southern Austrian town of Sankt Veit an der Glan seemed always full of the rich, sweet and spicy aromas of cookies being baked by my mother and grandmother. Guests who dropped by were offered cookies with coffee or tea. Of course, my brother, sisters and I ate plenty of the cookies ourselves at home,

some of which we’d be served as snacks or desserts — and some, of course, that the four of us would sneak when the grownups weren’t looking. I’d like to share with you this cookie recipe: Chocolate Coconut Spice Cookies, a classic from Spago. I think they make a great cookie to add to your seasonal repertoire, for a number of reasons. First of all, they’re easy to make. I think that is essential not only because this is the busiest cooking time of the year, but also because they are something the whole family can enjoy preparing together. You probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry or can find them in any supermarket. And, being slice-andbake cookies, the dough can be mixed in

BEACON BITS

Feb. 25+

LIVING WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS Do you or a loved one suffer from a chronic condition such as

arthritis, diabetes, heart disease or COPD? Learn how to better manage your health at a free, six-week workshop. The classes take place on Tuesdays, from Feb. 25 to March 31, from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Brooklyn Park Senior Activity Center, 202 Hammonds Ln., Baltimore. To register, visit http://bit.ly/ChronicConditionsSupport.

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advance and kept chilled in the refrigerator, ready for baking as needed. Next comes the wonderful way in which these cookies are both familiar and yet different enough to make people open their eyes with surprise and delight at first bite. At first glance, they’re simply chocolateflavored, buttery cookies with an attractive rim of shredded coconut. But the very first bite reveals a very pleasing surprise: very subtle but noticeable hints of black pepper and cayenne, not too spicy at all, but just enough to counterpoint and emphasize the delicious chocolaty flavor. When you think about how many other cookies have the word “spice” in their names, you’ll instantly understand how perfectly appropriate these seasonings are here.

Chocolate coconut spice cookies Makes about 5 dozen Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/ 8 teaspoon salt 1/ 8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/ 8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 6 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces 1 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

See COOKIES, page 16

Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Cookies From page 15 Directions: In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and black and cayenne peppers. Set aside. In the large bowl of an electric stand mixer, using the paddle or beaters, soften

the butter at medium speed. Sprinkle in the sugar and, as soon as it is incorporated, raise the speed to high and continue mixing until fluffy, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce the speed to medium, add the egg and vanilla, and continue beating just until they are incorporated. Reduce the

BEACON BITS

Mar. 7+

SENIOR STROLLS

Join a group of older adults for a leisurely walk every first and third Saturdays of the month. Meet at 10:30 on March 7, 21, April 4, 18, May 2 and 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the Oregon Ridge Nature Center, 13555 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville. Take a guided stroll along a paved, 0.3mile interpretive trail. Afterwards, stay for a guided activity or another hike on easy but non-paved trails nearby. The senior strolls are free, but advance registration required. Contact (410) 887-1815 or info@OregonRidgeNatureCenter.org.

MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

speed to medium-low and, still beating, gradually add the flour mixture, continuing to mix just until combined. Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a clean work surface. If it seems too soft to shape, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate until it firms up a bit, about 1 hour. With very lightly floured hands, roll the dough into an even log shape about 15 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Sprinkle the coconut evenly on the work surface and then roll the log in the coconut to coat it evenly all around and from end to end. (Gather up and reserve excess coconut.) Wrap up the log in clean plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled and very firm, preferably overnight but at least 2 to 3 hours. Before baking, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 1 or 2 baking trays with parchment paper. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough

log. Sprinkle the remaining coconut on a clean work surface and reroll the log as needed to coat areas that don’t have enough coconut. With a very sharp knife, cut the log crosswise into slices about ¼-inch thick, forming about 60 slices total, placing them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking trays. Bake until the coconut looks lightly toasted, about 10 minutes total, rotating the baking trays back to front about halfway through. When the cookies are done, use a wide metal spatula to remove them from the baking tray, transferring them to a wire rack to cool. When completely cooled, store at cool room temperature in an airtight container in single layers between sheets of waxed or parchment paper. © 2019 Wolfgang Puck. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

SENIOR CALL CHECK

There’s a free new service for older adults to stay safe and connected while living at home. Older adults can receive a free daily automated phone call to “check in” on them. If they don’t answer their cell phone or landline after three calls, the service calls a designated alternate phone number. If that contact can’t vouch for the safety of the older adult, the service calls the local non-emergency number, and the local police department may check on the adult. The state of Maryland launched the program, called Senior Call Check, in 2018, becoming the first state to offer the free “check in” service for people over age 65. For more information or to apply, visit aging.maryland.gov or call 1-866-502-0560.

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Say you saw it in the Beacon

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

Money Law &

ALL THIS WILL BE YOURS SOMEDAY Some tips for how to talk to your grown children about their inheritance: No need for details, but leave a paper trail, and share insurance information SIDE HUSTLES Evaluate your skills to find ways to make some money on the side and to discover passions to pursue in your retirement

Simple driving tips that save gas, money By David Muhlbaum When fuel prices spike, lots of tips and tricks to save on gas get trotted out. They’re not all worthy. Here are several that don’t violate the laws of physics, compromise safety or insult your intelligence:

rections, all non-electric cars use more fuel when the engine is cold. So, the fewer times you to bring the engine up to temperature, the better. Cold starts aren’t good for your car (or the environment, for that matter).

Shut the engine off

Car engineers spend a lot of time engineering pounds, ounces and grams out of today’s cars. Don’t undo their efforts by leaving anything unnecessary in the luggage compartment. Golf clubs are a common violator, but so are those bags slated to go to the secondhand store or a case of water bottles. Every time you accelerate, you’re using gas. How much more? This depends on your car, but the EPA estimates a 1% reduction per 100 pounds. On a per-gallon cost basis, that’s about $0.03, using the EPA baseline figures.

Once you’re stopped, your car is wasting fuel after about 7 to 10 seconds of idling. That’s why newer gas cars (and virtually all hybrids) have a feature that shuts the engine off during stops when the brake is applied. The car’s still on, but the engine isn’t. Push the accelerator pedal, and the engine snaps back on — off you go. Some people find this maddening (and in truth the smoothness of the systems varies among vehicles), but the gas savings is real. If you want to maximize mileage, don’t disable the auto on-off feature. And everyone can stop leaving their car on while running back into the house or whatever short errand you’re doing.

Combine your trips

Drive slowly but wisely

Planning ahead can save gas because grouping trips means fewer miles driven. But even if you have to go in multiple di-

Lower speeds require less fuel, since aerodynamic resistance increases with the square of speed. But driving to save fuel

Get the junk out of the trunk

doesn’t have to be a dull crawl in the slow lane. Try thinking of it this way: Brakes turn your money into heat, so can you avoid using them? This isn’t meant to encourage dangerous behavior, like not stopping for stop signs. Rather, anticipate. Look down the road farther, and coast down when you know the traffic signal’s going to change to red. As for accelerating, if you know you’re going to be holding a higher speed for a while, like when you’re merging onto a highway, go ahead and shove the gas as hard as you need. Not only is slow acceleration in this situation potentially dangerous, it doesn’t actually save fuel.

Don’t rely on the tire light All cars built since 2007 have what’s called Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), which monitor the air pressure of your tires. The hitch is this: That light may not come on until a tire is more than 25% lower than the recommended pressure. If you wait for that, you’re endangering yourself (an underinflated tire can compromise your car’s handling or even lead to a tire

Frank, Frank

blowout) and wasting money (underinflated tires reduce your gas mileage by roughly 0.2% per pound that they’re low). Doesn’t sound like much, but try this math: If your recommended inflation pressure is 40 psi, and you’re 25% low on air, that’s a 2% hit to your gas mileage. Plus, underinflated tires wear more quickly and unevenly, reducing your tire life. There’s just no substitute for buying a decent-quality tire gauge (between $5 and $15) and using it at least once a month.

Get the apps and join the club Phone apps like Gas Buddy, Gas Guru and Fuelzee make it easy to find the best gas deals. Since you can screen for brands, you can also make sure you’re getting good quality fuel, which, in the long run, matters to the health of your car. Joining a membership club like Costco or Sam’s Club could also pay off. Figuring how quickly you’ll recoup your membership cost with the per-gallon savings on their discounted fuel is pretty easy math. © The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

& Scherr, LLC

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MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

How to talk inheritance with your kids By Lisa Brown One of the most important conversations you can have with your grown children involves plans for your estate — where assets will end up when one or both parents pass away. If you feel the time has come to broach this topic, find an hour or two to pull everyone together for a conversation. Here are some tips for speaking with your adult children: Don’t feel you need to provide specific numbers. While this may seem counterproductive, there are good reasons to avoid disclosing the details. One is that you and your spouse or partner don’t know how long you will live. The longer you do live,

the more money will be needed to pay for lifestyle needs, long-term care and other expenses. If your children believe they stand to inherit a specific amount — especially if it’s a large sum — it could impede their own plans. They may decide to save less money or lose the drive to achieve their goals — neither of which matches the set of values you probably desire to pass on. In addition, the children could begin to influence your spending decisions. For example, would you choose a mid-range nursing home instead of a better one, knowing this expense will impact their inheritance? And, finally, if your adult children share information about their potential windfall

BEACON BITS

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Mar. 19

STOP IDENTITY THEFT

Understand common identity theft tactics and learn how to protect yourself at a free workshop sponsored by Jewish Community Services. It will be held on Thurs., March 19 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Edward A. Myerberg Center, 3101 Fallstaff Rd., Baltimore. To register, call (410) 843-7457.

with their spouses, a spouse could use this information to their advantage in the event of a divorce. Which of your children will make your healthcare and financial decisions? Consider letting the children know which one of them has been designated to make key financial and medical decisions in the event you and your spouse or partner become incapacitated. The person charged with the financial responsibility needs to have access to key data — legal documents, financial statements and computer passwords. Place this information in a sealed envelope for your child(ren), and instruct them to open it only when needed, if you desire to keep your financial affairs private until then. For your healthcare agent, make sure you discuss your wishes for food, water and life support with them, and provide them with the signed healthcare power of attorney document. If something happens to you, this healthcare document needs to be quickly accessed. How will they receive an inheritance? Let your children know how they will receive any inheritance. Will it be outright or in a trust? A common reason to establish a trust is to help protect any assets from an unfavorable event, such as a divorce or lawsuit. A trust can also help ensure your money is passed along to any grandchildren if the adult child dies prematurely. Share insurance information. Your adult children are likely the people who will care for you later in life or coordinate your caregiving needs. They need to know information about your medical and long-term care insurance and what to do if

there are gaps in coverage. For example, will long-term care insurance cover all your nursing home expenses, or will you need to use personal funds to supplement the cost? Also, provide children with all life insurance information, including the companies that issue the policies and contact information for your insurance agents. Gather information about professional advisers. Make a list of all people your children will need to know and contact in the event of your death or inability to act on your own behalf. These include attorneys, financial planners and accountants, as well as the insurance agents mentioned above. Take their questions. While it may be difficult for a parent to share this information, it’s even more difficult for most children to discuss their parents’ eventual demise. But it’s much better to provide them with information and answer any tough questions while you are alive and mentally healthy. A lack of information now may cause confusion and possible conflict among family members down the road. So, consider finding a sliver of time to help them understand your financial and estate plans and how you’ve prepared to make life easier for them for years to come. Lisa Brown, CFP®, is partner and Wealth Advisor at Brightworth. This article presents her views, not those of the Kiplinger editorial staff. Check adviser records with the SEC or FINRA. © 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Feb. 25

HAND LETTERING Learn the basics of hand lettering, or drawing decorative letters.

The free art class takes place on Tues., Feb. 25 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the White Marsh Library, 8133 Sandpiper Cr., Baltimore. For more information, call (410) 887-5097.

Feb. 27

HISTORICAL BOOK READING Dr. Rick Bell will read from his recently published book, Stolen, about five boys who were kidnapped in the North and sent to slav-

ery in the South. The cost is $10 for members; $15 for nonmembers. The event takes place on Thurs., Feb. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument St., Baltimore. To purchase a ticket, go to mdhs.org.

Mar. 11

GREEN CARD INFORMATION Are you or a family member looking to become a permanent resident of the U.S.? Learn more about the process of getting a green

card and how to petition for family members. The free class will be held on Wed., March 11 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Arbutus Library, 855 Sulphur Spring Rd., Arbutus. To learn more, call (410) 887-1451.

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

Ways to make some money on the side By Neale Godfrey As we recovered from the recession, many people who wanted to work took any extra jobs they could. In my day, we called these gigs part-time work, second jobs or moonlighting. But today they have been dubbed “side hustles.” A side hustle is usually taken in addition to your other work, or you can string a bunch together. You are freelancing to supplement your income. Let’s face it: To avoid having to offer benefits, many companies don’t want to have full-time employees. Also, there’s a market for those interested in side hustles. In addition, side hustles can be a way to pursue some of your passions, which, if done full time, may not cover all of the bills.

A growing phenomenon “Temporary employment has been growing steadily for the last several years…Nearly 480,000 jobs were added from 2012 to 2019 with companies seeking more flexibility in how they staff, and workers seeking greater control over when and where they work,” according to the New Job Forecast from TrueBlue and Emsi. The big news was that almost 20% of these workers were 55 or older. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that about 40% of people 55 and older are actively looking for work. (The vast majority of these job seekers are women who are looking for the best job for the next phase of life.) Also, the New Job Forecast found that these side jobs are projected to increase into almost 3.2 million total jobs for all age groups by 2025, growing by 8.5%. Compare that to only 6% growth for all U.S jobs from now to 2025. Before you seek out a side hustle, however, evaluate your skills and passions. Here are some lucrative side hustles to consider: Bookkeeper: $30/hour — You could work with clients via phone or online to set up and track monthly budgets, pay bills, hunt down mistakes on credit card statements, track investments, complain to Medicare about them rejecting doctor bills, etc. You don’t need to be a CPA, but you should be organized; be a whiz at QuickBooks and Excel; and coordinate with your client’s accountant to create quarterly or year-end tax filings and payments. Career Coach: $20/hour — You could work with clients of any age to help them create resumes, roleplay for interviews, or identify jobs to suit their qualifications. If you have worked in a large or small company before, you will be perfect for this. Copy Editor: $25/hour — If you have an eye for detail and grammar, you could be a freelance copy editor. Many people need someone to review their blog posts before they go live. If you love this work, consider ghostwriting for others.

Specialized Consultant: $100+/hour — If you previously worked in a specialized industry, offer your expertise to others. For instance, I have a friend who owned car dealerships. He created a side hustle helping venture capitalists and individual buyers of car dealerships properly value prospective targets. Sharing your talents: Fee varies — If you are a great cook, baker, athlete or musician, you could give lessons; if you can paint, you could do portraits of people or of their homes. Side hustles aren’t a passing fad. They give the employee flexibility, which is important for the next generation as well as for today’s reitrees. Sara Sutton, CEO of FlexJobs, told me, “Over the last 10 years, we’ve seen people 55 and older increasingly seek out freelance, part-time and project-based work.

We expect this trend will continue, thanks largely to the rise of remote work. “Usually we see this semi-retirement work arrangement because people want to stay active and contribute professionally, while also supplementing their income.” A side hustle is also a great way for you to put a toe in the water not only to see if you like your passion as work, but also to

see if you can earn money at it before jumping in with both feet. Neale Godfrey is president and CEO of Children’s Financial Network, Inc. This article was written by and presents his views, not those of the Kiplinger editorial staff. © 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 19

HELP YOUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBOR Are you interested in helping immigrants in Maryland? Attend a

workshop that explains migration trends, debunks myths, and highlights local resources and organizations. The free session takes place on Thurs., March 19 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, 500 West Baltimore St., Baltimore. To register, visit http://bit.ly/ImmigrantHelp.

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BALTIMORE COUNTY Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344 Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660 Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888 The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000 The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100 The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000 The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988 Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375

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MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

A comprehensive guide to retirement Those who wish to educate themselves markets can cause the value of the portfolio about retirement planning have a lot of to fall to unsafe levels. A later chapter details books to choose from. strategies that will give you the Most people, however, have greatest chance of ensuring the bandwidth to read maybe that assets will last a lifetime. one or two books on the subOther potential planning erject. The challenge becomes rors are underestimating your how to pick the best compreincome requirements during hensive guide. retirement; being too conserA good choice is Your Comvative; failing to provide for a plete Guide to a Successful and spouse; underestimating the Secure Retirement (Harriman importance and need for diverHouse), by retirement planning sification; and underestimating experts Lawrence Swedroe and THE SAVINGS inflation risks. Kevin Grogan. It covers every GAME major aspect of retirement, and By Elliot Raphaelson Asset allocation is key One of the most important the authors helpfully draw upon specialists in each subject area and provide issues in retirement is asset allocation. This references for readers interested in learning is the primary determination of the expected return and risk of a portfolio. The chapmore about a specific topic. Some of the most informative topics are ter devoted to asset allocation, both before investment planning strategy, portfolio and during retirement, covers reasons to inmaintenance, preparing your heirs, retire- crease equity exposure as well as reasons ment planning issues specifically for to reduce it. For example, some of the reasons to inwomen, and the dangers of financial abuse, crease equity exposure are long life exespecially as people age. The book identifies significant errors to pectancy, high level of job stability, high avoid. One that many retirees don’t appre- risk tolerance, the need for higher returns ciate is “sequence risk” — the failure “to to reach financial goals, and access to mulconsider that the order of returns matters.” tiple streams of stable income. Returns on a portfolio are not constant, Reasons to reduce equity exposure are and systematic withdrawals during bear the opposite: High net-worth investors and

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retirees in the later stages of retirement have less of a need for a high equity exposure. This chapter also discusses factors such as U.S. equities vs. international equities, emerging markets, and small-cap vs. largecap stocks related to historical risk patterns. The book also comprehensively covers Medicare; the proper roles of annuities and insurance, including long-term care options; health savings accounts, which have many tax advantages; and when to consider reverse mortgages. Reverse mortgages can be a relatively expensive means of borrowing, yet it may be appropriate for individuals who place a greater value on remaining in their home and maintaining their independence. In the right situation, these mortgages can be a valuable tool, allowing you to maintain a higher standard of living than a person would otherwise be able to do, while remaining in the home.

Guidance for women A chapter on women’s retirement issues notes several challenges many women face: lower earnings; longer expected life; fewer years of earned income; lower confidence about investing skills; lower likelihood to marry after a gray divorce (divorce after age 50); greater susceptibility to elder abuse; and the statistical likelihood of

dying single, divorced or widowed. This chapter emphasizes that women can mitigate the impact of these factors with the right knowledge and actions. Included is a financial empowerment checklist that will help prepare for retirement. An essential chapter is devoted to estate planning. The authors cover core estate planning documents, including the durable power of attorney for healthcare and living will, durable power of attorney for finances, a pour-over will, and a discussion of the advantages of revocable trusts and the use of irrevocable trusts. The authors emphasize the importance of selecting a competent estate planning attorney. In a related chapter, “Preparing Your Heirs,” they list questions that can help determine if your heirs are prepared. The book is not all about financial matters. The authors discuss topics not generally covered in retirement planning books, such as aligning your activities consistent with your life’s purpose, volunteering, maintaining healthy relationships and growing through mental activities. All of these activities have played a significant role in my retirement over the last 20 years. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2019 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

Travel Leisure &

A new book offers a colorful peek inside New York City’s quirky Hotel Chelsea. See story on p. 24.

WWII history via biking in the Netherlands along the tops of dikes overlooking canals and rivers, and through villages of redbrick gingerbread houses. The scenery was serene, pristine and tidy — fields of flowers; grand homes and castles; ponds, lakes and rivers; and some of the healthiest farm animals I’ve ever seen.

Battlefields and barns The natural beauty of the area belies a dark history. The first four days of the trip focused on the invasion in 1940, which took place in the area around the village of Amerongen. The village is near the Grebbeline, first constructed in 1745 as a line of defense against invading armies. It’s a vast low-lying area that could be flooded, backed up by classic trench fortifications. Unfortunately, the Grebbeline was not able to withstand the Germans’ modern artillery and bombs. The Dutch put up a valiant resistance, however, holding them off for five days, rather than the one day the Germans had expected. More than 5,000 Dutch soldiers and civilians lost their lives, and many houses, barns and villages were destroyed. The occupation added to the toll, as Nazi sympathizers turned in their neighbors and had them shipped off to labor camps. Despite that bloody history, our stay in Amerongen was quite pleasant. Our accommodations were in a former tobacco

By Don Mankin Bucolic. Picturesque. Charming. Clichés, perhaps, but in my 50 years of world travel, I’ve visited few places where those words are more appropriate. The Netherlands is one. Last summer, I pedaled for several days through the beautiful countryside in southeastern Netherlands, near the border with Germany. It’s hard to believe that such a peaceful place was the site of some of the fiercest fighting of World War II. This region was the first line of defense against the invasion by the Germans in 1940. After several years of brutal occupation by Nazi forces, the Allies liberated the region in 1945 as they fought their way from the beaches of Normandy to Germany. Tripsite, the company that hosted me on this trip, aptly calls it “Holland: World War II Reflections.” There were four of us on the tour, including our guide, Martin, a local who grew up hearing stories about the war from his mother, who lived through it all. All of us were in our 70s. What I experienced as I glided through the pastoral countryside was probably the most effective blood pressure “medicine” I have ever taken — enough exercise to raise my heart rate and burn off some calories, plus scenery that would chill the most hyper Type A personality. Our daily excursions of 30 miles, more or less, took us on mostly flat, shady bike paths on leafy lanes and country roads,

The small Dutch village of Amerongen, is situated near many World War II-related sites in the Netherlands. Famous battles such as Operation Market Garden, depicted in the 1977 film “A Bridge Too Far,” took place in the Netherlands, which has many museums and cemeteries dedicated to this history.

barn, the Napoleon Schuur, which is now a boutique hotel featuring the latest in high tech and modern, fashionably-functional interior design. The historic Amerongen Castle, church and a national park are only a few minutes’ walk (or bicycle ride) away. We ate breakfast and dinner every day on the attractive, airy patio of the Restaurant Hotel Buitenlust, a café on a cobblestone street near the hotel. PHOTO BY HANS SLEGERS/SHUTTERSTOCK

Hills do exist in the Netherlands. A good bike tour company will have e-bikes on hand to help a tour run smoothly.

Museums and cemeteries Highlights of my first four days in the region included the Het Depot (“the Depot”), an art museum in Ede-Wageningen that features modern and avant-garde sculpture from young Dutch artists, and an old Jewish cemetery tucked away behind a row of houses just down the street from the museum. After four days in Amerongen, we moved on to Otterlo, a quiet town about a 40minute taxi drive away. Otterlo’s history essentially completes the story of WWII in the region, namely, the liberation by the Allies in 1945. This is the region where the Allies launched Operation Market Garden to take the bridges that were critical to their advance toward Germany. This is also the site of the book and movie A Bridge Too Far, which tells the

story of the ill-fated attempt to capture the final bridge at Arnhem. The Battle of Otterlo was the last big battle to take place in the Netherlands. Our group visited the Airborne Museum in the Hotel Hartenstein in Oosterbeek and the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, also known as the Airborne Cemetery. The museum is dedicated to the Battle of Arnhem, and the hotel served as the headquarters for the British 1st Airborne Division. In the basement of the museum is a realistic, loud and adrenaline-inducing depiction of the Battle of Arnhem. The cemetery visit was just the opposite: tranquil and beautiful, but sad. Both sites elicited deep but different emotions.

E-bike helped The cycling took us through forests, villages and the city of Arnhem. We climbed more hills than in the first four days, so for this section of the trip, Martin advised me to opt for an e-bike, which provides battery-powered assistance on demand, helping me ascend the long, steep hills. I had trained hard for this trip, going for 30+ mile rides several days a week on the beach bike path in Los Angeles. But if I hadn’t switched to the e-bike, I would have struggled See NETHERLANDS, page 25

Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

Defending yourself against travel scams By Rick Steves Europe is a surprisingly creative place when it comes to travel scams. Many of the most successful gambits require a naively trusting tourist, but seasoned travelers can be taken in, too. We should all be wary of the numerous subtle scams — a cabbie pads your fare, a hotel business center computer records your password, or a waiter offers a special with a “special” increased price. But if you’re cautious and not overly trusting, you should have no problem. Here are some of the latest travel scams I’ve discovered on my travels, and how to skirt them:

Skirting Airbnb protections You’re searching the web for a shortterm rental in Paris and contact the owner Pierre through Airbnb. Suddenly you get a private email from Pierre saying he can give you a better deal on the side — avoiding the website commission. The price is right, and the location is fantastic, but Pierre wants you to wire the money directly to his bank account. “I’ve got others interested too, so you’d better do it quick,” he writes. But once you wire the money, Pierre disappears along with the listing, and there’s no way to get your money back. DEFENSE: When booking accommodations, never wire money directly to a foreign bank account. Stick with a reputable, secure reservation website, and use a credit card, so you can dispute any fraudulent transactions.

ATM PIN theft In the heart of Barcelona, you are about to use an ATM when another tourist stands on the sidewalk with a selfie stick and starts taking pictures. You don’t think much about it as you withdraw your money and head into the Metro. Five minutes later, after being jostled in a crowded subway car, you find that your wallet is missing. When you frantically call your bank, you find out that someone with your PIN has already withdrawn hundreds of euros from a different ATM. It turns out the “tourist” with the selfie

stick was actually taking a video as you entered your PIN on the ATM keypad. His accomplice then targeted you in the subway. DEFENSE: Check your surroundings before withdrawing cash from an ATM. If there is someone suspicious nearby, find a different ATM. And always cover the keypad when you enter your PIN.

Invalid ticket sale Fresh off a long flight into Schiphol Airport and eager to get to your hotel in central Amsterdam, you approach the train-ticket machine with your credit card in hand. But a friendly-looking passerby offers to sell you at a discount a legit-looking ticket, saying he accidentally purchased two. Later when you feed the ticket into a turnstile, it doesn’t work — the ticket was either a fake or already had its bar code scanned. DEFENSE: Never hand over cash (or a card) to someone who’s not behind a counter.

Currency exchange rip-off On your last day in London, you find a Union Jack coaster set you know your sister will love. You push your credit card into the reader, and it defaults to running the transaction in “USD” unless you select “GBP.” The shopkeeper explains that the U.S. dollar option is a service that lets you “lock in” your conversion rate. Later when you’re in Edinburgh, an ATM offers two options: “You can be charged in dollars: Press YES for dollars, NO for British pounds.” You think “dollars” is the logical choice and press YES. But when you check your bank statements, you see a “fee” for converting both transactions to dollars and a poor exchange rate. You’ve been a victim of what banks call “dynamic currency conversion,” which may be legal, but is a rip-off. DEFENSE: When a merchant or a bank asks if you want to be charged in dollars, always choose the local currency. Cancel the transaction if they say you must pay in dollars.

Tourist police scam In Prague two uniformed men stop you on the street, flash “Tourist Police” badges and

ask to check your wallet for counterfeit bills. After looking through your wallet, they say everything is fine and leave. You don’t even notice some bills are missing until later. DEFENSE: Never hand over your wallet to anyone. If the “police” insist, tell them you’ll do it at a police station. There probably aren’t more thieves in Europe than in the U.S. We travelers just notice them more because they target us. But remember, nearly all crimes suffered by tourists are nonviolent — and

avoidable. If you exercise adequate discretion, stay aware of your belongings and avoid putting yourself into risky situations, your travels should be about as dangerous as hometown grocery shopping. Don’t travel fearfully — travel smartly. Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com. © 2019 Rick Steves. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BEACON BITS

Mar. 4

CAREER FAIR Do you need a job? Attend a career fair for a chance to meet

dozens of potential employers. The free Baltimore Career Fair will be held on Wed., March 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Inn at the Colonnade, 4 West University Pkwy., Baltimore. To register, visit http://bit.ly/CareersMar4.

Mar. 10

RESUME REVIEW Get noticed during the job application process. Receive one-onone help with your resume. Jewish Community Services is offering

free strategizing help with experts on Tues., March 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. at 1201 the Baltimore County Public Library, 1301 Reisterstown Rd., Baltimore. For more information, visit jcsbaltimore.org.

CERAMICS & SCULPTURES - DECAL MOSAICS With Sarah McCann

Create your own mosaic with Community Artist and Curator, Sarah McCann. Mosaics are made by assembling small pieces of glass, tile, and other materials together to make larger image! • Learn what materials to use to make a mosaic! • Learn how to create a decal tile for the mosaic! • 1EOI E [IPP GVEJXIH ƤRMWLIH [SVO SJ EVX • Have fun! Date: Saturdays, Feb. 29, March 7, 14, 21, 28 Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Fees: $85 Includes materials REGISTER TODAY! Call 410.662.4363 or email CommunityHealth@ChooseKeswick.org

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MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

New York City’s bohemian Hotel Chelsea

Colorful walls and residents After much legal wrangling and a few changes of building ownership, between 50 and 60 people still live in the Chelsea, a National Historic Landmark in Manhattan’s

Chelsea neighborhood. Nineteen of them are featured in the hefty coffee-table book. Miller calls it “a story of resilience, an exploration of how people adapt in New York City.” “I’m not sure I could see myself living in some of these situations, but they’re really beautiful,” Miller added. “It seems like every door that opens enters into a whole different world.” Mock, who wrote the text, concurs. “You never know what to expect when walking into these apartments,” he said. “I had a real ‘Oh, wow!’ moment when I walked into Tony Notarberardino’s apartment, for example. Earthy rich colors on the walls and ceiling. It immediately opened a window into the past.” The apartment consists of two rooms joined by a colorfully painted curved hallway and is one of the most visually arresting apartments featured in the book. The rooms are crowded with “wondrous objects, photographs, furniture and garments, yet each has its own visual identity owing to the elaborate murals left behind by a previous tenant, the enigmatic artist Vali Myers, in what is now Notarberardino’s bedroom,” reads a description in the book. It goes on to describe Notarberardino’s own first impressions of the building he has long called home. “It was late at night.

PHOTO BY COLIN MILLER

By Katherine Roth When Colin Miller and Ray Mock set out to document the remaining inhabitants of Hotel Chelsea, the bohemian haven where Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Patti Smith, William S. Burroughs and others once lived and worked, they imagined it as a sort of requiem. After all, much of the 12-story Gilded Age building, once New York City’s tallest, has been gutted and is being converted into hotel rooms and apartments. Instead, they found daring, dramatic style alive and well in many of the hotel’s remaining homes. Their new book, Hotel Chelsea: Living in the Last Bohemian Haven (The Monacelli Press), is a big, colorful celebration of more than two dozen residents, their living spaces and their stories. “I went into this thinking I was making some kind of eulogy, recording something that was being lost. But I discovered that while there are huge portions of the hotel that were gutted, it’s still a living place, with vibrant amazing lives being lived there,” photographer Miller said.

New York City photographer Tony Notarberardino lives in this colorful apartment in the legendary Hotel Chelsea. Many writers and musicians have lived in the landmark hotel, including Mark Twain, O. Henry, Thomas Wolfe, Jim Morrison, Leonard Cohen and Madonna.

I walked in and immediately loved it. I felt like I had walked into a movie set,” he’s quoted as saying.

Liberating décor Describing the book project, Mock said, “Maybe part of what attracted me to Hotel Chelsea is some of these apartments reminded me of my college apartment. “There are living spaces where no wall is

unpainted. People just get an idea in their head and they go for it. It’s very liberating.” The residents of Hotel Chelsea can teach us all something about the rooms we live in, he and Miller said. “In terms of my own apartment, it emboldened me a little bit,” Mock admitted. “It reinforced my belief that it’s okay to be a little See HOTEL CHELSEA, page 25

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Netherlands From page 22 to get up the few hills we did encounter in one of the flattest countries on earth. I took the last couple of days off and joined my wife, Katherine, in exploring the area around Otterlo on foot. It was a good decision. Otterlo is located a short walk from the National Park De Hoge Veluwe, and we found many hiking trails in and around the park and town. The excellent Kröller-Müller Museum and Sculpture Garden are in the heart of the park. The art museum is spacious,

Hotel Chelsea From page 24 wild and different, and a little clutter is okay.” Miller, a self-described minimalist, said immersing himself in the world of Hotel Chelsea made him push his aesthetic limits. “One of the things I love so much is how bold the living spaces are. All the walls are black, or all the walls are red. They show how to be really brave when you’re making design decisions,” Miller said. “I generally have a pretty minimalist aesthetic, but now I’m thinking about doing a room of my home in wallpaper. I saw an apartment all done completely in antique wallpapers at Hotel Chelsea,” he said. “I never would have considered that before.”

filled with natural light and beautifully laid out. It also has a great collection, including many Van Goghs, second only to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The sculpture garden was the best I’ve ever seen, with miles of trails and almost 200 impressive pieces scattered along the paths and in the forest. Our accommodations in Otterlo were at the Hotel De Sterrenberg, a sleek, modern four-star hotel that deserves every one of those stars. We splurged one night in the excellent restaurant in the hotel and ordered the fourcourse “Chef’s Surprise.” I couldn’t begin to

describe all of the food in those four courses, though I do remember trout, bass and duck, plus a whole bunch of ingredients that I couldn’t recognize or even pronounce. The most important element in the success of the Netherlands trip was our guide, Martin. His knowledge of the area ensured that we took the most scenic, historic and safe routes each day, and his stories bought the history to life, adding an important personal perspective to what we saw and experienced. And I’m especially grateful to Hosea Libbey, inventor of the e-bike. If it wasn’t for him, I might have spent way too much time

He was referring to the home of Suzanne Lipschutz, an antiques dealer and wallpapers expert who moved into Hotel Chelsea in the 1990s and immediately set to work transforming her one-bedroom apartment. The book describes her wallpaper as “exquisite period papers and borders selected to amplify the mood in every corner of the apartment. “The small private hallway of her unit, which she shared for years with her nextdoor neighbor, the actor Ethan Hawke, was covered in American arts and crafts wallpaper showing a lush forest scene. She later donated rolls of the same wallpaper to the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum.” Lipschutz said of her home, “It became this gem, this jewel box of an apartment.”

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The book’s other big takeaway is Hotel Chelsea’s sense of community, particularly unusual in a big city like New York. “Some of that is lost, but there are so many stories of dinner parties attended by all the residents on an entire floor, of people who always left their doors open, and neighbors who were also good friends,” Mock said. “After hearing all these stories, I asked myself what I can do in my life to foster a sense of community, with maybe shared

puffing and grinding my way up gentle hills rather than enjoying scenery as bucolic, picturesque and charming as it gets.

If you go Tripsite’s week-long bike tours through the Netherlands range from $1,200 to $2,700. Check tripsite.com or call 1-800951-4384. Flights from BWI to Amsterdam in March start at $760 on United Airlines. More information on WWII history in the Netherlands is available at holland.com/ global/tourism/holland-stories/liberation-route.

gatherings on the rooftop, or other ways to reach out to neighbors,” he said. While it remains to be seen when and whether Hotel Chelsea will open to a mix of new tenants and hotel guests, as was planned at one time, Miller and Mock said everyone featured in the book will be able to remain there. “And some are raising kids, so there’s another generation growing up in Hotel Chelsea,” Miller said. “Its story is continuing.” –AP

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Style Arts &

In The Ninth Hour, Alice McDermott weaves a story spanning multiple generations. Our cover story continues on page 29.

Play’s characters grapple with life’s end

Three intriguing characters The audience is first introduced to Joe

(Jim Hart), aptly named as he portrays what could be called an average Joe, or Everyman. Joe appears to deal with the anxiety and apprehension of his predicament by demonstrating an almost boyish demeanor — not complex or intellectual, just smiling and upbeat. As the play progresses, though, we learn he is actually quite serious in his understanding and acceptance of his fate. Maribeth Vogel plays Joe’s wife, Maggie, who, as the old saying goes, seems happy to drift down the river of denial, avoiding her husband’s predicament. She refuses to enter their cabin-like room, as if to cross the threshold would constitute acceptance of Joe’s pending mortality. Between them is Steve (Lincoln Goode), their teenage son, whose chief role in the play is to demonstrate what any parent would dread — having to tell their child they will soon be leaving them forever. Tom Wyatt portrays Brian, a loquacious, vivacious patient who is torn between expressing his own joy of life while always remaining cognizant of the doom that looms around the corner. To emphasize Brian’s strengths, Cristofer supplies two foils, his ex-wife Beverly (Holly Pasciullo) and his gay boyfriend, Mark (Caleb Brooks). While Beverly is a cross between the Unsinkable Molly Brown and Sweet Gypsy Rose, Mark is cerebral, quiet, eyes always cast downward. Mark seems depressed in the classic, clinical sense — that is, depression as anger turned against one’s self.

PHOTO BY SPOTLIGHTERS THEATRE / SHEALYN JAE PHOTOGRAPHY

By Dan Collins As we age, we all face mortality — our own, that of a parent, a friend, a lover…someone close to us. Some face the reality head on. Others avoid it, ignore it, make bargains with it. In actor Michael Cristofer’s play The Shadow Box, each character provides a unique perspective on death in ways that are neither judgmental nor maudlin, but ring true as distinctly human. The play is a Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winner that was turned into a 1980 television movie directed by Paul Newman. The Shadow Box is running through March 1 at Spotlighters Theatre in downtown Baltimore. It examines three hospice patients, Joe, Brian and Felicity, as they cope with the last days of their lives. Taking place during a 24-hour period, the play is set on the campus of a large U.S. hospital, specifically in three rooms occupied by each patient and their families. The actors are on display, as though behind glass, while an unnamed psychiatrist (never seen: we only hear the voice of Rodney Bonds), questions them. Hence the play’s title: a shadow box is defined as “an enclosed glass-front display case containing an object or objects presented in a thematic grouping with artistic or personal significance.”

Deborah Bennett plays Felicity, a dementia patient, and Sarah George is her devoted daughter and caregiver, Agnes, in Spotlighters Theatre’s touching production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, The Shadow Box.

Powerful exchanges The second act features one of the most engaging, fiery exchanges of the production, as Beverly (Vogel’s Maggie is truly a force to be reckoned with) and Mark butt heads over how best to deal with Brian in his final days. It’s a powerful scene in a play full of powerful scenes. Director Sharon Weaver assembled an impeccable cast who demonstrate a full range of emotions and expressions. They never fall back on clichés, and the actors occupy their characters rather than simply “playing” them. Completing this triumvirate are Deborah Bennett as Felicity and Sarah George

as her daughter. Bennett offers another example of the ways we die, this time from the point of view of an elderly dementia patient and her caregiver, George’s Agnes. Unlike Joe and Brian, whose illness oftentimes appears distant, only appearing through a sudden fit before dissipating, Felicity’s pain is clearly constant. She wails, she curses, she all but spits venom at times as someone who is suffering not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Agnes, like a desperate woman in a sinkSee THE SHADOW BOX, page 27

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BALTIMORE BEACON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; MARCH 2020

Amateur art competition closes March 20 Amateur artists 50 and over are invited to enter their best works in a variety of media in the Beaconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2020 Celebration of the Arts, an online art competition. The Beacon held its first Celebration of the Arts competition in 2018, when it attracted more than 900 entries in four categories. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition has expanded to seven categories. Winners in each category will receive awards, cash prizes (up to $100), as well as the opportunity to exhibit in one or more area galleries. Judging will be by professional artists, none of whom participated in the last competition, so all new eyes will be on this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entries. In addition, photos of all winning artists and their works will be published in a special Celebration of the Arts section to be printed in the Beacon in the spring.

Seven categories

The Shadow Box

Peaceful resolution

From page 26 ing boat, tries her best to stem one leak after another. She placates, soothes and speaks whatever language her dying mother needs to find rest. The relationship between mother and daughter is not pretty, special or noble. It is hard â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and real. Felicity has made â&#x20AC;&#x153;a bargain,â&#x20AC;? as the Interviewer observes, somehow staving off death by sheer force of will, as she waitsâ&#x20AC;Ś waits for someone so dear to her heart she cannot bear leaving even a life of pain without seeing that person again. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a truth here that only Agnes knows, and when it is revealed, we see the great steps some families take for the sake of granting a loved one some semblance of peace.

Amateurs may enter digital photos of their original works created after the age of 50 in these categories (up to three items per category): â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Painting (watercolor, oil, acrylic) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Drawing (pen and ink, graphite, pastels, calligraphy) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sculpture/Carving â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ceramics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jewelry/Stained Glass â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Mixed Media/Textile Art â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Digital Photography â&#x20AC;&#x153;Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entries were beautiful and inspiring. And meeting our winners â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some of whom were totally new to art â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was truly a thrill,â&#x20AC;? said Stuart Rosenthal, publisher of the Beacon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very excited to be holding this event again, with support from AARP, and look forward to seeing work from many new artists as well as from those who en-

The Shadow Box is the sort of play where one may expect Prozac to be distributed to the audience afterward, but antidepressants arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessary. By playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s end, as Maggie puts aside her denial, Mark faces his role in caring for Brian, and Agnes accepts her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fate, there is the comfort of resolution and the peace that it brings. Now in its 58th year, Spotlighters continues to amaze with top-rate performances delivered in its intimate â&#x20AC;&#x153;theater in the square.â&#x20AC;? The Shadow Box is at Spotlighters Theatre, 817 St. Paul, through March 1. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $24 ($21 if 60 or over or with military ID). Visit spotlighters.org or call (410) 7521225 for more information.

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tered before.â&#x20AC;? The online competition is open now, and will close on March 20. Winners will be announced in April, and there will be an artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; exhibition in May. Winners will also be honored at boomer/ senior expos in Baltimore County and Montgomery County, Maryland, and in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Perks for participants While there is a modest fee of $10 for each entry, all entrants will be entitled to a oneyear membership in the Maryland Federation of Art (new members only; value: $70). Among other things, the membership will enable artists to have their own web page on the MFA site, where they can share images of up to 20 artworks with friends and family. The Celebration of the Arts was inspired by moving stories from Beacon readers who have returned to an earlier

love of art after years away from it, or who developed a passion for it later in life. Community partners, including dozens of area nonprofits and governmental entities, are helping spread the word about the Celebration throughout the region. Note that there is no poetry category in the 2020 competition. The Beacon intends to hold a separate writing competition in the near future. Current sponsors of the event include AARP, the Maryland Federation of Art, Brooke Grove Retirement Village, Pepco and Sommerset. Other communities and businesses wishing to become sponsors or community partners may call the Beacon at (410) 248-9101 or email alan@thebeaconnewspapers.com for more information. For complete rules of the competition, visit theBeaconNewspapers.com/COTA2020. Questions? Call (410) 248-9101.

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MARCH 2020 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BALTIMORE BEACON

McDermott From page 1 Bellow — the wonderful writers who young writers can still learn from — but also non-mainstream writers. “In the long run,” she added, “I think this is a good thing, trending in the right direction.” How did Ireland inspire so many great writers, from Irish-Americans like Flannery O’Connor, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Eugene O’Neill, to those born on the Emerald Isle — Jonathan Swift, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, Seamus Heaney and Samuel Beckett? “When oppressed people struggle to keep their culture, they do it through language, written and spoken,” McDermott said. “There is power in telling a story, controlling the telling, mastering the means of expression. “The Irish did it. So did the Jews,” she said. “Both have a respect for the power of humor, which is a way for the ‘underdog’ to undercut the powers-that-be, bring them down a peg.”

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BALTIMORE BEACON — MARCH 2020

A tough, smart nun The Irish evening at the Smith Theater on the Howard Community College campus will feature live music and dance, as well as a reading by McDermott. She plans to read from her most recent book, The Ninth Hour, published in 2017. The book, which has received mostly rave reviews, goes into the heads, hearts and souls of nuns who work as nurses, tending to needy families in an Irish Catholic neighborhood of Brooklyn in the early 20th century. McDermott said she never expected to write a book about nuns. “I just wanted to create one nun who embodied someone tough and smart.” But, inspired after learning about two religious orders from France and Ireland who moved to Brooklyn, she ended up inventing her own Brooklyn-based order for the novel. She hopes the novel will help dispel a still-prevalent notion that the sole occupation of nuns is to whack Catholic school students with rulers. Like all human beings, McDermott said, nuns are complex characters.

“They are wonderful; they are selfish. Some have a real vocation to help the suffering of others. Some are power-hungry when running schools and hospitals. Some even have a complicated sexuality.”

Faith during hard times McDermott said her Catholic upbringing has played an essential role in her development as a writer. Prayers and hymns “were, in many ways, my first poetry,” she noted. She remains a practicing member of the church, attending mass at St. Bartholomew Church in Bethesda. She regularly prays. But she is also critical of the church in general. “I’m discouraged and dismayed and often disgusted by the failings of the institution and the hierarchy,” she said. “I don’t know a Catholic who isn’t.” Last year, she published an op-ed in the New York Times in which she urged the Catholic Church to accept female priests. She considers barring women from the positions “a moral error.”

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She has also been involved with a group called 5theses.com, which she described as “a reform movement that started in my dining room.” She continues to be outspoken about the church’s failings. “I’m not terribly optimistic, but stubborn, I suppose.” Still, McDermott retains her faith because it “offers something really essential to us human beings. “How do we deal with our mortality? How do we make sense of and reconcile the briefness of life with how deeply we care for one another? “That’s what I often think about and want to write about.” she said. Does McDermott believe in an afterlife? “I don’t know. It could be a glorious delusion. But I live in hope.” In addition to McDermott, the Feb. 21 HoCoPoLitSo event will feature music by O’Malley’s March and step dancing by the Teelin Dance Company, and be followed by a book signing. For tickets ($40 plus service fee), visit hocopolitso.org.

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Crossword Puzzle

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Neutral 1

Stephen Sherr 4

21 26

Scrabble answers on p. 29.

BB320

36 40

53 58

Across

Down

1. The Great Lake with the most islands 6. Summoned the desk clerk 10. Injure one’s lips 14. “Enemies ___ stimulating” (Katharine Hepburn) 15. “Law floats in ___ of ethics” (Earl Warren) 16. Costa ___ 17. Waitress’ desire 19. Chooses to be pessimistic (or not) 20. When the wait for Godot starts 21. Desires calamine lotion 23. Messy head of hair 26. Purge 27. Stubborn one 28. A poem meant to be sung 29. Wave ___ wand 31. Key to a Little Red Corvette 33. Blocks a slapshot 34. Source of 17% of US energy production in 2017 35. “Oh my god”, in text-speak 37. Bar bargains 41. N.L. East city 42. They bring ceasefires to an end 43. Left-side balance sheet item 44. Surrounded with shrubbery 46. Tempt 47. Bitter beer 49. Checkup sounds 50. First half of the S&P 51. Single whale female 52. Some vehicles in the bike lane 54. Classes with Bunsen burners 56. “I’m Jumping Jack Flash; it’s ___” 57. Chemically neutral, and like all of this puzzle’s theme answers 63. Comic strip which first popped in 1997 64. Piece about one at peace 65. Cornucopia component 66. Say that again 67. Refuse the porter’s services 68. Like Splenda

1. “That’s a laugh!” 2. The biggest sch. in the smallest state 3. Option at Starbucks or Chevron 4. Labor Dept. component since 1971 5. Sort of soggy 6. Quick, like some public transit 7. Egyptian snake 8. Jessica Timberlake, ___ Biel 9. In a loud and tasteless manner 10. Its head is narrower than a ‘gator’s 11. Most of Hamilton’s soundtrack 12. Feigned innocence 13. Like last-year’s dresses 18. Suffix with arthr- or paras22. Fed. agency that employs more than 300 dogs 23. Like chico, but not chica 24. Warren Buffett’s hometown 25. Be a trailblazer 27. Bosses’ demand letters 30. Boxer Daniel (and an acronym for EAGLE) 31. Struggled through, successfully 32. Bat’s daytime spot 34. Gives a damn 36. ___-Roman wrestling 38. The most memorable part of an excursion 39. Purses 40. Maintain one’s sense of dread 45. Fred Flintstone or Homer Simpson 46. Card catalog abbr. 47. Dumbfound 48. Subject first written about in Aristotle’s Prior Analytics 50. Chalkboard material 53. Exxon predecessor 55. Cause of a February school delay 58. The (financial) winner of The Game of Thrones 59. Took the bait 60. Unnumbered pool ball 61. Homophone of air and heir 62. Insecticide, banned in the US since 1972

Answers on page 29.

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For Rent/Sale: Real Estate BALTIMORE COUNTY, RANDALLSTOWN MD, two bedroom kitchen and a living room and dinning room combined. With a quit country setting, private entrance, no pets and or smoking, all utilities included $ 900.00 first month rent and deposit due when contract is signed. CONTACT # 410-655-0080. MID-ATLANTIC FUNDING GROUP — Pays cash for Owner Financed Mortgages. Professional Service / Fast Closing. Call Us Today! 1 (800) 641-9521 or visit midatlanticnotes.com

For Rent/Sale: Real Estate WE BUY HOUSES!!! CALL 443-415-0790. Are you tired of toilets and tenants, but like the monthly income? Call us for a creative solution to your real estate problems. We buy houses in any condition, any location, any price range. We pay CASH or terms and offer QUICK closings. Call us today at 443-415-0790 or visit www.ikebuyshouses.com. A PLACE FOR MOM. The nation’s largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. CALL 1-855-502-4495

Health PAID RESEARCH STUDY: Healthy 65-85yr olds with normal hearing needed for MRI study of speech comprehension at Univ. of Maryland College Park. Earn $10-15/hr in 2 sessions (34hrs total). Contact 240-630-0461, EffComLab@gmail.com, http://ter.ps/listen RESEARCH STUDY: Are you taking care of a family member or friend with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia? We invite you to participate in a paid research study (PI: Hae-Ra Han, PhD, RN; Johns Hopkins IRB#: IRB00198665). The study will involve doing a phone or online survey. If you complete the survey, you will receive a $10 gift card as a thank you for your time. You may be eligible to participate if you • Are caring for a family member or friend with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia • Have a chronic condition or disease • Speak and understand English • Are 18 and older, and • Own or have access to a mobile device. If you are interested, please contact the research team at (410) 929-4327 or tech4caregiverhopkinstudy@gmail.com PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855-851-0949.

HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD All classified ads must be submitted and paid for online, via our website, www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Deadlines and Payments: To appear in the next issue, your ad text and payment must be entered by the 5th of the preceding month (for Baltimore and Howard County editions); by the 20th (for Washington and Richmond editions). Cost will be based on the number of characters and spaces in your ad: • $25 for 1-250 • $35 for 251-500. • $50 for 501-750 (maximum length). The website will calculate this for you. Note: Maryland contractors must provide a valid MHIC number. • Each real estate listing qualifies as one ad. • All ads are subject to publisher's discretion. Payment will be refunded if unacceptable for any reason.

To place your classified ad, visit www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/classifieds Home/Handyman Services

Wanted

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off and 0% financing for those who qualify. PLUS Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-844-359-6933.

DISH NETWORK $59.99 For 190 Channels! Add High Speed Internet for ONLY $19.95/month. Call Today for $100 Gift Card! Best Value & Technology. FREE Installation. Call 1-844-560-5837 (some restrictions apply)

Legal Services APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc., Social Security Disability Attorneys, 1-866-970-0779! FREE Consultations. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]

Personals

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for [350] procedures. Call 1-844366-1003 for details. www.dental50plus.com/320. [6118-0219]

RETIRED JEWISH LAW PROFESSOR, kind, considerate, fun to be with, great sense of humor; Ravens and Orioles fan, enjoys Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, dining, and movies. Seeks like-minded lady, age 50-70, to share dating and companionship. Call Ned at 410-9988448.

Home/Handyman Services

TV/Cable

STAY IN YOUR HOME LONGER with an American Standard Walk-In Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-877-240-2061 or visit www.walkintubquote.com/beacon

GET NFL SUNDAY TICKET FREE w/ DIRECTV Choice All-Included Package. $59.99/ month for 12 months. 185 Channels PLUS Thousands of Shows/Movies On Demand. FREE Genie HD DVR Upgrade. Call 1-888-5724953.

**STOP STRUGGLING ON THE STAIRS** Give your life a lift with an ACORN STAIRLIFT! Call now for $250 OFF your stairlift purchase and FREE DVD & brochure! 1-855-8503183.

BUYING VINYL RECORDS from 1950 to 1990. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Reggae, Punk, Blues, and Disco. 33 1/3 LP’s, 45’s and some 78’s, Some Groups Of CD’s Larger collections of at least 100 items wanted. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

SEEKING FULL/SEALED BOTTLES of Vintage Bourbon & Rye (Pre-1990). Examples include, but are not limited to: Old Grand Dad, Pikesville Rye, Wild Turkey, Old Fitzgerald, I.W. Harper, Old Forester and more! Inquiries are welcome. Call Alex 443-223-7669 TOP PRICES PAID for fine antiques, artwork and high quality decorative items including decorated crocks and jugs, rare antique clocks, music boxes and antique phonographs,unusual lamps, slot machines, country store and advertising items, great old toys and dolls to name a few. I am 66 years old with over 40 years in the antique business, well educated and financially capable . Why pay expensive auction house, estate sale, or consignment store commissions when you can get a fair upfront price for your pieces immediately? If you have something unusual and interesting, rare and valuable and are prepared to sell it I would like to speak with you. Please call Jake Lenihan 301 279 8834 . No calls after 7 pm please. Thank you. COLLECTOR BUYING MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, weapons, knives, swords, web gear, uniforms, etc. from all wars & countries. Also Lionel Trains, & slots/coin operated machines. Will pay top prices. Discreet consultations. Call Fred, 301-910-0783

Classifieds cont. on page 29.

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Government Services

Balance & Falls Study . . . . . . . . .14 Calorie Restriction Study . . . . . . .13 Dental Health Study . . . . . . . . . . .12 Knee Osteoarthritis Study . . . . . .14 Memory Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Neuropathy Study . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Stroke Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Pikesville Senior Center . . . . . . . . .9

Dental Services Denture Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . .9, 11 Quick Affordable Dentures . . . . . .7

Education CCBC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Coppin State University . . . . . . . .27

Events Celebration of the Arts . . . . . . . . . .3 Keswick Mosaic Class . . . . . . . . .23

Health Advanced Center for Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . .11 Barenburg Eye Associates . . . . . . .8 Goldman, Stuart, DPM . . . . . . . .12 Low Vision Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Parkinson Foundation . . . . . . . . .15 Rosenblatt Foot Care . . . . . . . . . . .8 Skin Cancer EB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . .15 R Home Communities . . . . . . . . .19 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . . .25 Warren Place Senior Apartments . . .16

Legal Services Angels of Elder Care Planning . .17 Frank, Frank & Scherr Law Firm . .17

Medical Cannabis

Subscriptions Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . . . .30

Technology Computer Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 TheBeaconNewspapers.com . . . .28

Theatres/Entertainment

Health For Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Columbia Orchestra, The . . . . . . .27 Toby’s Dinner Theatre . . . . . . . . .27

Travel

Home Health Care

Moving Services Caring Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Options for Senior America . . . . .29

Shopping

Eyre Bus, Tour & Travel . . . . . . .23 Superior Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Home Improvement Bath Fitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Housing Blair House at Stoneleigh . . . . . .25 Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . . . .15 Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . . . .26

Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Wilkins Beltway Plaza . . . . . . . . .29

Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Manor Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Volunteers/Careers Baltimore City Companion Program . . . . . . . . .21 Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

MARCH 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com

“I haven’t been this excited since I got my first bicycle!” Introducing ZOOMER!

The portable, folding, battery-powered chair that offers easy one-handed operation Sturdy & Lightweight Frame

One-touch Folding Comfortable Seating

Joystick Control (adaptable left or right)

Remember when you were a child and got your first bicycle? I do. It gave me a sense of independence… I felt like I could go anywhere, and it was so much easier and more enjoyable than walking. Well, at my age, that bike wouldn’t do me much good. Fortunately, there’s a new invention that gives me the freedom and independence to go wherever I want … safely and easily. It’s called the Zoomer, and it’s changed my life. If you are one of the countless Americans who need a little help getting around, there is a safe, simple and easy-to-use solution… the Zoomer. It is propelled by small yet powerful dual motors for speeds of 3.7 miles per hour over a variety of terrains, on up to a 10 degree incline. Its innovative airline-safe Lithium Ion battery enables you to go 8 miles on a single charge, and the automatic electromagnetic brakes let you stop on a dime.

Powerful Battery/ Dual Motors

10” Non-Marking Tires

12” Folds to 12”

8” Non-Marking Tires

The secret to the Zoomer is its intuitive steering system. You operate it with a simple-to-use joystick, giving you precision maneuverability and the ability to navigate tight spaces easily with a 25” turning radius. It is designed to let you pull right up to a table or desk. You no longer have to move to another chair to work or eat at your table.

Joystick conveniently rolls beneath table or desk

in seconds

Swivel Away Footrest

What’s more, it folds up easily so it can fit in a trunk or a back seat. Why spend another day watching life pass you by, when instead you could be Zooming around! Call now and a knowledgeable, friendly Zoomer expert will tell you all about it. You’ll be glad you did.

Easy to use joystick control

Ready to get your own Zoomer? We’d love to talk to you. Call now toll free and order one today!

112695 when ordering.

The Zoomer Chair is a personal electric vehicle and is not a medical device nor a wheelchair. Zoomer is not intended for medical purposes to provide mobility to persons restricted to a sitting position. It is not covered by Medicare nor Medicaid. © 2020 ﬁrst STREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

85006

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March 2020 | Baltimore Beacon

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